Churchgoers tithe outside of church; Church pays restaurant bill for Easter; 4 barriers to being a multi-directional leader

Most churchgoers say tithing is a biblical command and give at least 10 percent of their income. But they have more diverse opinions on the “where” and “how” of tithing.

More than 3 in 4 American Protestant churchgoers say tithing is a biblical command that still applies today (77 percent), according to a Lifeway Research study. 

Those with evangelical beliefs are more likely than those without evangelical beliefs to say tithing is biblical and currently applicable (85 percent v. 71 percent). And those who attend a worship service at least four times a month are more likely than those who attend one to three times a month (80 percent v. 72 percent) to agree.

Saltpetre Community Church is relatively new at nine years old, the mix of older and younger congregations. Pastor Chris Wilson, whose family owns a funeral home, is the new congregation’s pastor. 

He says the church has been looking at the community with new eyes. Outside of the box. That’s led them to use a portion of their property to plant a community garden and to invite the entire staff of a local restaurant to their Easter service.

Wilson said the church offered to cover what the restaurant might make on Easter Sunday, but the owner told him he’d already been considering closing on Easter. Many of the employees gathered with the folks at the church on resurrection Sunday and several have been asking questions about Jesus Christ since that day.

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Good News for Today is made possible through our friends at The Voice of the Martyrs, a nonprofit organization that serves persecuted Christians around the world. Founded in 1967 by Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, VOM is dedicated to inspiring believers to deepen their commitment to Christ and to fulfill His Great Commission — no matter the cost. Find out more and sign up for their free monthly magazine at vom.org/goodnews.

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In a Baptist Press Toolbox piece, Trevin Wax discusses barriers that keep leaders from being multi=-directional leaders. What is a multi-directional leader? Wax writes, “

1. One-directional leaders are skillful in spotting and thwarting threats to the sheep that come from a single direction of the field. But because they focus on fighting battles on one front, they leave the flock vulnerable to problems from other sides.

1. Multi-directional leaders, on the other hand, fend off threats from more than one direction. To be multi-directional is to lead with dexterity and discipline—a faithful versatility that challenges erroneous positions no matter where they come from, and promotes a full-orbed vision of ministry that defends the truth and protects the flock.

Learn about the barriers in the full piece at our Baptist Press.com.