If you are like many Americans, you focus much more on the money coming in than the money going out. If your paycheck is lower than expected or a little bit late, you probably notice immediately. But if you are late to pay a bill or spend a little extra on restaurants this month, you may not notice or care.
It seems like this is often what happens with tithe as well. We are very aware of how much money we are earning, but when it comes to setting aside ten percent of that, it is often an afterthought. If this is something you struggle with and you would like to be more diligent about giving ten percent back, here are five ways to encourage you to pay your tithe.
Use the Adventist Giving App
The Adventist Church released the Adventist Giving App last year to make the giving process easier, and it has been successful because of several great features. Two of the most useful features of this app are its ability to set up recurring donations and the ability to give using credit/debit cards.
In a fast-paced digital world, most of us no longer carry checkbooks or large amounts of cash around with us. When we see the offering plate headed our direction, we likely have nothing to put in it. The ability to use credit/debit cards on the app corrects this issue, and the ability to set up recurring donations means we can give monthly without having to remember.
Set a reminder
Google Calendar and other similar calendar apps have the ability to set reminders. One way to ensure you pay your tithe regularly is to set a reminder on your smartphone for the day you get your paycheck each month telling you to set aside or pay your tithe. This way you know exactly how much to give.
If you don’t use a calendar app, you can always just write it on your physical calendar. Write a note on a specific day each month so you remember to pay your tithe.
Incorporate tithing into your devotions
If tithing is something you believe is important to your relationship with God, then why not have it as part of your devotions? Set aside one devotion each month to just focus on squaring up your giving for the month. Maybe you’re self-employed and need to determine how much you earned that month so you know how much to give, or maybe you give to different causes and want to ask God where you should give that month. Whatever your reason, turning your giving into a time with God can make something that may seem like a chore into something more valuable.
Give with a partner
The reason having an accountability partner is used in so many different scenarios is because it is effective. If we know there is someone else out there who we are sharing our journey with, we are more likely to stay on course.
Choose someone to share your tithe journey with and see what happens. This doesn’t mean just telling your partner you gave this month and how much you gave. It can also mean telling them how God is impacting you through your giving. This tithe partner could be anyone from your spouse to a friend to someone you met at church. It is just important you are both committed to the same goal.
Create a tithe journal
Many people do not feel like they receive anything from tithing. Yes, they do it anyway because they feel it is their duty, but they don’t feel like it benefits them.
Pay attention to how your tithing impacts your life—whether in little ways like someone paying for your food, or in big ways like having enough money left over at the end of the month to pay off a debt. Or maybe it impacts your life in non-financial ways like opening up an unexpected opportunity. Regardless of how it impacts you, write these things down in a journal or take notes of them on your phone. This will help you remember to pay your tithe each month and maybe cause you to more clearly see the significance of your giving.
