Churches aren’t commanded to tithe 10%, but they are called to give generously and wisely to support God’s work beyond their walls. Whether people give 10% or more, the heart behind the giving—cheerful, willing, and mission-focused—is what matters most.
The Bible does not command churches to tithe 10% of their income, but it does call believers to give generously, willingly, and with purpose. Tithing was a structured act of worship established for the Israelites in the Old Testament that supported the Levites, festivals, and the poor. In the New Testament, tithing is not commanded of believers, but they are called to give graciously and generously, according to their means (2 Corinthians 9:7). Churches are free to determine how much they give to missions, ministries, and those in need, whether 10% or more. What matters most is not the percentage, but the heart and purpose behind the giving—honoring God and advancing His kingdom through faithful generosity.
Many local churches give a portion of what they receive to support outside ministries. In some denominations, each church is expected to give 10% of the offerings it receives to the denomination to support the denomination's work and worldwide missionary outreach.
Is the practice of a church tithing 10% of its offerings biblical? While it is certainly biblical for a church to give to help those outside of its congregation, no particular method is required. A church can choose to give 10% of its offerings, or any other amount, to work outside of its church. Some churches even make ambitious goals of giving 20%, or even 50%, of all they receive to serve others in need.
What a church is able to give to those outside of its local congregation will vary greatly from one place to the next. A remote congregation in a developing nation may not have the financial resources to support other ministries, but it can still help those in need in their local community. An affluent congregation in a major city, however, can use its abundance to resource many others, becoming a blessing to those in need.
Some church planting movements today use the concept of the church tithing 10% to reproduce new churches. For example, the new church is funded for two years by the church planting group. After two years, the new church begins giving 10% of the giving it receives to the church planting group to start even more churches. Though not a biblical requirement, this model has been used to help reproduce many new local congregations.
Again, some denominations also practice this model. If every church in the denomination gives 10% of what it receives to the denomination's work, much missionary work can take place through the combined power of many churches working together.