The Christian life is an offering of one’s self to God. In worship

the people are presented with the costly self-offering of Jesus

Christ, are claimed and set free by him, and are led to respond by

offering to him their lives, their particular gifts and abilities, and

their material goods.

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 In the Old Testament the people of Israel were commanded

to bring a tenth of their income to support the work of the house of

God and those who served God in it. In the New Testament the

apostles recognized that the work of the Church required disciplined

support. Both in Israel and in the early Church the people were encouraged

to give generously to meet the needs of the poor. God

calls believers today to be disciplined and generous in giving support

to the ministries of the church.