HELP...Can cccs budget in tithes i pay my church???

lawz_2

i AM CURRENTLY IN ALOT OF DEBT AND AM CONSIDERING DOING THE DMP WITH CCCS OR GOIN BR....HOWEVER IM A MEMBER OF MY CHURCH AND I PAY TITHES REGULARLY (10% OF INCOME)....DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THIS AT ALL...???...ANYBODY

THANX

LAURIE

dancingfairy

Hi. Am not too sure how tithing works. Is it compulsory and everyone knows at your church who does and who doesn't and how much they pay? The only thing is whilst it is a fantastic idea - I think charity begins at home in this instance. Perhaps you could stop the payment (or reduce it) until you have dealt with you debts and then pay extra when you are debt free to make up for it? I am sure that people in your church should have some compassion for you when you are clearly struggling.
On the other hand if this really is something you cannot budge on and are willing to go bankrupt over. I would hide the payment in the budget. Ie cccs will allow you a set amount for food etc per month depending on your circumstances now how you choose to spend that money is up to you - you could live realatively modestly or you could cut it down to the absolute minimum that is healthy and cook everything from scratch etc and use the remainder to pay to the church. You could also do this with other items in the budget.
Whether CCCS would allow you to put it as an item in its own right I am not sure.
Anyway I hope this gave you a few ideas. Perhaps you could use your time for the benefit of you church or community or God more as you can't spare the money right now?
Good Luck whatever route you choose.
df

peb

I really don't know what CCCS will think about it but I don't think that any of the Lenders will agree when they see your income and expenditure.

I would hope that your Church would understand that you are simply unable to meet this payment.

OliveOyl_2

I think the idea of tithing your time is a very good one.

Whatever your budget allows via CCCS do not let your tithe become a burden to you.
I've known people use a number of ways of calculating the 10%
from 10% of your gross income (I think that's what Cliff Richard does )
all the way to the other extreme where the tithee (?) calculated net salary less housing costs (the first Christians didn't have housing costs).

lawz_2

Thank you all for the feedback.....just to clarify that my church isnt dependent on my tithe and dont force me to tithe...it is however in scripture....Malachi 3:10, Deuteronomy 26:12-1 and some additional scriptures 2 Chronicles 31:5; Nehemiah 12:44; Genesis 14:17-20; Leviticus 27:20; Matthew 23:23..just a few for back up....lol

No but seriously we give 10% of our money not because we are told to by our pastor etc...but out of faith....

thanx again

(Land_of)_Maz

Gosh i feel really ignorant, as have never heard of this...

I admire you for your faith and generosity.....

Is there not an option for charitable donations in DMP? i can see why there wouldn't be but ....???

Good luck, i'm sure you will find the answer you need... maybe ask your pastor/minister or whatever as there might have been others in the same position.... after all there are so many of us in debt, we must be around every corner!!

Maz
xx

angelflower_2

Why dont you go and speak to your pastor/minister about it. Personally I cannot pay 10% at the moment but i give effectively by being registered for gift aid so they get an extra 22%. I also 'hide' my tithe in with my food budget to avoid the stress by having to justify to those who dont understand about tithe ie large creditor companies.

However, brilliant suggestion the other day too. Keep a track of the difference in what you 'should' give and what you do give and work it out in terms of additional hours sacrificial service or keep a spreadsheet to work out how much you are due which you can then start to pay when you are back on your feet.

Deep_In_Debt

I don't think CCCS allow a charitable budget. I cancelled my charity DD's when I went on my DMP. If I want to continue to give, I could do it out of my food/living costs budget as I'm now able to live on half of what CCCS advised and agreed, although I've left out my charitable contributions until I get back on my feet again, instead saving the extra money for emergencies etc.

I'm sure the minister/pastor would understand if you explained your dilemma.

Good luck.

boredofbeingathome

It is voluntary at most churches. I would also add that the churches( Christian charities) do back up things like a DMP and regularly give debt advice(they run a debt advice charity). I am sure they would be distressed if they thought that you were struggling to pay a tithe and would suggest that you give equal value with your time or efforts for the church, perhaps even helping out with debt advice yourself.

belfastgirl23

Other DFWs have stopped paying their tithe but are keeping a record of it as a 'debt' to be repaid when their other debts are taken care of. Perhaps this might work for you?

savingholmes

lawz wrote: »

Thank you all for the feedback.....just to clarify that my church isnt dependent on my tithe and dont force me to tithe...it is however in scripture....Malachi 3:10, Deuteronomy 26:12-1 and some additional scriptures 2 Chronicles 31:5; Nehemiah 12:44; Genesis 14:17-20; Leviticus 27:20; Matthew 23:23..just a few for back up....lol

No but seriously we give 10% of our money not because we are told to by our pastor etc...but out of faith....

thanx again

Hi I'm in a similar boat to you. I've always tithed since a small child, but I am planning to stop for a bit. Consider the context of the passage where Jesus talks about tithing - he tells the Pharisees off for taking it to ridiculous extremes, in one passage lower down he tells them they swallowed a camel and strained a gnat and that they are putting impossible burdens on people. He also say render unto caesar what is caesar's and unto God's what is God. If you think about the old testament where tithing is mentioned it's all in the context of farming and bringing crops, firstfruits etc. They converted it to money if it was too much to carry on a journey to the temple. That is not quite the same as saying that it must be a literal 10% on every scrap of income that you get - although like you I've often practiced that. I'm sure God loves me and you, and that even if we've got it wrong, that he will forgive us and look after us.

Yes it's nice to give, but the question I have to ask myself is - is it honouring God to be in debt and going into overdraft and credit cards most months in the past when if I stopped tithing I could be debt free quicker and more free to give in the future.

Look at giving in the new testament and be a cheerful giver - but that can be time, skills, talents - doesn't have to be money, or limited to money. Hope that helps....

I have come to terms with this in stages. First month I went down to 9%, now I'm down to 5% and next month I'm planning to drop to 0%ish for a while. Still continuing child sponsorship tho and OH still insisting on tithing even tho he works part time for a church and it costs us the same for him to get there as his tithe.... But I've left that between him and God...