Though most believers are not joyless givers, they’re not joyful givers either. Their giving brings them the same joy as paying a parking fine.

It was a frightful experience. In 1996, after an overseas trip, I began to see floaters in my right eye. The next day, the retina detached like a torn curtain.

Jesus spoke about tithing, but only twice. Does He teach tithing as the standard? Let’s look at the two passages.

Many believers feel guilty about their giving. They assume the tithe (ten percent) is the gold standard, and they try to work themselves up to that, but they often fail. Research concludes American churchgoers give 3-5 percent of their income.