“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.”
Malachi 3:10
Due to this single reference in Malachi, many churches have adopted the concept of “storehouse giving.” This is interpreted to mean that the entirety of one’s tithes is to be given to the local church. The pastors and churches that teach this concept of giving equate the local church with the Old Testament temple.
How are we to view this concept of storehouse giving? Is it a biblical principle? Does it represent a balanced teaching on giving? Is it to be the norm for all Christians today? The Bible must be our final authority on all matters of faith and practice. And we must never base our theology regarding any biblical subject upon just one isolated verse.
One of the clearest New Testament examples of storehouse giving is Christ’s observation of the “widow’s mite” (Mark 12:41–44). This poor widow was giving her sacrificial gift to the temple storehouse. As Jesus was making His observation, He made no comment on the practice of giving to the temple treasury. His purpose was not to focus on the place of giving, but on the practice and proportion of giving.
A second teaching of Christ is about giving in secret (Matthew 6:1–4). This was a reference to the public and ostentatious manner of giving often used by the religious hypocrites of His day. This passage can be equally used to substantiate both storehouse and secret giving.
There are many additional exhortations about giving in the New Testament—mostly from Christ—that are not explicitly to be given through the temple storehouse. Matthew 10:5–10 clearly shows that Jesus expected His disciples to both give and receive material and financial help directly. Jesus implied that the rich young ruler in Matthew 19:21 should liquidate his wealth and give it personally and directly to the poor. It is obvious in Luke 8:1–3 that women financially supported Jesus and His disciples directly. We see God’s people sending financial support to meet the needs of Paul in Philippians 4:14–18 with no involvement by the temple storehouse.
Christians today should certainly give a majority of their tithes and offerings through their local church storehouse. It is the believer’s primary spiritual community, just like the temple was for the Old Testament saints. A Christian owes their presence, participation, and support to their primary spiritual community.
However, if the local church is either selfishly hoarding resources or wasting them on unbiblical programs or monuments to human ego, a reevaluating of church involvement and giving must take place. To continue to attend and tithe to a church that has lost its biblical focus and spiritual priority is very poor stewardship of your time and God’s treasure.
Storehouse giving, then, is a biblical principle and guideline for Christians. But even though it would represent a norm and starting point for one’s tithes and offerings, it certainly should not represent the totality of giving for any individual Christian. The opportunities and needs are too broad for any serious Christian to be that narrow and exclusive in their giving.