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::''Related articles'': '''[[Are Christians required to tithe?]]''' and '''[[Church Governance in the Message|Church governance]]'''
'''''Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority. There is no worse heresy than that the office sanctifies the holder of it.'''''  (Lord Acton)
'''''Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority. There is no worse heresy than that the office sanctifies the holder of it.'''''  (Lord Acton)


William Branham created a very dangerous situation for the local church when he provided that 100% of the tithes was to go to the pastor.  In most message churches this means that the pastor has complete control of the tithes and there is no financial accountability as to how the pastor spends the money.
William Branham created a very dangerous situation for the local church when he provided that 100% of the tithes was to go to the pastor.  In most message churches this means that the pastor has complete control of the tithes and there is no financial accountability as to how the pastor spends the money. Unfortunately, this almost guarantees that financial abuse will take place and, in larger message churches (based on our experience), financial abuse is quite common.
 
=Summary=


=What the Bible teaches=
Paul provides an example of financial accountability.  If Paul took pains to ensure that his handling of money was above reproach, church leaders ensure accountability structures exist as well.  This is important to protect the pastors and elders and deacons from unwanted criticism.
 
Church leadership should ensure that there is transparency to anyone who gives funds to the church and structures are in place that prevent potential abuse.
 
==What the Bible teaches==


::''Related articles'': '''[[Are Christians required to tithe?]]''' and '''[[Church Governance in the Message|Church governance]]'''
::''Related articles'': '''[[Are Christians required to tithe?]]''' and '''[[Church Governance in the Message|Church governance]]'''
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In addition to Titus, Paul sends two church representatives of proven worth and recognized stature to help Titus with the collection effort (v. 23). The first is merely referred to in the text as the brother (v. 18); no name is provided. But where a name is lacking, credentials are not. To the brother’s credit is the fact that he was chosen by the churches to accompany the offering (v. 19). This brother is also someone who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel (v. 18).  The second church representative is unnamed as well. This individual, unlike the first, is well known to the congregation: our brother (v. 22).  This raises the total that Paul sends in advance of his arrival to three persons.<ref>Linda L. Belleville, 2 Corinthians, vol. 8, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series (Westmont, IL: IVP Academic, 1996), 2 Co 8:16–24.</ref>  
In addition to Titus, Paul sends two church representatives of proven worth and recognized stature to help Titus with the collection effort (v. 23). The first is merely referred to in the text as the brother (v. 18); no name is provided. But where a name is lacking, credentials are not. To the brother’s credit is the fact that he was chosen by the churches to accompany the offering (v. 19). This brother is also someone who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel (v. 18).  The second church representative is unnamed as well. This individual, unlike the first, is well known to the congregation: our brother (v. 22).  This raises the total that Paul sends in advance of his arrival to three persons.<ref>Linda L. Belleville, 2 Corinthians, vol. 8, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series (Westmont, IL: IVP Academic, 1996), 2 Co 8:16–24.</ref>  


What is clear is that Paul does not simply hold himself accountable to God.  He also holds himself accountable to "men," those that have donated the funds.  '''If Paul held himself accountable to men, how do message ministers )or anyone that deals with church funds for that matter) think they can get away without being accountable to those that donate to the church??'''  
What is clear is that Paul does not simply hold himself accountable to God.  He also holds himself accountable to "men," those that have donated the funds.  '''If Paul held himself accountable to men, how do message ministers )or anyone that deals with church funds for that matter) think they can get away without being accountable to those that donate to the church??'''


=False teaching on tithing going to the pastor=
=Should all of the tithes go to the pastor?=
::''Related articles'': '''[[Are Christians required to tithe?]]''' and '''[[Church Governance in the Message|Church governance]]'''


William Branham stated:
William Branham stated:


:''But a tenth of that went—a tenth of the tithings—all the tithings went to their priests, their pastors. Yes, tithings are to go for nothing else.<ref>William Branham, 61-1015M - Questions And Answers, para. 176</ref>
:''But a tenth of that went—a tenth of the tithings—'''all the tithings went to their priests, their pastors.''' Yes, tithings are to go for nothing else.<ref>William Branham, 61-1015M - Questions And Answers, para. 176</ref>


The tithe funded the Levites (Num. 18:20–32). The Levites were scattered all over the country and were not just in Jerusalem at the temple. The Levites also included everyone in the tribe of Levi that worked in the temple - the priest, the song leaders and musicians, even the doormen and the janitors. In Num 18:21–32 it is laid down that the tithe must be paid to the Levites, not just to the priests:
'''Based on scripture, William Branham's statement is completely false.'''
 
The tithe funded the Levites (Num. 18:20–32). The Levites were scattered all over the country and were not just in Jerusalem at the temple. The Levites also included everyone in the tribe of Levi that worked in the temple - the priest, the song leaders and musicians, even the doormen and the janitors. In Num 18:21–32 it is laid down that the tithe must be paid to the entire tribe of Levi, not just to the priests:


:''And the LORD said to Aaron, “You priests will receive no allotment of land or share of property among the people of Israel. I am your share and your allotment. As for '''the tribe of Levi, your relatives,''' I will compensate them for their service in the Tabernacle. Instead of an allotment of land, '''I will give them the tithes from the entire land of Israel'''.<ref>Tyndale House Publishers, Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2015), Nu 18:20–21.</ref>''
:''And the LORD said to Aaron, “You priests will receive no allotment of land or share of property among the people of Israel. I am your share and your allotment. As for '''the tribe of Levi, your relatives,''' I will compensate them for their service in the Tabernacle. Instead of an allotment of land, '''I will give them the tithes from the entire land of Israel'''.<ref>Tyndale House Publishers, Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2015), Nu 18:20–21.</ref>''
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According to Numbers 18:26-28, the Levites paid ten percent of the tithe to the priests (who were also part of the tribe of Levi).  Therefore, if the pastor is the New Testament equivalent of the Levitical priest, they should receive only got a small portion of the total tithe (ten percent of the tithe).
According to Numbers 18:26-28, the Levites paid ten percent of the tithe to the priests (who were also part of the tribe of Levi).  Therefore, if the pastor is the New Testament equivalent of the Levitical priest, they should receive only got a small portion of the total tithe (ten percent of the tithe).


For a detailed discussion on tithing, please see our article - [[Are Christians required to tithe?]]
'''Based on the above, William Branham's statement is clearly false.  If you buy his argument ([[Are Christians required to tithe?|which we do not]]) that priest in the OT were the equivalent of pastors in the NT, then you could make a case that pastors should received 10% of the tithes. There is no case that can be made from scripture that pastors should receive 100% of the tithes.'''
 
:'''''Would it be wrong to use tithes on church building funds?'''
 
:''Well now, here—here’s a touchy little thing for the church now. '''No, correctly tithes is to go to the minister.''' That’s right! In the Bible they had a box they’d set at the door in the Old Testament when the—building. This box was a fund where the people put in there for the repairing…You’ve read it many times in the Old Testament. They kept up the buildings and things like that…All the repairs on the building was taken care out of that fund. But a tenth of that went—a tenth of the tithings—all the tithings went to their priests, their pastors. Yes, tithings are to go for nothing else.
 
:''I know people take their tithes and give them to a widow woman. That’s wrong. If you’ve got anything to give the widow woman, give her, but don’t give her God’s money. That’s not yours in the first place. That’s God’s!


:''If you sent me downtown to get a loaf of bread, and you give me twenty-five cents to get the loaf of bread, and I met somebody on the street wanted it…something else, and I’d give him the twenty-five cents, see, I give them your money. If they asked me for something, let them get it over here in this pocket and give them my money; but this is your money. And a tenth of it is the Lord’s. And Levi, the priesthood, lived by the tenth.
==Do pastors = Levitical priests?==


:''The tenth is to be a tithing that’s to be brought into the storehouse with a promise of God to bless it. And a proof, He said, “If you don’t believe it, come and prove Me and see if I won’t do it.” See? That’s right!
Peter talks about who priests are in the new covenant:


:'''''The tithings goes into the church for the pastor and so forth like that to live on.''' And then the—the—the '''building funds and things like that is a separate fund altogether. Now, that—that is Scriptural.''' <ref>William Branham, 61-1015M - Questions And Answers, para. 176-180</ref>
:''Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.<ref>The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), 1 Pe 2:5.</ref>


While William Branham said it was "scriptural", he offered no biblical support for his views.
:''But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, fa peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light...<ref>The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), 1 Pe 2:9–10.</ref>


=False teaching on tithing going to the pastor=
The book of Revelation states the same thing:


William Branham stated:
:''And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.<ref>The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Re 5:10.</ref>


:''But a tenth of that went—a tenth of the tithings—all the tithings went to their priests, their pastors. Yes, tithings are to go for nothing else.<ref>William Branham, 61-1015M - Questions And Answers, para. 176</ref>
The Levites have not been replaced by pastors, but the Levitical priesthood has been fulfilled by Christians.<ref>Andreas J. Köstenberger and David A. Croteau, “‘Will a Man Rob God?’ (Malachi 3:8): A Study of Tithing in the Old and New Testaments,” ed. Craig A. Evans, Bulletin for Biblical Research, Vol. 16, 2006, 77.</ref>


He actually got it right and then immediately corrected himself to introduce what can only be described as false doctrine.
=Quotes of William Branham=


The tithe funded the Levites (Num. 18:20–32). The Levites were scattered all over the country and were not just in Jerusalem at the temple. The Levites also included everyone in the tribe of Levi that worked in the temple - the priest, the song leaders and musicians, even the doormen and the janitors. In Num 18:21–32 it is laid down that the tithe must be paid to the tribe of Levi, not just to the priests:
In the following statement, William Branham states that his views are "scriptural", but he offers no biblical support for his opinion:


:''And the LORD said to Aaron, “You priests will receive no allotment of land or share of property among the people of Israel. I am your share and your allotment. As for the tribe of Levi, your relatives, I will compensate them for their service in the Tabernacle. Instead of an allotment of land, I will give them the tithes from the entire land of Israel.<ref>Tyndale House Publishers, Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2015), Nu 18:20–21.</ref>
:'''''Would it be wrong to use tithes on church building funds?'''


According to Numbers 18:26-28, the Levites paid ten percent of the tithe to the priests (who were also part of the tribe of Levi). Therefore, if the pastor is the New Testament equivalent of the Levitical priest, they should receive only got a small portion of the total tithe (ten percent of the tithe).
:''Well now, here—here’s a touchy little thing for the church now. '''No, correctly tithes is to go to the minister.''' That’s right! In the Bible they had a box they’d set at the door in the Old Testament when the—building. This box was a fund where the people put in there for the repairing…You’ve read it many times in the Old Testament. They kept up the buildings and things like that…All the repairs on the building was taken care out of that fund. But a tenth of that went—a tenth of the tithings—all the tithings went to their priests, their pastors. Yes, tithings are to go for nothing else.  


For a detailed discussion on tithing, please see our article - [[Are Christians required to tithe?]]
:''I know people take their tithes and give them to a widow woman. That’s wrong. If you’ve got anything to give the widow woman, give her, but don’t give her God’s money. That’s not yours in the first place. That’s God’s!


=Quotes of William Branham=
:''If you sent me downtown to get a loaf of bread, and you give me twenty-five cents to get the loaf of bread, and I met somebody on the street wanted it…something else, and I’d give him the twenty-five cents, see, I give them your money. If they asked me for something, let them get it over here in this pocket and give them my money; but this is your money. And a tenth of it is the Lord’s. And Levi, the priesthood, lived by the tenth.


Tithes goes to the pastor:
:''The tenth is to be a tithing that’s to be brought into the storehouse with a promise of God to bless it. And a proof, He said, “If you don’t believe it, come and prove Me and see if I won’t do it.” See? That’s right!


:''Well now, here—here’s a touchy little thing for the church now. No, '''correctly tithes is to go to the minister.''' That’s right! In the Bible they had a box they’d set at the door in the Old Testament when the—building. This box was a fund where the people put in there for the repairing…You’ve read it many times in the Old Testament. They kept up the buildings and things like that… All the repairs on the building was taken care out of that fund. But a tenth of that went—a tenth of the tithings—all the tithings went to their priests, their pastors. Yes, tithings are to go for nothing else.<ref>William Branham, 61-1015M - Questions And Answers, para. 176</ref>
:'''''The tithings goes into the church for the pastor and so forth like that to live on.''' And then the—the—the '''building funds and things like that is a separate fund altogether. Now, that—that is Scriptural.''' <ref>William Branham, 61-1015M - Questions And Answers, para. 176-180</ref>


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[[Category: Unfinished articles]]
[[Category: Unfinished articles]]
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