The work of an apostle is varied, and one of the job descriptions of an apostle is to “set things in order.”
The reason I am giving this instruction is to set in order something I see in the Body of Christ that needs
correction. You can see this principle of apostolic correction in action in Acts 6 when the apostles instituted
the office of deacon and again in Titus 1 when Paul sends young Titus to Crete to set in order the churches
there. When things are in order all goes well. The opposite is also true as we know.
One of the things that need to be set in order is how and where the personal tithe given by the local
pastor is to be paid. Years ago when I was the pastor of a local church I was corrected by the Lord in how I
was dealing with my personal tithe and I want to share this revelation with you. Jesus used a passage from
the Book of Numbers to reveal this to me:
Numbers 18:26, 28
“Speak thus to the Levites, and say to them: ‘When you take from the children
of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them as your inheritance, then
you shall offer up a heave offering of it to the LORD, a tenth of the tithe. Thus
you shall also offer a heave offering to the LORD from all your tithes which you
receive from the children of Israel, and you shall give the Lord’s heave offering
from it to Aaron the priest."
I realize this passage deals with an ordinance under the Law of Moses of which is not applicable to us
who are under grace; however, this Scripture reveals an important and immutable principle even for us. We
see here a truth that deserves our attention. God required the priests (who received tithes from the people)
to pay tithe to the high priest Aaron from all they received as wages. It was then I learned this dynamic
spiritual principle:
The tithe retraces the line of authority.
I mistakenly believed I should give my tithe into the offering of my local church where everyone else
gave. I was wrong. My tithes belonged to the one over me just as the priests gave tithes to the one over
them. The reason the people in your church give their tithes into your church is because you stand in
spiritual authority over them and their tithes retrace that line of authority to their pastor. The local church is
their storehouse and the place where they are fed. But you are different than they. Your local church is not
your storehouse and it is not the place where you are fed. God has set one in place over you to shepherd
you, a pastor to watch out for your soul, to feed you, and to help you fulfill your Kingdom destiny, and this is
your apostle. The apostle over you receives your tithes. This is how God provides for those who stand as
overseers.
Actually this concept makes sense. If you tithe into your church consider that you are really giving into the
same treasury from which you are paid; you are giving with one hand and receiving with the other. God’s way
is for the field you sow into to be one from which you do not directly reap. In this way, you know it is God who
is your Provider and not you yourself. Your church members have the faith to believe this truth because
when they tithe into the church they do not expect to receive their salary from the church treasury – they are
sowing in a field other than the one from which they directly reap. This takes faith.
Allow me to take you one step higher in your understanding of the tithe. The church I pastored for many
years was blessed. I know that this was mainly because we practiced the principle of tithing at the corporate
level too. In other words, from all the offerings and tithes that came into the church treasury we then gave a
tithe. This is an excellent way to fund the spread of the gospel around the world. Even though you are
directly evangelizing your community and local region, the tithe is something apart from your church’s direct
ministry efforts since it is given into other ministries who are doing the work of missions and evangelism.
Here is another area that takes faith.
If your church will do this, you too will experience the highest level of God’s blessings which will enable
you to do even greater works for His Kingdom.
Several ministries give into Covenant Global in this way because they know of our vision, our worldwide
scope, and they know that we are good stewards with God’s money.
As a practical matter, the giving of your tithes to your apostle who may be thousands of miles away needs
to be addressed. I have encouraged pastors to give their tithes each week and to set their tithes aside into a
holding place (bank account or some other place) until the funds become of sufficient amount to warrant the
cost of sending them via Western Union or some other long-distance means. In the nations where we have a
developed structure, it is appropriate to give your tithes to the Bishop in that nation who will deposit them
into Covenant Global bank accounts to be sent to the apostle from time to time. Corporate tithes from
churches should also be sent to the Bishop and these monies will be used for his expenses and for those of
the ministry in that nation. Covenant Global will then tithe all that comes into the Covenant Global treasury by
sending contributions to other ministries as the Lord leads.
This instruction is life to you. I trust this teaching does not appear self-serving on my part since it is I who
receives the tithes of pastors in Covenant Global. I am confident it will not since you are led of the Spirit and
this truth witnesses as the truth within your spirit. This is a biblical instruction that will elevate your financial
life and your church because it will set things in order for you; the result will be wonderful! God will then be
able to increase His financial blessings upon you. If you have experienced financial lack in your personal
finances or in your local church, this truth will help to cure that.
I bless you to have ears to hear and a heart to receive the Spirit's instruction.
THE TITHES FROM THE PASTORS
By Bishop Randy Barnett
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