Hello Everyone,
I think there is a much bigger issue here. First off, I do not believe tithing is a New Testament command. Rather, our lives our not our own - and all of what we have belongs to God. Anyone who is not a giver needs to consider whether or not they are even saved. The bottom line ends up being the condition of our heart!
My biggest concern regarding the assistant Pastor is precisely the condition of his heart. His response that he would begin tithing to "appease the church" sounds rotten and wrong to me. It shows a hirling mentality and a lack of understanding. The 'why' in our giving is much more important that the 'how much.'
I think I need to repent for my own hard heart.
Brian