How Tithes Work

 How Tithes Work.

For one, paying of tithes is not a principle for getting rich. 

Getting rich involves producing more for other people than is consumed, producing a profitable good or a necessary service that makes life easy for people and in return people pay back in form of money, properties, foodstuffs etc 

The more you produce and the more help you render, the more fame, riches, popularity is received in return. 

What services do Pastors' render? 

Pastors' are conduit pipes for knowledge. There are different branches of knowledge and the main purpose of knowledge is to liberate one from ignorance because we have loads of ignorance here in Africa. 

Now, there is traditional knowledge - traditional knowledge is vast in knowledge pertaining to dark powers which once thrived before the tide turned in favor of enlightenment. Traditional knowledge sure knows about the leaves to use for 'iba' (fever), knows about ogun isoye (a ritual that helps your brain to be much more effective in studying) and it thrived at some points but when the world begun to see the wondrous developing power the white man had over its reality, there was a switch. Traditional knowledge gradually began to lose its funfair, all the rituals that were supported before begun to draw criticisms - killing of twins, killing people alongside kings etc. The tide changed. 

People wanted to access the knowledge that made malaria drugs, aircrafts, computers and luxury goods. Traditional knowledge albeit wide didn't cover that. 

The whites saw the increasing acceptance of its ideas, ways and lifestyles so they sent missionaries who brought bibles, mirrors, powders etc - the missionaries adjudged that biblical knowledge coupled with basic education was the primary knowledge needed to act as a foundation for erstwhile traditional believers to start afresh and attain similar status and it did work. 

Young men and women who were uncomfortable with the traditional practices of their past because it didn't align with their own personal vision of enlightenment and prosperity readily embraced the bible and christianity in essence. 

Christianity in Nigeria grew not as a result of the bible alone but as a result of the committed and consistent dedication of its visionaries. The bible alone is a piece of paper with words written on it, words that look like history writings. It is the inspired breath of visionaries that breathe life into these words. 

Anyone who enjoys the same inspired breath will also be able to replicate these effects. 

The bible is like a conduit pipe, visionaries themselves are the fluid that flows through them. 

Back to the question "what services do pastors' render?" 

1. They acted as the prime switch from traditional practices to modern practices, although many still patronize traditionalists when life troubles overwhelms because they are not too trusting in their pastors' ways but majority have full belief in their pastors. 

2. They brought a new way of life by teaching new knowledge of salvation, redemption, prosperity using the bible as a basis. The knowledge they teach are inspired from within them and not from the bible. The bible is just a basis. This explains why there are many pastors who teach on different areas - they are not divided, it is because their individual visions differ but the goals are similar which is to make people better off in all aspects of their lives. 

3. They embodied new concepts foreign to the existent traditional system : priests in the old traditional system weren't known to be rich, they weren't also known to make their adherents rich or better off, they believed in intimidation and coercion, amassed the powers of their subjects for themselves to be more powerful but there were always exceptions. Pastors in the new order offer inspirational leadership and make their adherents and followers better off, many who believed in the vision of their lead pastors back in the days are in positions today they wouldn't have ordinarily attained. 

4. Role models : as the world keeps advancing towards progress, people born into third-world countries don't have the same privileges as those born into the first-world countries, people's first foray into a civilized setting is probably the churches where they see devices like musical instruments and computer systems that keeps them interested. 

The rich pastors sure have a way of producing riches, people are ignorant of their life challenges and pastors have a well-defined knowledge of these challenges. There is an exchange between lead pastors' and followers' through counseling, preaching, fasting, books and the exchange makes the ignorant believer aware. The once-ignorant person goes on to apply that knowledge in his life and sees realistic results, he is amazed and comes back to the pastor in appreciation bearing gifts,tithes and offerings. 

This right here is a summary of how pastors' get rich. 

A pastor is naturally skilled in human relations(management) and interpersonal intelligence. 

The one who has his problem solved publicizes to his friends who all come and gain knowledge, apply them and see positive results then come back to give tithes, offerings in return. 

Rich pastors collect these tithes and offerings and use it to increase the capacities of their churches and parishes, expand their reach, bring new ideas into reality like building schools and roads with the belief that these investments will attract more people and it usually does. So the cycle goes on and on like this. 

Problems to solutions to rewards to investments to more people to more problems to more solutions to more rewards to more investments and on and on and on. 

Problems could include fears in which case the pastor provides security with his words and confidence garnered alongside experience, poverty in which case the pastor provides his own template for riches, guilt and condemnation in which case the pastor provides a way out because he has gone through the same feelings etc. 

With increasing positive results came growth and fame that translated into pastors' being able to afford whatever it is they wanted. 

Providing a sustainable and creative solution to problems is still the only way to get rich. 

Getting rich involves creative thinking that births ideas, these ideas are then applied to the real world and when these ideas are embraced by the real world, prosperity is sure to follow. 

Tithes and offerings are a show of appreciation basically. 

My personal imprints on people who feel tithe has become an obligation. 

The way money works, money is most useful and profitable when it is invested not when it lies dormant. 

Permit me to use the biblical example of the master who gave his servants 5 talents, 2 talents and 1 talent respectively. The first two utilized the talents and gained. The last buried the talent and lost. 

Money when utilized grows and when left  dormant is useless. 

Many pay tithe and are comfortable with the decision because they trust their churches to utilize it well which they do. In return, the church prioritizes their care in more ways than they could have thought. They trust their pastors. 

Many don't pay tithe and are comfortable with the decision because they trust their own selves to effectively utilize it well which they also do. 

No man is an Island, the rich are rich because they utilized what they have. They give. 

If something has become an obligation, you might have to restructure your priorities because the essence is gone. 

The poor isn't poor because they give tithes or because they don't - it is because they have not been empowered to be rich ( the price of riches is also costly, only the strong can bear it). 

Nobody eats his whole earnings because man is not programmed to consume but to produce. We all give and most fulfilled when we do so - our time, energy, goods. 

If you readily trust in someone, you can give everything you have without batting an eye. (trust) 

If you just won an important victory after someone gave you a formula, you readily bless that person with the spoils of your victory. (bountiful giving) 

If you are endowed with a talent and you readily utilize it, then you exhibit (faithfulness) 

Faithfulness, trust, appreciation, faith, bountiful giving are key benchmarks in this writing. These are the main goals that attract all goodwill and blessings. 

Again, my writing just shows a new way to look at the same exact situations and maybe you can catch some inspiration too. 

Thanks for reading.