The TRUTH book Volume 1 (PDF) - For My People Ministry

66the TRUTH, the whole TRUTH, and nothing but the TRUTHWe must first wonder why we are being told to follow what the “Seventh-dayAdventist Church family” determines. Are we not to follow what is in the Bibleand Spirit of Prophecy? Yes, we can follow what the Church family determines,if it does not go against God’s Word. However, in this case it does go againstGod’s Word.A number of self-supporting ministries of the Church questioned the tithe policychange, but the threat of losing their leadership positions within the Church oreven being disfellowshipped for teaching otherwise led most ministries tocomply. In the ensuing 25 years since this policy first came out, mostdenominational ministries incorporated statements into their policies that theywill not knowingly accept tithe money from their supporters. This has temptedmany into not stating that what they send is tithe. This worsens the tithe misuseinstead of fixing the problem. Most Adventist leaders accept the guidelines asGod’s truth and not a man-made policy.In practice, many supporters of self-supporting ministries do allocate tithemoney to them because they inherently recognize the biblical principle that thetithes and offerings should go to those doing God’s bidding, that of spreadingthe gospel and teaching righteousness.The Church is not consistent because it says all tithes must go to thestorehouse or conference treasury but our offerings can be used to supportwhat we like. If we understand the storehouse to refer to the Conference only,then to be consistent, all our offerings must also be returned to the Conference.How then would independent ministries and other phases of God’s work survivewithout the support of offerings if it was returned only to the Conference? Thetruth is, the storehouse is not just the Conference treasury, but includes thosewho are doing God’s bidding as gospel workers.God says:Manuscript Releases, Vol. 19, p. 376The time has come when the tithes and offerings belonging to the Lordare to be used in accomplishing a decided work. They are to be broughtinto the treasury to be used in an orderly way to sustain the gospellaborers in their work.Furthermore, there have been times historically, even in Ellen White’s time,where processing the tithe through regular channels (i.e. the local conference)would delay the receipt of funds by worthy institutions who were doing God'swork.Historically as well as now, Satan has influenced the leadership to the pointwhere they no longer effectively work for God. They might have participated inany of the following:• Facilitate the spread of teachings of spiritualism (such as deliveranceministries where deliberate communication with the spirits may takeplace).• Sponsor seminars and conferences dealing with Gnosticism or mysticism.• Allow continued pagan influences in the Church in foreign countries(syncretism).