The subject of tithing and fast offerings may be considered another one of those crazy Mormon things. I suppose it's crazy when you think about the bottom line of your checkbook. We are asked to give 10% of our annual income. We are also encouraged, the first Sunday of every month to give a fast offering. This Sunday we fast for two meals (where health permits) and give the equivalent of the two meals to the church, where the funds will be used to help those who cannot afford food or other basics in life.
But it's not such a crazy principle if you really want to help in places where you cannot go yourself. There were two talks in the last General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which highlighted where the money from tithing and offerings are used: Followers of Christ, by Elder Dallin H. Oaks, and also Redemption, by Elder D. Todd Christofferson
From Elder Oaks:
Most Christians give to the poor and the needy, as Jesus taught (see Matthew 25:31–46; Mark 14:7). In following this teaching of our Savior, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its members excel. Our members make generous contributions to charities and give personal service and other gifts to the poor and needy. In addition, our members fast for two meals each month and donate at least the cost of these meals as a fast offering, which our bishops and branch presidents use to help our needy members. Our fasting to help the hungry is an act of charity and, when done with pure intent, is a spiritual feast.
Less well known is our Church’s global humanitarian service. Using funds donated by generous members, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sends food, clothing, and other essentials to relieve the suffering of adults and children all over the world. These humanitarian donations, totaling hundreds of millions of dollars in the last decade, are made without any consideration of religion, race, or nationality.
Our massive relief effort following the 2011 Japanese earthquake and tsunami provided $13 million in cash and relief supplies. In addition, more than 31,000 Church-sponsored volunteers gave more than 600,000 hours of service. Our humanitarian assistance to the victims of Hurricane Sandy in the eastern United States included large donations of various resources, plus almost 300,000 hours of service in cleanup efforts by about 28,000 Church members. Among many other examples last year, we provided 300,000 pounds (136,000 kg) of clothing and shoes for the refugees in the African nation of Chad. During the last quarter century we have assisted nearly 30 million people in 179 countries.6 Truly, the people called “Mormons” know how to give to the poor and needy.
From Elder Christofferson:
Because of our humanitarian efforts, mentioned by Elder Dallin H. Oaks, specifically this past year, 890,000 people in 36 countries have clean water, 70,000 people in 57 countries have wheelchairs, 75,000 people in 25 countries have improved vision, and people in 52 countries received aid following natural disasters. Acting with others, the Church has helped immunize some 8 million children and has helped Syrians in refugee camps in Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan with the necessities of life. At the same time, members of the Church in need received millions of dollars in fast-offering and other welfare assistance during 2012. Thank you for your generosity.
All of this does not begin to count the individual acts of kindness and support—gifts of food, clothing, money, care, and a thousand other forms of comfort and compassion—by which we may participate in the Christlike work of redemption.
I don't believe these things are reported or listed as a bragging right, but rather to remind people that the faith they exhibit in paying tithing and offerings, really does go to help people. It absolutely does not go to pad the pockets of the leaders of the church. While there is a portion that does go to overhead in operating buildings, paying employees, public relations, historical sites, bear in mind that all, and I mean ALL of these expenditures are directed by the Lord and are used to help people spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally. The use of these funds are determined by the First Presidency of the Chruch for general use, and each congregation is given when they need, dictated by the needs of the people in the area. Bishops of these congregations are tasked with the difficult burden of judging who needs help, when and where. Most people who receive such assistance are asked to contribute service hours of some sort to help them be self-reliant and help give back.
The payment of tithing is a serious matter. It is one of the requirements of entering the temples of the church. While it may seem that it is a purely financial endeavor, it is really mostly a spiritual endeavor. It represents a number of things:
1. Realizing all that you have comes from the Lord, so you can give a little back
2. A true follower of Christ will do what he/she can to help others in need
3. It is a principle of obedience and love of the Lord
4. Money doesn't equal happiness. While the world really does revolve around how much or how little money is in your pocketbook, or that of other's, the true purpose in life has little to do with it.
There is also promised blessings of paying tithing, as recorded in Malachi 3:8-12:
8 ¶Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.
12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.
The Lord is bound to bless you if you pay tithing. The use of the word bound here means He is under obligation to bless you. Not that He probably will. He will. He will bless you with what he knows you need. This may not be what you think you need, but since He knows better what we need, you really can't argue with that. Part of having faith in paying tithing is having faith in his timing and will in blessing you.
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