Tithing explained: the meaning of giving a tenth
What is tithing? A clear, non-prescriptive guide to the biblical tenth from Malachi 3:10 and Leviticus 27:30, gross vs net, and tithe vs offering.
Last updated July 2026 by Fatih
Quick answer
Tithing is giving a tenth of your income to God, usually through your local church. The practice comes from passages such as Leviticus 27:30 and Malachi 3:10. A tithe is the first ten percent; an offering is anything given beyond it. Christians differ on whether to tithe on gross or net income and on whether the tithe is required today.
Key takeaways
- On a $60,000 income, a tithe is $6,000 a year, or about $115 a week.
- Many members tithe through a weekly or monthly recurring gift so it happens without a weekly decision.
- Churches should send year-end statements listing each gift so members who itemize can claim the deduction.
Who this is for: Church leaders and pastors teaching their congregation about tithing and generosity; Church finance teams and treasurers managing recurring tithes, offerings, and restricted funds; Believers researching what tithing means and how to calculate a tenth of their income; Ministries that want both online and in-person giving without juggling separate tools
If you have ever wondered what is tithing, the short answer is a practice of giving a tenth (one tenth, or ten percent) of your income back to God through your local church. The word itself comes from an Old English term meaning a tenth, and the idea traces to passages such as Leviticus 27:30, which calls a tithe of the land holy to the Lord, and Malachi 3:10, where the people are invited to bring the whole tithe into the storehouse.
For most churches, tithing is taught as a rhythm of regular, proportional, first-fruits giving rather than a one-time gift. It is the baseline many believers start from, with offerings given above and beyond. The arithmetic is simple: multiply income by 0.10. A household with $5,000 a month in income tithes $500 a month, or about $115 a week; the gross-versus-net question below is about which income figure to start from.
We keep this explainer informational, not prescriptive. Sincere Christians and church traditions land in different places on the details, and your pastoral team is the right voice for teaching. What Givebear handles is the practical side: helping your church receive recurring tithes and one-time offerings cleanly, route restricted funds, and send automatic receipts.
Where does the practice of tithing come from?
The tithe appears early in Scripture and is reinforced in the Law. Leviticus 27:30 describes a tenth of the land, of seed and fruit, as belonging to the Lord, and Numbers and Deuteronomy expand on how it supported the priesthood and the vulnerable. Abraham giving a tenth to Melchizedek in Genesis 14 is often cited as a pattern that predates the Law.
The most quoted passage in modern teaching is Malachi 3:10, the invitation to bring the whole tithe into the storehouse so there is provision in God's house. Many pastors use it to frame tithing as an act of trust and worship. We present these references for context, not as a ruling; your church's teaching is the place for application.
Tithe vs offering, and gross vs net
A tithe is the proportion, classically a tenth, while an offering is generosity beyond that baseline. A family might give their regular tithe to the general fund and then add a separate offering toward missions, benevolence, or a building campaign. Keeping those distinct matters for both donor clarity and fund accounting.
On gross versus net, sincere believers land differently. Some give from pre-tax income as first fruits, others from take-home pay, and many churches simply encourage starting somewhere and growing. The calculation is the same either way, a tenth of the figure you choose: on $60,000 gross that is $6,000 a year, on $48,000 net it is $4,800. Once a member has decided, a recurring gift handles the rest.
How does Givebear help churches receive tithes?
Givebear lets a church embed a donation widget on its site for online tithes, place kiosks in the lobby for in-person giving, and route every gift to the right fund. Once your members know what they want to give, that is the practical question: how to receive it well. Recurring giving keeps faithful tithers consistent without re-entering details each week.
Behind the scenes, receipts and donor records keep year-end statements complete, and restricted funds stay separate from the general fund. Givebear charges a flat platform fee from 1.9% to 5.9% depending on plan (one rate online, at kiosks, and on memberships), plus Stripe card processing at cost, with no setup fee and no monthly minimum.
Practical use cases
- A church adds a giving form to its website so members can set up a weekly or monthly tithe once
- A congregation places lobby kiosks for tap-to-pay tithes and offerings during in-person services
- A finance team routes tithes to the general fund while tracking restricted offerings for missions and building campaigns separately
- A treasurer issues automatic year-end tax receipts and pulls donor giving history from one dashboard
Key features
- Weekly or monthly recurring tithes, set up once by the member
- Fund routing that tracks tithes and restricted offerings separately
- Tap-to-pay donation kiosks for in-person lobby and foyer giving
- A giving form on the church website
- Email receipts and annual giving statements
Common questions
What is tithing in simple terms?
Should I tithe on gross or net income?
What is the difference between a tithe and an offering?
Is tithing required for Christians today?
How can a church collect tithes online and in person?
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