Mormon Church

A visitor to a Mormon Church might be surprised to learn the collection plate is never passed. Young men do go aisle to aisle, but they are bringing the Sacrament (communion) to the members. Mormons are commanded to pay tithing, but it is done privately.

“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” (Malachi 3:10).

Tithing is defined as one tenth of a person’s income. The specifics of what defines income is left to the member’s own conscious and specific guidelines are not given. Instead, members are encouraged to counsel with God in order to what to pay tithing on.

The tithing is paid privately by the member. Near the office of the bishop-the local ecclesiastical leader-there is usually a small shelf with envelopes and tithing slips. The member takes these and privately fills out the slip and places it with the tithing into the envelope. Then, on Sunday, before or after church, the member quietly hands it to a member of the bishopric. The bishopric consists of the bishop and his two counselors. At least two leaders are present when the tithing is counted and recorded. It is sent to Salt Lake City, to church headquarters. There, church leaders prayerfully decide how to use the funds. Each ward (congregation) receives a portion of the funds, based on church attendance. The ward and each organization in the ward plan and submit budgets, which are approved or altered, and the money is allocated accordingly.

The money is used to pay for the administration of the church, missionary work, and meeting special needs of church members and others. God has promised blessings to those who pay a full tithing. These blessings are not always financial, although they can be. However, members are encouraged to pay tithing not to receive a reward, but out of love for their Heavenly Father. Of course, they also take pride in participating in the furthering of God’s work.

In addition to tithing, members of the church pay a monthly fast offering. The first Sunday of each month, members

go without food or drink for twenty-four hours. This requires them to miss two meals, since they begin after lunch and end their fast just prior to a later lunch the next day. They use this time to contemplate the gospel, build their testimonies, and offer special prayers for their needs or the needs of others. They follow up by donating at least the amount of money they saved to a special fast offering fund, which is used exclusively to care for the poor. This allows members to care for the poor, as commanded by the Savior, without further sacrificing their own income, unless they choose to donate beyond what they saved, but also gives them a very small glimpse into the challenges of hunger. By sacrificing to make this offering, their hearts are softened and their character strengthened.

There are other offerings members may give if they choose. There are specific programs listed on the tithing slip and the member can choose to make additional donations to the programs they especially care about. These include missionary work, temple building and printing copies of the Book of Mormon to give to those who are interested in learning about it.

Another program paid for through donations is the perpetual education fund. In some countries with great poverty, the church offers two year loans to help church members, particularly those who have sacrificed to serve a two year mission for the church, to attend a technical school and prepare for a career. The recipient begins to make small payments to repay the loan soon after starting school, and larger ones after graduation, and that money is used to pay for another person’s scholarship. Donations from members increase the number of people who can receive educations and all money donated goes into the loans. The church pays administrative costs out of other funds.

Many who are not members of the church benefit from another program, in which members donate to a humanitarian aid program. This program pays for donations during disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina. It also provides assistance to developing nations. Recent programs have included donations of wheelchairs, clean water programs, and training for neonatal care. Again, the donations to this program are given directly to the actual programs, with administrative costs absorbed by the church’s other funds. The program is paid for by donations from church members, and even from those who are not church members, but who approve of the work being done without regard to religion, or who may have received help from the program. No missionary work is done through this humanitarian effort.

Members are encouraged to pay their tithes and offerings cheerfully:

Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:6-7)

God has promised rich rewards for the payment of tithes and offerings. He promises we won’t lack for the necessities, and he also promises spiritual blessings, as our testimonies grow and our love for Heavenly Father increases. We can learn of some of the promised blessings of tithing, as well as the penalties for not paying it, from Malachi in the Bible:

7 Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?

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. (Malachi 3)