The offering in Christianity is a gift of money to the Church beyond a Christian's payment of his/her tithes. In Christian worship, there is a part reserved for the collection of donations that is referred to as the offertory. Depending on the church, it is deposited either in a box reserved for this purpose or when a basket or purse is circulated. In some churches, it is also given by Internet.
History
Origin
In the Bible, the offering is an act of gratitude to God. At the time of Moses, God gave certain prescriptions to the people of Israel. In particular, he was to bring him some of his wealth by way of gratitude for the land that God gave him for inheritance. The offerings were largely agricultural products: wheat, barley, oil, animals and the amount was one-tenth of their income, the tithe.
New Alliance
In the New Testament, especially in the Epistle to the Galatians in chapter 6, Paul of Tarsus reminds the believers' commitment to their pastor and the poor. In this same book, the offering is compared to a seed. These concepts are echoed in the Second Epistle to the Corinthianschapter 9. The motivation of the donor is no longer an obligation, but must be a free choice of generosity. Paul of Tarsus has made several collections in order to help people in need. Moreover, the offering is presented as a support for the mission and a sign of compassion for the poor.
The offering is put at the service of the Church, for example for the support of the ministers of God, Pastors or missionaries, building maintenance costs, programs, helping the underprivileged. For the affiliated churches, the offering also supports the services of their denomination. According to a 2014 survey of 1,605 churches in the United States by Christianity Today, the top five expenditures are staff salaries to 47%, the ministries and the support to 9%, the place of worship, the support for international missions at 5% and support for local missions at 4%. A 2016 study conducted by the Leadership Network and the Vanderbloemen Search Group among 1,252 churches in the United States, in Canada, in South Africa and in Great Britain, gave similar figures.
Controversies
In the 16th century, many Protestant theologians criticized the sale of indulgences by the Catholic Church, for the remission of sins. A particularly controversial doctrine in the Evangelical Churches is that of the prosperity theology, which spread in the 1970s and 1980s in the United States, mainly through televangelism. This doctrine is centered on the teaching of Christian faith as a means to enrich oneself financially and materially, through a "positive confession" and a contribution to Christian ministries. Promises of divine healing and prosperity are guaranteed in exchange for certain amounts of donations. Fidelity in the tithe would allow one to avoid the curses of God, the attacks of the devil and poverty. The offerings and the tithe occupies a lot of time in the worship services. Often associated with the tithe mandatory, this doctrine is sometimes compared to a religious business. It is criticized by pastors and church unions, such as the National Council of Evangelicals of France, in France. In United States, evangelists have asked for offerings to buy private jets. In Africa, it is common to see pastors who have enriched themselves to the point of becoming multimillionaires, living in ostentatious luxury, giving little importance to material aid to the poor. Since the 1970s, various financial scandals of embezzlement have been reported in churches and evangelical organizations. The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability was founded in 1979 to strengthen financial integrity in evangelical organizations and churches that voluntarily wish to be members and to undergo annual accounting audits.
