Worksheet IV - The Early Church

32. How did the early church run its finances? (Acts 2:44-47)
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33. When money was given to the apostles, what did the apostles do with it? (Acts 4:35)
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34. Could Christians keep their money if they wanted to? (Acts 5:4)
Circle answer: YES or NO

35. Was the early church blessed by giving this way? (Acts 4:32-35)
Circle answer: YES or NO

36. How did the early Christians "tithe" during the first 37 years of Christianity when the literal temple was still standing in Jerusalem, when literal Levites & priests were still taking care of it and offering sacrifices there, and when many Jewish Christians continued to zealously observe the Law of Moses (Acts 21:20)?

Circle the best answer:
a. Early Christians gave 20% tithe: 10% to the Levites and another 10% to the church.
b. Early Christians gave half and half tithes: 5% to Levites and 5% to the church.
c. Early Christians (even Acts 21:20 ones) gave only to the church and nothing to the Levites.
d. Early Christians did not give any tithes to the church, but Jewish Christians may have continued to give tithes to the Levites, the priests and the poor.


QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION - IV

Did you know the Catholic Encyclopedia states that the early church did not tithe but gave freely instead, and that tithing became necessary later on to support the expanding institutions of the church? [5]

Did you know that when the church later re-instituted tithe, it was only then that it began to include all sources of income instead of just the Law's prescription of crops and livestock? [6]

Did you know that the earliest records of Christian "tithing" are from 567 and 585 A.D? [5]

Was the early church "robbing God" and were they "cursed" because they did not tithe?

Did God withhold overflowing blessings from the early church because they did not tithe?

If the early church did not tithe, should Christians be required to tithe today?

If the apostles did not need tithe to preach the word of God to the nations, why do we?

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Footnotes & References

[5] http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14741b.htm (retrieved March 2, 2010)

[6] Encyclopedia Britannica 1963, volume 2, page 253, 'TITHES'