Instead of giving my tithe to the church, can I just give it directly to a missionary or a Christian institution? I have heard 1,000 sermons on tithing but none seem to address this. What’s your take?

Malachi 3:10 ¹⁰ Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.

Here is my take: You give to where you are fed.

To illustrate my point: If you eat at Mcdonalds do you pay at Jollibee??

Some reasons why I give to my local church?

1. I consider myself part of the spiritual community of my local church.

2. My local church needs money to operate its ministries and services.

3. It increases my sense of ownership to where God has planted me.

I think this principle applies to every believer whether your church teaches tithing or not. You give where you are fed. Now for those who have a heart to sow in the ministries of missionaries and charities, it would be good to set aside portion of your income after the tithe and give it as an offering. (That’s my take)