Tithing Your Pastor

Dr. Michael Oh delivered the missions address at the 2009 Desiring God Conference for Pastors.  I highly recommend that you listen or watch this presentation which took the approach “Missions as Fasting.”  You can link to it here.

One of the application points that I found challenging was for pastor’s to “tithe yourself to missions.”  Because the American church is so blessed with resources that are unprecedented in world history, Dr. Oh challenged us to give up some of our own comforts to help the cause of reaching the unreached people groups around the world.  This could mean taking five years out of a lifetime to spend on the mission field.  Another alternative would be to spend one month per year teaching and training other pastors at seminaries in remote parts of the world.

While there is still a desperate need for a more consistent and correct gospel witness in the West, the vast majority of our missions spending is used to support works that take place in largely Christianized cultures.  One can argue that Europe should not count as “Christian,” but the point is that less than 3% of all mission spending is used in areas of the world that have NEVER had a gospel witness.

I would challenge you to listen to Dr. Oh’s message and ponder how you and your church can become better supporters of reaching unreached people for Christ.  Also, consider whether you can do more to give financially, in prayer, and with your own time towards seeing the glory of Christ made known to the uttermost parts of the earth.  Consider whether you should help “tithe your pastor” to the cause of Jesus Christ in the coming year.