90 day tithe challenge

The word "tithe" is derived from the Hebrew word that means "a tenth." In the Bible God says, "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 you will not have room enough for it (Malachi 3.10)." This "storehouse" is the Old Testament picture of what we know today as The Church. We bring this tithe as our way of supporting what God is doing in our church. This ends up being a joyful experience for us in Athens, because we love our church so

much! Not only that though, as Christians, one way we worship God is by bringing Him this consistent tithe.

Giving away 10% of our income can feel like a frightening commitment. That's why we created The 90 Day Tithe Challenge. Here's what financial expert Dave Ramsey says about the purpose of our tithing: "The tithe, which is a scriptural mandate, was not instituted for God's benefit, because He already has all the money He needs. He does not need our money.

So why does He ask us to give 10% to Him? Tithing was created for our benefit. It is to teach us how to keep God first in our

lives and how to be unselfish people. Unselfish people make better husbands, wives, friends, relatives, employees and employers. God is trying to teach us how to prosper over time."

Our mission as a church is to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. Part of growing in this relationship with Him is learning to trust Him with our finances; thus the 90 Day Tithe Challenge. Here is how it works:

• Make the commitment to tithe for 90 days by giving 10% of your gross income to Athens Church. You may do so online, through the giving kiosk, or by check.