College students joining church and tithing

[RAIDER]

When I was a HAC student we were not required to join FBCH, but we were encouraged to do so.  If I remember correctly, we were required to tithe but not necessarily to FBCH.  What are you thoughts on what a college student should do in these areas?

 

[16KJV11]

When I was a HAC student we were not required to join FBCH, but we were encouraged to do so.  If I remember correctly, we were required to tithe but not necessarily to FBCH.  What are you thoughts on what a college student should do in these areas?

I joined and tithed.  Thought it was the right thing to do because I was no longer attending my home Church. And obviously I would want to tithe to the church that I joined.

 

[Vince Massi]

Believe it or not, some churches objected to sending their students to Bible college because they needed their tithes. HAC actually permitted us to remain members of our home church, but we had to tithe to that home church.

 

[sword]

Believe it or not, some churches objected to sending their students to Bible college because they needed their tithes. HAC actually permitted us to remain members of our home church, but we had to tithe to that home church.

More often I have seen churches discourage young adults and young couples from going off to bible college because they are very active vital members of their home church. If a church is young or if it is not growing rapidly it can be very difficult to replace those who feel the call into ministry.

When an active young couple follows Gods call to the ministry and Christian College, for the home church it can mean the loss of their children's church workers, their piano player, their primary nursery worker, their adult men's Sunday school teacher, or even their laymen assistant pastor. One young couple could fill some or all these role at a small church. Gods call in their life could be a great loss for their pastor and their home church.

I'm not suggesting it is right but I can understand why a pastor would be hesitant to lose a faithful couple. From my experience it is not common for such a couple to return to their home church to serve after they graduate. This results in a permanent loss for their home ministry.

 

[Fresh Air]

I think you should pay where you get fed. When I was at HAC I joined FBCH and tithed to that church.

OTOH, I think it is at least inappropriate and perhaps wrong to force either college students or staff to tithe as is done in some institutions. It's hard to be a cheerful giver when your employer automatically deducts your tithe out of your paycheck.

 

[RAIDER]

When I was a HAC student we were not required to join FBCH, but we were encouraged to do so.  If I remember correctly, we were required to tithe but not necessarily to FBCH.  What are you thoughts on what a college student should do in these areas?

I joined and tithed.  Thought it was the right thing to do because I was no longer attending my home Church. And obviously I would want to tithe to the church that I joined.

I did the same.

 

[sword]

When I was a HAC student we were not required to join FBCH, but we were encouraged to do so.  If I remember correctly, we were required to tithe but not necessarily to FBCH.  What are you thoughts on what a college student should do in these areas?

I joined and tithed.  Thought it was the right thing to do because I was no longer attending my home Church. And obviously I would want to tithe to the church that I joined.

I did the same.

I'm just curious,

How many Christian College graduates do you all have who returned home to be employed by their home church?

How many returned home to secular jobs and serve actively in your church as laymen?

How many go off to Christian College, who never get jobs in ministry and never return home to serve in their home church?

 

[Twisted]

How many Christian College graduates do you all have who returned home to be employed by their home church?  10%

How many returned home to secular jobs and serve actively in your church as laymen? 30%

How many go off to Christian College, who never get jobs in ministry and never return home to serve in their home church?  60%

 

[Vince Massi]

How many Christian College graduates do you all have who returned home to be employed by their home church?  10%

How many returned home to secular jobs and serve actively in your church as laymen? 30%


How many go off to Christian College, who never get jobs in ministry and never return home to serve in their home church?  60%

Granted, Twisted's post only describes one church. But it goes along with the statement that several years after graduating, less than half of all Bible college graduates even attend church.

 

[Walt]

When I was a HAC student we were not required to join FBCH, but we were encouraged to do so.  If I remember correctly, we were required to tithe but not necessarily to FBCH.  What are you thoughts on what a college student should do in these areas?

Very interesting; I thought that all HAC students were required to join  FBCH... then again, strong "encouragement" is sometimes as forceful as a requirement.

In my opinion, a Bible college student should join a church in the area of his college. The Scriptural precedent is that one should support the church that is feeding you, which should be where one's membership is.  If I'm traveling for a week and attend a different church, I don't feel that I should abandon my giving to my home church; they have a budget that is in some degree based upon what I'm giving.  At the same time, however, if I'm on an extended business trip (say a month or longer), perhaps the right thing to do is to move my membership, give locally, and then re-join my former church when I get back.  It would be an interesting discussion to have about how long one is away from one's home church before moving one's membership.  I was once on a year-long business trip - I DID  move my membership for that.  I've also been on 30-day, 60-day, and 90-day trips.  I have never moved my membership in those cases, but, in hindsight, I think the home church was more interested in my tithe check than following Scripture.

I went on one trip to Ohio that kept me there for roughly three weeks; and then I flew home for a weekend, and then back again on the Monday -- this went on for three months.  If I hadn't been going home, I think it would have been right to move membership to a local church and support them while I was feeding at their table.

(Note: I haven't read the other answers yet; I'll start reading the other answers now)

 

[Walt]

I think you should pay where you get fed. When I was at HAC I joined FBCH and tithed to that church.

OTOH, I think it is at least inappropriate and perhaps wrong to force either college students or staff to tithe as is done in some institutions. It's hard to be a cheerful giver when your employer automatically deducts your tithe out of your paycheck.

I agree with both of these points.

 

[Walt]

Believe it or not, some churches objected to sending their students to Bible college because they needed their tithes. HAC actually permitted us to remain members of our home church, but we had to tithe to that home church.

More often I have seen churches discourage young adults and young couples from going off to bible college because they are very active vital members of their home church. If a church is young or if it is not growing rapidly it can be very difficult to replace those who feel the call into ministry.

When an active young couple follows Gods call to the ministry and Christian College, for the home church it can mean the loss of their children's church workers, their piano player, their primary nursery worker, their adult men's Sunday school teacher, or even their laymen assistant pastor. One young couple could fill some or all these role at a small church. Gods call in their life could be a great loss for their pastor and their home church.

I'm not suggesting it is right but I can understand why a pastor would be hesitant to lose a faithful couple. From my experience it is not common for such a couple to return to their home church to serve after they graduate. This results in a permanent loss for their home ministry.

I think a Bible college needs to make it very clear to incoming students that if they had a home church that prayed for them and sent them off to Bible college, they have a responsibility to go back and help their "home" church.

There are times when it isn't possible; if a college student came straight from high school, and then found he couldn't use his college skills in his home area, then clearly he cannot go home.

But churches that run Bible colleges should NEVER give the appearance of keeping the best students with them. Laymen who attend to hone their Bible knowledge should certainly go back to their home church.

 

[Smellin Coffee]

How many go off to Christian College, who never get jobs in ministry and never return home to serve in their home church?

 

[sword]

Believe it or not, some churches objected to sending their students to Bible college because they needed their tithes. HAC actually permitted us to remain members of our home church, but we had to tithe to that home church.

More often I have seen churches discourage young adults and young couples from going off to bible college because they are very active vital members of their home church. If a church is young or if it is not growing rapidly it can be very difficult to replace those who feel the call into ministry.

When an active young couple follows Gods call to the ministry and Christian College, for the home church it can mean the loss of their children's church workers, their piano player, their primary nursery worker, their adult men's Sunday school teacher, or even their laymen assistant pastor. One young couple could fill some or all these role at a small church. Gods call in their life could be a great loss for their pastor and their home church.

I'm not suggesting it is right but I can understand why a pastor would be hesitant to lose a faithful couple. From my experience it is not common for such a couple to return to their home church to serve after they graduate. This results in a permanent loss for their home ministry.

I think a Bible college needs to make it very clear to incoming students that if they had a home church that prayed for them and sent them off to Bible college, they have a responsibility to go back and help their "home" church.
There are times when it isn't possible; if a college student came straight from high school, and then found he couldn't use his college skills in his home area, then clearly he cannot go home.
But churches that run Bible colleges should NEVER give the appearance of keeping the best students with them. Laymen who attend to hone their Bible knowledge should certainly go back to their home church.

I don't see how it's the colleges business to tell an adult what they should do when the graduate. It's up to God to direct them to Christian college and it's up to God to reveal to them his will where they should go after college.

God may call some to the mission field, some to start a church, some to take a job as a Christian school teacher, church secretary, or janitor. Some he may direct to return home to their home church or to their new wife's home church and some he may direct to remain a part of the college?s home church. I don't see how it?s the college's place to get involved in Gods job unless they seek advice in the matter.

 

[Walt]

Believe it or not, some churches objected to sending their students to Bible college because they needed their tithes. HAC actually permitted us to remain members of our home church, but we had to tithe to that home church.

More often I have seen churches discourage young adults and young couples from going off to bible college because they are very active vital members of their home church. If a church is young or if it is not growing rapidly it can be very difficult to replace those who feel the call into ministry.

When an active young couple follows Gods call to the ministry and Christian College, for the home church it can mean the loss of their children's church workers, their piano player, their primary nursery worker, their adult men's Sunday school teacher, or even their laymen assistant pastor. One young couple could fill some or all these role at a small church. Gods call in their life could be a great loss for their pastor and their home church.

I'm not suggesting it is right but I can understand why a pastor would be hesitant to lose a faithful couple. From my experience it is not common for such a couple to return to their home church to serve after they graduate. This results in a permanent loss for their home ministry.

I think a Bible college needs to make it very clear to incoming students that if they had a home church that prayed for them and sent them off to Bible college, they have a responsibility to go back and help their "home" church.
There are times when it isn't possible; if a college student came straight from high school, and then found he couldn't use his college skills in his home area, then clearly he cannot go home.
But churches that run Bible colleges should NEVER give the appearance of keeping the best students with them. Laymen who attend to hone their Bible knowledge should certainly go back to their home church.

I don't see how it's the colleges business to tell an adult what they should do when the graduate. It's up to God to direct them to Christian college and it's up to God to reveal to them his will where they should go after college.

God may call some to the mission field, some to start a church, some to take a job as a Christian school teacher, church secretary, or janitor. Some he may direct to return home to their home church or to their new wife's home church and some he may direct to remain a part of the college?s home church. I don't see how it?s the college's place to get involved in Gods job unless they seek advice in the matter.

Yes, you are correct.  I was thinking of colleges that deliberately keep the best students around for their own ministry.  This is, I'm afraid, rather common, and I think it is detestable.

Unless God is leading them elsewhere, graduates should return to their home church and be a blessing to them.

 

[RAIDER]

Yes, you are correct.  I was thinking of colleges that deliberately keep the best students around for their own ministry.  This is, I'm afraid, rather common, and I think it is detestable.

Unless God is leading them elsewhere, graduates should return to their home church and be a blessing to them.

I'm wondering if this is common at large state universities?

 

[sword]

Yes, you are correct.  I was thinking of colleges that deliberately keep the best students around for their own ministry.  This is, I'm afraid, rather common, and I think it is detestable.
Unless God is leading them elsewhere, graduates should return to their home church and be a blessing to them.

I'm wondering if this is common at large state universities?

It is unnecessary  at large universities. The department heads often keep one or two of ther best students as research assistants each year but large universities do not need workers like churches do.

1. They have a steady supply of money from the states.
2. They have a new crop of students, with government loans in hand, applying to attend each year..
3. They have never ending supply of grant money to fund research.
4. They have very large endowments to fund major projects.
5. They have the resources to hire when they need help.

 

[RAIDER]

Yes, you are correct.  I was thinking of colleges that deliberately keep the best students around for their own ministry.  This is, I'm afraid, rather common, and I think it is detestable.
Unless God is leading them elsewhere, graduates should return to their home church and be a blessing to them.

I'm wondering if this is common at large state universities?

It is unnecessary  at large universities. The department heads often keep one or two of ther best students as research assistants each year but large universities do not need workers like churches do.

I understand what you are saying, but large universities are doing the same thing from a different angle.