Your Pastor may ask, mention, hint, or downright demand you tithe. Now matter what metthod or suggestion or coercion, God does not require it. So I suggest you read this article, and then go study for yourself.

http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB119576921737201375.html

I have clashed with Pastors in the past and present over tithing. Today, I heard something quite disturbing. A pastor that I had confronted about tithing and giving said that he really doesn't discuss giving that much, yet made it a part of a sermon series. He also claimed that he does not try to get into a whole bunch of theology when it comes to the Bible, yet cited several passages on this subject. But it wasn't just the citation of the scriptures themselves, but how they were used. Now I believe a pastor has a huge responsibility to study the Word of God and level of accountability.

James 3:1
My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

So for any pastor to blow off things like, the original language, context, theology, etc. is a serious dereliction of his duty. This pastor, as do many others quote the line item scriptures to justify tithing.

The one eggregious error that this pastor makes is his assessment that TITHING IS NEW TESTAMENT BASED ON MATTHEW 23:23.

If he applied context and theology, he would notice two things. Jesus is speaking to JEWS who were still under the Old Testament Law. (CONTEXT)

He would also take note that the New Testament WAS NOT MADE EFFECTIVE UNTIL ***AFTER*** JESUS DIED. (THEOLOGY- Read Hebrews 9:15-22)

He used the infamous (in how preachers use this to scare people) Malachi 3:8-10 out of context by not using original language. He stated that one should tithe to their local church, which is the same as the "STOREHOUSE" in Malachi 3. This is poor hermeneutics, which is bred by a lack of respect for scrioture.

One last issue is his sidestep of the identity Melchizedek. Yet, he plays another tithing game called, "tithing before the law". He does not give this passage of scripture its full analysis, which would clearly collapse his whole idea of tithing one's income. I suggest reading Genesis 14 and ask yourself, was this income from Abraham, what kind of priest was Melchezidek, and how did Abrham know about tithing (i.e. do its historical origins precede Abraham?).

Even the Executive Pastor (business elder) sidestepped the scriptural aspects of tithing. He went on to discuss or in all honesty, slap the wrists of the membership by showing how much should have been given for the previous fiscal year. I know these tactics, and after I heard this audio today, I will be confronting him again on this issue.