Given to Matthew Hayes - 05/10/2023

Douglas Leblanc does a nice overview of tithing as a Christian tradition by interviewing people from a large swath of Christian traditions (and one Jewish Rabbi). These are people who tithe, have seen God provide and testify to the transformative effect that tithing has had on them spiritually and materially. ( )

Tithing is not only a matter of obeying God. It is also a conscious way to resist the self-worship that accompanies greed and stinginess.

NCLA Review - “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 (NIV) Using this text as his premise and stating that this is the only place where God invites his followers to test him, LeBlanc interviewed a cross-section of believers to discover why they tithe. He included a conservative evangelical, an Episcopal priest, a progressive activist, a pacifist, a Roman Catholic monsignor, a black church pastor, an Eastern Orthodox author, and a Seventh-day Adventist, who had converted from Judaism. The reader will discover that the effects on these people have been life changing. This book belongs in every church library and on every pastor’s bookshelf. Rating: 4 —AMB ( )

Tithing: Test Me In This by Douglas Leblanc is a one volume in a series of books called The Ancient Practices Series by Thomas Nelson Publishers. Each of the volumes in the series covers a historic practice of the Christian Church. I own several of the books in the series and each speaks on the spiritual practice and how it best can be practiced and implemented in the modern contemporary church. They authors vary from different denominational backgrounds and traditions with an ecumenical theme to their presentation of their material on the subject matter.

In this book Tithing: Test Me In This, Journalist Douglas Leblanc approaches the subject of tithing by interviewing 11 people from various backgrounds but united on the belief that tithing is a Christian practice through which God invites us to participate in to fulfill His purposes in the world.

Leblanc writes about tithing not as act of legalism but as an act of grace that is a first step to a life of pure generosity. Each chapter written in essay form begins with a brief bio of the person being interviewed, then explains why they began tithing and how it has impacted their life. The profiled interviews in each chapter are comprised of an Orthodox rabbi, Episcopalian, Eastern Orthodox priest, liberals and conservatives, evangelicals and Catholics.

It was helpful to hear several different reasons for tithing. Some gave because it was their tradition, others for social justice reasons and others to be faithful to a clear demand of Scripture. All the stories are inspirational in their own right and encourage the readers to examine their priorities and values. However this is not a manual on tithing or its theology. The book does provide a study guide for each chapter.

My disappointment though in the book was that is all the chapters were is one testimony after another on personal philosophy on tithing. I was really seeking a book that would provide solid exegesis on different texts of scripture and more of the historical theology on the discipline of tithing. With no primary source material or exposition in this book to enhance the quality of this particular book it becomes a good read, just not a great one. ( )