Financial Guidelines

• We urge everyone to redistribute/give/share their first fruits, the first 10% of all personal resources/income with the poor.
• We urge everyone to live financially transparent with their community of faith or wherever they are being nurtured spiritually.
• We urge everyone to embrace distributional justice and live on ninety percent or less of their income.
• We believe individuals are to live with the remaining personal income spread between meeting the needs of their nuclear family (personal housing, food, clothing, etc.) and the needs of their extended family (worship building, pastoral leaders, etc.).
• We urge everyone to give to their community of faith before giving to the Seed Fund.
• One hundred percent of the tithe (Common Fund) will go directly to meeting needs of those with whom we are relationally connected.
• An accountant oversees our financial records in accord with accepted accounting procedures and the highest professionalism.
• We will live within our means. One thing we refuse to do is overextend and overspread ourselves and then beg for people to bail us out. We feel it involves just as much faith to trust God for the money before a purchase as after a purchase. In fact, one way we discern God’s desire for Relational Tithe is through the financial support of God’s people.
• We believe in full disclosure at all times. Our financial reports are available for download from our website or by e-mail to anyone upon request.
• We will receipt all donations. If we offer services and materials for a suggested contribution, we will receipt the amount given above the retail price of the products plus shipping and handling costs.
• When we make a purchase, we will pay the bill within thirty days. We refuse to subsidize Relational Tithe on the backs of vendors.
• We are primarily a voluntary organization and as such we depend in large measure upon the sacrificial labors of many. If, however, we employ paid staff, they will receive a fair livable wage.
• We will communicate our financial needs to our constituency as clearly and as truthfully as possible. We will not inflate or overstate our situation, nor create a crisis to boost income.
• We believe Relational Tithe was initiated and continues to be sustained by God. While we are eager to follow the Divine whisper at every turn and work with all our might, it is God’s business and not ours to prosper or end the work of Relational Tithe. We rejoice either way.