Relational Tithe is grounded in the belief that God has designed an economy of abundance — one that moves through friendship, not just institutions. This isn’t charity. It isn’t philanthropy. It’s the conviction that genuine care for one another is both the means and the end.
It started with a handful of friends. In 2005, inspired by the 2002 Jubilee Celebration in New York City, Darin Petersen and Shane Claiborne began asking a simple question: what would it look like to weave giving into the fabric of everyday relationships? That question became Relational Tithe, Inc. — a home for those seeking a more adventurous, relational, and passionate expression of faith.
Over the past two decades, that small experiment has grown into a global movement. People across multiple countries have come alongside one another — not just to meet a financial need, but to know and be known by the person behind it. That quality of accompaniment — sitting with someone in their hardship, not just sending money — is what distinguishes this work and what transforms everyone involved.
In 2011, Relational Tithe launched Common Change, a platform designed to make collaborative giving practical and accessible for any group of friends, anywhere in the world. Today, through Common Change and a growing family of initiatives, anyone can step into this way of living.