Jesus said something remarkable: the way a person handles their money is a window into their heart. Not because money is everything — but because money competes with God for our loyalty. Jesus put it plainly: you cannot serve both God and money. So the question of how we handle what we earn is actually a deeply spiritual question.

The word tithe simply means a tenth — one tenth of what you earn, given back to God. This practice predates the Law of Moses. Abraham gave a tenth to Melchizedek, a priest of God, with no law requiring it — just a heart of gratitude and recognition that everything he had came from God. His grandson Jacob made a vow: "Of everything you give me, I'll give a tenth back to you." It wasn't a tax. It was a declaration of lordship.

In the Old Testament, the storehouse was the temple. In the New Testament, I believe it's the local church — the place where you're spiritually fed, where you grow, where you're part of a community. Jesus, when asked about tithing, didn't cancel it — He said, "You should tithe, yes, but don't neglect the more important things" (Matthew 23). He affirmed it.

Here's what I've come to believe after decades of ministry: tithing is a spiritual test. If God has my money, He has my heart. Until I've made Him first in my finances, I haven't truly made Him Lord — I may know Him as Savior, but lordship is a different thing altogether.

And I'll tell you this: when you invest in COTR, we take that seriously. Five hundred children a week learning about Jesus in KidZone. Over two hundred teenagers encountering God on Wednesday nights. About twenty people making steps to Christ every single week. Community ministries caring for the poor and those coming out of prison. Missionaries around the world. Thousands of Bibles distributed. We will turn your money into ministry — and into something that lasts far beyond this life.