This is a slightly updated version of an article originally by WCG evangelist Leroy Neff that was published in the old Good News magazine in September 1983.
Why offerings on Holy Days? Are offerings required of everyone or are they voluntary?
How large should they be?
Churches obtain financial support from many different sources.
Some churches are supported by government taxes. Some take up offerings every Sunday morning. Others regularly ask for contributions in their publications or on their radio and television programs.
The Church looks to God for its needs. Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church, is its leader, its shepherd and its supplier of all things.
However, Christ provides for His Church’s needs through people. He instructs, He commands, He inspires and influences human beings to provide those needs. Depending on the spiritual condition of the Church and the real needs (not necessarily what the Church wants), God does supply.
After all, God owns all things. He can and will supply those needs, depending on what we, the Church and Body of Christ on earth, do, and on what our collective attitude and spiritual condition is.
But how does God supply the needs of the Church? Through tithes and offerings of people.
Most of these people are Church members. The rest are people who have voluntarily become co-workers in this Work and from other people who come in contact with the Work of the
Church and who voluntarily, without solicitation, send in occasional donations.
Then there are Holy Day offerings.
What are Holy Day offerings? If you search the Scriptures, you will not find this term Holy Day offerings! Since the term is not in the Bible, are such offerings unscriptural?
Not at all, because this term aptly describes what is clearly commanded.
No Holy Day offerings in Scripture?
The Bible tells of taking up offerings on the Holy Days:
10 Then you shall keep the Feast of Weeks to the Lord your God with the tribute of a freewill offering from your hand, which you shall give as the Lord your God blesses you. (Deuteronomy 16:10)
16 Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed. 17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you. (Deuteronomy 16:16-17)
What are biblical offerings?
We should note several points regarding these verses. The command relates to “three times a year.” There are seven feasts in the year. Did God intend that four of them have no such command?
No. The command refers to the three seasons or periods of the year when these special gifts are to be presented.
The Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread, are grouped together in the early Spring. God’s third festival, Pentecost, occurs in the late Spring. The final four festivals – the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, the Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day – are observed in the fall.
It should be noted that the seasons in which the Holy Days fall are based on the seasons in Palestine. The Holy Days occur in different seasons in other parts of the world, such as parts of the Southern Hemisphere.
The old Worldwide Church of God taught:
So the term three times in Deuteronomy 16:16-17 refers to these three seasons and includes all the feasts. As a matter of convenience for the giver, and for those who receive and process the gifts, God’s Church has traditionally collected these offerings on the seven high days, or Holy Days.
Don’t women contribute?
The next point we should note is that this command is directed to men. Notice similar passages in Exodus 23:14-17 and Exodus 34:22-23. Sometimes, because of pregnancy or small children, women might not be able to travel the distance required for some of the festivals. This is not the case with the men.
Normally, of course, the whole family is expected to attend, as well as the widows and fatherless (Deut..16:14).
There is no prohibition against women also presenting a gift, even if widowed, as we could conclude from a somewhat similar situation in Mark 12:42. Women who make offerings are certainly blessed by God. Today, for example, circumcision is of the heart, not the flesh (Rom. 2:29), and all true Christians, male or female, should want to support God’s Work however they can.
Contribute according to God’s blessing
The place that these gifts are to be presented is the place that God chooses, not where we may choose. If we had the opportunity to choose, some might remain at home or go to some other place, rather than assemble with the rest of the Church at the assigned festival site. It is the responsibility of the Church leadership, guided by God, to determine the place.
The last point in this passage relates to the size of the gift or offering. The amount we give should be according to the amount we have been blessed by God. When God blesses someone in a special or generous way, the person should respond proportionately with a generous offering. If God has not blessed the individual, then God does not expect as large an offering. God does not expect as much from the poor and needy as from those who are comparatively well off.
But remember, after God blesses us, He watches to see how much we believe He has blessed us, by observing the kind of appreciation we show in the size of our offering. (Neff L. Why Holy Day Offerings? Good News, September 1983)
There is a related factor that we all must consider — a law of nature that is also a spiritual law. This law is mentioned several times in Scripture: What you sow you reap (e.g., II Cor. 9:6).
If you are a farmer and you do not sow a crop, you will not have a harvest. If you sow a small amount, you will only have a small harvest. If you sow bountifully, or of full measure, you will reap bountifully.
A farmer who sows realizes that other conditions as well will help determine the size and the quality of the crop he will reap: the quality as well as the quantity and type of seed, the weather, the soil condition and the presence or absence of harmful insects or disease. God determines the weather, of course — if there will be rain and whether it will be in due season.
We see from this that we must do the necessary labor such as sowing, watering, weeding and fertilizing, and then God will give the increase as it pleases Him.
According to our labor
Notice the spiritual applications of this process as the Apostle explained:
6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. (1 Corinthians 3:6-8)
Notice that God gives the increase to each one “according to his own labor.”
Paul used the law of sowing and reaping to illustrate to the Corinthians that they should be generous in giving for the famine-stricken saints at Jerusalem (more details about this problem is in Acts 11:27-30, I Corinthians 16:1-4, Romans 15:25-26 and Acts 24:17).
The “hilarious” giver
This principle of giving has to do with our relationship with others, particularly with brethren in God’s Church, as well as our relationship with God. Paul uses two chapters, II Corinthians 8 and 9, to explain this.
This giving must be in accordance with our means or as God has blessed us. James Moffatt in his translation puts this rather clearly: ”
If only one is ready to give according to his means, it is acceptable; he is not asked to give what he has not got” (2 Corinthians 8:12).
2 Corinthians 9:6 is one of several scriptures that brings out the thrust of this physical and spiritual law:
6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. (2 Corinthians 9:6)
Another important aspect about giving is the attitude of the giver:
7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:7)
The Greek word for cheerful in this verse is ἱλαρὸν , sometimes transliterated as hilaron. It is defined as “cheerful, joyous, prompt to do anything.” Some lexicons even use as a synonym the word hilarious. God wants us to give joyously and happily, not grudgingly or just because we are required to.
The end result of giving in a right attitude and as God has blessed us is described in the next verses:
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 9 As it is written:
“He has dispersed abroad,
He has given to the poor;
His righteousness endures forever.”10 Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, 11 while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. (2 Corinthians 9:8-11)
How do you prepare?
Members of God’s Church take a wide range of approaches in how they view Holy Day offerings.
Apparently, a few have little concern and are ill prepared for these scheduled gifts. Others really are concerned and prepare throughout the year for these offerings. Some set aside an amount from each paycheck from which to provide Holy Day offerings.
It has been obvious in recent years that God’s people are taking this responsibility more seriously, as the per-person amounts have been increasing considerably, far above the increases in wages and income.
Holy Day offerings give financial boost
Each time we reach a low point in bank balances, we have a Holy Day offering, and then suddenly the balances increase considerably. Over the next weeks and months, the balances gradually dwindle to the next low point and then jump again after the next Holy Day offering.
Without the Holy Day offerings, we would not have these periodic spurts! It would be more difficult to manage the financial affairs of the Church. Particularly as we work to fulfill not only Matthew 24:14, but also Matthew 28:19-20 and Romans 11:25. The fulfillment of those benefits from having funds to be able to teach all around the world.
You should now have a better understanding about the need and reason for Holy Day offerings and why God commanded them so long ago.
In conclusion, let’s look at one last scripture that should put all of this in a better perspective. This is a scripture that we ought to keep in mind as we prepare for the Holy Day offerings:
6 Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches.
7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. (Galatians 6:6-9)
Do not be deceived. Do not be lukewarm. Do your part, which includes Holy Day offerings. (As far as when the biblical Holy Days, here is a link to our: Holy Day Calendar. To learn more about the Holy Days, here is a link to a free online book: Should You Keep God’s Holy Days or Demonic Holidays?)
Here is a link to a related video message: Why Holy Day Offerings?
Continuing Church of God
As far as offerings to the Continuing Church of God go, let it be stated that neither Bob Thiel nor his wife Joyce take a salary from the Continuing Church of God.
Our mailing address is Continuing Church of God, 1036 W. Grand Ave., Grover Beach, CA 93433. Telephone is 1-805-574-1818.
Some have sent checks, others cash, others money orders, and even have used Western Union to donate. We also accept bank transfers. We also do have a way to accept donations via VISA/MasterCard/Discover.
We do accept donations via PayPal (which also will handle many major credit cards). For that, please go to the PayPal button found on the web page about Donations.
In the USA, donations are immediately tax deductible as we have full IRS tax exempt status per Title 26 IRC 508(c)(1)(A). For those who in live in the State of California, we were specifically-approved in writing for our request for tax exemption status there. California nonprofit corporation number C3558924.
Donations to the Continuing Church of God are 100% deductible in all the US states.
Tax exempt status in New Zealand was also approved, and hence donations in New Zealand are also fully tax deductible. Check out CCOG.nz as you have to send donations to New Zealand for them to be deductible there.
Tax exempt status in Canada was also approved, and hence donations in Canada are also fully tax deductible. Check out CCOGCANADA.CA as you have to send donations to Canada for them to be deductible there.
For more on how the Continuing Church of God spends funds it receives can be found on the web page about Donations.