Where Should the Pastor and the Pastor's Pastor and So On, Pay Their Tithe?
1) Direct Answer
- Every believer pays tithes to the storehouse where he is fed the Word—his own pastor.
- A pastor also pays tithes. He does not keep his own tithe. He sends his tithe to the minister who feeds him the Word, the one who pastors him, or faithfully into the Gospel work through a proven minister.
- The “pastor’s pastor, and so on” simply follows the same order. It stops where a man is actually being fed. Christ is our High Priest; the tithe supports His ministry on earth, not an endless ladder or a headquarters.
2) Scriptural Explanation
- “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house” (Malachi 3:10). The tithe goes where the spiritual meat is served.
- “Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things” (Galatians 6:6). Tithe follows the one who teaches you.
- “Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:13–14). God ordains the ministry to live by the tithe.
- “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine… The labourer is worthy of his reward” (1 Timothy 5:17–18). The preaching elder is to be supported.
- In the Old Testament pattern the Levites received tithes, and the Levites themselves gave “a tithe of the tithes” unto the Lord’s service (Numbers 18:21–28; Nehemiah 10:37–39). That shows ministers also tithe onward.
- Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:1–8). That points to Christ, our High Priest, receiving tithes through His ministry.
3) Simple Clarifying Logic
- Now notice: the tithe is not for buildings, boards, or programs first; it is for the ministry that brings you the Word. Where you eat is where you tithe.
- You see, a pastor is also taught and strengthened by ministry. So he pays his tithe to the one who truly feeds him or places it faithfully into the active Gospel ministry—not back to himself.
- There is no Scripture for a man tithing to himself, nor for sending tithes to an office that does not feed him. The Bible ties tithing to the storehouse and to the one who teaches.
- So the order is simple and consistent: the flock to their pastor; the pastor to the minister who pastors him or the Gospel work that nourishes him; and it all culminates in Christ’s service, not a human chain without end.
4) Reinforcing Statement
Keep it clean and biblical: tithe where you receive the Word. Let the laborer live by the Gospel, and let even the laborer honor God with his own tithe. That’s the order the Bible sets.
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
Thirsting for Life
57-0728 §56
God bless your gallant souls, is my prayer. And as soon as this healing service is over, I'm going to ask you to come up here and stand around this altar, and just offer a word of thanks to God. It will strengthen you. Promise me that, some of these good churches around here, you will go tomorrow and talk it over with the pastor. Say, "Pastor, down at the meeting the other night, I felt strangely. Something touched my heart. I raised my hand as the minister asked if anyone wanted to accept Christ. And I did. And so...
Church Order
58-1007 §23
And in all prayer meetings where they're gathered together, groups of prayer meetings, the pastor must be at each one. It should never be left to any individual to go lead such meetings. For we have found it so, that they get off the track on doctrine, and then it cause ... bring it right back into the church, and many time bring heresies and so forth, which doesn't belong in the church of the living God. And the pastor should be at all prayer meetings, and so forth, where congre... gatherings are.
The Indictment
63-0707M §117
Preachers standing on ball grounds smoking cigarettes---stumbling blocks. All the other tommyrot that they put up with. Women in their choir, wearing shorts, bobbed hair, and carrying on like that, painted faces, and then call it, "Sister this and that"; and the Bible condemns that stuff! That's right. Go to parties and carry on, still a member of the church, maintain your testimony and live anyway you want to... Don't think I'm talking altogether about Presbyterians; I'm talking about you Pentecostals! That's righ...
The placing of deacons
58-0720E §11
Now with our heads bowed, not only our heads but our hearts, and as every member of this church, that comes here regular and supports it with your tithe and offerings, which is considered a member of this church. While, the pastor and I, alone, the associate pastor (Brother Neville) and I look on. I would ask if this church finds Brother Taylor to be a just man and eligible, by the best of your thinking, to be deacon over this group of people? You will signify the same by raising your hand. [Brother Branham pauses....
The eagle stirring her nest
58-0500 §36
And did you notice when the mighty rushing wind hit you, and you begin to go inside God? Everywhere you hit was a thorn. You try [unclear words] testimony [unclear words]. And as soon as you tell your best friend, he said, "Huh! Got you a holy-roller, hasn't you?" A thorn. Get ready. You're going to take a ride, that's the only thing I can tell you. God is just making you ready. Get over to the pastor, say, "Pastor, last night when I was praying, all at once something happened to me; my life is changed and I feel d...