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.
Taking sides with Jesus
62-0601 §27
And then, another thing, if I'd have went away, we'd have never built a church here like that. It's hard telling what we'd have had (see) if I'd just went on, but the God of heaven put it upon my heart to build this church here. And then when He called me out into evangelism... We've had pastor after pastor and so forth, but now we got a precious brother here who's of the faith, believes the message. We've got other brothers out here that believes the message, having... (Am I getting too loud, Brother Beeler? All r...
Why?
60-0309 §51
Search the Scriptures, friends. Join the church ain't enough. Now, joining a church is fine. I believe that every person should join the church. I absolutely believe that every person should stand at their post of duty. When their pastor's there preaching, or evangelist or something, I think they ought to stand at their post of duty. They ought to support that church with everything they got in them: with their tithes, with their offerings, with anything that they're called on to do, be willing and happy. If your p...
Why it had to be shepherds
64-1221 §137
Brother Mack, I seen him here awhile ago, somewhere in the church. He's here, one of the pastors, local pastor. A very dear brother, and I've always loved Brother Mack since I was first started in the ministry. And then I met him... And I was way up in British Columbia; and just to show you how that God will work everything right. I was already mounted on a horse, and was going back into the wilderness where I had led a whole group of Indians to God; and they were all converted, and had received Jesus. And by the p...
Humble thyself
63-0714E §11
I believe it was his brother, or one of them, was a doctor. Said, "There's not a hope for the baby unless Almighty God touches it." She went and told her pastor. The pastor said, "I am not qualified," he said, "to act upon this divine healing because I don't ... just don't have it within me---the faith that it takes to do it." Now that's being honest about it, see. He said, "I don't just have it in me." He said, "But I was at one of Brother Branham's meetings, and I'd advise you to take the baby to Brother Branham....
Church Order
58-1007 §20
Now, then after this, time for the pastor to come on, if messages are going on... Say the pastor should come out exactly, say, seven-thirty, or a quarter of eight. And if these messages are still going on, before the pastor comes to his ... out of his study or wherever he may to take his place at the platform, some brother should instruct him---because the saints know that when the pastor comes on the platform, it's his time then for the service. And that gives plenty, ample time for all the manifestations of the g...