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.
Show us the Father and it'll satisfy
56-0422 §50
A little boy in our country, used to, he went to the church, he got to hear about what a great fellow God was. So, he said, "Mama, can any man see God, He's so great?" She said, "Ask the pastor, honey, how would you expect me to know?" Well, he went to the pastor, said, "Pastor," said, "could any man see God?" Said, "No, son, no. No man can see God and live." He went to the Sunday school teacher, she said, "No, no one can see God and live."
The Serpent's Seed
58-0928E §33
Now, how did it start? (We'll get straight to it just as quick as we can, so I won't keep you all night.) Now, there's got to be a beginning of all things. I want to ask you something. Now, this may be... You just tuck this over in your vest pocket. You don't have to put this over with the regular dish. But listen to this. If you are an eternal creature, then you never had a beginning or never can have an end. For "eternal" comes from the Word which has no beginning or no end. Don't you remember, I said this mornin...
Glorified Jesus
55-0225 §23
Now, let's look back in the very beginning, in the garden of Eden, after they were taken out of the garden of Eden and the children were born. Cain and Abel, both of those boys, realized that they were mortal, they were dying, and burning down like a candle, and someday must return back to the dust and to the Maker that brought them forth. And they wanted to find favor with God. So they both come to worship. Here's a little point we might drop in right now, so that you'll truly understand. Now, I think that every p...
Church Order
58-1007 §22
Now, while the pastor comes to the platform, after the pastor comes to the platform, I would suggest, as the Branham Tabernacle here, that the pastor lead the congregation in at least one or two good songs. For we have found it so, that when too many are trying to operate in the church, it brings on only trouble. I would suggest---as I did while I was pastoring at the church, I led the songs myself---and I feel that it would be a good thing, if the pastor did so himself.
Respects
61-1015E §75
If you can't respect the man, respect the office he holds in God. That's exactly right, see, respect him. If a minister comes up, your pastor, always respect him. I've heard congregations talk about their pastor, just talk about him, run him down, ridicule him. How is that pastor ever going to do anything for you? He can't do it. You don't re... I don't say this church, but I mean churches I have seen, that if... You've got to love your pastor. You've got to know that he's a human being, but yet God has made him Hi...