What is Proportional Giving?

Any regular, intentional program of giving a specific amount of money is, in a way, "proportional" giving.  The Bible states a specific obligation to "tithe"—that is, to give back to God one-tenth of what we have received from God. One-tenth! Ten percent! The Bible sets the bar very high—maybe too high for most of us to think about at first.  Giving proportionately means offering a percentage of your income with the goal of the "tithe" - giving 10%.  The stewardship journey, however, is different for every person and family.  We all begin in different places and we all end up in different places.  Proportional Giving helps us understand where we are on the journey.  If giving 10% seems daunting, consider starting with a pledge of just 2% of your income and each year prayerfully consider taking a "step up."  For an estimate of what your pledge would be, the two charts on page three help.  One shows the span of giving at Good Shepherd, the second helps you calculate your own proportional gift.

The important thing is that the Biblical notion of proportionality is the ultimately holistic way of giving--you pledge and give in proportion to what you have or make. There's no hidden standard, some sort of "dues" structure, though sometimes we mistakenly imagine there is. A senior citizen living on a fixed, modest income who gives 5% is a more faithful proportionate giver than the rich one who dashes off a large check that only represents 1% of what she/he has received.  Sound suspiciously familiar? Sounds like Jesus.