Giving is the foundation of our faith***God so loved the world He gave***when we minimize giving to do whatever is in your heart your missing God's purpose in giving; for it it not to get from you, but to give to you, for when you sow you reap***if you can't afford to tithe, start where you can and build up***after 40 years I can say it does prosper a person to tithe and give offerings***the purpose of prospering is so we can do more for God's Kingdom...
2 Cor 8 & 9 are at odds with you here.
Giving has nothing to with faith at all and is another false teaching. Anyone who says Faith is involved in giving is expecting to get something back. Giving comes from a cheerful heart and an attitude that says I received freely and ow freely I give back with no expectation of a return.
Tithing promotes pride/control and condemnation/rejection.
Pride and control for those who give 10% and additional offerings and condemnation/rejection for those that cannot afford 10% and because of that cannot give extra offerings.
Passing the plate around just adds gas to this fire. Passing a plate around forces someone to give whether or not they have the means to give and usually compulsion is not the law of a cheerful giver.
I know far too many pastors that promote 10% tithing and the church is broke and cannot even engage in the great commission because of it.
I used to be the same way, until a very wise spiritually mature elder pulled me aside, showed me some things in scripture and asked me top pray, fast and ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom on it.
I did and one Sunday we stopped passing the plates and making offering speeches. We put the bucket in the back and just let folks know what it was for and to give with a cheerful heart as God lead them.
In that single offering we took more in, than we had for 3 months in all offering times combined.
I never saw that Jesus gave just 10% of himself, he gave ALL of himself. I would much rather let people give ALL they can than a compelled 10% and nothing more.
By the way, you may want to get your arm checked for a possible break, it happens when folks pat their backs real hard.