First service, Mar 22, 2026, continuing the Covenant Practice of Giving series: Min. Mrs. Catherine Nikoi moves from why believers give to what believers give — a sweep through twelve biblical kinds of giving, anchored in Romans 11:36 ("everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory"), before settling into a closer teaching on the tithe and its covenant benefits from Malachi 3.
The seven movements
- Who owns the egg? The hen lays the egg, but the owner of the hen owns the egg. God made us and gave everything to us — the talent, the month-end resources — and asks us to bring back what is already His (1 Chronicles 29:14; Romans 11:36).
- The first gifts: yourself, the tithe, the offering. Believers give themselves first — body as living sacrifice, life, will, and purpose (Romans 12:1; 2 Corinthians 8:5). Then the tithe, one-tenth set apart as holy (Leviticus 27:30), and the free-will offering from a moved heart (Exodus 25:2; 35:29).
- Giving that costs and giving that is first. Sacrificial giving — David's "I will not present offerings that cost me nothing" and the widow who gave her all (2 Samuel 24:24; Mark 12:41-44) — and the first fruit, honoring the Lord with the first of the increase like Abel's accepted offering (Proverbs 3:9; Genesis 4:3-5).
- Giving outward. To the poor — "he who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, and He will repay" (Proverbs 19:17; Acts 9:36-42); to the kingdom, supporting God's work as the women supported Jesus' own mission (Luke 8:3; Philippians 4:15-18); and to the servants of God, like the Shunammite woman whose hospitality to Elisha ended her barrenness (Matthew 10:41; 2 Kings 4:8-17).
- The remaining kinds. Vows, like Hannah giving Samuel back to the Lord (1 Samuel 1:27-28); hospitality to strangers, who may be angels unawares (Hebrews 13:2; Genesis 18:1-8); honor-based giving to parents, which pleases God and carries long life (Exodus 20:12; 1 Timothy 5:4); and justice-based giving — paying workers what they deserve (1 Timothy 5:18; James 5:4).
- The tithe, closer in. Tithing is not about giving God 10% — it is acknowledging that the 100% belongs to Him, and it is a test of priority: if God comes first, He receives first, not the leftover. It predates the law — Abraham tithed to Melchizedek — and the children of Abraham walk in his steps; Jesus Himself said "you should tithe" (Genesis 14:20; Galatians 3:29; Luke 11:42).
- Bring it all into the storehouse. The tithe belongs in the house of the Lord so there is food in God's house — and the promise is open windows of heaven, divine supply, protection of the work of your hands, and a land all nations call blessed (Malachi 3:10-12).
Walk away with this
God owns the egg. Hear the word, don't defer the decision — "there will be a time you can do absolutely nothing, and this is the time" — and pray the one closing prayer of the morning: Lord, give us the grace to be faithful.