Free generosity calculator — plan tithes, offerings and sacrificial giving with Scripture-rooted wisdom from 2 Corinthians 9 on cheerful giving.
Your giving plan
Total giving — % of income
Lifetime kingdom impact ( years)
How much should a Christian give?
The biblical baseline is the tithe — 10% of income. Established in Genesis 14 (Abram to Melchizedek), commanded in Leviticus 27:30 ("Every tithe of the land… is the Lord's; it is holy to the Lord"), and reaffirmed in Malachi 3:10 with the only "test me in this" invitation in all of Scripture.
The New Testament never lowers the bar. Jesus affirms tithing (Matthew 23:23: "These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others") while pointing past it to weightier matters of justice, mercy, and faithfulness. Paul commends giving that is regular, proportional, and cheerful (1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 9:7).
The mature Christian pattern is: tithe to the local church as the floor, then offerings beyond it for missions, mercy, and kingdom expansion. Many faithful believers settle in the 12–20% range across all categories; some give radically more.
Tithe vs offering — what's the difference?
- Tithe — the obligated 10%, owed to your local church. "Bring the full tithe into the storehouse" (Malachi 3:10). The storehouse is the place where you are spiritually fed.
- Offering — voluntary giving above the tithe, directed to missions, the poor, special needs, kingdom causes. "Each one must give as he has decided in his heart" (2 Cor 9:7).
- Alms / mercy — direct giving to the poor (Matthew 6:2-4), often considered a subset of offerings.
Gross or net income?
Scripture predates payroll taxes. The principle that settles the question is firstfruits — Proverbs 3:9: "Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce." God gets the first cut, not the leftover. Most biblical stewardship teachers — John MacArthur, John Piper, Randy Alcorn, Ron Blue — recommend giving on gross income unless tax burden is genuinely crushing.
"But I'm in debt — should I still tithe?"
Yes. This is the unanimous counsel of the major biblical money teachers (Dave Ramsey, Ron Blue, Howard Dayton). The firstfruits pattern keeps God on the throne of your finances; the discipline of giving while in debt almost always accelerates debt payoff because it forces hard choices on the spending side. If your math truly cannot accommodate tithe + debt minimums, the problem is the spending pattern, not the tithe.
The real return on generosity
Luke 6:38: "Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap." Proverbs 11:24-25: "One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want." 2 Corinthians 9:6: "Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully."
God is no man's debtor. The lifetime number above is not the cost of generosity — it is the down payment on treasure stored in heaven (Matthew 6:20).
Related calculators & guides
- Tithe Calculator — gross vs net, every pay frequency
- 50/30/20 Budget Calculator — with a giving-first preset
- Christian tithing hub
- Tithe on gross or net?
- Bible verses about tithing
- 10 biblical money management principles
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a tithe and an offering?
A tithe is the structured 10% baseline of giving (Leviticus 27:30). An offering is the voluntary, generous gift on top, given as God prospers you (2 Corinthians 9:7). Solomon Wealth Code tracks both separately so you can see proportional generosity grow over time.
How much do Christians give on average?
Empty Tomb research and Barna data show U.S. churchgoers give 2.5u20133.5% of income on average — well below the 10% biblical baseline. The 'tithers' (those who give 10%+) represent roughly 10u201325% of evangelical attenders depending on the study.
Should I give anonymously?
Jesus commands secret giving in Matthew 6:1-4 — 'do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.' Most church-tracked giving is fine because the motive is provision for the body, not display. Avoid public spectacle; embrace quiet faithfulness.
Can generous giving make me wealthier?
Proverbs 11:24-25 says 'one gives freely, yet grows all the richer' — but this is a wisdom principle, not a prosperity-gospel formula. God promises sufficient provision for the generous (2 Corinthians 9:8), not guaranteed wealth. Give for His glory, not for return.