Tithes & Offerings

Tithes & Offerings

In the Oregon Conference

The Biblical Tithe

The Bible describes tithe as 10% of income. People “returned tithe” to God at their place of worship. These tithes would provide a living for the priests that served there. When a person returned tithe, it signified that God was Lord of all they had. (Hebrews 7:2, Genesis 28:22)

Tithe in The Adventist Denomination

In the 1870’s, the Seventh-day Adventist Church adopted the biblical tithing principle as the primary mechanism for supporting our worldwide mission. This consistent plan of sharing resources is one key component that has enabled our church and its message to grow and remain firm in many parts of the world.

What Happens to The Tithe I Return?

All tithe is sent by the local church to the Oregon Conference where it is distributed throughout the conference and the world. ‍

Tithe is to be used to support the evangelistic outreach and nurturing ministries of the Church.

The majority of Oregon tithe supports ministry within the Oregon Conference.

Where Does All The Money Go?

When tithe is returned, the resources are shared among different church organizations according to a specific formula. This supports our worldwide mission. Here’s how tithe is distributed and used.

To view more details tap on the percentages below. Tap again to close window.

GC – The General Conference facilitates the mission of the Adventist Church around the world.
NAD – The North American Division (NAD) helps coordinate policy, curriculum, evangelism and employment practices across the United States and Canada. It is also instrumental in training the next generation of pastors.
NPUC – The North Pacific Union Conference serves the five states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Alaska. It especially focuses on services that can be shared across the entire region, and supports Walla Walla University.
SMALL CONFERENCES – Smaller conferences often don’t have the financial resources to provide the needed ministry support in their territory. Through this allocation, Oregon directly supports ministry in Alaska, Montana, and Idaho.
PASTOR SALARIES – Employment costs are the single largest expense in the Oregon Conference. As of 2019, 124 pastors are employed in our conference.
OLD PENSION PLAN – In 2000, the NAD transitioned employees from a defined benefit (pension) retirement plan to a defined-contribution retirement plan (403 (b)). This budget item continues to fund the retirement of church employees who were working before that change.
CHURCH MINISTRIES – This supports the ministry departments of the Oregon Conference such as: Children’s Ministries, Youth Ministries, Evangelism, Ministerial, and Relational. These departments exist to directly support and resource the ministry of the local church.
CAMP MEETING – Gladstone Camp Meeting is an Oregon tradition. This allocation ensures that Camp Meeting continues.
EDUCATION – Oregon Adventist Education operates thirty-two K-12 schools. Tithe specifically supports the spiritual mission of our schools.
SUPPORT – Administration, Communication, Human Resources, Treasury, Trust Services, and Risk Management departments provide vital services and support to our churches and schools.

Offerings

Offerings are acts of worship, beyond tithe, that we choose to give. Offerings are given as a free-will heart-felt response to the blessings of God. (Deuteronomy 16:17)

Many church ministries depend on faithful offerings.

> In most cases, an additional 4-7% offering would fully support the local church budget.

> Oregon Conference Youth Support provides resources for senior academies, Big Lake Youth Camp, and young adult ministries.

> World Budget supports disaster and famine relief, higher education, media ministries, and other mission outreach.

What Happens to My "Local Church" Offerings?

Your local church board decides how to use your offering in the ministry of your church through a budgeting process. Most churches use local church offerings for expenses such as: utilities, Sabbath School supplies, church school subsidies, student aid, church ministries, community services, evangelism, and local projects. Talk to your local church leaders to learn more about your congregation’s approach.

What Happens to My "Oregon Conference Youth Support" Offerings?

Oregon Conference Youth Support provides needed funding for three ministry areas.

Senior Academies in Oregon. This offering supports the operating budgets of our conference senior academies to help make them a bit more affordable to families.

Big Lake Youth Camp. Each year over 3,000 campers and 100 staff receive the blessings of the BLYC experience. In addition, Big Lake is proud to provide respite for weary Pacific Crest Trail hikers through the PCT Welcome Center.

Young Adult Ministry. Our church is committed to Growing Together through intentional mentorship of our next generations and thoughtful culture shift in our congregations.The YA department facilitates ministry and leadership development among young adults throughout our conference.