"10%....Undesignated...No Exceptions"

"10 percent to the budget of your church in an undesignated fashion, no exceptions."

That is Steve Gaines' definition of what it means to storehouse tithe. He speaks with authority, as one who knows the scripture, and is telling his people exactly what God expects. He clearly explains that all of your 10% must come to the church, not to any other Christian organizations or charities. ALL TO YOUR CHURCH. And you can't give to any other causes until you have first met the 10% tithe to the church.

God wants 10%. And God wants it now. And he wants it undesignated. And God allows no exceptions. None. So says Steve Gaines.

He doesn't have time to explain where in scripture, OT or NT this clear command comes from.

And wants us all to know: there are no exceptions. Period.

Strange, even the IRS who demands 20% or more from us gives us some leeway. If our income is low, or we had excessive medical expenses, or we gave some of our money to worthwhile charities, the IRS does give us some exceptions.

But not the mega church preachers. They want 10 percent. Not to any charity. They want it ALL to their church. No exceptions.

I would love for Bill O'Reilly's body language expert, Tanya Reiman, to analyze Gaines' body language as he says this to his congregation. Notice his slow eye close as he declares "..in an un-designated fashion...", with a slight emphasis on "un" and then the slight pause for effect. Its as though he is saying he will say it ONE MORE time for those of you who don't get it, and he's tired of having to say it. There seems to be a bit of contempt as he says it. Almost a threat.

I almost expected Rodney Dangerfield to come out and declare "Moose, Rocco, help the judge find his checkbook, will ya?" Or I thought Gaines was going to explain the tithe was to be given in unmarked bills, all 10's and 20's, left in a black brief case behind the Waffle House Saturday night.

But you have to hand it to this guy. He believes in the storehouse tithe, and is not afraid to ratchet up the requirements and speak them as gospel. Wow.

Steve says finances are what can define a man or woman as being "right". Says Gaines: "If a man or woman is not right in his finances, he's not right." OK, so I lose my job, debt up to my eyeballs, and my home is being foreclosed, my creditors are beating my door down, and my finances are a wreck. I guess I'm not right. I need to repent. Thanks, pastor.

He declares if you're not at 10%, you're not even close to what God wants. I think, Pastor Gaines, that YOU might not be even close to what God wants in a preacher....perhaps God wants the full 23 1/3%. Or perhaps he wants you to stop throwing percentages around and let the Holy Spirit work on Christians. Maybe he wants 50% of your mammoth salary in order for you to be a generous, sacrificial giver as the New Testament says.

"Moose, Rocco, help Mrs. Jones find her pocketbook." And maybe Mrs. Jones says "Steve, you'll get nothing, and like it!"