Universal Church of the Kingdom of God

==Tithing and offerings==
{{See also|Tithe}}
The UCKG considers that the first ten percent of all of a person's [[gross income]] before deductions "belongs to God" as a tithe, quoting the Bible as the ultimate, divine authority (Malachi 3:10).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Malachi+3%3A8-12&version=NKJV|title=Bible Gateway passage: Malachi 3:8-12 - New King James Version|website=Bible Gateway|access-date=2019-08-29}}</ref><ref name=rightway>{{cite web|url=http://www.uckgtanzania.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=23&Itemid=501|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150323114222/http://www.uckgtanzania.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=23&Itemid=501|url-status=usurped|archive-date=23 March 2015|title=The Right Way to Tithe, booklet and Web page|website=UCKG}}  Reference for all the UCKG guidance on tithing. Material in "double quotes" in Tithing and offerings section is quoted verbatim.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uckg.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/tithe-booklet.pdf|title=Tithe : The First Fruits|website=Uckg.org|access-date=13 September 2018}}</ref> The first tithe should include 10% of everything owned at the time. The church gives very detailed instructions on what is to be paid, when, and to whom, distinguishing between rules for salaried workers, business owners, the self-employed, pensioners, and the unemployed, including beggars. Guidance is given for money received as a loan, gifts, benefits, and the sale of property. The tithe is to be paid to the Church as soon as possible; it is not acceptable to defer payment in time of need—this is compared with being unfaithful to your wife now, but being faithful later. If payment is deferred for any reason, then it must be increased by a fifth, on supposed Biblical authority. The UCKG says "the Biblical way of tithing is to bring the tithe onto the altar of the church (see Deuteronomy 14:25)", but accept payment by debit order, "if you must".

The UCKG is clear that, "You must tithe everything that comes to your hands ... wages [gross, not after deductions], overtime pay, bonuses, unemployment benefit, child support, business profits/profit from business, pensions, allowances, interest earned on an account, inheritance, prizes, commission, sales, gifts, etc." The church's position is that failure to give tithes is, according to the Bible, robbing God: "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me." (Malachi 3:8,9)..

The church says that tithe has a direct impact on salvation. The question is posed, "How can tithe benefit my finances if after giving I am left with less than before?"; the answer is described as "the miracle of tithe": "when you tithe you can count on God's protection upon your money ... He promised to bless you with more than you can have room for ... When you tithe, you remove yourself from under the curse of those who rob God." A clear distinction is made between tithe, which is an obligation, and an offering. Tithe is to be paid before an offering, without deducting the offering from the 10% tithe. Tithe is said to mean faithfulness, submission and obedience; and offering to mean love, faith, thanksgiving, and sacrifice.

The UCKG offers a Financial Seminar "for people who are in pursuit of financial growth, independence, stability and as well opportunities in the financial world (Jobs, Promotions, Recognition and the like), people who do not accept failure, poverty, misery, {{sic|loses}} and want a turn over in their life because they believe that they are worthy of much more."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uckgtanzania.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1136&Itemid=378|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150323175119/http://uckgtanzania.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1136&Itemid=378|archive-date=23 March 2015|url-status=usurped|title=Monday Chain of Prayer|website=UCKG}}</ref>

Tithes are stated to be used so "the Church can pay its existing expenses and plan to expand the work of God", quoting, "That there may be food in My House." (Malachi 3:10). This also means that tithes must not be paid to a charity for the needy instead of the Church, because their primary purpose is to maintain the house of God. "The responsibility rests with the church authorities to decide whether after the needs of God's House have been met to use the remainder in aid of the poor."<ref name=rightway/>