There is a lot of Misunderstanding about Early Believers in New Testament Days that has been carried down to the Church for Generations and Pastors of Local Churches would not want you to know because they Rely on those for their Income and sometimes a Whole Lot More!!!
Sad to say, some of their Teaching (apart from the Phony Wealth Gospel) has been Perpetuated in 'Bible Colleges through the Years and that doesn't make it right. Visit my other Website and know the difference!
After Constantine came Papal Rome (Catholicism) who brought the Tithe back and threatened Hell-Fire if the Christians didn't "Pay Them" - they spent it on the Hierarchy and the Buildings. The very thing Christ did not want. So they're hardly what you would call a Godly Practice:)
Constantine was a very Vain Emperor and he wanted the People to Idolise him basically. Christians were multiplying in great numbers - on the Home Scene because their Neighbors and People from Streets around wanted to Join them and become Christians because they they were Peaceful and Friendly and Expressed Joy in Hard Times. They also Related Well because Jesus was in their Hearts. They Loved their "Get Togethers" and had TRUE Healings and Miracles among them.
Their Neighbors could See the Change in their Nature - I imagine - when they had Truly Experienced the spiritual "New Birth" Jesus refers to in the Gospel of John. Sad to say most "Christians" on the Church Scene are not Truly Born Anew, due to so many Pastors and Mega Churches preaching "Social Gospel" etc. In other words, a "Spiritually Impoverished Gospel" and so many present Jesus as some kind of a Santa-Christ which is no way to experience a Personal Relationship with Jesus as Your Saviour and Redeemer. Those preachers have left the Lordship of Christ and Repentance out of their Sermons whereby People miss out on the "Joy of Sins Forgiven" and finding True "Peace with God"
No wonder Jesus referred to some Preachers as "Hirelings" because they are deliberately Misleading People. And the way so many of them present Jesus as a Santa-Christ is a sure Recipe for Disillusion a few weeks or months later when the 'New Christians' don't get everything they want.
There are Explicit warnings in Scripture Not to "Make Merchandise" of God's People, by Ripping them Off in His Name they take in Vain. You can rest assured they WILL Answer for That.
And the 'Tithes and Offerings' they expect from you and Nag, and Pester and Badger you about are NOT Scriptural for Christians - they WERE for JEWS! If you check out my website Tithes Or Giving HERE you will SEE how they actually quote Scriptures Out of Context and you will have no doubt whatsoever that Tithing is for Jews, not Christians - Giving is for Christians.