God requires only 10%.
I wish the IRS would be satisfied with that.
My feeling is that 10% figure must be NET and not GROSS since the Church itself has forced higher taxes on all of us, to get the government to do things that the Church used to do by itself.
He requires that you give your heart to Him and then act accordingly. And joyously. For some, that may be 2%. For others, 50% or more.
The more you willingly and joyously give, the more you will get, too. That is His way, one I will admit to failing to have followed too many times. Sigh.
Old Testament Tithing was never in the form of money, it was always goods or food stuffs. Tithing is not required of the New Testament Church and any pastor that claims otherwise is in error. The New Testament model for giving is the proper method as outlined by the Apostle Paul. If the Holy Spirit puts it on your heart to give a specific amount, then by all means give that since ignoring such a prompting is sinful. The 10% rule sets up an artificial legalistic threshold that takes the Spirit out of it and if you give 10% out of some sense of obligation, you are not giving to the Lord in the manner in which he has prescribed. Some may be promoted to give 5% and some who are more well off might be promoted to give much more. In any event, if we are going to follow the OT model, then the actual tithe was around 33% when all special tithes were taken into account. There is no honor before the Lord in giving 10% if you do it because you are obligated to do so. 10% may be the right number for some, but that is not required.