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I also give monthly to Medicine San Frontiers aka Doctors Without Borders. Why? They're definitely not a Christian organization. Why? Because I'm so thankful for the extraordinary access and free healthcare available to me under our National Health Service. Some people have to walk days for medical treatment and even then it's not good. MSF provides services in remote areas, free of charge. I can't help those citizens directly, but indirectly via MSF works for me. And, of course, because God makes his rain, his blessings, fall on the just and the unjust. He has compassion on the needy. He doesn't expect payment, just thanks, and sometimes he gets it.

I belong to two churches here. One I rarely support except for special things. Nobody ever enquires. There are occasionally invitations to donate. The other, that I regard as my main church, is a group of churches very active in supporting the community. Again, regular attendees are invited to donate, but nobody knows who does or doesn't, and there's absolutely no compulsion. I give, because I WANT to, because I know it costs money to help those with nothing. To provide the weekly free meal and hangout time for very lonely, or rather strange, or really impoverished, people hereabouts. To run after-school clubs, homework club, toddler group for young mums. To pay for the outgoings on our building and to heat it. Why would I NOT want to support that? And every year, the church treasurers present a report to explain how money is spent and answer any questions. Oh, and both churches support external groups - partner ministries overseas and such like. Sometimes an individual or couple undertaking work in Christian or non-Christian communities overseas. The question isn't whether one should donate or not, but is there compulsion? And who benefits from the money received?