For over four decades, one minister has quietly pursued a question that many in the church would prefer to leave unanswered: Did the apostle Paul actually teach tithing to the Gentile believers?
Jonathan Kithcart, an ordained minister with more than forty years of biblical study behind him, has dedicated his life to examining this question with careful exegesis and historical research.
His work, Pope Leo III, Charlemagne and the Tithe: The Code of Silence, represents the culmination of a lifetime spent uncovering what he calls a “heresy” that has crept into the church—the mandatory teaching of the ten-percent tithe as a New Testament requirement.
This author feature explores the life, mission, and groundbreaking work of Jonathan Kithcart, a voice that is gaining attention across different platforms.
Towards the Pulpit
Kithcart did not always have a burning passion for theological inquiry. Like many, he grew up attending church without a personal relationship with Christ. It was only after surrendering his life to the Lord that he began reading the Bible with serious intent.
In 2004, Kithcat was ordained as a minister of the gospel in 2004. Before that, he spent years in what he describes as a preparatory season—studying, questioning, and waiting for the right time to speak. He volunteered with Morris Cerullo’s ministry for two years, gaining exposure to the broader world of evangelism and church leadership. But his heart remained fixed on one specific issue: correcting what he saw as a pervasive misuse of Scripture regarding tithing.
The Core of Kithcart’s Message
At the heart of Jonathan Kithcart’s teaching is a simple but powerful distinction. He argues that the Old Testament tithe—a tenth of agricultural produce given to support the Levitical priesthood—has no binding authority over New Testament believers. Instead, he points to the apostle Paul’s writings, where grace-based, voluntary, and cheerful giving is consistently emphasized.
Kithcart’s first publication, Did the Apostle Paul Teach Tithing to the Church? appeared in 2000. He followed this with Paul: A Wise Master Builder Without the Tithe (also titled Paul A Wise Master Builder Without the Tithe), which further develops his argument that the early church financed its mission through freewill offerings, not mandatory percentages. In that work, he highlights a crucial point: neither the first tabernacle nor Solomon’s temple was constructed with tithes.
Giving from the heart, he writes, has always been what pleases the Lord, citing 2 Corinthians 8:12: “For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has and not according to what he does not have.”
The Landmark Work: Pope Leo III, Charlemagne and the Tithe
Kithcart’s latest and most comprehensive book, Pope Leo III, Charlemagne and the Tithe: The Code of Silence, published in late December 2025, is 112 pages long.
The premise of the book is bold and historically grounded. Kithcart identifies the coronation of Charlemagne by Pope Leo III on Christmas Day in the year 800 as the pivotal moment when tithing became enforced by secular law. He argues that this political alliance—a pope in need of protection and a warlord in need of religious legitimacy—led directly to the imposition of the ten-percent tithe on Christian believers. From Europe, this practice migrated to America through colonial settlers, where it was embraced by certain denominations and eventually proclaimed as Christian doctrinal truth.
Crucially, Kithcart demonstrates that none of this originated with the apostles. He points to the first church council in Jerusalem (Acts 15 and 21) as definitive proof: when the apostles decided which requirements from the Law of Moses should apply to Gentile believers, tithing was not among them. The early churches, which assembled in homes, practiced a completely different model of financial support—one based on generosity, need, and the leading of the Holy Spirit.
The “Code of Silence” Concept
One of Kithcart’s most memorable contributions to the discussion is his phrase “The Code of Silence.” This refers to the reaction he consistently received when posing his central question to prominent ministers and teachers.
He contacted ten well-known figures, asking them simply: Where in the New Testament did the apostle Paul teach tithing to the Gentile believers? According to Kithcart, not one of them provided a direct answer. Instead, they evaded, deflected, or remained silent. He terms this evasion the “Code of Silence”—a deliberate refusal to address a question that, if answered honestly, would undermine a teaching that generates billions of dollars annually for ministry organizations.
The Goal: Restoring Grace-Based Giving
Ultimately, Jonathan Kithcart is not opposed to giving. He is an opponent of coercion disguised as divine command. His goal is to restore what he calls “grace giving”—the New Testament pattern where believers give voluntarily, cheerfully, and proportionately, motivated by love for Christ rather than fear of a curse.
As he writes, citing Galatians 5:8, “This persuasion does NOT come from Him who calls you.” For Kithcart, the truth about tithing is not a side issue; it is central to understanding the difference between law and grace, between the Old Covenant and the New.
Readers interested in exploring his work can order Pope Leo III, Charlemagne and the Tithe: The Code of Silence through major online bookstores and visit his website for additional resources. Grab your copy of this book today!
