Q: If Adventist schools are built with Adventist tithe money, then why do we have to pay to study there? — Pablo, from Mexico
A: In answering your question, Pablo, I’d like to first point out that tithe funds are never used for building Adventist schools or any other building projects.
Tithe is primarily only to be used for the support of the ministry, evangelistic outreach and administrative church infrastructure. And even more importantly, tithe belongs to God, so it is God’s tithe, not ours.
Operating a private school is expensive. You might be surprised to learn that tuition only pays a part of the cost of running an Adventist school. The rest of the funding comes from many other sources such as church members and other generous donors and organizations, and subsidies from local conferences, union conferences, or the General Conference, depending on the school.
In addition, many schools offer work/study programs where students are able to help pay their school fees by working each week. Many churches offer tuition assistance for students in need. Matching funds are often available for students working as literature evangelists or at youth camps during the summer.
Although financing a Christian education can be challenging, the rewards of an Adventist education last a lifetime, and is well worth the investment.