The command to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might is prefaced in Deuteronomy with an urgent call to listen, and is considered by Jesus to be the greatest commandment. This permeates the most uncomfortable of areas, including our finances. Do you, will you, love the Lord your God… with your wallet?
Now, the subject of money is a touchy subject and sore spot for many when it comes to the church. For various reasons, some have come to the conclusion that churches just want our money. I want to address that briefly, in order to cast a vision for the beauty of giving to the local church, and remind each one of us that now is such an important time to support your local church financially. I believe it will be a blessing for you as well!
What Giving is NOT
We must first recognize what giving is not. We are not calling you to give in order to buffer the pastor’s salary. And, unlike a restaurant experience, an offering is not a tip in response to how well the pastor is doing! The church is in no way a for-profit business, and our motives are not selfish. That isn’t to say that churches aren’t prone to sinful and selfish ways; rather, that the biblical foundation for regular giving to the church is for God’s honor, our spiritual growth, and investment in God’s mission.
Think of It This Way
Think of it this way: many of us have had families and the privilege of working to support and provide for them. I believe it is a major part of my identity to do so; therefore, I hold no grudges against my family, but enjoy the honor and blessing of this role in their lives. We are the church, and therefore, we are members of one another (Romans 12:5). In supporting the church, we support ourselves, and fulfill many “one another” commands of Scripture in a financial aspect (not to exclude the aspect of practically serving one another).
Consider the Beauty of Giving
Consider the beauty of giving. We are told in Proverbs 3:9 that giving is an act of worship: Honor the Lord with your wealth. In 1 Chronicles 29:14, we are reminded that we are not owners, but stewards, of all that we have, and that giving is a privilege: But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. John 3:16 depicts the beautiful gospel, that God first gave unto us, and He gave His own Son: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. And 1 Thessalonians 2:8 shows the deep reality that financial giving is just part of giving ourselves: So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.
To What Will You Give?
To what will you give? Shall you support all the great causes, such as feeding the hungry and helping veterans and stopping abortion? Those are great ministries for which we can certainly be thankful and even support – BUT – I believe that your local church to which you belong ought to be first priority of your giving. Jesus declared, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18). The primary institution through which God is fulfilling His mission is the church (us), who unite together for the purpose of the great commission call to grow together and multiply, evangelizing and making disciples. We are working together to build one another up (Ephesians 4:11-13); do you value the Lord’s work enough to commit to continued investment in what will yield eternal fruit?
As the Apostle Paul said, Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account (Philippians 4:17). Your money is not your own, but entrusted to you by the Lord to empower you for living and for serving. No offering plate is being passed during the State of Emergency and stay-at-home order. Please note ways that you can give – simply mail a check to Grace Baptist Church, knowing that mail is being checked and offering is being counted, or go to our giving page at www.graceis.us/give/ where you can give with a card or bank account. Thanks for being a blessing to one another by supporting the ongoing ministries of our church.
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work (2 Corinthians 9:7-8).