“At least one out of five American Christians—nearly 20 percent of all US Christians—gives literally nothing to church, parachurch, or nonreligious charities.” —From Passing the Plate by Michael O. Emerson and Christian Smith
On November 4, our church unanimously adopted a budget for 2013 that will enable us to continue our ministries that are changing people's lives for eternity. We voted on the budget ($1,197,588.00) during the morning worship services to remind ourselves that we are all in this together. The vision God has given us is too great for a handful of us to fund. We need all of our members and regular attenders to be "all in". We need YOU!
It has been said that, "giving is an outward expression of an inward commitment. It is the clearest, most measurable dimension of spiritual growth. A change in giving patterns—or the absence of one—signals a disruption in our spiritual formation. Certainly, money is not the only measure of our spirituality, but it is an indicator of what we truly believe and value. However, what we do with our time, talent, temple, testimony, and treasure is a good indicator of our commitments and allegiance." --From RSI Church Stewardship
As your pastor, I am asking you to prayerfully consider your current giving. Are you faithful in giving? Is God's work a priority in your finances? Can you increase your giving from current levels? Are you trusting God in your finances by giving to Him first and by being a good manager of your money? Think about this: If 100 families or individuals increased their giving to the church by $20 per week, an additional $104,000 would be given in a year for ministry!
Here are four ways to save $20 a week.
1. Make coffee at home.
2. Sign up for store rewards cards.
3. Clip coupons.
4. Eat one more meal at home each week.
(Adapted from My Money)
I know if you think about it you will come up with other fun ways you can increase your giving to the Lord's work. Thank you for your generosity! God will bless you as you are obedient in this area.
Pastor Ricky
P.S.
You can give to our church online at https://e-giving.org/egivinglogin.asp