During this very unusual season of life, your pastors want you to know how we’re thinking about the vital discipline of giving for the glory of Christ. So, in this blog, I’m going to touch on four things: (1) a summary of our point of view on giving, (2) an explanation of how you can give GCF, (3) an overview of our financial condition, and (4) some biblical wisdom about stewarding our personal resources at this time.
First, our point of view on giving to GCF is this: offering our tithes and gifts to the local church is a vital aspect of our worship of Jesus because it expresses our faith in him and it allows us to participate in his mission in the world. Like every church, we depend on giving to do what we do, and so we need you to continue giving by faith in this season of life.
But having said that, we’re also aware that for some of you this is going to be a very trying time from a financial point of view. For example, some of your jobs will be cut back or eliminated, some of you are in sales and may not be able to make vital commission income at this time, and some of you are small businesses owners whose work may drastically reduce or even go away for a season.
If you’re facing financial circumstances like this, we want you to know that we love you, we care about you, and we want you to feel free before the Lord to make whatever financial decisions you need to make with regard to your giving. We do urge you to give something by faith for the sake of your souls, but this blog is not a sales pitch and we want you to hear your pastors say that we bless you to seek the Lord and give according to the wisdom he grants you.
Second, let me explain three ways you can give to GCF at this time. (1) The easiest way is to go to our website at gcfmn.org, scroll to the bottom, and click on the “Give Online” button. The process is self-explanatory from there. (2) You can use bill pay or automatic withdrawal options through your bank to transfer money to the church, or (3) you can send a check, cashier’s check, or even cash via snail mail or arrange a time to drop your gift off at the church office. So, again, you can give online, through your bank, or through snail mail. If you have any questions about this, please contact Vickie Johnson (admin@gcfmn.org) or Dave Fergus (dfergus54@gmail.com).
Third, I want you to know that our church has three months of designated operating costs set aside, and then another month’s worth of undesignated funds which means that we could fully operate for four months without any income. We’d rather not do that, but we can. Further, since we can’t meet on Sundays, our monthly expenses will be greatly reduced and we will otherwise be cutting back our spending as much as possible. So, again, we need income, but we’re also in a pretty healthy place. And just for the record, we cannot and will not touch any of the facilities fund money that’s come in over the last year or so for normal operating costs. Those are designated funds that we’ll hopefully get to use at some point in the future to secure a permanent church home.
Finally, I want to direct your attention to portions of 2 Corinthians 8-9 to lend some scriptural support to our two-sided position, namely, please give in this season and please receive a fullness of grace from your pastors to give according to the wisdom God grants you. So, if you have a Bible handy, please turn with me to 2 Corinthians 8 and read both chapters in full--they're pretty short. If not, here are two sections that I think are particularly helpful right now.
Paul writes, “We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints—and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also” (2 Cor 8:1-7).
Then in chapter 9 Paul continues, “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 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. As it is written,
‘He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.’
“ He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!” ( 2 Cor 9:6-15).
So, Beloved, whether your able to give much or little in this time, give what you can by faith in Jesus and pray that he will be glorified, that his church will be edified, and that others will be blessed by our mutual trust in him. Thanks so much for taking the time to read this blog. Let me close with a brief prayer.
Our great and gracious Father, we thank you for all you’ve done for us in Christ, and we thank you that you are in absolute control of this unusual season of life. We pray that you would provide for all of our needs according to your riches in glory in Christ Jesus, and we pray that you’d provide each of us with enough to give by faith and with abounding joy. We pray your grace and peace upon those who can’t give much right now, and we pray that as they walk in the light of your wisdom, they’ll feel your hand of blessing and confirmation upon them. For how you will provide for your people and glorify your name in these trying times, we give you our thanks and praise in the mighty and merciful name of Jesus Christ, amen.
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