I’ve been following a particular church for some time now and have got my attention as to where and what God is leading them to do next. I’d say they they are doing things that most church’s aren’t doing or would even consider doing. On the 14th of this month they started a church capital campaign, including tying in a message series with it, called Dominate. As the vision was cast, as it always has been and never has changed or swayed, the shared how the strategies for reaching or continuing that vision changes. What impressed me about the kick off was this. This church made a “sacrifice” if you want to call it that to intrust $40,000 dollars back to there congregation (a typical sunday offering - 5 services), and to go back into the surrounding community and bless people through distributing these funds. My question I wonder is this, what if the normal american church did this not so normal act? What if talking about giving to the church all the time the church gave back in order to empower people the ability to bless other people, share the gospel, and actually be the church. I’ve observed that churches challenge the attenders to give sacrificially, help this or that ministry (a lot of times to just keep it going), and give to the church. Maybe its just me but it seems that the idea of giving back from a church standpoint is to give to world missions, organizations tied to missionaries or groups of people not necessarily involved with the community, but across the world in other countries. And if we do give locally were so out of touch with that organization, we don’t really have a sense of worth to the gift that were giving. Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for reaching the ends of the earth. But I think there is a lot of times, myself included, that we miss the very people around us. What if as a local community gave back to the people around us, strangers, neighbors, coworkers, friends, etc and be the church to them. What if we empowered people to reach there network of people. I’m not saying giving everyone money is the answer to get beyond that “comfort zone”, its not to be used an excuse. But actually use it as a “vehicle” to build those relationships, to encourage those hurting and love on those in need, to empower the body to be the body. Acts 2:45.

I was thinking about all this on my way home and just was challenged. What could I do with the money I have been given. How am I best being a steward with what God has given me? Its all His anyway right? What if….

To read more go here. - I find it interesting that a lot of testimonies mention that people have doubled there money. I’ve read of one person taking there $15 and multiplying it by 30! How’s that for sacrificial giving?

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