Here is the follow-up email I received - an answer to prayer:
Dear friend,
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I fear no evill For Thou art with me!! God saved us from an extremely Dangerous mission that we could have been with the Lord by now ! But He kept us for the work ahead!!! We are safe and sound!!!! We look forward to more fruitful services.
The Muslim leader is in my house right now!! the first attempt was very successful!!! Thanks for praying and fasting, The detailed explanation will come later. we are busy searching the scriptures day and night in my sitting room and will let him go on monday in the next 48hours to return later. This is a miracle!!!!
I cannot thank you enough! Be blessed and will call you later.
Your brother
David
Monday, December 7, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
One Man's Faith
This is an email I received this week from a man who has and continues to risk his life to try and help others (especially Muslims) come to faith in Jesus Christ. Names have been changed to protect those involved.
Dear friend,
Because we have the Holy Spirit it is never difficult to take risks for the sake of Christ and the Gospel! After all, he has commission us to be His witnesses and ambassadors. Hence our Gospel does not simply go with words, but with power, and with the Holy Spirit and DEEP Conviction. For it is God who works in us both to will and to act according to His good purpose.
A Muslim official has asked me to come in person to pick him up to come into our Discipleship Center. He wants to visit for some few days and then go back to prepare to come permanently for discipleship. This is a miraculous good news! Praise The Lord! However it is also very, very dangerous, because this leader is under 24 hour surveillance. I believe if it is God who is calling me, He is able to protect, but it will be a miracle if I am able to go and come out with him. It would be a disservice to him and to the Kingdom to not go, and it would be unfair for me to send someone else because the risk is extremely high, so I am going in the NAME OF JESUS CHRIST OUR SAVIOR!
I am going because God is not interested in my ability to do it right, but in my sincere availability to go in obedience! Being available to God is being willing to obey Him no matter what the cost is. I am going in obedience to the glory of God! And it is about Him alone! May the Name of the Lord be Glorified!
I am planning two evacuation attempts. The first attempt will be this Friday after Mosque, and if we are unsuccessful and are still alive we shall attempt the second time Monday or Wednesday next week. Please pray as the Lord leads you and, if it is possible, I would be glad if you would fast for a day as well. Pray for safety in danger, strength in fear and worry, calmness regardless of the consequences. Pray that I will love Christ above family concerns! Pray that my actions will inspire our team to emulate daily dedication of trust and commitment to the generations that the Lord is raising as army to go into the Muslim world with boldness in obedience and holy calling!
Please do not worry, but please pray! "But those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the spirit desires!" Romans 8;5
Hey friend, do I sound scared? Yes, you know I am not that brave! It is just mere faith, availability and obedience!
I will keep you posted.
Thanks for your prayers.
Your brother
(David)
Dear friend,
Because we have the Holy Spirit it is never difficult to take risks for the sake of Christ and the Gospel! After all, he has commission us to be His witnesses and ambassadors. Hence our Gospel does not simply go with words, but with power, and with the Holy Spirit and DEEP Conviction. For it is God who works in us both to will and to act according to His good purpose.
A Muslim official has asked me to come in person to pick him up to come into our Discipleship Center. He wants to visit for some few days and then go back to prepare to come permanently for discipleship. This is a miraculous good news! Praise The Lord! However it is also very, very dangerous, because this leader is under 24 hour surveillance. I believe if it is God who is calling me, He is able to protect, but it will be a miracle if I am able to go and come out with him. It would be a disservice to him and to the Kingdom to not go, and it would be unfair for me to send someone else because the risk is extremely high, so I am going in the NAME OF JESUS CHRIST OUR SAVIOR!
I am going because God is not interested in my ability to do it right, but in my sincere availability to go in obedience! Being available to God is being willing to obey Him no matter what the cost is. I am going in obedience to the glory of God! And it is about Him alone! May the Name of the Lord be Glorified!
I am planning two evacuation attempts. The first attempt will be this Friday after Mosque, and if we are unsuccessful and are still alive we shall attempt the second time Monday or Wednesday next week. Please pray as the Lord leads you and, if it is possible, I would be glad if you would fast for a day as well. Pray for safety in danger, strength in fear and worry, calmness regardless of the consequences. Pray that I will love Christ above family concerns! Pray that my actions will inspire our team to emulate daily dedication of trust and commitment to the generations that the Lord is raising as army to go into the Muslim world with boldness in obedience and holy calling!
Please do not worry, but please pray! "But those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the spirit desires!" Romans 8;5
Hey friend, do I sound scared? Yes, you know I am not that brave! It is just mere faith, availability and obedience!
I will keep you posted.
Thanks for your prayers.
Your brother
(David)
Not a Fan
I am a fan of the Minnesota Vikings. It’s been a good year so far, and I’m very hesitant to make any claims or exhibit any arrogance. I’ve been a fan of the Minnesota Vikings ever since I started being a fan of anything. I was raised in Minnesota, so it was natural that I follow Minnesota sports. For me, being a fan means I follow their progress. I get frustrated when they play poorly and I rejoice when they do well. There is an emotional attachment that I’m sure has some unhealthiness within it. I like talking Minnesota football. I collect Minnesota football cards. I read the Minnesota sports page on line, and I even frequently visit a few Minnesota football blogs.
Do I personally know any of the players? No. Have I ever been to a game? Nope. Do I know what it’s like to be at a practice or in the locker room? No. Would I be welcome at their practice or in the locker room? Nope. Do I receive any compensation from the Minnesota Vikings organization for the role I play? Not a cent.
I’m just a fan.
I watch them play. I don’t play. I criticize or brag about their performance depending upon how they do. Do they care about what I think? No. Do they consult me on any of their decisions? Nope. Will I receive a ring if they win the Super Bowl? No, I won’t.
I’m just a fan.
The other day I received a cd set of sermons from a friend in the church. The title of the sermon series is “not a fan: completely, committed, follower.” I have not yet listened to the sermons, but the title itself got me thinking.
There is a huge difference between being a follower of Jesus Christ and a fan of Jesus Christ.
The fan observes from a distance. The fan watches but does not participate. The fan eats and drinks but sure doesn’t get dirty or bruised. The fan goes home after the game and does nothing to help prepare the team for next week. The fan has little if any responsibility for the team. The fan is passive. If the fan doesn’t like what he or she sees, the channel is changed or the stadium is left. Fans come and go.
The follower has a much different and greater role. The follower is in the game. The follower gets dirty and bruised. The follower is part of the team. The follower doesn’t just get to play, the follower practices, listens, learns, grows, and seeks to encourage other team members. The follower is always part of the team whether it is good or bad.
A fan may know a lot about the quarterback. They may be able to share all sorts of details about their life and the statistics of their performance. They can remember moments when the quarterback shined and moments when the quarterback seemed to let them down. But the fan only knows the quarterback from a distance. There is no relationship.
A follower knows the quarterback. The follower can not only share details about the quarterback, he or she can do so based on personal experience. The follower has spend quality and quantity time with the quarterback. He or she can remember moments when the quarterback helped, encouraged, challenged them personally. They can talk about the impact the quarterback has had on their life, and how important it is to them to do what the quarterback says, because they know the quarterback knows what is best for the team.
The church can be filled with fans. People who come and watch and don’t participate in the “GAME OF LIFE.” They watch, criticize, and hope that others will carry the ball down the field. They hope the teams does well, but they are there to watch and see.
The Church is made up of followers. These are people who give their lives to follow the quarterback and He leads them through the “GAME OF LIFE.” Their hands are dirty, their bodies tired, but they are experiencing the thrill of the game. They hope the team does well, too, but they know that they must be in the game. They are needed, and even more than that, they know how much they need the quarterback to lead them as they participate in a game that is filled with so much joy and excitement, they can’t imagine being anywhere else.
Are you a fan or a follower?
Do I personally know any of the players? No. Have I ever been to a game? Nope. Do I know what it’s like to be at a practice or in the locker room? No. Would I be welcome at their practice or in the locker room? Nope. Do I receive any compensation from the Minnesota Vikings organization for the role I play? Not a cent.
I’m just a fan.
I watch them play. I don’t play. I criticize or brag about their performance depending upon how they do. Do they care about what I think? No. Do they consult me on any of their decisions? Nope. Will I receive a ring if they win the Super Bowl? No, I won’t.
I’m just a fan.
The other day I received a cd set of sermons from a friend in the church. The title of the sermon series is “not a fan: completely, committed, follower.” I have not yet listened to the sermons, but the title itself got me thinking.
There is a huge difference between being a follower of Jesus Christ and a fan of Jesus Christ.
The fan observes from a distance. The fan watches but does not participate. The fan eats and drinks but sure doesn’t get dirty or bruised. The fan goes home after the game and does nothing to help prepare the team for next week. The fan has little if any responsibility for the team. The fan is passive. If the fan doesn’t like what he or she sees, the channel is changed or the stadium is left. Fans come and go.
The follower has a much different and greater role. The follower is in the game. The follower gets dirty and bruised. The follower is part of the team. The follower doesn’t just get to play, the follower practices, listens, learns, grows, and seeks to encourage other team members. The follower is always part of the team whether it is good or bad.
A fan may know a lot about the quarterback. They may be able to share all sorts of details about their life and the statistics of their performance. They can remember moments when the quarterback shined and moments when the quarterback seemed to let them down. But the fan only knows the quarterback from a distance. There is no relationship.
A follower knows the quarterback. The follower can not only share details about the quarterback, he or she can do so based on personal experience. The follower has spend quality and quantity time with the quarterback. He or she can remember moments when the quarterback helped, encouraged, challenged them personally. They can talk about the impact the quarterback has had on their life, and how important it is to them to do what the quarterback says, because they know the quarterback knows what is best for the team.
The church can be filled with fans. People who come and watch and don’t participate in the “GAME OF LIFE.” They watch, criticize, and hope that others will carry the ball down the field. They hope the teams does well, but they are there to watch and see.
The Church is made up of followers. These are people who give their lives to follow the quarterback and He leads them through the “GAME OF LIFE.” Their hands are dirty, their bodies tired, but they are experiencing the thrill of the game. They hope the team does well, too, but they know that they must be in the game. They are needed, and even more than that, they know how much they need the quarterback to lead them as they participate in a game that is filled with so much joy and excitement, they can’t imagine being anywhere else.
Are you a fan or a follower?
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Loving the Children
“Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” Matthew 19:14
"Then Jesus took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.” Mark 9:37
"At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a child, whom he put among them, and said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.
If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were fastened around your neck and you were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks! Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to the one by whom the stumbling block comes.” Matthew 18:1-6
I participated in the recent Summit Against Abuse and Assault in Charlevoix and I was overwhelmed. It is time for all of us to take a stand against the ravages of abuse, especially the abuse of children.
How prevalent is child abuse?
- 1 million children per year confirmed (does not include all the unreported incidents)
- 2,000 children die every year because of child abuse
- 1/5 girls and 1/7 boys by age 18 will be abused
- 1.1 million runaway/throwaway children in the U.S. – often runaway because of abuse
- 241,000 children are prostituted in the United States each year
- The rate of child abuse is 10x greater than the rate of cancer
- U.S. government spends 10x more on cancer prevention than child abuse prevention
- 94 billion dollars are spend every year on aftercare for child abuse
What about the sexual exploitation of children?
- 20% of children ages 10-17 have been solicited sexually online
- 100,000 – 300,000 children are exploited sexually every year
- average child prostitute sees 4-10 customers a day
that’s 1,460 – 3,650 sexual victimizations per year, per child
- avg age of sexually exploited child is 14
- 18.5 million pornographic images/videos of children produced each year
- If a child runs away or is thrown out of their home, and they spend more than 30 days on the street, it is almost a guarantee they will end up in the sex trade industry and become a sexually exploited child.
- 70% of victimizations come at the hands of someone the child knows and trusts
Child abuse is a sin.
Child sexual abuse is a sin.
It is the work of the Enemy who is seeking to destroy children.
“. . . it would be better for you to have a millstone tied around your neck . . .”
All forms of child abuse do exactly what Jesus warns us about. They keep children from God.
“How could God let this happen?”
“Where was God when my own dad was sexually abusing me week after week, year after year?”
“Why did the church provide more support to the offender than to the victim?”
“Why did the church condemn the victim and show mercy to the offender?”
“Why did the church start avoiding me and my family when I reported the abuse?”
“How could the church let this happen in their own building?”
“Why do I feel like I did something wrong by telling the truth?”
“Why doesn’t the church believe me?”
One of the devastating consequences of being a victim of abuse is the temptation to reject God and the church.
It may not be an easy topic to talk about, but it must be addressed. We cannot claim to love our children and the children in this community without acknowledging the reality of this evil that as one person described “is the playground of Satan.” There is nothing that he wants more than to destroy the weak and innocent ones among us. A prime target is children. Our silence only furthers his cause.
A few suggestions:
- Parents must talk with their kids about this reality. Help them understand that no one should touch their private parts and if anyone does, they need to tell someone until they are heard.
- Parents need to help children understand the difference between sinning and being a victim of someone else’s sin.
- Many offenders tell children it is their fault and that they are just as guilty as the perpetrator for participating in this activity.
- Parents need to help children understand that secrets can be very bad especially when they are asked to keep secrets from one or both of their parents.
- Parents need to help their children understand and avoid the dangers of the internet.
Would you allow a stranger to come into your child’s room and close the door and spend time alone with your child? Of course not, but many parents allow this behavior to take place on the internet.
In a loving and helpful way, ask your church, school system, law enforcement, etc. what they are doing to prevent child abuse. Become an advocate for kids and help these organizations do everything they can to protect the children in our community.
Check out the following websites for helpful information:
Grace – www.netgrace.org
Halos – www.charlestonhalos.org
Faith Trust Institute – www.faithtrustinstitute.org
Google the “Darkness2Light” training curriculum
Watch the DVD “Hear Their Cries”
National Child Protection Training Center – www.ncptc.org
Great web site for those in law enforcement/judicial system
Pray for children in our community – for those abused and in the midst of abuse.
"Then Jesus took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.” Mark 9:37
"At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a child, whom he put among them, and said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.
If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were fastened around your neck and you were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks! Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to the one by whom the stumbling block comes.” Matthew 18:1-6
I participated in the recent Summit Against Abuse and Assault in Charlevoix and I was overwhelmed. It is time for all of us to take a stand against the ravages of abuse, especially the abuse of children.
How prevalent is child abuse?
- 1 million children per year confirmed (does not include all the unreported incidents)
- 2,000 children die every year because of child abuse
- 1/5 girls and 1/7 boys by age 18 will be abused
- 1.1 million runaway/throwaway children in the U.S. – often runaway because of abuse
- 241,000 children are prostituted in the United States each year
- The rate of child abuse is 10x greater than the rate of cancer
- U.S. government spends 10x more on cancer prevention than child abuse prevention
- 94 billion dollars are spend every year on aftercare for child abuse
What about the sexual exploitation of children?
- 20% of children ages 10-17 have been solicited sexually online
- 100,000 – 300,000 children are exploited sexually every year
- average child prostitute sees 4-10 customers a day
that’s 1,460 – 3,650 sexual victimizations per year, per child
- avg age of sexually exploited child is 14
- 18.5 million pornographic images/videos of children produced each year
- If a child runs away or is thrown out of their home, and they spend more than 30 days on the street, it is almost a guarantee they will end up in the sex trade industry and become a sexually exploited child.
- 70% of victimizations come at the hands of someone the child knows and trusts
Child abuse is a sin.
Child sexual abuse is a sin.
It is the work of the Enemy who is seeking to destroy children.
“. . . it would be better for you to have a millstone tied around your neck . . .”
All forms of child abuse do exactly what Jesus warns us about. They keep children from God.
“How could God let this happen?”
“Where was God when my own dad was sexually abusing me week after week, year after year?”
“Why did the church provide more support to the offender than to the victim?”
“Why did the church condemn the victim and show mercy to the offender?”
“Why did the church start avoiding me and my family when I reported the abuse?”
“How could the church let this happen in their own building?”
“Why do I feel like I did something wrong by telling the truth?”
“Why doesn’t the church believe me?”
One of the devastating consequences of being a victim of abuse is the temptation to reject God and the church.
It may not be an easy topic to talk about, but it must be addressed. We cannot claim to love our children and the children in this community without acknowledging the reality of this evil that as one person described “is the playground of Satan.” There is nothing that he wants more than to destroy the weak and innocent ones among us. A prime target is children. Our silence only furthers his cause.
A few suggestions:
- Parents must talk with their kids about this reality. Help them understand that no one should touch their private parts and if anyone does, they need to tell someone until they are heard.
- Parents need to help children understand the difference between sinning and being a victim of someone else’s sin.
- Many offenders tell children it is their fault and that they are just as guilty as the perpetrator for participating in this activity.
- Parents need to help children understand that secrets can be very bad especially when they are asked to keep secrets from one or both of their parents.
- Parents need to help their children understand and avoid the dangers of the internet.
Would you allow a stranger to come into your child’s room and close the door and spend time alone with your child? Of course not, but many parents allow this behavior to take place on the internet.
In a loving and helpful way, ask your church, school system, law enforcement, etc. what they are doing to prevent child abuse. Become an advocate for kids and help these organizations do everything they can to protect the children in our community.
Check out the following websites for helpful information:
Grace – www.netgrace.org
Halos – www.charlestonhalos.org
Faith Trust Institute – www.faithtrustinstitute.org
Google the “Darkness2Light” training curriculum
Watch the DVD “Hear Their Cries”
National Child Protection Training Center – www.ncptc.org
Great web site for those in law enforcement/judicial system
Pray for children in our community – for those abused and in the midst of abuse.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Giving Money Away
The following are excerpts from Randy Alcorn’s book, Money, Possessions & Eternity.
If Christ is not Lord over our money and possessions, then he is not our Lord. (5)
Can we put Christ before all, deny ourselves, take up our crosses and follow him (Matthew 10:38; Mark 8:34; Luke 14:27), with no apparent effect on what we do with our money and possessions? (9)
The more America has gained wealth, the less the Church has addressed the subject of giving. Perhaps that’s why the percentage of income Christians give away has been declining for thirty years. In fact, dollar for dollar, the average American gave more during the Great Depression than today. (174)
The meaning of the word tithe is “a tenth part.” Today the term tithing is often erroneously used of all giving. People talk about “tithing” fifty dollars, when they make two thousand dollars a month (a tithe of which is two hundred dollars, not fifty). You can donate 2 percent or 4 percent or 6 percent of your income, but you cannot tithe it . . . (174)
Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops. Proverbs 3:9
Tithe denoted the amount of the offering, firstfruits the nature of the offering. . . The first 10 percent of God’s provision was returned to the Lord. God was regarded as the provider of the harvest. The firstfruits reminded people of God’s ownership. They saw God as the source of all life and blessing. Parents hoped their children, by witnessing this regular, systematic giving of wealth to the Lord, would grow up understanding their infinite debt to God, and their need to continuously honor him by their worshipful giving. (175)
The nature of firstfruits requires that it be taken “off the top.” It’s both the best and the first. As soon as it’s harvested or received, it’s to be given to the Lord. It’s not to be stored up, hidden, hoarded, or distributed in any other way. Those who kept the best and gave God the leftovers brought God’s judgment on Israel. Giving back to the Lord what was rightfully his was a thermometer of faith. When Israel slid spiritually, they ceased to give as they should. When they ceased to give as they should, they slid spiritually. (176)
No one ever had to say, “I feel led to tithe,” or ask, “Would you like me to give the firstfruits, Lord?” The answer had already been given in Scripture. Voluntary giving started after the firstfruits. The tithe was never a ceiling for giving, only a floor. It was a beginning point. . . The tithe was a demonstration of obedience. Voluntary offerings were a demonstration of love, joy, and worship. (178)
Tithing’s stated purpose is “that you may learn to revere the Lord your God always” (Deuteronomy 14:23). Tithing is intended to train people to put God first in their lives. Because the giving of the 10 percent represents the other 90 percent, tithing symbolizes the giving of one’s whole life to God.
Tithing gives perspective. It reminds us that all we are and all we have is from God. Tithing is not a tip thrown mindlessly down on a table after a meal, but a meaningful expression of dependence upon God and gratitude to him. (179)
The tithe is God’s historical method to get people on the path of giving. In that sense, it can serve as a gateway to the joy of true “grace giving” today, just as it gave rise to the spontaneous, joyous, freewill giving we see in various Old Testament passages. It’s unhealthy to view tithing as a place to stop with our giving, but it can still be a good place to start. Remember, even under the first covenant, tithing was never a maximum standard – it was merely a starting point. (183)
With his emphasis on sacrificial giving Jesus never once suggested that the “floor” set by the tithe is now invalid, but simply that the ceiling of Christian giving is far above it. When Jesus told the disciples to go the second mile, he assumed they had already gone the first. (184)
Why not tithe?
There are many common arguments against tithing, including the following:
“Tithing is legalism.”
Any legitimate practice can be done with a legalistic attitude. In such cases, the fault lies with the attitude of our heart, not with the practice itself. . . Legalism can be a convenient label to cover our unwillingness to obey God.
“I must pay off my debts rather than tithe.”
Why am I in debt in the first place? Is God responsible for my unwise or greedy decisions that may have put me there? And even if I’ve come into debt legitimately, isn’t my first debt to God? Isn’t the tithe a debt to God since he says that it belongs to him and not to me? If we obey God and make good our financial debt to him, he’ll help us as we seek to pay off our debts to others. But I must not rob God to pay men.
“If I’m going to tithe eventually, I’ll need to move toward it slowly.”
I’m often asked, “If I haven’t been giving at all, won’t God understand if I move toward it gradually, starting at 3 percent or 5 percent?” What if I told you I’ve had this habit of robbing convenience stores, knocking off about a dozen a year. But then I say to you “This year I’m only going to rob a half-dozen!” Is that better? Well, yes. But what would you advise me to do? The solution to robbing God is not to start robbing him less, it’s to stop robbing him at all.
“I just can’t afford to tithe.”
If tithing is God’s will and he promises to provide for those who trust and obey him, won’t he allow me to get by on 90 percent rather than 100 percent? In fact, aren’t I a lot safer living on less inside God’s will than living on more outside of it?
If my tithe seems to be a lot of money, I should praise God! It proves how abundantly he has provided. When people tell me, “I can’t afford to tithe,” I often ask, “If your income were reduced by 10 percent, would you die?” They always admit they wouldn’t. Somehow, they would manage to get by. That’s proof that they really can tithe. The truth is simply that they don’t want to. (188-189)
If Christ is not Lord over our money and possessions, then he is not our Lord. (5)
Can we put Christ before all, deny ourselves, take up our crosses and follow him (Matthew 10:38; Mark 8:34; Luke 14:27), with no apparent effect on what we do with our money and possessions? (9)
The more America has gained wealth, the less the Church has addressed the subject of giving. Perhaps that’s why the percentage of income Christians give away has been declining for thirty years. In fact, dollar for dollar, the average American gave more during the Great Depression than today. (174)
The meaning of the word tithe is “a tenth part.” Today the term tithing is often erroneously used of all giving. People talk about “tithing” fifty dollars, when they make two thousand dollars a month (a tithe of which is two hundred dollars, not fifty). You can donate 2 percent or 4 percent or 6 percent of your income, but you cannot tithe it . . . (174)
Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops. Proverbs 3:9
Tithe denoted the amount of the offering, firstfruits the nature of the offering. . . The first 10 percent of God’s provision was returned to the Lord. God was regarded as the provider of the harvest. The firstfruits reminded people of God’s ownership. They saw God as the source of all life and blessing. Parents hoped their children, by witnessing this regular, systematic giving of wealth to the Lord, would grow up understanding their infinite debt to God, and their need to continuously honor him by their worshipful giving. (175)
The nature of firstfruits requires that it be taken “off the top.” It’s both the best and the first. As soon as it’s harvested or received, it’s to be given to the Lord. It’s not to be stored up, hidden, hoarded, or distributed in any other way. Those who kept the best and gave God the leftovers brought God’s judgment on Israel. Giving back to the Lord what was rightfully his was a thermometer of faith. When Israel slid spiritually, they ceased to give as they should. When they ceased to give as they should, they slid spiritually. (176)
No one ever had to say, “I feel led to tithe,” or ask, “Would you like me to give the firstfruits, Lord?” The answer had already been given in Scripture. Voluntary giving started after the firstfruits. The tithe was never a ceiling for giving, only a floor. It was a beginning point. . . The tithe was a demonstration of obedience. Voluntary offerings were a demonstration of love, joy, and worship. (178)
Tithing’s stated purpose is “that you may learn to revere the Lord your God always” (Deuteronomy 14:23). Tithing is intended to train people to put God first in their lives. Because the giving of the 10 percent represents the other 90 percent, tithing symbolizes the giving of one’s whole life to God.
Tithing gives perspective. It reminds us that all we are and all we have is from God. Tithing is not a tip thrown mindlessly down on a table after a meal, but a meaningful expression of dependence upon God and gratitude to him. (179)
The tithe is God’s historical method to get people on the path of giving. In that sense, it can serve as a gateway to the joy of true “grace giving” today, just as it gave rise to the spontaneous, joyous, freewill giving we see in various Old Testament passages. It’s unhealthy to view tithing as a place to stop with our giving, but it can still be a good place to start. Remember, even under the first covenant, tithing was never a maximum standard – it was merely a starting point. (183)
With his emphasis on sacrificial giving Jesus never once suggested that the “floor” set by the tithe is now invalid, but simply that the ceiling of Christian giving is far above it. When Jesus told the disciples to go the second mile, he assumed they had already gone the first. (184)
Why not tithe?
There are many common arguments against tithing, including the following:
“Tithing is legalism.”
Any legitimate practice can be done with a legalistic attitude. In such cases, the fault lies with the attitude of our heart, not with the practice itself. . . Legalism can be a convenient label to cover our unwillingness to obey God.
“I must pay off my debts rather than tithe.”
Why am I in debt in the first place? Is God responsible for my unwise or greedy decisions that may have put me there? And even if I’ve come into debt legitimately, isn’t my first debt to God? Isn’t the tithe a debt to God since he says that it belongs to him and not to me? If we obey God and make good our financial debt to him, he’ll help us as we seek to pay off our debts to others. But I must not rob God to pay men.
“If I’m going to tithe eventually, I’ll need to move toward it slowly.”
I’m often asked, “If I haven’t been giving at all, won’t God understand if I move toward it gradually, starting at 3 percent or 5 percent?” What if I told you I’ve had this habit of robbing convenience stores, knocking off about a dozen a year. But then I say to you “This year I’m only going to rob a half-dozen!” Is that better? Well, yes. But what would you advise me to do? The solution to robbing God is not to start robbing him less, it’s to stop robbing him at all.
“I just can’t afford to tithe.”
If tithing is God’s will and he promises to provide for those who trust and obey him, won’t he allow me to get by on 90 percent rather than 100 percent? In fact, aren’t I a lot safer living on less inside God’s will than living on more outside of it?
If my tithe seems to be a lot of money, I should praise God! It proves how abundantly he has provided. When people tell me, “I can’t afford to tithe,” I often ask, “If your income were reduced by 10 percent, would you die?” They always admit they wouldn’t. Somehow, they would manage to get by. That’s proof that they really can tithe. The truth is simply that they don’t want to. (188-189)
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Incompletions
Full disclosure: This article is not about football, however I am going to use a football illustration. If you don’t like football, please keep reading. If you do like football, I hope you are willing to read an article that isn’t just about football.
An incompletion in football is when a quarterback attempts to throw a pass but that pass is not caught by a receiver on the quarterback’s team. So a quarterback may be 12/16 in passes for the game meaning that the quarterback threw 16 passes, 12 were completed, and 4 were incomplete.
The incompletion I want to talk about today has nothing to do with throwing a football. An incompletion is an integrity gap. An incompletion takes place when I don’t keep my word and even becomes worse when I don’t honor my word. An incompletion is a mess (small or big – still a mess) that a person makes because of a lack of integrity.
As we think about the plans God has for Community Reformed Church, we have to think about the incompletions in the life of Community Reformed Church. The incompletions at CRC are the sum total of all the integrity gaps that exist within the lives of those who are a part of CRC. It is nearly impossible for Community Reformed Church to live into God’s preferred future for us while ignoring the incompletions that exist within our church body. These incompletions often include places of unforgiveness, promises we have not kept, brokenness in relationships within the church body, things we’ve said about who we’ll be as a church but not lived out, etc.
God will not ignore our incompletions and neither can we if we desire to live into God’s preferred future. BECAUSE God’s preferred future involves growth in each of us, and so often the growth that needs to happen will happen as we seek to close our gaps in integrity. By seeking to honor our word by cleaning up the messes we’ve made, we put ourselves in places where we grow. Cleaning up a mess is some of the most difficult work we ever do. It means admitting fault, saying we’re sorry, and asking for forgiveness. But yet it also means, being forgiven, being set free from guilt, and no longer feeling separated from someone else in the church.
God’s preferred future for us is not simply about changing what we do, but instead it’s about changing/growing who we are.
Like any quarterback, none of us are perfect. We will all occasionally throw completions. We will all have gaps in our integrity. The goal is definitely perfection, but none of us will be perfect. The challenge comes in how we respond when our errant pass (integrity gap) affects another. Will we blame them? Will we act like nothing happened? Will we take responsibility for our mistake and grow through our willingness to live in restored relationships?
One direct result of working through our integrity gaps is that we grow in hope. Brokenness that has seemed insurmountable is seen to be surmountable. Feelings of separation begin to diminish and even disappear. Hope comes and grows.
Think about that truth as you consider God’s preferred future for Community Reformed Church. Do you have hope about what He has in store for you? Do you know it means growth in you? Will you do your part in addressing the incompletions in your life? Will you work to close the integrity gaps that you’ve created? You can be a means by which hope grows, not only in you, but in the people of CRC, and believe it or not, that hope will impact people far beyond our church body.
An incompletion in football is when a quarterback attempts to throw a pass but that pass is not caught by a receiver on the quarterback’s team. So a quarterback may be 12/16 in passes for the game meaning that the quarterback threw 16 passes, 12 were completed, and 4 were incomplete.
The incompletion I want to talk about today has nothing to do with throwing a football. An incompletion is an integrity gap. An incompletion takes place when I don’t keep my word and even becomes worse when I don’t honor my word. An incompletion is a mess (small or big – still a mess) that a person makes because of a lack of integrity.
As we think about the plans God has for Community Reformed Church, we have to think about the incompletions in the life of Community Reformed Church. The incompletions at CRC are the sum total of all the integrity gaps that exist within the lives of those who are a part of CRC. It is nearly impossible for Community Reformed Church to live into God’s preferred future for us while ignoring the incompletions that exist within our church body. These incompletions often include places of unforgiveness, promises we have not kept, brokenness in relationships within the church body, things we’ve said about who we’ll be as a church but not lived out, etc.
God will not ignore our incompletions and neither can we if we desire to live into God’s preferred future. BECAUSE God’s preferred future involves growth in each of us, and so often the growth that needs to happen will happen as we seek to close our gaps in integrity. By seeking to honor our word by cleaning up the messes we’ve made, we put ourselves in places where we grow. Cleaning up a mess is some of the most difficult work we ever do. It means admitting fault, saying we’re sorry, and asking for forgiveness. But yet it also means, being forgiven, being set free from guilt, and no longer feeling separated from someone else in the church.
God’s preferred future for us is not simply about changing what we do, but instead it’s about changing/growing who we are.
Like any quarterback, none of us are perfect. We will all occasionally throw completions. We will all have gaps in our integrity. The goal is definitely perfection, but none of us will be perfect. The challenge comes in how we respond when our errant pass (integrity gap) affects another. Will we blame them? Will we act like nothing happened? Will we take responsibility for our mistake and grow through our willingness to live in restored relationships?
One direct result of working through our integrity gaps is that we grow in hope. Brokenness that has seemed insurmountable is seen to be surmountable. Feelings of separation begin to diminish and even disappear. Hope comes and grows.
Think about that truth as you consider God’s preferred future for Community Reformed Church. Do you have hope about what He has in store for you? Do you know it means growth in you? Will you do your part in addressing the incompletions in your life? Will you work to close the integrity gaps that you’ve created? You can be a means by which hope grows, not only in you, but in the people of CRC, and believe it or not, that hope will impact people far beyond our church body.
Monday, October 26, 2009
The Church and Money
I hope seeing the word ‘church’ and ‘money’ in the title doesn’t keep you from reading this article. My guess is you already have reservations about reading it because of those two terms in the title.
We are currently budgeting for 2010. The consistory has reviewed a rough draft budget for 2010 and we briefly discussed it at our October consistory meeting. It was an interesting conversation and brought to the surface a couple things I want to address.
1. The church is not out to get your money. One of the most common perceptions of people on the street is that the church exists to get their money. Sadly, churches have at times promoted this perspective by begging, pleading and even guilting people into giving more. There is no desire on the part of the leadership to do this. We believe it contradicts Scripture and our understanding of why we give. It is not primarily for the church to function but instead to reflect our trust in God and our faithfulness to Him.
2. We seek to operate on a needs-based not wants-based budget. We really encourage those making requests for next year’s budget to do so based on their needs not wants. It is the church’s responsibility to make good stewardship decisions regarding the use of the resources given.
3. We wrestle with the balance between basing decisions simply on what happened last year and faith. Is the decision about budgets simply a common sense, logical decision that is easily made by seeing what our income and expenses were last year? How does God fit into the conversation? What part does faith and prayer and seeking after His direction play in this decision? Obviously, it is important we consider the facts and we then work out of our faith. But what does that mean in considering a budget for 2010?
4. Giving is an act of obedience to God not the church. Your giving is a spiritual issue between you and God. Giving reflects a trust in God to provide, a recognition of God being the source of our resources, and a commitment to offer our first fruits, not our table scraps, to Him.
5. We desire to give more away as a church. One of our vision statements says, “to love and serve those outside the church as much as those within.” We believe this means the stewardship of our time and money. We are not yet there, but we hope over time, CRC grows in being a church that can say with integrity that we are living into this vision. This means in a very simple way, that 50% of our budget ought to go to help those outside the church. We are currently between 15-20% of our budget going to those outside the church.
6. Giving more away will happen if we give more not as we cut more in the church budget. Because our budget is needs-based, we don’t have a lot of room to decrease. Yes, there is always some room, but that goes back to the issue of faith and not just math in making these decisions. But even if we focused on cutting, we could only increase our percentage of giving 10-15% on a very bare bones budget for the church. However, if giving is the means to give more away, there is no limit to how our giving can grow. The typical percentage of income a church-goer gives in the United States is 2.6%. During the Depression that number was 3.3%. We have a giving problem in the church in North America, and it’s so much more than a church budget issue, it is a spiritual issue.
7. Giving always includes money. Recognizing that times are very tight for many, giving is still always about money. You can give your time and you can rationalize that as your tithe, but that is not how God views giving. It always includes money. The baseline is 10%, but God desires that through our willingness to let go of our material possessions, we can better grab a hold of Him and see Him (and not ourselves and our bottom line) as the source of our security and hope in this world.
Many churches in this difficult economic time are forced to make difficult decisions about how they use the resources they do have. Numerous churches are choosing to cut their givings. They are sacrificing what they give away because they see it as the only way to keep their staff and their lights on. In no way am I making a judgment statement. It is just true. Churches are having difficult, even heart-wrenching conversations about what they can and can’t do.
2010 Budgets will be made available after the November consistory meeting. I hope you’ll look carefully at this document. I hope you’ll consider prayerfully what this says about who we are as a church. Pray for the leadership as they seek God’s direction regarding these decisions.
Giving does include a commitment to the church, but so much more than that it is a commitment to God. As you consider your own financial decisions, please seek after God’s direction. That has to mean seeking after His direction in Scripture. Please don’t simply give to the church because you perceive a need; give to Him and if you are not sure what this means, ask Him. Giving is an act of obedience not benevolence.
We are currently budgeting for 2010. The consistory has reviewed a rough draft budget for 2010 and we briefly discussed it at our October consistory meeting. It was an interesting conversation and brought to the surface a couple things I want to address.
1. The church is not out to get your money. One of the most common perceptions of people on the street is that the church exists to get their money. Sadly, churches have at times promoted this perspective by begging, pleading and even guilting people into giving more. There is no desire on the part of the leadership to do this. We believe it contradicts Scripture and our understanding of why we give. It is not primarily for the church to function but instead to reflect our trust in God and our faithfulness to Him.
2. We seek to operate on a needs-based not wants-based budget. We really encourage those making requests for next year’s budget to do so based on their needs not wants. It is the church’s responsibility to make good stewardship decisions regarding the use of the resources given.
3. We wrestle with the balance between basing decisions simply on what happened last year and faith. Is the decision about budgets simply a common sense, logical decision that is easily made by seeing what our income and expenses were last year? How does God fit into the conversation? What part does faith and prayer and seeking after His direction play in this decision? Obviously, it is important we consider the facts and we then work out of our faith. But what does that mean in considering a budget for 2010?
4. Giving is an act of obedience to God not the church. Your giving is a spiritual issue between you and God. Giving reflects a trust in God to provide, a recognition of God being the source of our resources, and a commitment to offer our first fruits, not our table scraps, to Him.
5. We desire to give more away as a church. One of our vision statements says, “to love and serve those outside the church as much as those within.” We believe this means the stewardship of our time and money. We are not yet there, but we hope over time, CRC grows in being a church that can say with integrity that we are living into this vision. This means in a very simple way, that 50% of our budget ought to go to help those outside the church. We are currently between 15-20% of our budget going to those outside the church.
6. Giving more away will happen if we give more not as we cut more in the church budget. Because our budget is needs-based, we don’t have a lot of room to decrease. Yes, there is always some room, but that goes back to the issue of faith and not just math in making these decisions. But even if we focused on cutting, we could only increase our percentage of giving 10-15% on a very bare bones budget for the church. However, if giving is the means to give more away, there is no limit to how our giving can grow. The typical percentage of income a church-goer gives in the United States is 2.6%. During the Depression that number was 3.3%. We have a giving problem in the church in North America, and it’s so much more than a church budget issue, it is a spiritual issue.
7. Giving always includes money. Recognizing that times are very tight for many, giving is still always about money. You can give your time and you can rationalize that as your tithe, but that is not how God views giving. It always includes money. The baseline is 10%, but God desires that through our willingness to let go of our material possessions, we can better grab a hold of Him and see Him (and not ourselves and our bottom line) as the source of our security and hope in this world.
Many churches in this difficult economic time are forced to make difficult decisions about how they use the resources they do have. Numerous churches are choosing to cut their givings. They are sacrificing what they give away because they see it as the only way to keep their staff and their lights on. In no way am I making a judgment statement. It is just true. Churches are having difficult, even heart-wrenching conversations about what they can and can’t do.
2010 Budgets will be made available after the November consistory meeting. I hope you’ll look carefully at this document. I hope you’ll consider prayerfully what this says about who we are as a church. Pray for the leadership as they seek God’s direction regarding these decisions.
Giving does include a commitment to the church, but so much more than that it is a commitment to God. As you consider your own financial decisions, please seek after God’s direction. That has to mean seeking after His direction in Scripture. Please don’t simply give to the church because you perceive a need; give to Him and if you are not sure what this means, ask Him. Giving is an act of obedience not benevolence.
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