BPCGiving.pdf

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Why Give? What for? An Introduction to Christian Giving

Giving, is one of the most sensitive issues  to talk about.  However, talking about giving does not  have to  start arguments. Jesus often talked about money and possessions.  Talking about giving  is also exciting, especially when  it is talked about  in the context of  vision for the furtherance of  our God given mission.

1. Good News
As disciples of Christ we have the joy and excitement of being involved in the building of God's Kingdom.  The early Christians in the Macedonian churches, also experienced this joy.  Indeed such was their joy that, despite their poverty, they responded with rich generosity.

"Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in  rich generosity"
(2 Corinthians 8:2 NIV)


2. What are we Giving for?
As Christians, we give our money not primarily to balance the books of  the Church but to resource our God given mission.   Our Lord Jesus Christ commissioned  his disciples in the following words:

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." 
(Matthew 28: 19-20 NIV)

As disciples of Christ, our mission is to make disciples and serve God's world.  The giving of money to help resource the church's mission is primarily the concern  of   the 'household of faith' that is,  each and every member of the Church.  At the dawn of the new millennium we must equip ourselves for mission in the following are as:

Teaching
Proclamation
Witness
Care and concern for all, serving our community, serving God's world.

We have to make sure that these areas are properly resourced with vision, planning, people, buildings, equipment and finance.


3. Why Give?
The giving of money is an essential ingredient of Christian discipleship.  Discipleship which excludes graceful giving is diminished.

Our giving is also a reflection of our love of God and an expression of our gratitude for His most precious gift, 'the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ.'

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son."
(John 3: 16 NIV)

Giving is a spiritual issue  which goes to the heart of being a Christian.

4. God has entrusted resources to us.
Everything comes from God (including our money)

"You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me." But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth......."   
(Deuteronomy 8: 17-18 NIV)

We therefore  give to God of His own

"All things come from you, and of  your own do we give you."

Because everything comes from God, it  comes under His sovereign rule.

"The Earth is the Lord's, and everything in  it, the world, and all  who live in it."
(Psalm 24:1 NIV)

What we have  is only under our control for a short time (we come into the world with nothing, we leave with nothing).  We are therefore Stewards of what has been entrusted to us. We are called to use the resources that God has entrusted to us for His purposes.

5. Jesus is the example to follow

"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich."
(2 Corinthians 8:9 NIV)

Other examples of generous givers are:

The early Macedonian churches (2 Corinthians 8: 1-4)  (noted below)
The poor widow (Mark 12: 41-44)

6. Principles of Christian Giving
No one can tell any one how much to give for:

"Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver"
(2 Corinthians 9:7 NRSV)

However, the Bible does give guidance on the giving of money to God's work.  Specifically, in his first letter to the Corinthians Paul gives the following directions:

"On the first day of every week each of one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income."
(1 Corinthians 16:2 NIV)

In his second letter to the Church in Corinth, Paul holds up the early Macedonian churches as an example to be followed:

"And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints."   
(2 Corinthians 8: 1-4 NIV)

From Paul's letters  to the Church in Corinth we gather the following principles of Christian giving:

God's Work is to be resourced by God's people.

Giving should be regular - not just 'when we feel like it.'

Our giving should be budgeted and planned, not from our leftovers. 

Giving should be a realistic proportion of what we have at our disposal

God does not ask us to give what we genuinely have not got, as it is written:

"…if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according  to what one has, not according to what he does not have."
(2 Corinthians 8:12 NIV)

However, our giving should be a realistic proportion of what we have at our disposal, not just a token offering to God.

Our giving should be cheerful and not reluctant

Our giving should be generous and sacrificial


7. Not Just about money
Christian giving is not just about the giving of money. It is about giving our whole selves to God in obedience to His command:

"Love the Lord your God with all  your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind."
(Mark 12:30 NIV)

Christian giving is about the priority we give God in our lives. It is about our
love for God every day of our lives, through our regular attendance at worship, through our weekly or monthly offerings, through our service to our church, our neighbour, our community and God's world.

8. Prayer
As Christians we need to pray  regularly about our giving, in all its aspects. May I encourage you to spend time with God, seeking His guidance and His will on this important aspect of  Christian discipleship.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
(Philippians 4:6-7 NIV)