At Redemption City Church, the church I pastor, we just launched the “Planting Roots Initiative,” which is an initiative to increase people’s love for Jesus as we build infrastructure and a building on our church property that will help us make disciples, train leaders, and feed the hungry. We’re so excited about what we believe God will do during and through this initiative.
But it’s the first time many of our people have gone through something like this, including me! One of the questions I’ve heard from many “first timers” is how do Christians come up with the extra money for something like this? It’s a great question. That’s why I thought I’d offer the following ideas to help people discover the way God is leading them to participate in it.
Ask God to show you what he’d like you to give – God is the giver of all good things, including our money and possessions. In His providence, he thought it was best to place you in the situation that you are in right now, the one that needs extra finances to advance his kingdom purposes. Starting asking him daily what he wants you (or your family) to give to this strategic kingdom cause. We pray because we know that we need his help and that he is willing and able to help. He can make more money appear out of nowhere, new opportunities, and the like. However you financially participate in the initiative, it’s important that your prayer life grows through it.
Think about what you could give from what you have and what you could get – When you talk to people who have been through capital initiatives for the cause of Christ like this one, you hear a lot of different stories, but all of those stories end up in one of two categories. Either people gave from what they already had in savings, securities, etc., or they gave after getting extra money from selling things, stopping certain kinds of spending (eating out less, etc.), or working harder to make more money that could be used for this specific cause.
Create at least 2-3 giving scenarios – Write down 2-3 financial gift totals that you think you might give to the Planting Roots Initiative. Many people give 1-2 times above and beyond their normal annual giving. So, if they usually give $10,000 over the course of a year, then they figure out how much they would have to give extra each month over the course of 3 years in order to get to that number (around $300). Then, they either give a part of that as a one time gift or they find the one time gift elsewhere. Usually, somewhere along the way, a person starts comparing what they spend on other things like eating out, coffee, etc., to see if they could get it higher. If it’s a married couple, usually they end up in different places initially, which is why it’s good to have 2-3 scenarios. Then, they can start to talk through it to find their commitment level. As you have these conversations, don’t focus most on your potential loss of income, but mostly on the kingdom gain that Jesus will generously bless.
Make a financial commitment in faith – Jesus grows us most outside of our comfort zones. Outside of our comfort zones we exercise our faith in Jesus to be who he says he is in our lives. Consider your budget and all the factors you need to consider, but make a decision from a place of faith. Trust God to provide for you like he has provided for you. Feel the freedom to land where you genuinely believe he wants you to land to help RCC take this significant kingdom step, whether it is less or more than you’d like. And let us know by taking the “pledge survey” on Oct. 24 at the “Vision Sunday at the Farm” so that we can set our budget before we meet with builders in November. Then follow through on that pledge on Pledge Sunday on Feb. 20, 2022!
These are a few steps that I think will help anyone get started who has never thought through making an “above and beyond normal giving” financial commitment. I’m so excited to see what Jesus does in all of our hearts as we follow his lead to Plant Roots so that we can bear God-glorifying fruit.
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