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About Finances
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WHAT DOES GOD HAVE TO DO WITH MY FINANCES?
God wants you to have financial freedom. Some personal steps to take
toward your financial freedom are:
- Sit down and make a plan to get out of debt right now.
- Establish and live within a budget.
- Commit to regular giving.
- Consider participating in our MONEY MATTERS group.
How we fit into God's financial strategy:
- We GIVE as a response to God's Blessing.
- We bring our tithe to the church and place in the offering. We give to God THROUGH the church!
- The money in the offering plate goes to resource the Vision of the church-to make more and better disciples!
- The church leaders make decisions based on the VISION-not the bottom line.
- God blesses God's people, so that when they give of their tithe, the church has enough to live out the Vision!
What does the Bible say about giving?
I want to be a cheerful giver, so how much is the "right" amount to give? When am I giving
too much...when am I being "spiritually" stingy? The Bible talks about giving a "tithe".
A tithe is 10% of whatever God gave the people (Malachi 3:10). In Bible times, if they had
sheep, they gave the top 10% of the new lambs...if they had grain, they brought the best 10%
of their yield to the temple storehouse. So, today we assume a tithe is 10%. The more God
blesses, the more God's ministry can grow! If there is a time of financial famine, the
storehouse gets less. If we did think in terms of percentage giving, then it is up to
God as to how much we give! In this way, we allow GOD TO BE IN CHARGE OF OUR GIVING!
If 10% is too much of a stretch for you, consider beginning with a smaller percent-3%
or 5%-or some figure where your income and God's blessings have a way to relate!
Then your giving becomes a grateful response...not just pitching in to help the church! If
God wants our ministry to expand, then it is up to God to bless us so we can give!
We usually have to make a decision to participate in God's plan before we begin to
see God's blessings coming our way. The more God blesses our church families, the
more we can expand our ministries!
Your worksheet for your private thoughts:
A. What percent will I/we give to the church of whatever God allows me/us to
make in 2009: _______
(3%? 5%? 10%?)
B. How much money do I/we think I/we will make in 2009: ____________.
C. Now multiply your answer to "A" by your answer to "B" = _______.
This would be your stewardship pledge based on percentage giving.
Place the number from "C" on your Estimate of Giving card.
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