Church membership involves giving

This is our third week looking at the topic of ‘membership’ in our weekly newsletter. I’ve encouraged us to see belonging to Jesus as the most important step in church membership. But when we do belong to Jesus, the Scriptures encourage us to keep meeting together as the ‘visible’ church. Yet there is more than just attending. We are encouraged to use the gifts God has given us to serve him and build others up.

Today I want to look at the topic of ‘giving’. This is a topic we rarely discuss at church, yet the Bible is full of encouragements to be generous with our money, warning about the dangers of loving money and realistic that we cannot serve both God and money. Although the New Testament never commands the 10% tithe, there is an expectation that anyone who loves Jesus will want to give and give generously. I wonder how many congregations in Sydney have budgets that equal – let alone exceed – 10% of the combined annual incomes of their members?

Let me give you five motivations for generous giving.

1. God our father is generous
1 Cor 4:7 tells us “What do you have that you did not receive?”
So the God who owns everything has modeled generosity to us in earthly blessings – food, clothes shelter – but especially in giving his greatest gift, his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ for our eternal life.

2. Every Christian is to give
1 Cor 16:2 “each one of you should set aside a sum of money”
So each one of us has been blessed by God and each one of us will give an account for our priorities – so whether you are young or old, new or longtime follower of Christ … be a giver.

3.  We are stewards not owners
Luke 19:13 “put this money to work, He said”
Nothing can be held onto forever and everything we have has been given and entrusted to us. Wise Christians make their resources available to the Lord’s service.

4.  Giving should be proportional
1 Cor 16:2 “a sum of money in keeping with his income”
The New Testament never suggests a fixed percentage for giving, but God expects us to be generous and sacrificial - whether the widow with a few coins or the rich man with his plenty.

5.  Gospel support is our priority
1 Cor 4:13 “the Day will bring it to light”
Of all the options for our spending Christians are conscious that the gospel alone helps people to eternal life and so we must give to gospel work – only believers will see its priority.

I’m not suggesting we should only give to the local church – many of us will give to mission work, other Christian work, others in need – but giving regularly, generously, joyfully, sacrificially, is an important way of expressing your membership of Church by the Bridge. You can find details for electronic giving overleaf, as well as an update from our Treasurer.

I commend to you 2 Corinthians 8 and 9 for your reading.

With love in Christ
Paul Dale, Senior Pastor