Two questions can be asked when trying to determine how much money you should give to support the Kingdom, the Church and the Poor.
One is biblical. The other is greedy.
Q1. How much can I give without placing excessive strain on my family?
2Co 8:12 Whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly. And give according to what you have, not what you don’t have. 13 Of course, I don’t mean your giving should make life easy for others and hard for yourselves. I only mean that there should be some equality.
1Ti 5:8 But those who won’t care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers.
Php 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything…
Q2. How much do I have to give to the church in order to justify lavishly spending on myself and my family?
James 4:3 …your motives are all wrong––you want only what will give YOU pleasure.
When we seek to justify our own exclusive pleasure rather than what is mutually pleasurable with God we will lack the joy that Hudson Taylor claimed as his “Spiritual Secret”, which is simply this: “The more I give, the more joy I have.”
Be responsible. Be joyful. God bless.
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2 comments:
Wiht our church in such financial hardship, do you think we should start to pass the plate?
Let me state a few reasons.
2Co 9:7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”
We believe that the offering should come as an act of cheerful worship from people who have thought throuh what value they place on Christ and his gospel.
Passing a plate can leave new-comers feeling obligated rather than allowing them to experience the good news without feeling like the church has it's hand out.
A few texts that would support this idea of believers willingly bringing and offering rather than having a plate put in front of them would be these
Ac 4: 34 There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales
35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.
Mk 12:41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts.
42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.
It was Hudson Taylor who said
"God's work done God's way will never lack God's supply."
Methods matter, especially to thiose we are trying to reach.
Col 4:5 Be wise in the way you act towards outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.
Thanks for your question, but it has been well thought out over the last 10 years.
god bless
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