Heath
Church of Christ

by Greg Robbins
We are blessed to serve in a congregation that excels in many ways.  Our outgoing XYZ program for seniors, meaningful and God-glorifying worship services, fun and active children and teen ministries, creative and servant-minded women’s ministry committees, relevant, Bible-based classes and small groups, and a variety of community outreach ventures all serve as examples of how the Heath Church of Christ excels in its mission to reach people for Christ and deepen them in the faith. 

During the month of October, the Sunday morning messages will focus on equipping our congregation to excel in another vital area—giving.  The four week October series of messages is entitled, “Growing in the Grace of Giving.”  This theme is based on Paul’s encouragement to the Corinthian Christians found in 2 Corinthians 8:7 which reads: “But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.”

The specific messages will address these four areas:
“The Spirit of Giving” – Why do we give?  Paul explains in 2 Corinthians 8:5 that our giving is “first to the Lord.”  When we give, we practically demonstrate our trust that God will meet all of our daily needs.  Beyond this foundational motive, Paul teaches that our giving is “an act of grace.”  When we give, we are sharing the grace and generosity of God with others.

“The Standard of Giving” – How much should we give?  Christians disagree on the amount God commands us to give. Paul suggests that we should follow the example of Jesus when we evaluate the standard of our giving.

“A Strategy for Giving” – Practically speaking, how do we develop a realistic plan for giving?  After addressing debt problems and prioritizing our spending, we should consider the guidance found in 1 Corinthians 16:2.  In this simple verse, Paul teaches that we should give regularly, personally, thoughtfully and proportionally.

“The Result of Giving” – Paul teaches in 2 Corinthians 9 that living a life of generosity leads to blessing, joy and meaning in our lives.  Generosity is our generous God’s will for our lives.

Pray
I want to thank everyone for their faithful giving to support the work of God’s Kingdom here in Heath, Ohio.  Would you please make this special teaching emphasis a matter of faithful prayer?  Please pray that God would open our hearts and minds to his plan for our finances.  Please pray that God would use this series to encourage new and renewed commitments to sacrificial giving to the Kingdom.  Perhaps, most of all, pray that through this challenge God would bring a spiritual revival to our congregation.  Sacrificial giving dethrones the competing idol of money in our lives, thus opening our hearts and souls for the work of God’s spirit. 

God’s Timing
Isn’t interesting that this series, which our leadership has discussed and planned for many months, arrives at a time of great economic uncertainty in our country?  Headlines these days concern economic bail-out plans, shaky markets, high energy costs, and an uncertain financial future for our nation.  These headlines bring to mind Psalm 11:3, which asks: “When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?”  The Christian’s response to this important question does not change, regardless of the health of the economy: we pray, we continue to do the work of ministry, we give sacrificially and faithfully, and we trust that God will provide our daily needs. 

In light of the current fiscal headlines, it is almost as if God is inviting us to take Him at His Word and completely trust in his care and provision, rather than the banks, the markets, or the government.  During this time of financial uncertainty, God invites us to entrust our lives and resources into his hands and “grow in the grace of giving.”