Here are the reasons why I love giving into a local church and have done for the last 25 years.
1) To put it simply, I want to be obedient to the Word of God and in 2 Corinthians 9:7 it say that each person gives as he purposes in his heart and I want the purpose of my heart to be obedient.
2) I honour God with my increase as Proverbs 3:8-9 says. So its an act of worship.
3) It stirs my faith.
4) It simply feels good. Its great being a giver and there is a tremendous feeling that comes from consistently sowing.
5) I want to be engaged with the Kingdom of God and where my treasure is there will be my heart, according to Matthew 6:21, so it increases my engagement.
6)I understand the natural costs associated with running a church and love having a place to bring my family to worship. I love how we have safe, clean facilities, a nice cafe etc and I want to help meet the costs of running the church so that it is financially viable. Its simply the mature, responsible thing to do.
7) My giving, in ensuring the financial viability of the church now, sets it up to still be a place of blessing in 20 years time. So through my giving, I am investing into the future blessing of the House of God.
8) My giving speaks loudly of what I think of the local church
9) I give as it makes my life and its influence bigger than the day to day context in which I live. As I support a local church, all the impact the church has through its ministries and missions, I have a sense that I have contributed in part to making that all happen. Its like I am a shareholder in the church’s influence.
10) I love building generosity around my life. Too many people I meet live with a scarcity mentality. They are scare about encouragement, about optimism, about faith, about money etc etc. I am committed to building generosity around my life in all areas.
11) I give as I love modelling generosity to my daughters.
12) I give as its an antidote to my life succumbing to the materialism push of a very consumer orientated society. Committing a portion of each pay and each increase to God, is a way of making a statement that money is not my God.
13) Giving allows me to set right priorities and make sure what is important to me stays at the top of the list.
Every time I give, its a priority statement.
14) My giving keeps my life focused on others and that my friend is the richest way to live.
15) I give because I understand it has spiritual implications. Malachi 3:10 – talks about how giving opened the windows of heaven. I know this is relating to Tithing, but it still shows that there is causal link between giving and what’s happening in the spiritual realm
16) I give because what goes around comes around – Luke 6:38 Give and it will be given to you.
17) I want to harness the power of sowing and reaping. Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
18) I understand its more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:35
19) I give as I am blessed and so it is my responsibility to bless others. I love the quote. The man with no shoes cannot give his shoes to the man with no shoes. I have shoes…
20) I give as I want to be someone’s answer. Recently I have been doing a lot of reading on the issue of Human Slavery. I can’t solve the entire problem, but through my giving I can help someone. Love this quote: – We can’t do everything – but we can do something and this something we must do
21) I want to reflect the character of God and his character is that of a generous giver. The problem we have is that we get to thinking that God is the great taker – He wants my life, He wants my money, He wants this and He wants that – and while it is true we are called to give all we have and are to Him, we have to realise that God is the great giver. Everything He created was designed to reflect His giving nature – the Sun gives heat, the clouds give rain, trees help provide oxygen, the earth gives resources – on and on it goes, everything that God created reflects God’s generous spirit – except humanity. We cling to what is ours and refuse to give it up. Well not me. I want to reflect his generosity – in the best way I can.
22) God Loves a cheerful giver and I want to do what delights God’s heart.
23) I give because it was modelled to me by my parents and significant others in my life as a young Christian and so I learnt from mature Christians
24) I give because it is an acknowledgement that God has given me everything in life and I will give him back a portion as a thank you.
I have found that generally, people who want to argue about giving are looking for a way out of having to do it. I don’t have to give. I want to give. I give cheerfully. Thank you God for all that you have given to me.
