The Pastor
without
a Paycheck
By Tim Stafford. Published in Christianity
Today.
In 1990, a judge issued a writ of garnishment for pastor
Randy Alcorn's wages for blocking
the doors of abortion clinics. Alcorn refused to pay,
believing it would violate his conscience to write a
check to an abortion clinic. He quit his
job and got by on minimum wage, the only income
protected by law. It seemed that Alcorn's passion for
generous giving and for missions would find few
avenues for expression. But to his surprise, the
opposite occurred. Read more stories/testimonies from
pastors.
Featured Book
"Fields of Gold: A Place beyond Your
Deepest Fears, a Prize beyond Your Wildest
Imagination,"
by Andy Stanley
"What if I give away too much? What if
there's not enough left for me? What if ..." As
Christians, we know that we should give, but
sometimes it's so hard to take that step of faith and let
go when it comes to our finances. Pastor Andy Stanley
reminds us that if we truly believe
that God is who He says He is, we have no reason to
fear. Doesn't it make sense to trust the God of the
universe with our finances? Isn't it time to put aside
the worry and start living in confidence? Read an excerpt of this book.
This newsletter, published by Generous Giving,
tracks and reviews articles on stewardship,
philanthropy and generosity that are published in
leading sources of news and research. Explore how God might grow the
faith and joy of your flock, releasing a flow of
funding into His
kingdom through your biblically based teaching.
Copyright © 2004 Generous
Giving, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Cashing in on Church Giving
By Brian Kluth. Published in Rev.
Magazine.
Biblical principles of Christian stewardship have not
been taught in seminaries or Christian schools, leaving
today's Christian leaders ill-prepared to address the
issue. Kluth addresses the Church's silence on the
subject, offering guidance to Christian leaders in their
thinking and teaching on the subject. Of first
importance, he says, is remembering that the ultimate
goal of good stewardship is not the growth of church
budgets but, rather, the transformation of lives. There
are three characteristics of faithful giving: (1) faithful
giving is encouraged by faithful communication as to
the use of the gifts, (2) faithful giving is best
accomplished with a plan for the giving, and (3) faithful
giving increases with the Christian maturity of the giver.
Suggested
Resources for Pastors & Teachers:
www.GGpastor.org | | |
Frequently Asked Questions on Preaching to Your Church on Giving
Compiled by Generous Giving.
Is it OK for a pastor to give to his own
church? Is it
acceptable for churches to receive commercial income?
Should visitors be pressured to give? Generous Giving
has received these and many other church-related
questions from pastors, and we have made our answers
available for your reading and encouragement. | | |
Money: Investing in Eternity
By John F. MacArthur, Jr. Sermon
preached at Grace Community Church, Panorama City,
Calif.
In Matthew 6:19, Jesus said, "Do not lay up for
yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust
destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay
up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither
moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break
in or steal; for where your treasure is, there will your
heart be also." Very poignant, very direct, very simple
words, easily understood. Jesus said, "Your treasure is
to be invested in eternity." The Lord then introduces to
us this matter of using our earthly treasure for eternal
purposes. | | |
Faith Raising, Not Fund Raising: How a Purpose-Driven Church Develops Consistently Generous Givers
By Forrest Reinhardt. Published in
Leadership Journal.
Saddleback Community Church does not alter its
message to increase giving for a certain church
project. There is no such thing as fund raising; only
faith raising. Week in and week out, through a
thoroughly developed system, Saddleback aims at
developing a congregation of faithful givers. The goal is
to lead the people of Saddleback deeper and deeper
into a relationship with Christ. In this relationship they
learn that God loves them and has a plan for their lives.
Part of the plan they begin to understand involves
learning "manage their finances God's way," escaping
the financial trap of materialism and self-service, and
storing treasure where it will last. | | |
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