2/1/15

Ministry Matters

by Dr. Mapson

As we are yet early in the dawning days of the new year it is incumbent upon every loyal member of Monumental to prayerfully re-consider your level of financial support for your church in the year 2015.  Did you know that Jesus had much to say about the use of our money and financial resources?  Such things as, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also (Matt. 6:21)” Or, “give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap.  For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you (Luke 6:37)."  Or, “If you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own (Luke 16:12)?"

The point being that God requires us to be generous toward Him and toward His church, because the church is God’s only representative in the world commissioned by Him.  God uses our hands, our feet, our voices, our resources, to do His will and His work.  God expects from us our “tithe, talent, time, and testimony,” to use the words of our Who Are We? statement, recited each Sunday.  The book of Malachi even suggests that when we don’t tithe we are robbing God (Mal. 3:8-10).  God desires from us just a dime out of every dollar.

I encourage each one of us to tithe. However, if you choose not to tithe, you can still be more generous and increase your giving in this new year.  This will do several things.  First, giving is as much about the giver as it is about the gift.  Your giving is a testimony of how much you love God, how much you appreciate what God had done in your life, and how thankful you are for the precious gift of God’s only Son who came into the world for our redemption.  Second, your giving will help increase the financial resources of the church so that we can more effectively do the work of ministry, maintain our beautiful building, and consider expansion as we continue to grow.  What will we leave the generation that will follow us?  Third, your generous giving will allow us to meet our budgetary responsibilities for the year 2015 without undue strain and struggle.  No church can effectively operate on a ‘shoe-string” budget.  We need to build up funds, not just for future projects (e.g., parking lot) but for emergencies as well.  We inhabit an old building (almost 100 years old), always in need of repair.  

Remember the words of Paul to the Corinthians:  “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9:7).”  And, in your giving, may the Lord bless you!   

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Mapson