Giving at Griggs

One of financial hopes at Griggs is to simply be a church where everyone is giving something.

You may be tempted to think that this is a vague, low bar. We would disagree, as it’s a bar virtually no church measures up to. One of the biggest issues many churches face financially is that only a small number of their regular attenders give regularly, and only a slightly larger group than that give anything at all.

A church where everyone gives something would be a spectacle.

Now, when when say, “everyone” we mean everyone who is capable. There are some people coming to us with nothing. We’re not talking about them. We’re also not talking about those whom the scriptures tell us to give to, like orphans, widows, and sojourners.

And, When when say “something” we do so intentionally. According the New Testament, giving is not about an exact percentage or an amount, it’s about following Jesus - seeing the need he leads you to see, meeting the needs he leads you to meet, and enjoying the journey.

Paul put it this way in his famous teaching on giving in 2 Corinthians 9:7 which states, “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

Paul essentially tells the Corinthian church members who are capable of giving that every one should give something.

Everyone or “Each one.” Each member.

Giving something. As in, whatever “they have decided in their heart.”

At Griggs, this leads many folks to give a regular gift to the church. Perhaps it’s always a specific portion of their income, as that’s what their conscience has directed. Or, for some of you, this may lead to a more sporadic giving, where you give larger gifts once in a while and then go long stretches of time where you’re not able to give.

For others, this may mean just giving whatever you can when you can, even if it seems “small” to the human eye. We have had more than a few faithful members dump a zip lock bag of spare change into the offering plate. That is by no means “small” to heavenly eyes.

The only thing following 2 Corinthians 9:7 would discourage is capable givers giving nothing.

We don’t believe it’s spiritually healthy for you to regularly attend and benefit from the church without giving something financially. And we don’t believe it’s what’s best for the body of Christ and our mission.

What would be healthy is if we got to a place where everyone in the church considered the needs of the church as part of their own needs. We would meet the needs of Jesus’ body just like we do our own body. It would be like the early church where they, “had all things in common.”

By God’s grace, we are meeting many needs in and outside of the church. And yet we are blown away by our potential to serve Jesus and Poe Mill in even greater ways in the future if our entire church is giving something that God laid on their hearts. Especially since, when we give financially, we tend to give more energy, effort, and enthusiasm along with it. After all, our savior revealed to us that where our treasure is, there will our hearts be also…