Read: 2 Corinthians 9:6-15
“Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7)

Reflection: A capital campaign … above and beyond giving … sacrificial giving. Someone will describe such a capital campaign giving in this way: “I know what that means … it means give until it hurts!”

Give until it hurts? Making a sacrifice actually means giving up something of meaningful value to you in order to give to something that means even more to you. It is giving something you care about to something you love even more. The lasting effect of such giving should not be “hurt,” but rather the joy discovered in giving yourself to those things that are most important to you.

Give until it hurts? Try giving until you discover some joy. The joy of making a difference in a God-given calling. The joy of aligning your life with God’s grace and will. The joy of a meaningfully and purposefully committed life. The joy of doing your part along with a whole community of faithful people. The joy of helping to make miracles — large and small — happen. The joy of seeing people’s lives change because of seeds you planted and nurtured. The joy of glorifying God.

Indeed, as Paul says to the church in Corinth, “you will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God.” (verse 11).

Give until it hurts? No one is being asked to hurt in this program. If that is where you are heading, then you are going about this decision in the wrong spirit. Be-sides, giving until it hurts is far too easy. If you want a real challenge — and a real blessing in your life — try giving in ways that mean so much to you that you dis-cover joy in your commitment.

Prayer: Lord, teach me greater joy and abundant thanksgiving in a meaningful, purposeful, committed life.

Action Item: Make a list of the reasons why you are GLAD to give — your own litany of rejoicing and thanksgiving.

Read: Mark 14:3-9
“But Jesus said, ‘Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me.’” (Mark 14:6)

Reflection: Can you picture the scene? This was a tense setting. Word was that the authorities were looking for ways to arrest Jesus. This was a place for serious conversation and for invited guests only.

And then came this woman with the perfume. Who invited her? And who gave her permission to pour the entire contents of a perfume jar on the head of the guest of honor? Can you imagine the smell? You know the way to use perfume. Just a little dab will do. But she poured out the perfume like football players dousing their coach with the Gatorade bucket. And why waste so much expensive perfume? As some said, it could have been sold — and the money could have been given to the poor.

We do not know this woman’s heart. Perhaps she had experienced the forgiveness of Jesus and felt so grateful for him that she had to find some way to bless Him. Whatever the reasons, Jesus defended her heart, and her lavish gift.

One could debate that the resources we need to invest in ministry could be spent on any number of things. Sometimes people may grumble, “A capital campaign? I want to give money to people, not to bricks and mortar.” In truth, investing in bricks and mortar is an important way to invest directly in impacting the lives of people. Doing such ministries effectively requires such tools. But instead of arguing the point of all that could be done, perhaps we should ask a different question. Is what we are doing honoring God? Is what we are accomplishing furthering the gospel of Jesus Christ? Does what we are doing bless Christ?

Very soon Jesus was stripped of His friends, His dignity, and His clothing as He was nailed to a cross. That dark day the only thing His tormentors could not get off of Him was the smell of that perfume on His head. As Jesus struggled to draw painful breaths upon the cross, did the sweet smell of that loving gift strengthen Him to be broken and poured out for us all?

Prayer: Lord, give me the grace to give to You as lavishly as You have poured Yourself out for me. Let me bless You, even as You have blessed my life.

Action Item: Make a list of the ways that your gift — and these projects — might bless God.

Read: John 3:22-30
“The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must increase, and I must decrease.” (John 3:29-30)

Reflection: John the Baptist was a great man. No less an authority than Jesus said so himself. John was the last of the prophets. When people heard him preach, they trembled. He attracted disciples, crowds, and the attention of the press. He even attracted the attention of kings and queens.

But when Jesus came, John never forgot his place. Despite being goaded by his disciples to be jealous of the early success of Jesus’ ministry, John remained stead-fast in his sense of place within God’s plan. He rejoiced in the following that Jesus attracted. He even helped his own disciples to join with Jesus. John 3:22-30 is John’s explanation of his own role to his disciples. Now my joy is complete. He (Jesus) must increase, and I must decrease.

Have you discovered this truth yet? Most of us think that joy increases as we increase — as our wealth and our prestige, our influence and our power increase. But in fact, just the opposite is true. Lasting joy is not found at the top of the corporate mountain or at the pinnacle of power. Joy is not a reward of accomplishment. True joy is found where John the Baptist found it — by finding one’s place in relationship to Jesus Christ.

Are you ready to find joy complete? He (Jesus) must continue to increase in significance and Lordship of our lives while we (our plans and ambitions) must decrease.

Prayer: Lord, lead me to find joy and abundant living as I give my life more fully to you.

Action item: Make a list of the things that really bring joy to your life. You will find that the things that bring joy are not things at all, but rather gifts given to you (like family, health, a sunrise, a friend). Perhaps the way to discover more joy is to give those kinds of gifts more fully to others.

Read: Acts 4:32-37
“There was a man named Joseph, to whom the apostles gave the name Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”).” Acts 4:36

Reflection: The name “Joseph” is such a fine name. In Hebrew, the name means “God’s added blessing.” This was the name for the cherished son of the patriarch Jacob. This was the name for Jesus’ earthly father. So why would the apostles give Joseph of Cypress a nickname like “Barnabas?”

Barnabas, Acts makes note to tell us, means “son of Encouragement.” Apparently, this Joseph was such an encourager that a new name was in order. When the early church needed money to underwrite its ministries, Joseph sold a field he owned and brought the money to the apostles. When Saul of Tarsus (renamed Paul) needed a friend to welcome him into the church he once persecuted, it was this Joseph who was that friend who nurtured Paul into a ministry of his own. When the church needed to send someone to encourage the new believers among the gentiles, they sent this Joseph. When young Mark needed someone to believe in him and to give him a second chance to serve as a missionary, Joseph encouraged him. Any wonder that all of Joseph’s friends called him Barnabas — “son of encouragement”?

Parkway Heights needs generosity to underwrite its ministry. We need leaders — people who can speak up, step up, and help encourage others to passionate mission and generous giving. Your gift makes a difference to the church, but so does your faith, your story, your passion. Be a Barnabas! Look for ways to encourage the faith of others by sharing your witness, your passion, your faith. In doing so you multiply God’s grace and influence the faithful response of others.

Prayer: Lord, help me to feel so joyful about what I am doing to make a difference in your kingdom that I can be a witness and encouragement to others.

Action item: Make a list of your spheres of influence — people with whom you connect regularly and whom you have the opportunity to encourage. Find at least one way to share your passion and your faith about these projects with the people in your spheres of influence.

Read: Luke 19:29-35
“The owners said, ‘Why are you untying the donkey?’ (The disciples) said, “The Lord has need of it.” (Luke 19:33-34)

Reflection: I already give to the church. How can I find ways to give more?
Proverbs 3:9 encourages the faithful to “honor the Lord with your substance and with the first fruits of all your produce.” Your weekly or monthly income stream (your “produce”) may not be the only resource in your life to make a gift from. People often have valuable assets (your “substance”) beyond their income stream. By looking at all of your resources, not simply your income stream, you may dis-cover assets or substance in your life which, if untied, can help you to give a far more substantial gift than you thought possible.

Untied, the “substance” which they had been blessed with could now be an even greater blessing as a gift. Like the owners in Luke’s gospel who provided Jesus with a way into the city of Jerusalem, these people had a donkey — and the Lord had need of it.

Maybe it is time to untie your donkey, to free some of your substance and bring it. The Lord has need of it.

Prayer: Lord, help me to see how much I have been blessed with in my life — and to see how things may bring a whole new sense of blessing as a gift.

Action item: Do an inventory of your “substance.” Are there assets in your life that you could untie in order to enlarge your giving?

Read: John 15:1-9
“Every branch that bears fruit (God) prunes to make it bear more fruit.” (John 15:2)

Reflection: How can I find ways to give? Maybe I need to cut back in some overgrown areas of my life in order to bear better fruit in my life for God’s kingdom.

If you have ever grown grapes in your yard, then you will know that grapevines will naturally overextend themselves with prolific branching and leaf growth every year. If grapevines are not pruned, all of the branching and leaf growth can completely cover an arbor in as little as two growing seasons.

Unchecked, branching growth, while great for simply covering up space, is terrible for bearing fruit. Such overgrown grapevines will bear tiny, unusable fruit — if it is able to bear fruit clusters at all. The extensive branching and leafing drains the resources and energy of the vine from its primary purpose — bearing fruit.

Look at the pictures of a well-kept vineyard whose purpose is to bear good fruit. You will see thick, decades old grapevines pruned back to no more than four short branches so that all the energy of the plant is focused on growing great grapes. Pruning — heavy, regular pruning — is necessary to bearing good fruit.

How overextended is your life? What all have you branched out into? We may think that wildly branching out everywhere as fast as we can grow helps us to cover all the bases in life; but in truth, such unmanaged growth just keeps us from bearing any real fruit. Ask yourself, “Where could I cut back so I could invest the time and energy and resources available to me into bearing the kind of good fruit in my life that matters?” If it has been awhile in your life since you paid any attention to pruning, you may be astonished as to how overgrown and overextended your life has become. No wonder Jesus says that God will prune our lives to help us bear better fruit.

Prayer: Lord, abide more fully in me. Help me to prune and manage my life better. Re-shape my living to bear good fruit that would glorify You.

Action Item: Make a list of areas in your life that are overgrown. What branches can you cut out? What resources does that pruning free up for you to invest in bearing good fruit?

Read: 2 Samuel 24: 18-25
“I will not offer a sacrifice to the Lord my God that costs me nothing.” (2 Samuel 24:24)

Reflection: Finally we are heading toward home plate and getting close to being ready to fill out a pledge card. But this gift has become something more than a donation! We have first given ourselves to the Lord. We have prayed for God’s will to be done in our lives. We have looked hard at our resources in order to find every way to make our faith real with our gifts. This gift has become a stewardship decision that re-shapes your life — you are growing in your discipleship!

Any gift will make some difference to the church, but a stewardship decision is a gift that makes a difference in you. Through this gift God is actually growing your faith and your commitment.

Such a gift will certainly cost you something. King David had an opportunity to make an easy “sacrifice” (or offering) to God. Araunah was going to give him the whole deal — the threshing floor (the place for the altar), the oxen, and even the wood for the sacrifice — for nothing. What a deal! But David realized that such a deal was really no sacrifice for himself at all, no worship that honored his Lord and God. “I will not offer a sacrifice to the Lord my God which costs me nothing,” David said.

Offering yourself to God — giving sacrificially — does not come easy. It will cost you something.

Does your giving model the kind of commitment that would honor and worship God?

Does your sacrifice make a real difference to you? Are you giving in ways that shape your living? If you can answer “yes” then you are not simply sharing a gift — you are sharing your faith.

Prayer: Lord, if I give myself in ways that mean little to me, how would that honor and worship You? Let my giving honor You as my Lord and my God.

Action Item: Reflect on this question — Does what I am thinking about giving make a difference in the way I live my life?

Read: 2 Corinthians 8:7-8
“Now as you excel in everything — in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in the love we inspired in you — see that you abound in this gracious work of giving also. I am not speaking this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love.”
(2 Corinthians 8:7-8)

Reflection: Praxis is the point where our faith and our actions intersect. Praxis is the point where what we believe and what we do join together. To put it simply, praxis means walking the walk as well as talking the talk!

Now that we have made a faith commitment, and now that we have earnestly sought God’s will in prayer, it is time to turn what we have learned into what we can do and will do. We are rounding third — finding ways to practice what we believe.

Now is the time to take inventory. Now is the time to ask another question: “OK Lord, what have You equipped me and blessed me to do?” What resources do I have to give? How can I think creatively about giving — beyond the narrow box of my income and expenses — in order to give of myself fully? Are there assets beyond my monthly income that I can give? Can I create new resources to give with my talents, gifts, and time? Does my faith commitment lead me to change other priorities in my life, reducing spending and thus freeing resources for giving?

There is no one “correct” plan that is right for everyone. There is no formula for the right pledge. Making faith real is a unique journey for every individual. Your praxis is your way of walking the walk. Talking to the church in Corinth, Paul knows there is no formula for giving. In fact, he realizes that he cannot command anyone about giving. Giving has to grow from the heart. But, as Paul well knows, giving is a test of the heart in action, a test of the genuineness of love. Giving is where what we believe gets real

It is inventory time. Time to get practical about God’s blessings in your life and what you can do to financially support God’s work in Parkway Heights.

Prayer: Lord, I have heard Your word. Help me to be a doer of Your word.

Action item: Make some lists. First, identify (and give thanks for!) all that God has blessed you with. Second, come up with a list of as many ways of giving that are possible to you (for example: changing spending, monthly pledge from income, gift of assets, etc, etc). Begin to think of your pledge as a worksheet, and use this list as you determine your pledge over the next week.

Read: Matthew 6:5-19
“This, then, is how you should pray. Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9-10)

Reflection: Are you still intent on making a stewardship decision? When you have decided to make your decision a matter of faith, then the next step is to seek God’s will. “They gave themselves first to the Lord, and, by the will of God, then to us.” (2 Corinthians 8:5)

Seeking God’s will means getting God involved in your decisions and in your life! Seeking God’s will means inviting God’s input and guidance. It means genuinely asking, “What would You do through me, Lord, to make Your will happen in my church?”

Where does one ask for God’s guidance and seek God’s will? How does one invite God to participate in his or her life? Those things happen as we intentionally spend time in prayer.

A stewardship decision is a prayerful commitment. A stewardship decision invites God to the dialogue and involves God in the discussion. A stewardship decision becomes much more than just my sense of goodwill… it means discovering and acting within a sense of God’s goodwill.

Taking the turn at second base will take much time for prayer… time for listening and learning and reflecting … time for asking and searching and seeking. Getting to second base means turning even further from what I am willing to do toward what God wills in my life.

Prayer: Lord, I want to honor Your name. Speak to me! Let Your will be done … in me and through me. Let Your kingdom come … here in my life.

Action Item: Listen well over the next week. Make note in your journal what you hear and believe God is speaking to you.

Read: 2 Corinthians 8:1-5
“They gave themselves first to the Lord, and, by the will of God, then to us.” (2 Corinthians 8:5)

Reflection: Have you ever watched a tee-ball game where the children are just beginning to learn baseball? Have you ever seen a child, so excited to hit the ball off the tee, that the youngster runs directly to third base and then races back to home plate to score?

Too often we think of giving to the church as a financial decision rather than as a stewardship decision. We shortcut the ground-rules, like the child running directly to third. We rush to start off in the wrong direction. We hurry the process. As a result, we may make a donation to the church, but we do not make a stewardship commitment.

To make a stewardship decision, we have to go all the way around and touch all of the bases. Reaching first means making a faith decision before we even consider the financial aspect of our giving. Reaching first means calling to account our lives of faith before doing any financial accounting.

In 2 Corinthians 8:5, Paul says of the Macedonian church, “they gave of themselves first to Lord, and then to us in keeping with God’s will.” Getting to first means determining your commitment level before deciding your financial position. Making a stewardship decision means responding to a deeper calling of faith, not reacting to a quick accounting. A stewardship decision is first and foremost a faith commitment, not a financial calculation.

First things first. They gave themselves first to the Lord. That is the place to begin a conversation about a stewardship decision.

Prayer: Lord, first let me give myself more fully to You. Then let my decisions grow out of what I believe … and out of what You call me to be and to do.

Action Item: First things first. Instead of rushing to the calculator or the budget, answer these questions first.

• What does God call me to be?
• What does God call me to do?
• What is God doing in my church now?
• How is God working in my life now?
• What could God do through me?
• How can I give myself more fully to God?