The up-side potential for good in U.S. Christian giving is immense, almost unimaginable. If American Christians were to give from their income generously–not lavishly, mind you, only generously–they could transform the world, starting right away. Ordinary American Christians have within their power the capacity to foster massive and unprecedented spiritual, social, cultural, and economic change that closely reflects their values and interests. In order to achieve such dramatic, world-transforming change, ordinary American Christians simply need to do one thing: start giving reasonably generously from their incomes, let us say 10 percent of post-tax income. Fostering such changes could begin immediately. It would not require getting Congress or the United Nations to act. It would not require a military mobilization or waiting for a majority turn over in the Supreme Court. It would only require ordinary Christians from one country to start doing something that seems entirely within their power and that most of them, according to the teachings of their own faith traditions, ought to already be doing anyway: give generously from the financial resources with which they have been blessed.

What they say here is powerful. We could change the world if we would give generously. The only thing I would say is that they are NOT even talking about generosity. They are simply talking about what Dave Ramsey refers to as training wheel level giving. If we would just tithe, and the tithe they are discussing is the lowest tithe (after tax income). Later in this same chapter they demonstrate what could be done if Christians actually tithed. In fact they narrow who they are referring to as committed Christians.

Let us begin, then, with a conservative estimation, imagining that only those American Christians would begin to give 10 percent of their after-tax income who either attend church regularly (a few times a month or more frequently) or profess to be “strong” or “very strong” Christians. Let us call these “committed” Christians…We estimate that if committed Christians in the United States gave 10 percent of their after-tax income–fully but no more than 10 percent–that would provide an extra $46 billion per year of resources with which to fund needs and priorities…By our reckoning, with $46 billion they could–in addition to sustaining all currently funded churches, organizations, ministries, and programs–achieve the following.

The below stats are long but overwhelming. Take your time and contemplate the difference you could make:

Research for this blog by the Docent Research Group.

Below is the text from the handout that we gave on Sunday:

This challenge is meant to get us thinking beyond just giving, beyond just “doing what we’re supposed to do.”  It’s a challenge to be generous!  To give because we have received the most generous gift imaginable!  And because of the joy we have in the hope contained in that gift, we overflow with the desire to abundantly give to others.  Below are some suggestions to get you started.  Feel free to be creative.

Week 1:  Giving Away Your Time (March 6th to 12th)

Ideas:

• Volunteer with one of our Strategic Partners (i.e Raleigh Rescue Mission).  Visit the Connections Kiosk for a list of our partners.

• Help in an area that you normally would not – do someone else’s chore at home, assist a coworker in their responsibility at work, take a neighbor’s trash can back from the curb – and try to do it secretly if possible!

• Invite a neighbor over for dinner.

• Pick out an age-appropriate translation of the Bible and read favorite stories to your kids before bedtime.

• Take a prayer walk through your neighborhood.

• Plan a date night with your spouse and pray that God would use that time to draw you closer together and engage in transparent communication.

• Commit to attend a Community Group weekly for 10 months.

• Take a special trip with your kids to a local kids’ museum and take advantage of all teachable moments.

Week 2:  Giving Away Your Talent (March 13th to 19th)

Ideas:

• To learn about your giftings and passions, take Southbridge’s online assessment. (www.southbridgefellowship.com/assessme/about)

• Volunteer on a team (i.e. Tech, Bridge Kids, Hospitality, SYU, Outreach, Music, etc.

• Start a common interest/affinity group.

• Make a gift.  Take something you do well (i.e. baking, crafting, cooking, wood working, etc.) and make a gift for someone who wouldn’t expect something from you.

• Do something unexpected and nice for a neighbor based on your gifts and abilities.

Week 3:  Giving Away Your Treasure (March 20th to 26th)

Ideas:

• Bless someone in your Community Group generously.

• The next time you go out to eat, change your tip – 1) if you go to a restaurant that doesn’t receive tips, give a tip to the person cleaning tables. 2) if they do receive tips, double your tip (or double the bill as a tip!)  Thank God for the ability to do so.

• Sponsor a Compassion International (www.compassion.com) child or family, with your family, friends, or Community Group.

• Carry cash in your left pocket ($5-$50) and look for an opportunity to give it away.  Keep trying everyday until you can give it all away.

• Buy coffee for the person in line behind you.

• Commit to tithing (10%) for 30 days.

• Sell something you own and give the proceeds to charity.

• Go to www.lifestraw.com and donate a personal, portable water purifier that is used to prevent common diseases in many parts of our world.  (Cost = $5.00 each)

• Participate in the LifeCare and Gateway Pregnancy Centers drive March 13th to 27th).  Go to the Connections Kiosk on Sunday for more information.

Week 4:  Giving Away the Truth (March 27th to April 2nd)

Ideas:

• Share the Gospel with someone you love.  This could be in person or possibly a letter.

• Write a handwritten note of encouragement to your family or friends.  Tell the person why you value being in relationship with them.

• Set up a family meeting to talk about your generosity as a family (if single, do with a friend).  Discuss the biblical truth of what it means to be generous and how God wants you to be generous.  Ask for input as to where you should continue being generous.

• Start a Bible Study with your neighbors.  Contact the office if you need resources.

• Leave a Gospel tract with your server.

• Share your testimony (what God has done and is currently doing in your life) with someone.

• Ask God for obvious opportunities to share the Truth with others.

• Buy 10 Bibles and give them away.

We would love to hear how the Lord used this in your life.  Please let us know by going to the link below and sharing your story.  www.surveymonkey.com/s/generositychallenge

In November, I shared with our church that the elders were praying about a specific facility as our possible next home. However, we wanted to make sure we were not simply executing a good plan, but were being led by the Spirit. After much prayer, we have decided not to pursue that location. I am so thankful for these men who are sensitive to God’s leading and not simply following a formula to grow a church.

On December 6th, I announced to Southbridge that while we do not yet know the exact location, we believe God is calling us to step out in faith. In January 2010, we plan to launch a financial campaign called The Bridge Initiative, to raise money for our future facility. When our church began, people stepped out in faith and made sacrifices. God has blessed that by making an eternal difference in many lives. We believe during these still early days of this church, it is time for us to take our next steps of faith, and it is going to mean sacrifice for each of us. God is doing a special work here at Southbridge, and I don’t want anyone to miss out on the opportunity to be a part of it.

I will post some Frequently Asked Questions about The Bridge Initiative over the next couple of days.

Just the week before this case, Southbridge hosted Becky McDonald for a Nourish event. Becky is the President of Women At Risk International. They work ministering to women and children who are being bought and sold in sex slavery.

God has been breaking our hearts about the tragedies that occur to countless women and children around the world. We can’t simply see these horrible stories on the news, think they are horrible and then change the channel. I am thankful Shaq has done something. We too want to reach out to these women and these children and do whatever we can to demonstrate the love of Jesus to them. One of the  things we believe the Lord is leading us to do is our Christmas outreach for WAR babies. I will mention more about this on Sunday, but the summary is this:

I was reading a WAR brochure today that says, “The face of trafficking in the USA is underage.” That brochure also contained these stats:

• In 2009, a man was arrested for selling 89 children in Detroit, MI.
• In Atlanta, GA, 300 children a month are sold.
• There are 100,000 American children who are trafficked in the USA (FBI).

This is not just a problem in the USA though, it is a world wide problem.

• In 2004, Chinese police arrested 95 people for the trafficking of more than 76 babies.
• In Iraq, it is estimated that 150 children are sold by organized gangs each year (The Guardian, 6 April 2009).

These are not isolated cases this is a world-wide problem. What can we do? This year one of the things we want  to be a part of is helping build a dormitory and cafeteria in an orphanage in partnership with WAR. As WAR says, “When you rescue babies, you spare them a life of horror. They can be tucked into cradles of safety, circles of protection, and hear stories of Jesus sung to them. They can grow up to be all God intended.” The children are rescued from situations where their parents are considering selling them.

What can you do? In the lobby we’ll have Christmas tree displays where you can grab a baby bottle, take it home, and fill it up with money. What does that money do? Here is what WAR says in their own words:

This February, 2010 the WAR, Int’l Circle Tour of women will be visiting 3 safe houses and one orphanage that is a safe haven for 110 little girls rescued from trafficking or at risk of trafficking.  This precious home has faithfully sheltered, raised, loved on and reached deep into the hill tribes of Thailand creating circles of protection around girls from ages 3-18.  One of the first girls rescued, now married runs the home with her godly husband.  All of the 110 girls have a story of need that qualifies them to come to this safe haven. 
 
Here, and in every WAR, Int’l program, girls are treated like our own daughters.  We dream with them about what God wants for their lives and work to make that a reality the same way we would for our own daughters.  This home has graduated many including 5 lawyers.  No dream is too big for Daughters of the King. 
 
We want to go to House of Grace with gifts in hand this February playing Santa.  No mom or aunt wants to meet her family members without gifts in hand!  The cafeteria is being torn down to make place for more beds.  Would you help us build a new cafeteria and arrive with funds in hand to do just that?  It will cost $209 dollars per child to arrive with $22,990 in hand.

We believe God has given us an opportunity to do something to potentially make an eternal difference in the lives of these children. Will you join us?

Psalm 82:1-8 A psalm of Asaph. God presides in the great assembly; he gives judgment among the “gods”: ² “How long will you defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked? Selah ³ Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. ⁴ Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked. ⁵ “They know nothing, they understand nothing. They walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken. ⁶ “I said, ‘You are “gods”; you are all sons of the Most High.’ ⁷ But you will die like mere men; you will fall like every other ruler.” ⁸ Rise up, O God, judge the earth, for all the nations are your inheritance.

How many times do we miss opportunities to give because we fail to see real needs or we are afraid to give what we have? Those are the requirements of a generous life:

1. Eyes to see real needs.

2. Courage to give what we have to meet those needs.

Do you meet the requirements of a generous life?

Some helpful resources that I recommend when you are thinking through your own personal finances are:

Surviving Financial Meltdown, by Ron Blue and Jeremy White (I mentioned this book a couple of times during this series).

Money, Possesions, and Eternity, by Randy Alcorn (A great book as a resource for a biblical perspective on finances).

The Treasure Principle, by Randy Alcorn (A short book that contains God’s investment strategy).

I would also recommend Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. I have not completed it, but I have listened to some of the talks. Southbridge is also offering some small group classes called: The Road to Financial Freedom as a follow up to this series. You can sign up for those by emailing crown@southbridgefellowship.com.

Ron Blue in his book Surviving Financial Meltdown recommends these web sites for your personal finances:

www.masteryourmoney.com

www.mymoney.gov

www.crown.org

www.360financialliteracy.org/life+stages

He has more, but these should be useful.

One of the Pastors I have become friends with since moving to Raleigh is Jimmy Carroll, the Lead pastor at Journey Church. When Jimmy heard that our stuff had been stolen, he immediately emailed me and offered to let us borrow some of their equipment. I mention to Southbridge periodically that we are not in competition with other local churches, but if those local churches are preaching the gospel they are our partners. Jimmy and Journey Church gave us an awesome example of that this past week.

I just want to use this blog to thank Jimmy and Journey Church for their generosity. I am thankful to have churches like Journey who are also trying to reach this city for Jesus Christ.

It was Saturday night, I had just finished the final touches on Sunday mornings message. At about 8:30pm, I called our worship leader for that Sunday morning. We talked through the service and we were about to pray together, when I saw someone beeping in. It was Jon Cullen, our Family Pastor. I ignored the call. Then he called my cell. Then he called the home line again. I knew something serious was going on if he called that many times. I also knew his wife was out of town, so perhaps he had burned his house down, that or he was hanging out with John Piper after the conference he attended this weekend. Either way I called him back without knowing why he had called.

When Jon answered, I said, “Jon this is Scott.” To which he replied, “Hold on, I am talking to the police.” POLICE! What is going on? Where are you at? I could not ask those questions because he stopped talking to me. Then after what seemed like a long time he said, “Scott, let me call you back.” I said, “Wait. What is going on?” He said, “I am standing out here by our trailer (we are a portable church), and someone broke in. It looks like they cleaned it out.”

Sure enough someone had broken into the trailer where we keep most of our audio visual equipment for Sunday mornings. At this point it was almost 9:00pm on Saturday night. What happened then was truly amazing. People from Southbridge jumped on this situation and went to work so the hundreds of people who would come to Southbridge this morning would have an unhindered worship experience. Did we have the television in the lobby, cameras for the video venue, or all of the technical bells and whistles we have grown accustom to? No. But the troops were united and at work. The worship team prepared a new worship set (that was pretty much all acoustic in case the tech team could not get anything worked out). However, the tech team (whose leaders worked past midnight), went to one of our elders (Allin Foulkrod’s) office to assemble a temporary sound system and get a projector to show the words (from one of the guys laptops). If you were there in the second service we missed a slide on one song (I think because his battery was dying. Sorry, but one slide was not bad after all that had happened). People work hard every week at Southbridge, setting up, tearing down, etc. However, this week they were working extra hard and I am super thankful for all of them.

I reminded everyone this morning of a verse from Genesis: Genesis 50:20 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

What man intended for bad, God intended for good. God united people so that the gospel could still go forth. We were reminded about what we really NEED (the technical aids are nice, but it was nice today taking a few steps back technically). We desire to connect people to Jesus for life change. Today we were reminded that all we need to be able to do that is:

1. Jesus.

2. People.

One of the ironic things about today was that I was already planning on speaking about generosity from 1 Timothy 6:17-19. The challenge was to hold all of our material stuff with open hands. God has a funny way of making sure we apply the truths He desires for us to learn.