Dear Friends,

One of the disciplines I practice for my own spiritual growth as well as professional improvement is to listen to the sermons of other preachers. One pastor and church I have started listening to recently is Brandon Beals of Canyon Creek Church in Mill Creek, Washington. Their current sermon series is simply called Seed. “A series about the harvest power contained in a seed.” At the beginning of the series, the gauntlet was thrown down for everyone to evaluate their giving and to make a commitment to step up and step out in our finances.

To make the challenge a giving matrix was presented. This matrix so fascinated and challenged me that I wanted to share it with you.:

challenge to give

Here is what it all means:

  • If you are one who has never really stepped out in the area of giving then make the commitment to become a first time giver.
  • Maybe you are one who has given in the past or gives when there is a special need, then step up to becoming a regular giver.
  • Are you a person who gives regularly but you also like the average American Christian who gives less than 3% to your local church? Maybe it is time to step out and respond to the Bible’s instruction to give the first 10% of your income to the storehouse, which is your local church (Malachi 3:10). I was impressed by their courage to say clearly giving 10% does not mean giving 3% to the Humane Society, and 4% to Habitat for Humanity and then 3% to your local church.
  • Finally, maybe you are a person who has already experienced the truth of the promise of God’s provision and multiplying work in your own life by giving of your first 10%. Now it might be time to step up to a new level in your life and become a generous giver. They define being a generous giver as anyone giving 11% or above.

What I like most about this matrix was that it was clear and easy to understand. Anyone could easily see for themselves, in the privacy of their own chair, where they were at and see what the next step was they needed to take.

I was convicted as a preacher by their courage to specifically call people to sign a commitment card pledging to the change they were going to make in their life. How often have I resisted calling people to change and growth because of a fear of offending? Money fights and money problems is the number one cause of divorce in our country. Married or not, it can be one of the most significant areas of stress and anxiety in our lives. If we are going to healthy and whole persons as followers of Jesus, the church is going to have to get over our fear of talking about money.

Finally, what about you? If you had been sitting in the chairs listening to these sermons would you have had the courage to fill out a commitment card? What would you have written on it?

Blessing,
Stephen

If you would like to listen to their whole sermon series you can watch the videos here: http://canyoncreek.church/sermon/series/seed-series/