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By Rev. John Van Nuys, Wabash Avenue Presbyterian Church, Crawfordsville
You don't need me to tell you that times are tough. Before the week is out, Congress may shoot the economy in the foot. Since the fall of Lehman Brothers in 2008, our economy has lost $14 trillion. In Crawfordsville, the Episcopal Church has eliminated their church secretary position; the Methodist Church continues to borrow from their endowment year after year to make budget; my congregation Wabash Avenue has just made painful staffing cuts. Then we get news from our missionary friends about how five churches were torched during pro-Morsi demonstrations in Upper Egypt. Sad pictures show gutted churches and incinerated pages of scripture. What are we supposed to do when the church we love struggles and our brightest hopes turn to ash?
In last Sunday's lectionary scripture, God through the prophet Jeremiah addressed the devastated captives in Babylon after the fall of Jerusalem, the sacking of the temple, and the loss of the Promised Land with a startling word of hope: Build houses and live. Plant gardens, eat, and grow strong. Marry and have children. Invest, grow, multiply. In other words, don't give up. Instead, set down roots. Get busy. Take this difficult situation and with God's help transform it from despair into hope. As you do, God will lead you into a better tomorrow (29:1, 4-7).
In tough times, it is human to despair. The Bible tells us that it is even faithful to lament. But the Bible also tells us that if we keep faith in God and keep doing what we need to do, then God will transform our howls into hallelujahs. God will do that if we get down to the business of blooming where we are planted. Because the God's honest truth is this: We are to be God's people in good times and bad. We are to be about God's work regardless of the season. If we hold onto that truth and do our best, then God, who is faithful and just, will help us build a future that is hopeful and blessed.
Given that promise, in this stewardship campaign season, I hope all of us will grow one step in our giving to God. Now, I know what you are thinking: God may have miracles in mind, but I have math to face. If I give more, I am going to have less. But actually the opposite happened to me. Giving more has given me more. Giving more has done that because it has made me much more frugal. And I have discovered that nothing - no-thing - I buy, keep, spend, or lavish on myself gives me more pleasure than seeing good things happen through the church thanks, in part, to my giving.
I think you will continue to discover that good blessing, too, as you grow one step in your giving. If you get out a pencil and paper and do the math with your family, asking God to lead you to what is right for you to give, I think you will discover that growing your giving one step is possible.
Grow one step: If at present you are not giving anything, begin giving something. Your gift will make a difference. If you are giving, but not pledging, grow one step and make a pledge. As you keep this spiritual discipline, you will be blessed. If you are pledging, grow one step and pledge a generous increase. Figure out what percentage of your income you are presently giving and calculate what giving one more percent of your income would look like. If you do the math and make a few, minor changes in your spending habits, I think you will find that it is doable - and I know that you will discover much greater joy. If you are pledging and God has especially prospered you and your family, grow one step and pledge an especially sacrificial increase.
I've heard it said that nowhere in the Bible does God ever ask anyone for a donation. But God frequently asks those who love him to make sacrifices. The Presbyterian spiritual writer Frederick Beuchner defines a sacrifice as "giving up something important for someone more important." If persons of faith can stand strong in Egypt, risking their lives to be identified as followers of Jesus Christ, then surely we can faithfully stretch ourselves by changing one or two of our spending habits to bless the work and witness of Christ's church.
When you get right down to it, we need to give God what is right; not what is left. Grow your giving by one step to bless the church. Attached are twenty creative ways to do that. If all of us reading God Calls committed to doing just one of the following, then God's glad purposes in our world will be blessed. Let God's blessings flow. You will discover joy.
Click here for 20 creative ways to increase your giving:
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