Giving to support the work at Grace Church Kidlington
God doesn’t ask to us to give because he needs our money. The cattle of a thousand hills are his (Psalm 50). He asks us to give so that we have the opportunity to become partners in his great work of salvation and new creation. He asks us to give money so that we are freed from slavery to our bank balance. He asks us to give so that we show we really trust him.
If you know the blessing of being saved by Jesus and come along regularly to Grace Church, please do consider giving to support the church. In the Old Testament, the principle was that farmers should give a tenth of their produce. The New Testament does not give a figure. But it does give some principles.
Willing giving
2 Corinthians 9:7 ‘Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.’ Don’t give from guilt or to earn God’s favour, but willingly, because you know what it is to be forgiven by God and desire others to hear that good news.
Generous Giving
2 Corinthians 8:9 “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” Jesus Christ didn’t hold back and calculate what he could afford to give without it costing him anything. He gave everything to rescue us. His generous giving was sacrificial. Our response to such grace should include generous giving.
Trusting giving
Jesus taught that a person “cannot serve both God and money” Matthew 6:24. If he loves God, then he will not love money- and therefore he will be generous with money. Paul encourages the same attitude in the rich when he commands them to be rich in generosity, storing up true treasure in heaven. Giving money, rather than hoarding it, will only be possible if we know that God is our security, and not the money in the bank. God is our rock!
Regular giving
Paul in 1 Corinthians 16 encourages the principles of regular giving. If we give only after we have spent on everything we desire, and only when we are particularly moved, we will give relatively little. If we give regularly, if when we receive our income we immediately, as something we have settled in our own hearts, give away a portion of it, then we will give more, and we have shown that giving to support God’s work is the highest priority. One way to do this is with a standing order, which gives the money to the church the day after your salary is paid.
From each according to their means
1 Corinthians 16:2 “On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income”. God wants us to be generous with what we have- whether that is much or little. And the little that some can give is in God’s sight precious, as Jesus teaches when he sees the widow putting her coppers into the temple collection Mark 12:41-44.
Click here to find out how to give to Grace Church Kidlington