Philosophy of Money - Church's Responsibility

If a congregation is strong in faith, dedicated to a common purpose, and inspired by a common vision, asking for money becomes only a matter of holding a commitment service and a celebration. Recent crises have shown that at their heart, when convinced of a need that they can help fill, people respond with generosity and an outpouring of concern and resources. The key factors are: a vision that touches the heart, a feeling that each person can make a difference, a means for making the gift. Crisis giving shows who we really are at our best moment when we respond to another. At that moment we fulfill our potential as stewards and come closest to God. We may respond to a crisis and give a gift without thought of God in the process. Even then, some breakthrough in our shell has taken place and in that moment, God and the Church find an opportunity.

There is a second type of giving that addresses the long and slow building of faith through discipline. The Christian who has decided to take the next step in faith takes part in this type of giving.

A third type of giving is to a particular cause in which we are interested, or a particular program of the church that exists to serve us. This is a pay for service type of giving.

Another type of giving is end of life bequests, the gift that keeps on giving even after we are gone.

We give based on where we are in our faith journey, our age, and our relationship with money. We may also give to different causes from different pockets of money. The discipline of regular giving may come from the salary, the crisis giving may come in place of some discretionary intent for money available in excess of that necessary for the basics of life. Long term large gifts such as bequests may come from accumulated wealth, stocks, bonds, etc.

It is the responsibility of the church to know where its members are in their spiritual journey and to provide them the opportunity to benefit from abundance, to learn about their own relationship with their resources, and to be generous and cheerful givers.