Trusting God!
Last week I spoke of the need to finish our pledges and move on toward paying off the remaining debt of the renovation project.
We haven't focused intensley on the debt retirement largely because we have been raising funds for mission trips, technology updates and other things.
Long ago, I read a quote which I believe reflects how I feel about mission. It said, "The church exists by mission as a fire exists by burning."
Mission and worship are the two core principles of the church. We cease being the church when we do not worship God and Jesus Christ, then as well, when we do not serve God's people.
We should never set aside mission in exchange for renovation. In fact, if we could not have justified renovation as mission, we should not have chosen that path.
There is another story in our past, of trying to do something extraordinary for mission.
There was controversy when we took $100,000 of endowment money income to give to Week of Compassion for the people of Honduras after hurricane Mitch.
But here is one example of trusting God and the blessings that do follow sometimes. Fast forward to now and we realize a spiritual connection between generosity and finances.
Since we gave that money to Week of Compassion, our endowment has doubles. Doubled. Yes—-doubled. Some feared it would reduce our income, but in reality it increased it dramatically.
Most of that is from gifts, and only some of it came from investments.
To be fair, I cannot draw direct lines between our gift to Week of Compassion and the doubled endowment.
But here is the thing.
God is all about a unique and mysterious connection between the good stewardship of helping his people and provisions for "helping them more."
We just seek to be faithful and trust God to provide.
You provided for the mission trip we are on right now. You have provided for the renovation which has opened the church fully to those who are handicapped.
There has been enough money for it all.
Thanks be to God.
Moving to the deeper place,
Jeff