I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. My wife and I were invited to the home of my son's new in-laws. They were were very gracious hosts and we felt quite welcome. We enjoyed getting to know them and had a great time.
The highlight was my son and his new bride announcing that she is pregnant. Having just been married in October, they obviously did not waste any time. They are going on their official honeymoon at the end of December. Please keep both Mitch and Melissa in your prayers and ask God for an uneventful pregnancy along with a healthy baby.
As most of you know, the Sunday before Thanksgiving is designed as My Brother's Keeper Sunday. On that day, we take up our special offering for our benevolence ministry. This year we received over $4400 to help those in need. Given the state of our economy and our own financial difficulties as a congregation, this is truly a testament to the graciousness of God working through His people.
This is just the beginning of what I know God is going to do through My Brother's Keeper. With a new team of people, the ministry will grow and touch even more lives than it already has.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Transformation or Degradation
My wife reminded me that Sunday (first Sunday in October)was my tenth anniversary as the preacher of Crossroads. Whether you see that as a good thing or a bad thing depends on your prospective I guess. For me personally, it has prompted some deep introspection. It is not that I don't have regrets because I do. If you have ever tried to do anything worthwhile for God, you will make your share of mistakes. The secret is to learn from them, not dwell in them. The source of my personal reflection is that I have been long enough to see the long term results of my labors.
I continue to be amazed by the transformation God has brought about in the lives of some of our members. I am equally concerned when I see that some people have not grown at all in nearly ten years. I wonder what can we do as a congregation to inspire more transformation in the lives of individuals. The business axiom "the system you have is perfectly designed to produce the results you are getting" keeps coming the mind.
I am researching this subject and praying that God will open my eyes to areas where we can improve. It may be that we need to totally rethink our whole structure. At this point, I am open to suggestions and invite your comments.
I continue to be amazed by the transformation God has brought about in the lives of some of our members. I am equally concerned when I see that some people have not grown at all in nearly ten years. I wonder what can we do as a congregation to inspire more transformation in the lives of individuals. The business axiom "the system you have is perfectly designed to produce the results you are getting" keeps coming the mind.
I am researching this subject and praying that God will open my eyes to areas where we can improve. It may be that we need to totally rethink our whole structure. At this point, I am open to suggestions and invite your comments.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Changes Coming to My Brother's Keeper
In the month of November, we will be receiving our second special offering of the year for our benevolence ministry, My Brother's Keeper. We celebrate the ministry and receive the offering on the Sunday before Thanksgiving (November 20th). In its brief history, you have exceptionally embraced this ministry, as a congregation. Your contributions have helped many families in need. You have been faithfully using your PayLess gift cards, as well as participating in our two garage sales.
There are two important changes being made in the ministry. The first is that I will be turning over the primary responsibility for MBK to a team of members. The team will be headed up by Mark Gosney, who did an outstanding job serving on our management team. He will be working with Tonya Grimm, Becky Holladay, Stacy Tilton, and Jeff Parks.
I am excited by this change for a number of reasons. First and foremost, these folks are very connected to the community around our church. They know the needs of the families in our neighborhood. They are also very creative and resourceful individuals who will be able to grow the ministry.
The second change is that the ministry will now be handling all of our benevolence needs for members and non-members. It is more efficient to have one system dealing with this type of need than two separate systems. This will mean that MBK will need to develop additional revenue streams to cover its expanded responsibilities. Look for new opportunities to support this key ministry.
However, by far, our special Thanksgiving offering is the single greatest source of revenue for MBK. Please keep this offering in your prayers. I fully realize that these are challenging financial times for all of us. We need to remember that we serve a great God who is bigger than our present difficulties. Keep in mind that what you give needs to be over and above your weekly tithe or offering. I encourage you to think of something you can do or not do in order to give generously to this offering.
There are two important changes being made in the ministry. The first is that I will be turning over the primary responsibility for MBK to a team of members. The team will be headed up by Mark Gosney, who did an outstanding job serving on our management team. He will be working with Tonya Grimm, Becky Holladay, Stacy Tilton, and Jeff Parks.
I am excited by this change for a number of reasons. First and foremost, these folks are very connected to the community around our church. They know the needs of the families in our neighborhood. They are also very creative and resourceful individuals who will be able to grow the ministry.
The second change is that the ministry will now be handling all of our benevolence needs for members and non-members. It is more efficient to have one system dealing with this type of need than two separate systems. This will mean that MBK will need to develop additional revenue streams to cover its expanded responsibilities. Look for new opportunities to support this key ministry.
However, by far, our special Thanksgiving offering is the single greatest source of revenue for MBK. Please keep this offering in your prayers. I fully realize that these are challenging financial times for all of us. We need to remember that we serve a great God who is bigger than our present difficulties. Keep in mind that what you give needs to be over and above your weekly tithe or offering. I encourage you to think of something you can do or not do in order to give generously to this offering.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Our Stewardship Strategy
At Crossroads, we have a comprehensive strategy when it comes to stewardship. It is comprised of four (4) key elements. Each element is critical to the overall success of our congregation financially.
The first element is that we, as a congregation, tithe of our income. Ten percent (10%) of every dollar we receive in our general offerings goes into a separate checking account to be distributed by the missions team. The purpose for this is simply to honor God as the source of all our resources.
We also want encourage all of our members to be tithers as well. While this would obviously bless the church, the greater benefit would be to the individual member. If you are not currently tithing, it will take you to a whole new level spiritually speaking as well as financially.
The second element of our strategy is debt reduction. The wise leadership of the past has provided us wonderful facilities with a manageable amount of debt. Our current mortgage balance is around $480,000. While we have always made our payments, we feel strongly that we need to pay off this debt as quickly as financially feasible.
To that end, we have committed three percent (3%) of every general fund offering to reduce the principal balance of our mortgage. This might not seem to be a big amount, but every dollar paid now saves us a great amount of interest over the length of the loan. Coupled with that commitment is our pledge to never borrow money to pay operational expenses. This is why we have an emergency fund set aside to handle unexpected expenses.
The third element of our strategy is prioritized spending. Our annual budget is divided into two (2) sections. The first section is essential expenses. These are the basic necessary expenditures of the church. These include such things as insurance, mortgage, utilities, and staff salaries. These are fixed expenses that really must be paid.
The second section is what we call discretionary expenses. These are resources we give our ministry coordinators to carry out their individual ministry. While they are somewhat flexible and less time sensitive, they are important. For example, teaching materials are a discretionary expense. Our coordinators work hard to get the greatest value they can out of each and every dollar spent.
The final element of our stewardship strategy is radical generosity. Twice a year, we provide any opportunity to outrageously give to God through a special Sunday offering. Our first special offering of the year is taken on Easter Sunday. This is dedicated to special purpose or project. This year's offering was used to replace our outside playground equipment. We received over $12,000 on that day.
The second special offering is taken on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. All the funds received go into our benevolence ministry called "My Brother's Keeper". These funds are combined with proceeds from our garage sales and the Pay Less gift card program to help those with financial needs. We have expanded the program to provide assistance to both non-members and members of Crossroads.
Just like the legs of a table, these four elements provide a solid foundation for our stewardship. However every member of Crossroads has a critical role to play. Unless everyone does their best to become effective stewards of what God has given them, we will not have the proper amount of resources to operate effectively. We have provided tools to help you manage your giving to the church. One of those tools is online access to your giving record. Once you enroll, you can check your giving at anytime, print a statement, and even set up automatic drafting of your giving.
I especially like this feature of online giving and highly recommend it. Never again do I have to remember to write out a check before leaving for church. All I had to do was set up how much I wanted to give and how often I wanted to give it. Dave Ramsey calls this "automated discipline". It also benefits the church as well because there is no paper check to mess with and take to bank. My giving record is updated automatically and the funds instantly available to be used.
If you ever have a question about your giving, contact Stephanie Guinn. If you have any questions about our stewardship strategy, feel free to ask me or one of the elders.
The first element is that we, as a congregation, tithe of our income. Ten percent (10%) of every dollar we receive in our general offerings goes into a separate checking account to be distributed by the missions team. The purpose for this is simply to honor God as the source of all our resources.
We also want encourage all of our members to be tithers as well. While this would obviously bless the church, the greater benefit would be to the individual member. If you are not currently tithing, it will take you to a whole new level spiritually speaking as well as financially.
The second element of our strategy is debt reduction. The wise leadership of the past has provided us wonderful facilities with a manageable amount of debt. Our current mortgage balance is around $480,000. While we have always made our payments, we feel strongly that we need to pay off this debt as quickly as financially feasible.
To that end, we have committed three percent (3%) of every general fund offering to reduce the principal balance of our mortgage. This might not seem to be a big amount, but every dollar paid now saves us a great amount of interest over the length of the loan. Coupled with that commitment is our pledge to never borrow money to pay operational expenses. This is why we have an emergency fund set aside to handle unexpected expenses.
The third element of our strategy is prioritized spending. Our annual budget is divided into two (2) sections. The first section is essential expenses. These are the basic necessary expenditures of the church. These include such things as insurance, mortgage, utilities, and staff salaries. These are fixed expenses that really must be paid.
The second section is what we call discretionary expenses. These are resources we give our ministry coordinators to carry out their individual ministry. While they are somewhat flexible and less time sensitive, they are important. For example, teaching materials are a discretionary expense. Our coordinators work hard to get the greatest value they can out of each and every dollar spent.
The final element of our stewardship strategy is radical generosity. Twice a year, we provide any opportunity to outrageously give to God through a special Sunday offering. Our first special offering of the year is taken on Easter Sunday. This is dedicated to special purpose or project. This year's offering was used to replace our outside playground equipment. We received over $12,000 on that day.
The second special offering is taken on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. All the funds received go into our benevolence ministry called "My Brother's Keeper". These funds are combined with proceeds from our garage sales and the Pay Less gift card program to help those with financial needs. We have expanded the program to provide assistance to both non-members and members of Crossroads.
Just like the legs of a table, these four elements provide a solid foundation for our stewardship. However every member of Crossroads has a critical role to play. Unless everyone does their best to become effective stewards of what God has given them, we will not have the proper amount of resources to operate effectively. We have provided tools to help you manage your giving to the church. One of those tools is online access to your giving record. Once you enroll, you can check your giving at anytime, print a statement, and even set up automatic drafting of your giving.
I especially like this feature of online giving and highly recommend it. Never again do I have to remember to write out a check before leaving for church. All I had to do was set up how much I wanted to give and how often I wanted to give it. Dave Ramsey calls this "automated discipline". It also benefits the church as well because there is no paper check to mess with and take to bank. My giving record is updated automatically and the funds instantly available to be used.
If you ever have a question about your giving, contact Stephanie Guinn. If you have any questions about our stewardship strategy, feel free to ask me or one of the elders.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Laying on of Hands
A few Sundays ago, I had the privilege of ordaining three men as elders of Crossroads Christian Church. To my knowledge, this is the first time any elders have been actually ordained by our church. Some of you may be wondering why this is. Fundamentally, the answer is this is what the Bible teaches we ought to do. God, in His wisdom, created a form of church government that provides a "check and balance" system between the elders and the evangelist. In His structure, the evangelist ordains the elders of the church. This insures that the elders are Biblically qualified and not just popular men in the church.
The evangelist is also the person to whom accusations against elders are taken. This is why Paul warns the evangelist Timothy, "Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove before everyone, so that the others may take warning." (1 Timothy 5:19-20) This kind of accountability is vital to a healthy church.
We will be having another "first" here at Crossroads the last Sunday of this month. Our new elders will be ordaining David Nance as an evangelist. He has been working with me for last two years as well as doing in-depth Biblical studies. This is an important moment in development in a congregation.
Please be in prayer for all these men as God uses them to grow his kingdom.
The evangelist is also the person to whom accusations against elders are taken. This is why Paul warns the evangelist Timothy, "Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove before everyone, so that the others may take warning." (1 Timothy 5:19-20) This kind of accountability is vital to a healthy church.
We will be having another "first" here at Crossroads the last Sunday of this month. Our new elders will be ordaining David Nance as an evangelist. He has been working with me for last two years as well as doing in-depth Biblical studies. This is an important moment in development in a congregation.
Please be in prayer for all these men as God uses them to grow his kingdom.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
What's happening!
I have often said that when I preach my sermon, it is as much for me as anyone. Lately I have been clinging to the concept that God is in control of everything. My life has been a bit crazy, to say the least.
Let me organize this by age. My oldest son, Mitchell, is getting married in October. His wife to be is a wonderful woman and we could not be happier for them. However, as those of you who have married off a child know, this event requires some planning. Even the father of the Groom has responsibilities.
My second son, Miles, decided back in July that life would be much happier living in Tennessee. When we went down for vacation, he stayed on. It has been difficult finding a job, but he has one now. The next step is finding an apartment he can afford that allows pets. His dog is starting to get on my nerves.
Our daughter, Megan, is going to graduate school in Connecticut. She is a brave independent soul. It is the best school for what she wants to study. Of course I have to make arrangements to get her home for the wedding next month.
If nothing else, this is going to be an interesting year both personally and professionally. I trust that God has a handle on it, even when I feel like I am losing my grip.
Let me organize this by age. My oldest son, Mitchell, is getting married in October. His wife to be is a wonderful woman and we could not be happier for them. However, as those of you who have married off a child know, this event requires some planning. Even the father of the Groom has responsibilities.
My second son, Miles, decided back in July that life would be much happier living in Tennessee. When we went down for vacation, he stayed on. It has been difficult finding a job, but he has one now. The next step is finding an apartment he can afford that allows pets. His dog is starting to get on my nerves.
Our daughter, Megan, is going to graduate school in Connecticut. She is a brave independent soul. It is the best school for what she wants to study. Of course I have to make arrangements to get her home for the wedding next month.
If nothing else, this is going to be an interesting year both personally and professionally. I trust that God has a handle on it, even when I feel like I am losing my grip.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Congregational Meeting Results
Yesterday we had the first of our two annual meetings. All of the candidates for elder and ministry coordinator were approved. We will be doing the ordination of the elders on September 11th, rather than the next Sunday since it is a holiday weekend.
One thing that was mentioned by several of the ministry coordinators at the meeting was the need for more volunteers to serve in their ministries. From seniors to children, we need more people to get involved in ministry. There is always an opportunity to serve available at Crossroads. If you are not actively serving now, let me know, and I will give some suggestions.
I am hoping that we will see more folks in church now that summer is over and school is back in session. We have had a great number of guests each Sunday, but our some of our members have been missing. Some of this has been vacations and such. Some of it has been by neglect. If you have missed church, you have been missing some great stuff.
I want to commend Dawn Nance and the worship arts ministry for their dedication and hard work. I have really enjoyed the services, especially the new music blended with the old hymns. I continue to hear lots of compliments from guests about the quality of our services.
A few weeks ago, we highlighted our children’s ministries in the morning service. MaryAnne Duff is currently serving as our children’s minister. She oversees our Kidmo, Little K, and Special K programs as well as nursery. She is currently looking for someone to direct the nursery program. If you are interested in either serving in or leading the nursery ministry, contact her (maryanneduff@hotmail.com 532-1303).
Finally, on Sunday, September 25th, we will be ordaining our first “Timothy”. Dave Nance will have completed his formal internship with our congregation. He and I have been working closely both on his educational development as well as professional development. Scott Thatcher who served as an elder here, will be returning to participate in this important event.
Dave plans to continue serving as associate minister on a volunteer basis. We will be looking around though, for an opportunity for him to serve as an interim minister somewhere in community in order to get him some experience on his own. He has blessed our congregation immensely through his ministry as both Student minister and associate minister. Please make every effort to be there to support him in this important achievement.
One thing that was mentioned by several of the ministry coordinators at the meeting was the need for more volunteers to serve in their ministries. From seniors to children, we need more people to get involved in ministry. There is always an opportunity to serve available at Crossroads. If you are not actively serving now, let me know, and I will give some suggestions.
I am hoping that we will see more folks in church now that summer is over and school is back in session. We have had a great number of guests each Sunday, but our some of our members have been missing. Some of this has been vacations and such. Some of it has been by neglect. If you have missed church, you have been missing some great stuff.
I want to commend Dawn Nance and the worship arts ministry for their dedication and hard work. I have really enjoyed the services, especially the new music blended with the old hymns. I continue to hear lots of compliments from guests about the quality of our services.
A few weeks ago, we highlighted our children’s ministries in the morning service. MaryAnne Duff is currently serving as our children’s minister. She oversees our Kidmo, Little K, and Special K programs as well as nursery. She is currently looking for someone to direct the nursery program. If you are interested in either serving in or leading the nursery ministry, contact her (maryanneduff@hotmail.com 532-1303).
Finally, on Sunday, September 25th, we will be ordaining our first “Timothy”. Dave Nance will have completed his formal internship with our congregation. He and I have been working closely both on his educational development as well as professional development. Scott Thatcher who served as an elder here, will be returning to participate in this important event.
Dave plans to continue serving as associate minister on a volunteer basis. We will be looking around though, for an opportunity for him to serve as an interim minister somewhere in community in order to get him some experience on his own. He has blessed our congregation immensely through his ministry as both Student minister and associate minister. Please make every effort to be there to support him in this important achievement.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
What's been happpening!
It seems like forever since I posted a new blog. The reason is that it has been a very long time. I must confess that blogging has not been high on my priority list. Lots has been going and is still going on. Having said that, however, I have decided that I am going to post every Monday from now on. Lord willing!
I know the departure of Tyler from our staff in one subject that I have not really addressed. His reasons are his own so I won’t comment on them. What I will say is that Crossroads was blessed to have him serving with us. I can only hope that he and Torie have been equally blessed by their time ministry here. I know that we all pray that God uses them in whatever congregation they choose to serve.
With Tyler’s departure, the management team hired MaryAnne Duff to serve as our children’s minister and Raf Caudillo as our student minister. Both are part-time positions and cost us less than half of what we were planning on paying Tyler to continue with us. This is a needed savings since our offerings are still falling consistently below our projected budget.
I am really pleased that we are now able to offer our members both online access to their giving records, and the ability to give online. I have personally set up my tithing online. It helps me to more disciplined and consistent. I don’t have to think about writing a check.
I cannot encourage you enough to sign up for this service. It makes life a lot easier for our financial secretary, Stephanie Guinn. She would have less cash and checks to deal with on any given Sunday. Even if you don’t have internet access, you can still give online. Just fill out the form in the brochure and give it to Stephanie.
There are several very exciting events coming up in the next few months. First, we will be ordaining our new elders on Sunday, September 4th, along with our ministry team coordinators. It has been a while since we have had elders. It will be good to have them again. The three men who are nominated are Ron Holladay, Fred Townsend, and Troy Yeoman. They have my full support.
Another exciting event is opening of the film, “Courageous” here in Lafayette on Friday, September 30th. This is a great film that will both entertain and inspire you. We are planning on making an evening of it. We will be providing childcare at the church.
Finally, we will gathering with the Elmwood Church of Christ, First Christian Church, and West Lafayette Christian Church for a joint worship service at the Long Center. Ever since we began doing this with the Great Communion two years ago, it has been a tremendous time of sharing and worship. It is my honor to bring the message this year.
I am excited about where Crossroads is headed. We have a great staff, a new leadership, and a very engaged team of ministry coordinators. Please be praying that God will continue to bless our congregation as we seek to do His Will.
I know the departure of Tyler from our staff in one subject that I have not really addressed. His reasons are his own so I won’t comment on them. What I will say is that Crossroads was blessed to have him serving with us. I can only hope that he and Torie have been equally blessed by their time ministry here. I know that we all pray that God uses them in whatever congregation they choose to serve.
With Tyler’s departure, the management team hired MaryAnne Duff to serve as our children’s minister and Raf Caudillo as our student minister. Both are part-time positions and cost us less than half of what we were planning on paying Tyler to continue with us. This is a needed savings since our offerings are still falling consistently below our projected budget.
I am really pleased that we are now able to offer our members both online access to their giving records, and the ability to give online. I have personally set up my tithing online. It helps me to more disciplined and consistent. I don’t have to think about writing a check.
I cannot encourage you enough to sign up for this service. It makes life a lot easier for our financial secretary, Stephanie Guinn. She would have less cash and checks to deal with on any given Sunday. Even if you don’t have internet access, you can still give online. Just fill out the form in the brochure and give it to Stephanie.
There are several very exciting events coming up in the next few months. First, we will be ordaining our new elders on Sunday, September 4th, along with our ministry team coordinators. It has been a while since we have had elders. It will be good to have them again. The three men who are nominated are Ron Holladay, Fred Townsend, and Troy Yeoman. They have my full support.
Another exciting event is opening of the film, “Courageous” here in Lafayette on Friday, September 30th. This is a great film that will both entertain and inspire you. We are planning on making an evening of it. We will be providing childcare at the church.
Finally, we will gathering with the Elmwood Church of Christ, First Christian Church, and West Lafayette Christian Church for a joint worship service at the Long Center. Ever since we began doing this with the Great Communion two years ago, it has been a tremendous time of sharing and worship. It is my honor to bring the message this year.
I am excited about where Crossroads is headed. We have a great staff, a new leadership, and a very engaged team of ministry coordinators. Please be praying that God will continue to bless our congregation as we seek to do His Will.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Important Announcement
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
At the last management team meeting, the decision was made that, as of July 1st of this year, Tyler Brooks will be working part-time for Crossroads and his salary will be reduced to $300 per week. His responsibilities will also be reduced to serving as our youth minister and only working with our middle school and high school students. This was not an easy decision, but one that was unanimously supported by everyone, including Tyler himself.
This is NOT punitive or performance related in anyway. It is simply a matter of being financially responsible. The current economic climate has affected many, including those in our congregation as well. Our weekly offerings simply will not allow us to continue with TWO fulltime employees and keep our commitments to tithe and reduce our debt. Since January 1st, we have been running a deficit that cannot continue.
Tyler will be seeking fulltime employment in the community and we ask that you keep him in your prayers. It would be a tremendous blessing if he could secure a job that provides, at least, access to group health insurance. This is especially needed with a child on the way.
The management team is committed to assisting Tyler as much as possible during this transition. We appreciate greatly his commitment to continue serving at Crossroads at this time. It was also decided we would use any funds remaining from the Easter offering after the playground was constructed to restore our general and emergency fund to their proper levels.
We strongly encourage you to pray for God to bless us in special way this Easter Sunday.
Working Together for His Glory,
Crossroads Christian Church Management Team
At the last management team meeting, the decision was made that, as of July 1st of this year, Tyler Brooks will be working part-time for Crossroads and his salary will be reduced to $300 per week. His responsibilities will also be reduced to serving as our youth minister and only working with our middle school and high school students. This was not an easy decision, but one that was unanimously supported by everyone, including Tyler himself.
This is NOT punitive or performance related in anyway. It is simply a matter of being financially responsible. The current economic climate has affected many, including those in our congregation as well. Our weekly offerings simply will not allow us to continue with TWO fulltime employees and keep our commitments to tithe and reduce our debt. Since January 1st, we have been running a deficit that cannot continue.
Tyler will be seeking fulltime employment in the community and we ask that you keep him in your prayers. It would be a tremendous blessing if he could secure a job that provides, at least, access to group health insurance. This is especially needed with a child on the way.
The management team is committed to assisting Tyler as much as possible during this transition. We appreciate greatly his commitment to continue serving at Crossroads at this time. It was also decided we would use any funds remaining from the Easter offering after the playground was constructed to restore our general and emergency fund to their proper levels.
We strongly encourage you to pray for God to bless us in special way this Easter Sunday.
Working Together for His Glory,
Crossroads Christian Church Management Team
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Special Easter Offering
At 12:01a.m. on Friday, April 1st, I will again be fasting and praying about our special Easter offering. My objective is to fast one day for every one thousand dollars of our goal. As you know, our goal is $15,000, to be used to replace our current playground with a new and safer one. Last year, I fasted for twelve (12) days, which is the longest I have ever fasted. While we did receive a great offering, we fell short of our goal of $15,000.
I must confess I am somewhat concerned about this year's goal being reached. Now I know that God is in control and that anything is possible with Him. I have every confidence that HE will be able to help me make the whole fifteen (15) days of fasting. What fuels my concerns is our current shortfall in meeting our weekly budget. As I write this, we are currently over $500 under budget in our weekly giving, which translates to over a $6,000 budget deficit. This is nearly half of our discretionary budget for the entire year and we are only in the first quarter.
Over the last few years, we have pursued a simple, consistent stewardship strategy. We are committed to following priorities: 1) give 10% (a tithe) to missions, of every dollar we receive in general offerings; 2) take 3% of every dollar we receive and make additional principal payments on our mortgage, which is presently just under a half million dollars; and 3) fund our budget with fifty (50) weeks of offerings, and have two (2) special offerings each year. We have one special offering the Sunday before Thanksgiving to fund our benevolence ministry, My Brother’s Keeper. The second offering is on Easter Sunday to fund special projects, like the playground renovation.
Another important aspect of our stewardship strategy is that we divide our annual budget into two sections -- essential and discretionary. We can only spend money on discretionary expenses if our essential expenses are covered. Our current weekly offerings are nearly two hundred dollars ($184) per week less than our essential expenses. This is unsustainable. If it does not change quickly, it will require that we cut salaries and/or staff.
I do not believe in gimmicks or fancy campaigns when it comes to stewardship. I believe that complete honesty and total disclosure are most important. We will not spend money we do not have. If our weekly offerings do not increase, our expenses MUST decrease. Since there is no fat in our budget, we must cut "muscle," and that means lowering our essential expenses. The single biggest item in the essential expense budget is salaries. These are the facts.
What can we do about it? First, I believe everyone needs to be in prayer. The problem is not that our God lacks the resources. Second, each of us needs to take a serious look at our giving to the church. Since it is tax time, you can easily see if you have been giving as God has blessed you. Third, we each need to be very disciplined about our giving. Oftentimes, people forget that when they are not in church, our expenses go on. This is why soon we will be introducing online giving where you can set up an automatic draft from your checking account for your giving.
These are hard financial times. The economic situation of our nation has increased all of our costs, personally and congregationally. Yet, I believe God is still in control and is greater than all of these circumstances. He will provide the resources if we do our very best and leave the results up to Him. As I fast, I will be praying, not only for our special offering, but for each and every household in our congregation. I will also be asking for wisdom for myself, the staff, and the management team as we consider our options over the coming weeks. Please add your prayers to mine as we, together, seek God's blessing.
I must confess I am somewhat concerned about this year's goal being reached. Now I know that God is in control and that anything is possible with Him. I have every confidence that HE will be able to help me make the whole fifteen (15) days of fasting. What fuels my concerns is our current shortfall in meeting our weekly budget. As I write this, we are currently over $500 under budget in our weekly giving, which translates to over a $6,000 budget deficit. This is nearly half of our discretionary budget for the entire year and we are only in the first quarter.
Over the last few years, we have pursued a simple, consistent stewardship strategy. We are committed to following priorities: 1) give 10% (a tithe) to missions, of every dollar we receive in general offerings; 2) take 3% of every dollar we receive and make additional principal payments on our mortgage, which is presently just under a half million dollars; and 3) fund our budget with fifty (50) weeks of offerings, and have two (2) special offerings each year. We have one special offering the Sunday before Thanksgiving to fund our benevolence ministry, My Brother’s Keeper. The second offering is on Easter Sunday to fund special projects, like the playground renovation.
Another important aspect of our stewardship strategy is that we divide our annual budget into two sections -- essential and discretionary. We can only spend money on discretionary expenses if our essential expenses are covered. Our current weekly offerings are nearly two hundred dollars ($184) per week less than our essential expenses. This is unsustainable. If it does not change quickly, it will require that we cut salaries and/or staff.
I do not believe in gimmicks or fancy campaigns when it comes to stewardship. I believe that complete honesty and total disclosure are most important. We will not spend money we do not have. If our weekly offerings do not increase, our expenses MUST decrease. Since there is no fat in our budget, we must cut "muscle," and that means lowering our essential expenses. The single biggest item in the essential expense budget is salaries. These are the facts.
What can we do about it? First, I believe everyone needs to be in prayer. The problem is not that our God lacks the resources. Second, each of us needs to take a serious look at our giving to the church. Since it is tax time, you can easily see if you have been giving as God has blessed you. Third, we each need to be very disciplined about our giving. Oftentimes, people forget that when they are not in church, our expenses go on. This is why soon we will be introducing online giving where you can set up an automatic draft from your checking account for your giving.
These are hard financial times. The economic situation of our nation has increased all of our costs, personally and congregationally. Yet, I believe God is still in control and is greater than all of these circumstances. He will provide the resources if we do our very best and leave the results up to Him. As I fast, I will be praying, not only for our special offering, but for each and every household in our congregation. I will also be asking for wisdom for myself, the staff, and the management team as we consider our options over the coming weeks. Please add your prayers to mine as we, together, seek God's blessing.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Saying good-bye for now
As most of you know, we held a funeral service for Linda Harrold at the church. It was a beautiful service of which I had a small part. The auditorium was filled to capacity. It was a tremendous testament to the impact that Linda had on so many folks in this community.
I was extremely proud on how our folks worked together to provide both the facility and the meal following the service at the cemetery. It was a great blessing to Linda’s family as well as a witness to the community of our congregation’s sense of community.
As I mentioned in my words at the service, I did not really get to know Linda until I started leading the small group she attended at the home of Scott and Melissa Flack. This is incident reinforced in my mind and heart just how essential small group involvement is. As a group, we were able to walk through some difficult times in Linda’s life, and offer encouragement.
This past Sunday was the start up of our small groups. I could not help but think about Linda as we began our group. She will be missed. However, the opportunity for you to be blessed and encourage still exists. If you have not attended a small group, I cannot stress enough how important it is to your spiritual development.
There are three groups and plans for a few more. Our next small group meetings will be Sunday, February 27th at the following locations and times:
4pm – the home of Scott and Melissa Flack
6pm – the home of Jason and Rachel Smith (childcare provided)
6pm – the home of Troy and Kristina Yeoman
There are also plans being made to begin a small group specifically for singles that will launch in March.
Our vision is to become a place where people experience transforming grace in genuine community. Genuine community begins with getting involved in a small group and doing life “together”!
I was extremely proud on how our folks worked together to provide both the facility and the meal following the service at the cemetery. It was a great blessing to Linda’s family as well as a witness to the community of our congregation’s sense of community.
As I mentioned in my words at the service, I did not really get to know Linda until I started leading the small group she attended at the home of Scott and Melissa Flack. This is incident reinforced in my mind and heart just how essential small group involvement is. As a group, we were able to walk through some difficult times in Linda’s life, and offer encouragement.
This past Sunday was the start up of our small groups. I could not help but think about Linda as we began our group. She will be missed. However, the opportunity for you to be blessed and encourage still exists. If you have not attended a small group, I cannot stress enough how important it is to your spiritual development.
There are three groups and plans for a few more. Our next small group meetings will be Sunday, February 27th at the following locations and times:
4pm – the home of Scott and Melissa Flack
6pm – the home of Jason and Rachel Smith (childcare provided)
6pm – the home of Troy and Kristina Yeoman
There are also plans being made to begin a small group specifically for singles that will launch in March.
Our vision is to become a place where people experience transforming grace in genuine community. Genuine community begins with getting involved in a small group and doing life “together”!
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