This morning I woke up to an email from our church financial secretary. She was updating me and a few others on the totals for Graefenburg Baptist Church’s “Christ for the World Offering.” A little background. . . .
GBC has an annual offering during the season of Advent called “Christ for the World.” As you might expect, this is a missions offering with every penny being used to support Great Commission causes all over the world. The total offering collected is divided into these percentages: Â 75% to Lottie Moon (International Missions), 15% to Eliza Broadus (Kentucky Missions), 5% to a local Shelby County ministry, and 5% stays at GBC for our Acts 1:8 Team to use on mission opportunities.
How does a pastor walk the line between thanksgiving and pride? Between encouraging church members for a job well done without sending a “you can stop working now” message? One option is simply to say nothing. That would take care of both the pride and motivation issue. But I don’t think that is very pastoral. I think church members need to occasionally hear how they have been a faithful blessing.
So, this morning I woke up to an email from our church financial secretary. You see, our Christ for the World offering goal is well beyond what a church our size “should” set. Well beyond. To look at our goal is to think, “if they only meet half that goal, they will still be giving in amazing ways.” After reading this email from the financial secretary this morning, I was reminded of what I had received in the mail just a couple of months before. I received a few certificates from the North American Mission Board and the International Mission Board about our missions giving in 2014.
What about that email from the church financial secretary? Well, she was letting me know that over the course of the month we have already raised 92% of our CFTW goal. And for that, I say “thank you” to all our church members and regular attenders. Your commitment to the Great Commission is overwhelming. But, I also say to you, “we haven’t met our goal yet!” There is still work to do.
I want the Lord to keep me from pride. But if there was ever an area where the temptation to be prideful was so sweet, it is in the bragging on my church family for this commitment to their church life. Keep it up.
Soli Deo Gloria!
