At the beginning of this year, our church council went through a process of setting a number of goals and priorities for 2022. One of our “North Star” high level goals is to get to the place where every campus is fully resourced for the ministry that God has called us to. This includes a process for engaging volunteers so our ministry areas are fully staffed and a leadership pipeline is developed. It also includes developing facilities and equipment so all campuses have whatever they need to serve effectively. And finally, it includes developing our stewardship and giving to a point where our ministry has the financial resources it needs at all locations.
This final area, reaching the financial goal of being fully funded as a ministry, has been more of a challenge, particularly post covid. To be candid, our weekly giving has not yet reaching a point of matching up with our budgetary needs. If you have been a part of Rock Church for a while, you know that we have never been about guilt laden, heavy handed stewardship campaigns. But sometimes I fear we have allowed the pendulum to swing too far in the other direction, sharing very little about stewardship and finances.
The truth is that stewardship, the faithful administration of our resources, is an important spiritual issue. In fact, to not address giving from a Biblical perspective is to neglect an opportunity for spiritual growth that should be available to all believers. I believe there is great blessing in being a generous steward of God’s good gifts. The Bible has much to say about this and it is essential that from time to time we dig into this topic. So beginning this Sunday we will launch a brief series entitled “The Blessed Life.”
We’ve taken the title of the series from a 21 day devotion that a number of us have recently participate in. So, along with the sermon series, we are inviting everyone to participate in this daily devotion that is available on the Bible App (You Version) . If you have never used the Bible App, in the newsletter this week will be instructions on how to login and participate in this daily devotional. If you don’t have access to online apps and would like to receive the daily devotion in your email, please reply to me and let me know. I will add you to an email list to receive these each day in your inbox.
I’m very excited about his new “mini-series.” God is clear in scripture that there is great blessing for those who are generous with the resources that He has provide. Personally, I have found tithing to be one of the most important spiritual practices of my life, and one of the greatest blessings. This is a teaching that you will not want to miss. God has something great for all of us in it.
I look forward to us being together this week in worship! I love you all.
Pastor Steve