This blog entry is directed towards anyone who calls themselves a Christian.
Ready? Come along on this journey of words with me…
Let’s say you are a manager at “superstore” and I am coming into your store today. I walk in and I am welcomed by a greeter. I stop by the electronics area and watch some tv, I am comparing them of course, but I will say that they all look great. I take a stroll around the store looking at different items and along the way I am trying just about every sample, after all they are there for me to try – correct? As I walk around, I run into several helpful people that offer to give me help if needed and direct me to the areas I am looking for. I do stop by the desk, I have some questions about membership and curious about a few other things I have seen so I spend some time here with these nice people. Now before I leave, I do need to stop by the restroom, grab one more sample of ice cream and on the way out I am offered a free product, I really don’t need it, but I am going to take it – its free!
Now I have a question for you “mr / ms manager” – if I come in every day and never spend any money – WAIT, what if a large portion of people came in and did exactly what I did and never spend money. How long will your store be open? Seriously – how long will your store be open? I am pretty sure we can agree on it will not be open long.

Now, let’s say you do the same at church. What did I just say? Church! You come in Sunday mornings, you grab a coffee and a baked good, both are free and there for you to have. You have some questions, so you stop at the welcome desk, you sign your children in for childrens ministry (free childcare.) Head into the service where you will get some very powerful, uplifting music and then receive knowledge in the form of a sermon. During the service there is an opportunity to give, but you have never done this so once again you pass that bucket to the person next to you and just go about listening to the music.
So now I have a question for “mr/ms Christian” – how long do you think your church will continue to be open? This one is a bit harder to see – so I will help walk you further in this one. The store is easy to understand, stores sell products and the money made pays employees, power bills, rent, mortgages, etc. What about the church? Have you ever thought about how the pastor gets paid, or who pays the mortgage, utilities or rent? What about those free coffees and treats? Do you honestly believe that your church will be able to stay open if the majority of “you” and your friends aren’t giving to the church?
The following will not be liked by some, but I am being brutally honest. Ready? The church does have a “product” – Jesus! The thing is we aren’t selling off shares to him or the church. He is FREE to have if you are willing to make the commitment to accepting Him as your Lord and Savior. But here is the thing – if you accept Him and your life changes in amazing ways, but you tell no one else about Him – how will others get to hear about Him? You probably are saying church like you did. But what if that church isn’t there anymore? The year 2014 showed over 4000 churches closed! There is one currently closing in my area and another has decided to not build a new campus due to the financial pressure.

This is to NOT guilt you into giving money. This will hopefully help you become aware of 2 things:
1 – Giving / tithing is biblical. See Leviticus 27:30, Numbers 18:26, Deuteronomy 14:24, 2 Chronicles 31:5, James 1:5 & 1 Corinthians 16:2. I am not going to tell you how much to tithe / give – you need to study the scriptures and then ask your pastors about this.
2 – Having a pretty, wrapped Christmas gift that sits on the table year around does nothing for you or anyone else. It cannot “change your life” or bring joy, etc. Because you cannot interact with it, nor can you share the contents with others. So why keep Jesus in your personal box? You chose to accept Christ into your life. Did you know that you are commanded to go share Him with the rest of the world? Matthew 28:19-20 – “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

So now its up to you – will you become a world changer by sharing God with others and seeing them change and do the same and watch it multiply over and over? Will you step out in faith after reading the scriptures about tithing and commit to begin giving to your church, where you will be a part of a church body that is reaching the lost, helping the needy, feeding and helping the poor? Will you help your church by sharing the financial resources that God has provided for you and help plant, build and grow churches?