This week, I'm addressing the issue of giving financial gifts during a bad economy. Any leader of a not-for-profit (NPO) agency will share how the stress increases when donations are down. Every organization needs money to operate, and NPO's get hit first and usually hardest.
In the church world, people who are faithful with their tithes will typically trim other parts of their budgets and leave giving alone. Those, however, who struggle with trusting God in this area will usually cut out giving to the church before anything else.
In larger churches, this will result in a drop in the ability for the churches to minister. In smaller churches, this could be crippling.
Here's a truth you should let sink into your gray matter. God's economy is not based on man's economy. There are countless experiences throughout the course of human history where God provided the resources to His people at the right moment. The only stipulation he ever gave was to give him ten percent of what He already gave us.
One of the most inspiring stories of God's people giving during a tough economy is found in Acts 11:19-30. It is here that we find the church in Antioch. This was a poor church. Likely deeper in poverty than the church in Jerusalem. But, it is here that we find the Christians giving what they could in order to send an offering to help out the Jerusalem church.
It's an incredible scene of compassion. It's a wonderful example of how we should give during our economic troubles. That example being that we should not stop giving, but we should do so faithfully.
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