Rob Martin in his book When Money Goes on Mission says that “it travels in the form of financial gifts, carried along in the pockets of those who spend it on the ordinary things of life and ministry, so they can do the extraordinary things God has called them to do.” What a clear picture that is of how all of us can be part of something significant.
He goes on to remind us that “in general, money passing from one person to another is a transaction, nothing more than an exchange of something of value for something of value in return. However, unlike everyday financial transactions, when ministries fundraise and Christians give for the mission of sharing Christ, the true value is eternal, not temporal. The gift is given to encourage a transformative act, a loving action of the gospel, where good gets down to work at the very furthest extension of mission, darkness is penetrated, and those around the world created in His image are delivered from deprivation, injustice, loneliness, and the grip of Satan.”
I don’t know about you, but I want to be part of the expansion of the Kingdom of God here and now. The goal is not to live the American Dream today and go to Heaven someday. The goal is to become all that God created us to be now and to help others find that wholeness that comes through Christ’s transformative power. I am personally returning a portion of what God has blessed me with to support as a first obligation, our local Eastview congregation, then globally, the very significant church planting movement called North India Christian Mission and community wise, the local work of Stability First. I would also like to encourage each of you to think through what you are doing with what God has blessed you with. Together we could really make a Kingdom impact.
Blessings,
Rick