When You’re In Love

You’ve Got It Bad

When you first fall in love, you do crazy stuff. You stare at your love interest from across the room. You talk on the phone or text with them for hours at a time. You talk about serious subjects, and then turn around and talk about silly stuff. You poke fun at each other. You give each other cute little nicknames. You buy extravagant gifts for them, even when you probably can’t even afford it. You want to spend every available moment with this person even when you should probably be busy doing something else.

You freely give of your time and money to someone you care about because you love them. You will go without; you will sacrifice whatever it takes because of a passionate connection. It’s truly unbelievable what we do when we’re in this estatic state of love.

God Is Crazy In Love With You

This is even true of God’s relationship with us puny human beings! He created us humans back in the Garden of Eden in order to have an intimate relationship with us. But then we messed the whole thing up. Through our great-great ancestors, Adam and Eve, we all inherited our sin nature. We erected a wall of sin that hindered a connection with our Creator.

God’s Word is His love story for us. Over thousands of years, He has demonstrated this crazy kind of love for us. He has yearned to spend time with us. He has sacrificed for us. He gave His only Son, the second person of the Holy Trinity, as The Way to buy us back to Himself. God through Jesus loved us so much that He gave His very life for us.

Loving Is Giving

Loving through giving cuts against the grain of our sin nature, though. In our sinful, fleshly state, we make love about taking because we are selfish. Sure, when we first fall in love, it’s easier to give because we’re on an emotional high. We’re crazy in love and not thinking straight. But over time, we slip into old patterns. The “high” is gone and we get selfish once again.

When you boil down true, mature, Godly love to its core essence, it’s all about giving. “For God so loved the world that He GAVE…” (John 3:16). When we truly love someone or something, we will give everything we have for them. We sacrifice our time, our energy, and our resources for those we love. Some in this world have even had to lay down their very lives for those that they loved.

Do You Love God?

So, the question that begs to be asked is “how crazy in love with God are you?” Are you seeking to spend time with Him on a regular basis? When you wake up in the morning, are your first thoughts about communing with your Father? Sure, we all have schedules and are busy in our own little worlds. But, we do make time for those who truly have our affection. Do you get in the Word on a regular basis? Are you in prayer at regular times throughout the day? Our love for God is evident through how much time we spend with Him.

Finally, are you giving back to God in a crazy, nonsensical way? Are you giving back all your talents and abilities in service to Him? And, are you giving your financial resources back to Him in order to build up His Kingdom? Love God through giving back to Him. He gave His only Son on a cross at Calvary for you.

I Love My Church Day

This Sunday, September 18, all of us have the opportunity to demonstrate our love for God and His church through giving a special offering above our regular tithe and Great Race giving. Your church needs to “catch up” on a $300,000 shortfall in budget giving from the beginning of the year. Please pray for our church as well as your part in a special love gift this week.

Let’s all demonstrate together how much we love God and our church through giving generously to His Kingdom work.

Giving is a test of the sincerity of our love

A Special Offering For Poor Christians In Jerusalem

In a few of the Apostle Paul’s letters to various churches, we read about the taking up of a special offering to help the poor Christians in Jerusalem who have faced persecution for their faith in Christ. In Romans 15:25-27, we read of Paul’s account that he gave to the church at Rome:

Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the Lord’s people there. For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the Lord’s people in Jerusalem. They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings.

Paul had a burden for these poor believers living in the city of Jerusalem. As an itinerant preacher and missionary to the Gentiles throughout the Roman Empire, Paul knew that there was money and resources available in other, more affluent parts of the Roman Empire among the Gentile believers. He appealed to these Gentile converts to give generously in order to help their fellow Jewish brothers in the Lord.

Generosity Encouraged Through Example

In 2 Corinthians 8, we read of the Apostle Paul encouraging the Corinthian church to also be generous givers. He gives this church the same example that he gave to the Romans – the churches of Macedonia.

And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us (2 Corinthians 8:1-5).

The example of the churches in Macedonia is a powerful one for three reasons. One, these believers gave generously in spite of their own trials and poverty. Paul doesn’t elaborate on this point, but these churches apparently were not extremely well off themselves, but he mentions that they gave beyond their ability. Two, these churches actually begged Paul for the privilege to give to the saints in Jerusalem. They wanted to be a part of the financial gift that Paul was collecting. And third, these churches exceeded the expectations of those collecting the gift.

A Test of Love

Paul encouraged the Corinthian church to follow the example of the Macedonian churches, but then he issued a new challenge to them in 2 Corinthians 8:6-8,

So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. But since you excel in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you – see that you also excel in this grace of giving. I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others.

The first part of the challenge was to finish the job on taking up a collection for the Jerusalem saints. Titus had already visited the church at Corinth on at least one other occasion to encourage this church to give, but apparently these Corinthian believers had not finished the task. Paul was asking them to complete the collecting of the gift.

The second part of the challenge was to give out of love. Paul tells these believers in Corinth that he is in no way commanding them to give. Rather, he is testing them to see the sincerity of their love. Do you truly love God? Do you truly love the universal church body? Do you love these poor Jewish Christians at the church in Jerusalem?

Paul confronted this church to actually demonstrate their love through giving. He used as an example the determined action of the Macedonian churches. In essence, he tells the Corinthians, “hey, I can really tell that the Macedonian Christians really love God and their brothers and sisters in Christ because they gave a lot in spite of challenging times. Now, I’m testing the sincerity of your love through completing your giving so that we can take this gift to Jerusalem as soon as possible!”

If We Love God And Others, Then We Will Give

Although the purpose of this gift has long passed into the pages of Biblical history, one universal truth still stands. If we love God and if we love others, then we will give. We will give financially to support the ministries of our church. We will give to help those who are less fortunate. We will respond to our church leaders when a need is made known to us.

So, church, let me ask you this one question, today – “Does your giving truly demonstrate how much you love God and His Church, the Body of Christ?” If so, then the evidence of that love should be reflected in our wallets, check books, and bank accounts through generous giving.

A Special Offering For FBR

On I Love My Church Day, Sunday, September 18, all of us have the opportunity to demonstrate our love for God and His church through giving a special offering above our regular tithe and Great Race giving. Your church needs to “catch up” on a $300,000 shortfall in budget giving from the beginning of the year. Please pray for our church as well as your part in a special love gift next month.

Let’s all demonstrate together how much we love God and our church through giving generously to His Kingdom work!

Try It, You Might Like It

Food Issues

I’ll admit it. I have weird food issues. I’ve had them since I was a kid. My family loves to reminisce about my issues with ketchup and mustard on a McDonald’s hamburger when I was like five or six years old. To this day, I can barely stand to go into a McDonald’s during lunch or dinner due to bad smell memories. I know. I’m weird, but I’m OK with that. I like what I like.

In the past, certain people in my life have tried to change me and my issues with food. Sometimes they have been successful, and other times they haven’t. The times they have been successful, I have grown to appreciate a new type of food or even gained a new favorite restaurant.

Just Try It

So, the catch phrase with getting others to try out new food is always, “Just try it. You might like it.” We use it all the time on children and even some adults, like me! It’s always difficult to judge something such as a new food when we haven’t tried it before. My problem is that I judge a lot of foods based on my own previous experiences with similar types of foods. I should do a better job of listening to others’ testimonies about the food rather than jumping to conclusions before I try it for myself.

Experiment With Giving

Giving kind of works the same way. A lot of believers have jumped to conclusions about giving based on negative personal experiences in the past. They just know that they don’t like the idea of giving consistently and sacrificially. They would rather spend that money on other needs and wants in their life. The non-givers and occasional givers haven’t really given the whole giving thing a fair shot. They’ve maybe taken a little nibble, but they haven’t really dived in and really tasted what it’s like to be a regular giver. They need to listen more to the awesome giving stories of others who have stepped out in faith and experienced God’s blessing on their lives as a result.

The most dedicated, consistent, and generous givers started somewhere. Perhaps, they began with placing extra cash from their wallets in the offering plate on Sunday morning. Then, as they grew in their personal financial management and spiritual life, they began to understand the need to grow in their generosity. The key, though, is to get going and growing. Experiment with giving. What do you have to lose, but maybe a few hundred dollars as you try this giving thing out? God has some really cool stuff planned for your life if you will just live out a life of generosity. Try God, try giving, and see what He starts doing in your life as a result!

“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it” (Malachi 3:10).

Are you a marginal, occasional giver? Have you really dived in and experimented with a life of sold-out financial generosity? Why not challenge yourself to 30, 60, or even 90 days of intentional, regular, generous, off-the-top, and proportional giving back to God through the ministries of First Baptist Raytown and see what God does in your life as a result? I can promise you this, you will never be the same person if you do!

Celebrate Generosity | What God Wants For You

The Commitment Card

In week three of our  Celebrate Generosity series, the pastor focused on the need for all of us as a church body to do our part in giving back to God through the ministries of First Baptist Raytown. Our pastor also explained the Celebrate Generosity commitment card that was included in your bulletin. If you missed church last Sunday, then you should receive a commitment card by mail this week.

6 Questions To Ask Yourself

As we consider and pray over our part in expanding God’s Kingdom through the ministries of First Baptist Raytown, the pastor has given us six questions to ask ourselves this week:

1. Is my giving based on reason or revelation?
2. Will my giving stretch my faith?
3. Will my giving demonstrate my love for heaven or earth (Matthew 6:19-21)?
4. Will my giving demonstrate how much I love Jesus (2 Corinthians 8:7-8)?
5. Will my giving require genuine sacrifice (2 Samuel 24:24)?
6. Will my giving express my thanksgiving to my church for all the blessings I have received here?

What God Wants For You

God wants you to grow in your walk with Him and your love for Him. We demonstrate our love for God through surrendering our lives, as well as our bank accounts, to Him. Everything we have is really His to begin with anyway (1 Chronicles 29:11-12).

God is also looking for excellent financial managers (see The Parable of the Bags of Gold in Matthew 25:14-30).  Because everything we have is truly God’s to begin with, He wants to see if He can trust us with even more of His wealth. We demonstrate this trust through walking in faith for His provision, giving back to Him in tithes and offerings, and managing the remaining money based on the principles of wise money management found in Scripture.

Decision Point

This week, the Lord is calling you to a point of decision. Are you going to trust Him or trust in wealth? Are you going to walk by faith in His provision in a tough economy or pull back in fear of an uncertain future? Are you going to demonstrate wise, Bible-based financial management for the Father? God wants all of us to move up in our generosity for 2011.

Prayerfully consider what God would have you do in this final week of Celebrate Generosity. Then, fill out your commitment card, sign it, and bring it with you to church this Sunday, November 21. If you are unable to attend church this week, then you can bring your card and drop it in the offering plate on the following Sunday, November 28. Or, you can just simply mail your card to: First Baptist Raytown, Finance Office, 10500 E 350 Hwy., Raytown, MO 64138.

Celebrate Generosity Using “Check Us Out” Cards

I have a quick idea to share with you today as you Celebrate Generosity with us here in the month of November.

Over a month ago, I went through my own personal 10 Day Giving Challenge. This was sort of the birthplace for our current Celebrate Generosity series and 30 Day Challenge. Anyway, as part of my 10 Day Give, I came up with the idea of utilizing our “Check Us Out” cards that we’ve been using during our One campaign and combining these with extra large tips (around 50%) at restaurants. I was not only able to bless my servers with additional financial blessings, but also invite my servers to come check out our church.

I know that many of us leave church on Sunday afternoons and eat out for Sunday lunch at various restaurants throughout the Kansas City metro area. How awesome would it be if hundreds of us were spreading generosity and church invitations all across the city the next few weeks?

So, I would just encourage you to grab some extra cash from your bank account and a few of the “Check Us Out” cards this week and share the love of Christ through generosity and an invitation to our church. You will be a blessing to others and be blessed yourself through the process.

Celebrate Generosity | What is tithing?

Reasons to Tithe

This past Sunday, our pastor kicked off our Celebrate Generosity series by discussing the 10 reasons he is a tither. If you missed his sermon, Here’s a listing of his 10 Reasons to Tithe:

1. Fear. (see Malachi 3:8-9), “You are under a curse…”
2. Blessing. (see Malachi 3:10-12), “I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in…”
3. Need. (see Malachi 3:10), “…so there will be enough food in my temple.”
4. Investment. (see Matthew 6:19-20), “Store your treasures in heaven…”
5. Obedience. (see 1 Peter 1:14), “Obey God because you are His children…”
6. Integrity. (see Malachi 3:8), “You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me.”
7. Satisfaction. (see Psalm 17:15), “…in righteousness…I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.” See also Proverbs 11:25.
8. Gratitude. (see Luke 17:17, “Jesus asked, ‘Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine?’”
9. Duty. (see Ecclesiastes 12:13), “Fear God and obey His commands, for this is the duty of every person.”
10. Love. (see John 14:15), “If you love me, obey my commandments.”

But, What Is Tithing?

Tithing is one of those “churchy” words, but what is it exactly, anyway? Dictionary.com defines the word tithe as:

the tenth part of personal income set apart as an offering to God or for works of mercy, or the same amount regarded as an obligation or tax for the support of the church, priesthood, or the like.

According to God’s Word, the concept of the tithe simply means giving 10% back to God from all of your income sources whether it be your job, your spouse’s job, second jobs, side work, income from a small business, or investment income. As a church body, we believe God has instructed us to give at least a minimum of 10% of our income back to Him in order to advance His Kingdom through the ministries of our church.

Old Testament Teaching on the Tithe

Tithing is first mentioned in Genesis 14:18-20,

Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was a priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

This particular event between Melchizedek and Abraham occurred more than 600 years before the Law was established by God for the nation of Israel. Apparently, there had been some type of precedent established by God to give a tithe (10%) of His blessings.

Next in the Old Testament, we see that God established the percentage giving of 10% in Jewish Law in Leviticus 27:30,

A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord.

The Israelites often failed at giving back to God what He had asked them to give. Near the end of the Old Testament, we see God reminding the Jewish people of their failure to keep the tithe. He also reminds His people of the blessings of obedience in giving. In Malachi 3:8-12 we read,

“Will a man rob God?” Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’ “In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse – the whole nation of you – because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit,” says the LORD Almighty. “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the LORD Almighty.

New Testament Teaching on the Tithe

Once we move from the Old Testament to the New Testament, we see Jesus addressing the tithe in Matthew 23:23,

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices – mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law – justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.”

An interesting point I find here in this passage is that Jesus calls the Pharisees hypocrites because they are so extremely careful to give a tenth of everything they own but fail to administer justice, mercy, and faithfulness. In His view, these character qualities are more important than tithing. But then, He tells the Pharisees that they should have practiced both. Jesus never abolished the giving of the tithe. He still encouraged the practice and viewed it as important.

You Will Never Make Enough Money to Tithe

A popular argument that I hear from many Christians is that “I/we don’t make enough money to give 10%.” My response has always been, “you cannot afford not to give!” Giving 10% is not just for “rich” people. This is a Biblical giving principle that has been around for thousands of years for young and old, rich and poor. The reality is that it’s probably harder for wealthy people to give 10% of $10,000 than it is for less wealthy people to give 10% of $1,000.

The only way you can learn to be more generous is to start where you are TODAY. If you’re making a monthly income of $2,000, than establish a monthly family budget and put God’s tithe of $200 right at the top of your cashflow plan. Then adjust your lifestyle budget issues accordingly. Sometimes the budget numbers aren’t always going to work, but you know what? God’s Economy doesn’t always equal man’s economy. This is when we as believers in Jesus Christ will need to step out in faith and trust God. He has promised to take care of our day-to-day needs.

So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. each day has enough trouble of its own (Matthew 6:31-34).

Honor God first in your finances. Be obedient to His Word. Pray for His provision and blessing. If you need help in your family’s finances, Financial Peace University is a great resource in order to learn how to be a better manager of God’s money He has entrusted to you. Our next class begins on January 23, 2011, and you can attend the first class for FREE. Why not take a test drive on January 23rd and just try it out! If you are interested in registering for our next class, click here to register online or you can visit the registration station in the church lobby.

Celebrate Generosity | 30 Days to a More Generous Life

Jesus Talked About Money

The Gospel of Jesus revolves around money and generosity. In fact, our Lord spoke a lot about money while He lived here on Earth. One out of every seven verses in the first three gospels speaks on the subject of money. One-third (16 of 38) parables that Jesus taught were on the topic of money. Fifteen percent of everything that Jesus said as recorded in the four gospels was about money. He spoke on money twice as much as prayer and faith combined. The Kingdom of God is the only subject that Jesus gave more attention than money.

How We Use Our Money Reflects Our Heart

Why would Jesus spend so much time preaching and teaching on the subject of money? Jesus knows that we all have money issues! He knows that in the world’s culture, money has a strong pull in the life of His followers to become our heart’s primary affection. The American culture repeatedly tells us that we’re not successful unless we have the nice house, a brand new car, trendy clothes, and massive retirement account. As Christians, we get lured into believing and pursuing the great “American dream” instead of pursuing God’s Kingdom.

God wants our hearts. He desires our complete affection. He wants us to be crazy in love with Him, and this is why His Word talks so much about money. He doesn’t want to compete with money and possessions that we have a tendency to set up as a god in our lives. The method through which we demonstrate our love for God above money is generosity.

In 2 Corinthians 8:7, the Apostle Paul writes to the church at Corinth, “But just as you excel in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us – see that you also excel in this grace of giving.” The Lord wants all of us to become excellent in our giving. He wants us to grow and mature in our faith through giving generously back to Him.

A New Sermon Series – Celebrate Generosity

Beginning this Sunday, October 31 through November 21, our pastor will be preaching a new sermon series entitled “Celebrate Generosity.” In this short, four-week series, we will be learning what the Bible says about generosity as well as hearing testimonies from those who have experienced God’s blessing in their lives through the giving of their time, abilities, and finances. Please join with us as we learn more about generosity and discover how to excel in this grace of giving.

The  30 Day Challenge

As a part of the sermon series, we are calling the church to a 30 Day Challenge in order for each of us to grow in our spirit of generosity. Begin looking for opportunities to demonstrate the love of Jesus to others through giving of your time, energy, abilities, and money. As you grow in your generous spirit this month, I know that you will have incredible stories to tell your church family. If you have a generosity story that you would like to share, please email me at ljones@firstbaptistraytown.com. I’m excited to see how God is going to use each one of us in a special way as we bless those around us in the next 30 days.

For a list of 101 Ways to Celebrate Generosity through time, money, energy, and talents click the graphic below.

Click to view

 

Where does all the money go in the summer?

Summer is upon us and we all have plans… travel, rest, sun, fun, friends, family… where do you plan on going?  Most of us in our church family will be gone from our church home at least one weekend this summer if not several. So why it is that most churches in the summer see a decrease in their offerings?  Is it because we are not physically there to place our offering in the plate?  If so, when we return what happens to the money that we don’t give while we are gone?  Did we use it for our vacation because we needed it or felt like we deserved a break?  Does this question make you feel guilt or say that God doesn’t need my money, he owns everything, including the cattle on a thousand hills, what is the big deal for a week or two?

Let’s examine this a little closer. God NEVER in scripture commands that we are to love Him out of guilt or pressure from others. If this is how you give, do you truly know His grace and the preciousness of our Lord Jesus?  I recently listened to a chapel service on 2 Corinthians 9. We see Paul laying out before the Corinthians the need to take up a gift for Christians in Jerusalem. They will send someone out ahead to gather an offering and not collect it when he arrives so it is not out of compulsion or guilt. We have all heard parts of this verse, whoever sows sparingly will reap sparingly and God loves a cheerful giver. Why does Paul say this though?  He wants us to know that we give from the heart. Why do you give your tithe?  Is it out of love for your Savior who has bought you and redeemed you?  Is it because He has given you everything you have, from your house, clothes, food, family, children, entertainment, to the very breath your breathe?

C.H. Spurgeon said that too many people think so little of their Savior because they think so little of their sin. Do you truly understand the depths of your wretchedness and the magnificence of Christ’s atoning work on the cross and his resurrection?  In this we rejoice and worship Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior and give glory to God!!!  How can we do anything but give back?  Not to give thanks for the stuff He has blessed us with but out of love and out of obedience to our Lord. In 1 Corinthians 6 Paul states we have been bought for a price. We are not our own, nor is anything we have. We give back in worship and adoration of our Redeemer, the Sovereign God over all creation. We do not give back because we need to pay church bills, to meet church budgets, or to ensure that ministries at our church will survive. We do not give back because in some way we are paying God back for our salvation, the cost for that is unmeasureable!  We give out of love. God wants us to give back what means the most to us… our money. Sound bad?  It is, but He knows it. Jesus told the rich, young ruler to sell everything to follow Him because that is what was keeping him from following Christ. Jesus wants you to give over to Him what means most to you so that He will mean the most to you.

The pastor has been going through Philippians and the Apostle Paul states the following:

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ (Philippians 3:7-8 ESV)

Everything we have in our American culture that we count as worthy: houses, retirement, jobs, iPhones, HDTVs, vacations, EVERYTHING IS LOSS!  We have Jesus and in Him is everything, our worship is to Him and we give back to Him adoringly and reverently, not out of compulsion or guilt.

King David says in 1 Chronicles he will not give anything if it costs him nothing. It has to cost something to be a sacrifice. That does not mean you have to give a large amount of money, or even that you give twenty dollars. It means you give sacrificially out of your heart. The widow gave pennies compared to everyone else, but Jesus tells us that she gave more. How about that?  If you have five dollars to your name and you lay that five in the plate, the church might never know who you are and what you gave or that it looks consistent. But in reality Jesus tells us you gave more than the couple sitting next to you who just wrote a two hundred dollar check and have plenty. The other churches in 2 Corinthians 8 had given beyond their means out of joy and by the grace which God blessed them with to be an offering the church in Jerusalem much needed.

So this summer, examine why you give and what you give and see if there is truly any sacrifice to your giving and see where your most important things are. And then, let it become regular practice that if you give weekly, bi-weekly or monthly, that you are giving from the heart cheerfully and sacrificially.

– written by Sam Walker

Finding my +5

When I sit down to do my budget each month, pretty much every penny is spoken for between rent, utilities, phone, groceries, gas, and my  tithe. Whatever small amount is left is my fun money. I use it for going to the movies, eating out, etc. So when I met with leadership team  to talk about promoting +5, I was thinking, “There is no way I could squeeze anything more out of my paycheck.” Then it hit me:

What would happen if I didn’t get my whole paycheck on payday?

If I didn’t get my full paycheck I’d have to start deciding what I would have to eliminate from my budget. Would it be food? What about gas for my car? Maybe I could live without electricity. Or should I stop giving to the church? I can’t cut anything out. Everything is essential.

The same thing happens when our church doesn’t receive enough to fill our weekly budget. It takes $81,730 a week to support the ministries of First Baptist Raytown. If we fall behind, what can we cut out? Children’s ministry? Student ministry? Missions? Lights in the Worship Center? Bible study? Vacation Bible School? Recreation ministry? Nursery? Staff to oversee ministries? Music? All of these things play an integral role in the ministry of First Baptist Raytown, and without my +5 and your +5, they won’t be possible.

With that in mind, I found my +5 in my budget. Take time to find your +5.

National Financial Planning Week

If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
1 Timothy 5:8, NIV

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ “ Matthew 25:23

October 5-11 has been declared as National Financial Planning Week. Of all people, those of us that claim the name of Christ need to have a solid financial plan in place in order to be excellent managers of the finances God has provided for us. It’s really His money anyway, right?

In Financial Peace University, Dave Ramsey lays out one of the best beginning financial planning forms that I have seen to date. Here’s a breakdown of the details on this form:

14 Major Components of a Healthy Financial Plan

1. Written Cash Flow Plan. This is the dreaded “B” word – budget. You need to have a detailed written, monthly cash flow plan in order to get the most leverage out of the money the Lord has provided for you and your family. This is the beginning of good, Godly, Biblical stewardship. Both spouses need to be in unity on this plan in order for it to work. Be sure to spit-shake and pinky-swear that you will stick with your budget!

2. Charitable Giving. In order to be financially healthy, you need to release your grip on money and give some of it away. The starting point for Biblically-based charitable giving is tithing to your church on a regular basis. A tithe is simply 10% of your income. If you are not currently giving at least a tithe to your church, develop a plan to reach 10% as soon as possible. Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:6-8, NIV)

3. Will and/or Estate Plan. You need a will. You don’t want the state deciding what will happen with your assets. If you have a young family, you definitely don’t want the state deciding who is going to get your children if both you and your spouse pass away, unexpectedly. If you are older, you want to be sure that your money and assets are legally directed to the institutions and people you desire to receive them when you pass away: your church, other charities, and your family. You can purchase legal forms online or consult an attorney. Be sure your will is state specific.

4. Debt Reduction Plan. If you’re in debt, it’s time to formulate a strategy to get out! Debt is bad for a healthy financial plan. A detailed cash flow plan, the envelope system, and the debt snowball method are great tools to enable you to get out of debt as quickly as possible.

5. Tax Reduction Plan. If you’re young, stay on top of the political landscape and vote for candidates and policies that keep taxes low. If God has blessed you with wealth and/or you are an older adult, you need to consult an attorney for specific legal strategies to avoid costly taxes on your overall estate plan. “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s,” but not anymore than you legally need to pay!

6. Emergency Funding. A fully-funded emergency fund is equal to 3-6 months of family expenses. While you are working your debt snowball, keep a baby emergency fund of $1,000 in savings. Once you you’re out of debt, save up to 3-6 months worth of expense cash into a money market account. It’s important to keep your emergency fund fully liquid.

7. Retirement Funding. Once you are debt free and have a fully-funded emergency fund, it’s time to start investing 10-15% of your income into your 401(k), 403(b), and/or Roth IRA. Be sure to consult your HR department at work regarding employee matching programs.

8. College Funding. Once your retirement funding is underway, you need to start college savings if you have school-age children. 529 college savings plans are a good place to start. You should consult with a competent financial planner before you begin.

9. Teach My Children. If you have children at home, you need to start educating them to be wise money managers. Both Dave Ramsey and Crown Financial Ministries have some great resources to get you started!

10. Life Insurance. This is critically important for young families in case of the accidental death of the primary income earner. The primary income earner of the family should carry a term life policy equal to at least 8-10 times their annual income for 15-20 years. A stay at home mom should carry a term policy as well in case of her own accidental death. The father will need the money in order to provide childcare resources so that he can keep working and providing for his children.

11. Health Insurance. If you don’t have health insurance through your workplace, you need to seek out a good plan that you can purchase, independently. Yes, health insurance is expensive, but if you have a major medical emergency in your family, you will end up financially bankrupt! Unpaid medical bills are the leading cause of personal bankruptcy in the United States. Don’t become a statistic.

12. Disability Insurance. According to the May 2000 Norton Bankruptcy Adviser, 326,441 families that filed for bankruptcy protection in 1999 identified an illness or injury in their family as the major reason for the bankruptcy. That means 1 in 4 debtors in 1999 were attributed to a disability. Still not concerned? According to the US Housing and Home Finance Agency only 3% of home mortgage foreclosures are due to a death of the breadwinner. 48% of all foreclosures are due to a disability. So what do you think is more important during your working years, life or disability insurance? Disability insurance truly is a foundation product, it is the foundation of any solid financial plan [Source: About-disability-insurance.com].

13. Auto Insurance. If you own a vehicle, you must have auto insurance in order to legal operate it. Take this week to review your policy and make sure that you have the proper coverage. Also, if you’re not happy with your current rates, go online and make a few phone calls to see if you can get a better deal.

14. Homeowner’s or Renter’s Insurance. Fires, tornadoes, floods, and theft strike without warning. Be sure you have the proper coverage to replace your home and belongings.

This is a handy checklist to make sure you are being a wise money manager and provider for your family. Refer to it regularly and be sure that you have things happening in each of these areas.

- written by Larry Jones, Stewardship Pastor