What if we prayed, "God, move in the hearts and minds of your people to support your work," instead of getting up on Sunday morning and offering different verses and personal stories to incentivize the congregation to give monetarily? Could we believe on God to move their hearts? Our hearts? Is our plea to give furthering the work of God in their hearts? Outward motivation is often the catalyst for inward change. Is this one of those places?
God hardened king Saul's heart. God hardened the heart of Pharoah, king of Egypt. Jesus opened the minds of his disciples to receive all that He had taught them. God worked in the heart of Cyrus, ruler of the Persian empire, to allow Jews to return to Jerusalem. It's obvious God is quite capable of softening/hardening and molding hearts and minds.
In some ways I think we do a great job of trusting God to do the work in people's lives, but in other ways we kinda suck at it. Only God can make internal change. Do we have the faith to rely on Him to do it? Or do we try to ensure the right result ourselves?
What if we met as leaders and prayed for church finances? I know we all pray for finances already. But do we pray asking, hoping that God will help people to give? Or do we pray knowing that God can and will move in the people's hearts. God is after much more than funding His church. He is after the heart of every person who walks through the door. I hope I'm not coming off too strongly here. It's just God is not losing any sleep over church finances. He is all about the heart. The church exists for the heart. Tithes exist to reach the heart. How many thousands or millions of people have been turned away from things of God because the call for money was louder than the love? Or maybe it wasn't louder but it was heard first. What if we prayed believing that God will supply the needs, then simply announed where to place the offerings and let God and the people do the rest. I know this sounds radical, but we have a radical God. I used to totally disagree with this idea. I thought people needed the bucket/bag passed and to be passionately reminded to give. I didn't understand the power of God. I mean I still only understand a little but I am understanding.
Is it also possible that a church that gives abundantly could also be very unhealthy? That we can do many great things without God being involved? Sure it is. We move without God a lot.
Would we rather have the blessing of God or the blessing of manna? God is not against money. There is no set relationship between God and money or faith and money. One church may never ask for funds and have more than enough and another barely any. Or the opposite of course is true, with regard to reminding or even begging members to give.
So it is not truly a question of how we facilitate gettings funds for the church. It is about our faith in God. Do we trust Him to provide? I know we say we do but do we really?
Could we believe so radically that it doesn't matter if our church is funded? Can we be so desperately latched to God that we don't concern ourselves with such things? We follow God's purpose, His heart, and He always is enough?
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