Historic Decision

There are a number of ways to look at numbers. In fact, I think that it's crazy when Arithmeticians don't, and they use formulas made up entirely of letters and signs...weird. Have you ever seen "Numbers" on CBS. Kinda cool in a hokie, my dad likes the show, way.

Anyway, this week the Oversight board of Severn River Church approved the lived out action to the message that I preached 3 weeks ago. "You Can't Out-give God." Check out the sermons page under multimedia and click to listen Heroes Part 4 (either or both of them.)

We stated in our founding documents that we wanted to give a tenth of our undesignated giving away to support missions in local and international ways. It is a step of faith, but ultimately, I believe, it positions us to receive the blessing of God. Because here's the deal, whether it's your personal tithe or our corporate tithe. Tithing is the blessing. We don't give a tenth so that we can get more money, stuff, happiness, etc. The tithe is the blessing, it's a blessing to give God our faith, and find that we can do more with 90% than we could with 100%.

It's not easy or flippant. As we looked at the financial reports on Tuesday, we saw some good things happening in a two month window. But there is a huge difference ahead of us between budgeted expenses and expected income. Our Partners have been very faithful in their help and support. SRC is doing well as its members are giving over projected income each month. But there is a significant portion of our expenses that still have no income stream to feed them. It would be easy to just hold that tenth for ourselves. To believe that we could do more with 100% than with 90%. But in my own life and in so many that I know we've found that trust and faith is blessing.

Part of trust and faith is prayer, so I'll ask you to keep praying that God will open up other partners to help us, and as you do enjoy the blessing.

--Ben