Questioning or evaluating ideas and systems has always been valued in our tribe.
Sometimes it is needed. At other times, it is our way of rebellion, lack of trust and manipulative control (to name a few).
I want to be a good steward. But first, I want my offering to be an act of worship to God. This is what I can control.
As much as church organizations want to give to organizations committed to missions in national partnerships, I as a church member want more of my local giving to go to missions through the local church and not everything the local church does financially is moving the mission forward.
I choose not to designate my giving to the local church because I'm in community with others and share this responsibility (even though I don't want my offering to go to pay for maintaining and operating a traditional church building for example).
As a community of SBC churches, we may not agree with how all the money is distributed but when we set a precedent of designating our giving we errode our cooperative spirit and the lack of trust we have in one another.
Let's question and debate. Let's define what missions is and is not. Is seminary a missions priority? Are colleges a mission priority? Is NAMB and the IMB mission priorities? Is church planting a mission priority?
But let's also worship God first in our giving, trusting Him to be at work with those who have the responsibility of moving the mission forward with our offering.
Read the article below and leave your opinion..... What do you think?
B21's @jonathanakin shares a blog link and some important questions about the CP - http://ow.ly/2Pyv5
http://ping.fm/TrThL
(Sent via Seesmic http://www.seesmic.com)
The CP is the envy of missionaries and church planters world wide. Not that SBC'ers should take pride in that but there is something to be said for how we finance our missions so our missionaries can focus on the task at hand and not having to come state side every 6 months to raise support.
ReplyDeleteGreat point Andy!
ReplyDeleteFor example, look at the questions Scroggins ask in his article and let's substitute his frame of reference even down to the grassroots level-the local church:
ReplyDeleteHis questions and issues but instead let's substitute wording to frame a different question:
Is it wise for a CHURCH MEMBER to continue to support SCROGGINS LOCAL CHURCH year after year without asking questions about its effectiveness?
Shouldn’t a CHURCH MEMBER give to the missions strategy it finds most compelling and strategic?
Is the CHURCH BUDGET too broad and in need of reform? For example, should CHURCH MEMBERS continue to invest money in a system that supports BELIEFS OR PRACTICES INCONSISTENT WITH THEIR OWN? Or, should CHURCH MEMBERS invest in a “missions” system that doesn’t get the majority of HIS/HER resources into the hands of missionaries?
The most important question that needs to be seriously studied by those who love the SBC and the CP is, “Why are CHURCH MEMBERS giving less to the LOCAL CHURCH?” This is a massive discussion with varied answers and interpretations.