Challenged and almost quenched by scandal, money is a topic that is taboo to most preachers, yet being generous not only with our love, but with our money is in the DNA of the church.
The early church was amazingly different than the pagan culture around it. One way in particular was with money. Pagans were known to be very stingy with their money, while the early Christians were known to be very generous with their money.
“Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need…they had favor with all the people.” (Acts 2:44, 47)
Even while persecuting the early church, the Roman Emperor Julian, said this about early church:
“Why do we not observe that it is the Christians’ benevolence to strangers, their care for the graves of the dead, and the pretended holiness of their lives that have done most to decrease atheism. For it is disgraceful that Christians support not only their own poor but ours as well, and all men see that our people lack aid from us.”
Being generous with money is in the DNA of every successful church since the first century. Look back over the history of any church that God has blessed and you’ll find a clear track record of financial generosity. Whether it was paying tithe to establish and maintain the ministry, or sending money to foreign fields, or raising money to build a new facility, or taking special offerings to help a family in need, the people were open-handed with their money.
We need to be aware that what those who have gone before us have given, and what we give now, lives on. Money placed at the apostle’s feet…a basket handed out in a tent meeting…offering plates passed down the pews of a huge sanctuary…the hitting of the “send” button to complete an online gift, all connect us together to something much bigger than ourselves individually, and will live on long after were gone.
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