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BHFBC Newsletter - Online |
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| BHFBC Newsletter for March, 2010 |
Pastor's Page |
| “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 saints… 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 8:3-4, 9:7-8 (NIV) Due to the extreme emergency needs of the Haitian earthquake survivors, our church leadership decided to move our annual Samaritan’s Purse offering to January. With very little advance notice, we promoted and received our offering over the last three Sundays in January. In spite of the quick promotion and shorter time span, I was pleasantly surprised to learn from our treasurer the amount that we received. In spite of the challenging economic environment we are experiencing in this part of the nation, we collected more than $830.00 that has gone toward the Samaritan’s Purse Haitian relief ministries! This is in addition to our weekly offering and ongoing special offerings. In addition to Samaritan’s Purse, this congregation has donated to the Souper Bowl of Caring (which funded our Matthew 25 assistance fund and food pantry) and the Kokomo Rescue Mission. I write about these offerings not to boast, but to draw our attention to the encouragement God gives us in His Word. In his second letter to the Corinthian church, Paul wrote about generosity. None of the Christian churches in Paul’s day had very much in the way of prestige or wealth. All of them struggled to make it in the culture in which they had been planted. In spite of this, when some churches heard of the critical plight of some of the other churches, they took steps to do what they could to alleviate the hardships. In 2 Corinthians 8:2, Paul noted that the Macedonian churches gave to the needs of others out of “their extreme poverty.” He went on to write in 9:11, “You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” Shortly before preparing to write this article, I received my regular copy of Imprimis from Hillsdale College. In “The Generosity of America,” Adam Meyerson wrote, “I would briefly like to discuss three reasons why America is the most charitable country on earth. First, we are the most religious people of any leading modern economy. The single most important determinant of charitable giving is active religious faith and observance.” (January 2010. Reprinted by permission from Imprimis, a publication of Hillsdale College.) Mr. Meyerson confirms for the Christian believer what we know from Scripture: “God loves a cheerful giver.” From the depths of God’s great sacrificial love for us, we in turn seek to willingly help and serve others in the name of God. This is encouraging. In 1 Kings 19, we are given the account of the prophet Elijah fleeing from wicked Queen Jezebel who issued orders to have the prophet killed. Elijah was so certain that he was the only man of faith left in Israel that he told the Lord, “The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to the death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.” (1 Kings 19:14) God, however, gave Elijah a different perspective: “Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel – all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him.” (1 Kings 19:18) With so much open animosity toward God on display in our own culture, we can get to feeling a bit like Elijah: isolated, alone, and helpless. We are therefore greatly encouraged when God shows us otherwise as we stand together to share the privilege of helping others in need and who are struggling to overcome a tragedy. God still reserves thousands who willingly and joyfully serve Him. “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.” In Christ, Pastor Chuck |