When we make big decisions in life, it’s godly and wise to get advice and counsel, to talk things through, to pray with others, to ask people to weigh in and journey with us. That’s what community is all about! Proverbs 11:14 says “Where there is no guidance the people fall, but in abundance of counselors there is victory.”
The last step we want to take as a church together before pledging to the Village 2021 campaign (by Sunday, October 15) and giving our financial gifts (by February 28, 2018) is to DISCUSS. Discuss your financial picture and what God has been leading you toward in relation to giving with your spouse ( if you have one), a close friend, a financial advisor, your bank, and/or spiritual mentors. Talking about your whole financial picture as a person or couple (RRSPs, property, stocks, etc.) with one or two trusted friends will help bring clarity around your gift.
One of the most amazing gifts God gives to us as human beings is other people — people we can laugh with, pray with, cry with, journey through the ups and downs of life with, and even plan and share with around financial investments we want to make in life. And this is all about an investment. This is not so much about giving your finances away (though it is that of course) as much as it is about investing your finances. An investment is something that has increased value (one hopes!) over time, and something we reap benefit from as well personally. Giving to this project is both of those things, spiritual, yes, but also practically, as we will all see and feel the benefit to our lives and the lives of our friends and family for decades to come.
I’m excited about what God has in store for us as a church as we go into this amazing season of opportunity.