Investing in Eternity

Back in the fall of 2009, The Church of Shelby Crossings was teetering on the brink. We had experienced some pretty serious dysfunction as a church body, and had gone through a transition between pastors. We had lost a lot of members and attenders along the way, and were struggling financially, especially on the heels of the worst recession since the Great Depression. We really didn't know if we would be able to turn things around.

One of the things the leadership of the church recognized was that in the early days of our church we had been too centered on ourselves, which is easy to justify sometimes when you are a new mission church. But the decision was made for the church to begin to give to missions outside of our church walls, trusting that the Lord would honor that sacrifice and provide so that we could pay our own bills and continue our local ministry. To begin with, the church budgeted 10% off the top from all offerings received that would go directly to missions funding.

A Missions Team was chosen, and we began looking for worthy ministries to invest in. That included some people who had come out of our church and were now on the mission field, and others that the Lord led us to come along side and support. And since that time, we have partnered with more than thirty different individuals and organizations, both local and international, in sponsoring gospel-focused ministry outside of our church. That includes traditional missionaries who are taking the gospel to foreign fields, as well as indigenous missionaries who are on the ground in areas that would otherwise be off-limits to foreigners. It includes local ministries that feed the needy and the homeless and "the least of these," and others that support orphans and widows. It also includes pro-life causes, and adoption and foster care.

Along the way, the Lord has abundantly provided for our church's needs, as we have increased our budgeted missions giving to 17% of our undesignated offerings. Through all that, the Lord has blessed our church in ways we could not have imagined. We have purchased all three of our buildings, debt-free, and have been able to continue to provide quality discipleship and ministry to families and to our community.

And as of this past Sunday, March 10, we passed a million dollars in missions giving over these past fourteen and a half years. To be precise, we have now allocated $1,000,386.97 of undesignated offerings to support missions efforts over that time span.

One of the mission organizations that we sponsor sends out a monthly report, like a business, with a "ROI" statement, communicating what the "return on investment" is for donations they have received. They have seen tens of thousands of people won to Christ through their various ministries and church planting efforts around the world, and their figure is something like one lost soul saved for every $9.81 mission dollars spent. That is a unique reaping of a wonderful harvest, for which we are so grateful to be a part. But if you figured even a fraction of that for the million dollars our church has given since 2009, you realize there have been countless lives impacted by the gospel because of our church's investment.

All because we made a decision to step out in faith, and trust God with our finances, and invest in His kingdom instead of our own. He has honored that, and has blessed us "exceedingly abundantly" along the way.

The lessons are obvious, both for us as a church collectively, and for us as individuals and families. For one, we want to make sure that we "lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven," where moth and rust do not destroy. For where our treasure is, there will our heart be also." (Matt. 6:20-21) Our missions giving is an eternal investment in the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20) and the Great Commandment (Matt. 22:37-39) that will pay eternal dividends. So in that light, you can see your giving to our church is a part of a bigger-picture of support for missionaries and ministries near and far. And I hope you are also generous in your personal "investing" in addition to what you give to and through our church.

The second lesson is about what happens when you are willing to trust God with your money, and give to Him "off the top." That's what a tithe is, a 10% of the "first fruits" as a reminder of where it all comes from to begin with. Our church collectively did that, and God honored it in other areas of our financial situation. And I believe He does that in the individual families of the church, as we steward the resources He gives each of us. Trust the Lord, and be faithful. He is.

Thank you, Shelby Crossings, for your faithful giving over the years, and your investment in God's Kingdom work, both on our church campus, and around the world. May He be honored in and through your generosity.

I'm praying for you, as I hope you are for me, and I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

--Pastor Ken