This week’s blog comes all the way from the USA, where Julian Marriott has been ruminating on giving in the Californian sun.
I happen to be away from the UK while writing this blog, in the land of plenty. Steph and I are visiting Haydon, Alison and family in Redding, California. I haven’t visited the USA for 30 years and it is very special to be at Bethel, the church running the training in supernatural ministry which the Murrs are enjoying. This church is unusual to say the least and majors on the supernatural presence of God. We have both enjoyed the great worship and had amazing encounters with God in the healing rooms. But something that interests me, as The Well looks at giving this month, is how they do giving here! I’m sure alarm bells are going off in some peoples heads at this point. Isn’t one of the problems with the American church that they talk about money all the time? Well, we brought our British cynicism (and reticence to talk about money) with us to help us make a value judgement.
At every service an offering is taken…. and there are 5 every weekend! At our first one, someone introduced the offering with a 2 minute mini preach on God’s goodness and provision.Then everyone stood up and read a declaration about their belief in the Fathers love and what he would do for them. They are very keen on declarations . The one we heard goes like this:
“As we receive today’s offering we are believing the Lord for:
Jobs and better jobs,
Raises and bonuses,
Benefits, Sales and commissions
Favourable settlements
Estates and inheritances
Interests and income
Rebates and returns
Cheques in the post
Gifts and surprises
Finding money
Debts paid off
Expenses decrease
Blessing and increase
Thank you, Lord, for meeting all my financial needs that I might have more than enough to give into the Kingdom of God and promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
I think we have a lot to learn from this open and honest approach. Maybe what feels to us like ” lots of talking about money” stems from our cultural reluctance to engage with it together. Here in Bethel it truly seems based in embracing the generous heart of God towards them. This means they are prepared to state loudly, together, that they trust Him to supply all their needs. Saying it out loud may seem a bit cringey to us Brits, but hearing it from our own mouths challenges our hearts and questions how much we really believe it. Saying it regularly reminds us of the truth, speaks to our spirit and helps us realign our false beliefs and fears that we will not have enough.
Philippians 4 v6 reminds us to ‘Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God’ and in v19 ‘ my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus’.
If we are to be the generous hearted lovers of Jesus we desire to be, then it is vital to know in the core of our being, that the Father loves us deeply, knows our needs and is able (and willing) to meet them. This frees us to be joyful givers in all areas of our lives.