“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” -Jeremiah 29:11
Many of our churches begin preparing a budget for the upcoming year in October. We evaluate our ministry goals and determine what it will take financially to achieve our mission. Over the past two years, we have struggled to re-assess where we are as a church. We even undertook the task of re-imagining how to impact our culture with the message of Jesus in an ever-evolving world.
Jeremiah reminds us that no matter how difficult the past has been, the future God has for us is a future of hope. We must approach this budgeting season with the mindset of abundance and not scarcity. A scarcity mindset insinuates that our resources are too scarce or that our members give all they can. Neither of these is true because God has provided all the resources we need to do all God calls us to do.
Our giving is about gratitude and not about funding the budget. However, our dreams must be big and our visions compelling. Generosity comes from acknowledging that God is the source of all we have, and we are to respond to His call with a generous heart. Let us approach this church season with a vision of God doing something new and amazing! The plans he has for us are for good and not disaster. We are a people of abundance, and we have an opportunity to partner with God to change the world.
Journeying together,
John
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