Leaders have secrets to success. God has secrets to successful leaders. Today I discuss one: cheerful giving. Effective leadership is directly, Directly, DIRECTLY proportioned to giving. The business/flesh world depends mostly upon money. God wants us to make a most daring trade; our reliance for His. If we will surrender that upon which we depend centrally, He will shower us with a new effectiveness in the form of His invisible power: grace.
Grace is what makes any leader an authentic leader. Anything else is simply allowing a person to carry a title in leadership, but has no Spirit backing to be productive. Giving is a significant test. Now this I say, he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully......And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed...II Cor. 9:6,8.
I know one thing about my elders (although I've never seen one of their checks...ever), each is a strong giver. You can't lead by their skillful standard without having the leading and the backing of His extraterrestrial grace. It can't be done. Grace is the trademark of God working in a man or woman. No substitute will survive.
Years ago Marvin Phillips and I were on a plane destined to speak at some workshop. He shared with me that (and this was over 25 years ago) he had gotten his giving up to $100 per week. I'd never heard of such a thing. I gasped. I thought $25 per week was generous. And, when do we ever find ourselves permitted to share such a comment as Marvin's without being judged negatively for bragging. I was stunned. $100 a week seemed like $1000 to me....too far out of reach. Yet, it explains some of Marvin's success. He trusted God more than himself.
Marvin set me on a course that day which has challenged me year by year. I still feel hesitant in discussing my actual giving. I loved what God did for me when Marvin said it, but feel odd being specific with you. So, let me say I have it as my goal to one day be able to give $500 per week and I am closing in. Understand this important point: that goal was set when I didn't get paid enough to see how I'd ever attain Marvin's giving of $100. But there was God....promising.
In the early 80s I had not had a raise in several months (18 to 24) at Memorial. My salary was getting us by from week to week as long as the kids didn't need clothes and the car didn't break down. The elders gave me a generous and much needed raise of $30 per week. We really needed it. Yet, Marvin's example stuck. Mary and I raised our giving $35 per week (not our giving "to" $35, but increased it $35) to send a message to God. He has been ultra faithful to His abound, always, sufficiency in everything, abundance promises all along.
Some yearn for a good break in ministry. It might be thought a good seminar or a smart computer program or a faithful mentor might move you to the next level. May I seriously and delightfully urge you to evaluate your giving and fork it over so He can multiply what you sow in faith? You'll never be able to record His marvelous and mysterious moves. I tried, literally, to chart what He sent back. After 30 days of journaling, I threw the journal away. One cannot track "abundance" when God calls it "abundance". It's just too much to be recorded....human words cannot compute His blessings....and they're all for us!
Ponder the secret. Take the risk. And, step aside. His grace will come aroaring!
6 comments:
Great post Terry! One of my heroes is a graceful leader and a sacrificial giver.......Dr. Henry Farrar. Do you know Dr. Farrar? At some point, somebody needs to write a book about him. He has impacted my life since 1965 when our families were living together in Nigeria.
I guess all of us have a Marvin Phillips or a Dr. Farrar in our lives. What a blessing!
Love you bro,
DU
I hear your challenge to see how God will bless us. I am as shocked by your goal of $500 as you were with Marvin's 100. I read this the first time through and thought per month. $500 a month is fairly generous for many preachers. But that is not what it said.
Another minister recently shared about his giving being the single biggest item in his budget. Kathy and I talked about this. The reality is there are things in this world that are drowning many economicly. My highest expense each month is health care and I have a $5,000 deductable.
I think one of the keys related to leaders is they take 2 Corinthians 8 to heart and give themselves first.
God blesses us so much and we are thankful. We continue to make it an aim to to grow in the grace given us. Thanks for the reminder.
There is no doubt that our giving directly reflects the amount of faith we have in God.
Amen! So many people are too afraid to talk about giving because they think they might "sound like the denominations" and as a result we are robbing God's people of an extremely rich blessing! Thank you for sharing this.
Thanks so much for the post. My father (an elder and contractor in Texas) has always told me he has never been able to outgive God. My wife and I made a commitment to always give more than 10% and that was when we were making less than $10,000 per year as college students. I am sorry to say we have not made it to 20% yet!
Thanks for your good example and faith.
Terry,
Great Post.
"pressed down and running over" I remember Jesus promised. My father in law has taught me. Always gave 10% plus. He retired at 59 and only worked for the family and church since. God is good.
Love,
Larry Wishard
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