Why your pastor gives to the Christmas offering- Dec 18 2017
Greetings Life Community,
I wanted to take a moment and explain why my family participates in the Life Community Church seasonal Christmas offering.
Christmas is a natural time of giving. We give gifts to our children, grandchildren, and other loved ones. There is also no shortage of people asking for donations or causes during this year too. Many of those reasons are admirable. Unfortunately, many families must be selective about where they give their Christmas contributions.
Life Community selects four trustworthy entities to give to during the Christmas season. This year we have chosen the International Mission Board (to help SBC foreign missionaries), The North American Mission Board (to contribute to church planting in major urban areas), Sunrise Children’s Services (our Kentucky Baptist service for foster and adoption in the state of Kentucky), and a local Habitat for Humanity home (right here in our city). 100% of this offering will be going to these entities, and LCC will be keeping none of it.
I am a believer and practitioner of tithes and offerings. I believe that we are to support our local church with a tenth of our income. I believe the tenth comes to the church on a weekly basis. Offerings are above the regular tithes that are contributed weekly. The Christmas offering is just that, an offering above our regular tithes.
Giving is a spiritual process that you and your family should pray over. I always encourage people to match (or go beyond) the most expensive gift they are buying someone this year. I believe it says a lot about our care for missions and the hurting when we match or give the amount of the most expensive gift.
We have set a goal of $10,000, a “by faith” goal. We will be giving our Christmas offering during our Christmas Eve service at 5 pm that evening. We will invite families to come and lay their gift in the manger. Placing the gifts in the manger signifies an offering given to Jesus.
Don’t forget that we have online options available too. By going to http://lifeowensboro.com/giving/, you can access online giving for both your tithes and the Christmas offering. The website also allows you to set up recurring drafts for tithing each week as well. If you do choose to give online for the Christmas offering, you can still lay an envelope in the manger with your family during the Christmas service (to signify your gift to Jesus). If you are not able to come to the Christmas Eve (evening) service, you will have a chance to lay your offering in the manger during the morning service as well.
My family will participate in the Christmas offering because I know that these entities will benefit significantly from this. It will help the gospel go forth around the world and in our nation. It will help hurting children and even bless a person right here in our community. I pray that you will join my family in giving during the Christmas offering.
Pastor Kenny
