Acts 20:35 says, “Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
Receiving is a blessing, but giving is the greater blessing. Baptists have consistently taught giving a tithe or more, yet most Baptists do not practice that level of giving.
Craig Blomberg, in a 2013 Christianity Today review, noted that “over the past 40 years, self-identified evangelicals have given between 2 and 3 percent of their incomes to churches and Christian organizations. Twenty percent gave nothing.”
Giving is a characteristic that should identify, at least in part, every believer.
Jacob Roach, a youth in the Awana program of Spears Creek Baptist Church in Elgin, recently gave a sacrificial gift that sparked more giving to reach children for Christ in Mexico. He was blessed to give and also blessed because he gave.
Benji Glover, the Awana commander at the church, challenged the kids “to raise enough money to start five Awana clubs in Mexico.” When Jacob gave the $100 he had been saving for a shotgun, he said, “Kids learning about Jesus is more important than me getting a gun.”
The next day, Glover shared what Jacob had done with Fitness 535 owner Bo Seamon. (Jacob comes to the gym with his mother, Julie, when she works out.) A few days later, Seamon presented Jacob with a new .410 shotgun. Glover added, “As of right now, we have raised enough money for over three clubs to be started in Mexico.”
Ron Jackson’s Parson’s Pantry in Gaffney concluded the year by giving $20,200 to 22 married students and 12 widows of pastors. The organization has given more than $500,000 since 2005 to ministerial families. Jackson said, “I am amazed at how the Lord has blessed.” The typical gift to a ministerial student is $500, while widows may receive up to $1,000. Julie Cannon, an author and pastor’s wife, is donating the proceeds of her book, “The Shared Spouse,” to the ministry.
Woman’s Missionary Union state executive director-treasurer Laurie Register shared news about a girl from Mon-Aetna Baptist Church in Union who emptied her piggy bank for the “Pure Water, Pure Love” project. The idea behind the ministry is to provide clean water for missionaries and nationals in the countries where they serve. Register said, “Because of her giving and that of fellow church members, missionaries across the world have filters to provide clean, safe water, and villages have clean water and the opportunity to hear about the living water.” The church gave more than $6,000.
As a child, Eddie Smith of Clemson helped another boy his age after his friend had lost his dad through suicide and his sister was seriously injured in an automobile accident. That Christmas, the family was in deep debt. The boy unexpectedly came to the Sunday school class Christmas party where class members brought gifts, which were distributed by the teacher among the students. Knowing that this young man would not have a gift, Eddie quickly called his sister and asked her to bring one of his presents from underneath the tree at home. He stated, “This young man was shocked. He never knew who gave him the gift. Shortly after Christmas, the family moved and I never saw them again. I will always remember, though, the wonderful gift this young man gave to me — the gift of giving.”
Giving takes place in many different shapes and fashions. However, it starts with giving tithes and offerings. A dramatic call to give was vividly illustrated by one of the founding fathers of the Southern Baptist Convention, John Broadus. He came down from the pulpit and walked the aisles as ushers passed the offering plates. He watched people’s responses when the plate reached them. Congregants were surprised that he would watch them give. When he returned to the pulpit, he said, “Jesus watches what you give every week. Is he pleased?”
Christian stewardship and sacrificial giving includes money, but it is more. As many Bible students and pastors have confessed, “Giving is a heart issue, not a money issue.”