Giving an offering helps us develop a capitol C church mentality.
In 1 Corinthians 16:1-4 Paul wanted the Corinthians to know that their little congregation was just one church among many, that collectively make up the body of Christ. Paul didn’t want them to have the mindset that they were all there was. So he led them in the giving of an offering for the Christians in Jerusalem who were in need. The offering was meant to help those in Jerusalem, but was also intended to help the church develop a spiritually mature “capital C” church mentality. Let me illustrate what I mean by “capital C” church...
Last year we gave $2,500 out of our Christmas Offering to a church plant only a couple miles away, right here in Springfield. Some Christians have the mentality - why would you do that? What if people go to that church instead of New Day? Well that might not be a win for the “little c” church (New Day), but it would be a win for the “capital C” church (the church at large) so we would celebrate that someone came to faith in Christ - regardless of where it took place.
Paul didn’t want the Corinthians to think only of themselves. And I don’t want that for our church either! When a church thinks only of itself, it has a “little c” mentality. That is - a spiritually immature mentality. The church that only thinks of itself has forgotten that Jesus wants the gospel message to spread from Jerusalem, to Judea, to Samaria and then to the uttermost parts of the earth. That is - Jesus wants his message of hope and forgiveness spread throughout the world. So as a matter of obedience to Jesus, we HAVE to get involved in what God is doing in other churches around the state, in New England, in other parts of the country and around the globe. And this is precisely what we accomplish through our missions giving all year long, and through our special annual Christmas offering from Thanksgiving through the end of the year.
In 1 Corinthians 16:1-4 Paul wanted the Corinthians to know that their little congregation was just one church among many, that collectively make up the body of Christ. Paul didn’t want them to have the mindset that they were all there was. So he led them in the giving of an offering for the Christians in Jerusalem who were in need. The offering was meant to help those in Jerusalem, but was also intended to help the church develop a spiritually mature “capital C” church mentality. Let me illustrate what I mean by “capital C” church...
Last year we gave $2,500 out of our Christmas Offering to a church plant only a couple miles away, right here in Springfield. Some Christians have the mentality - why would you do that? What if people go to that church instead of New Day? Well that might not be a win for the “little c” church (New Day), but it would be a win for the “capital C” church (the church at large) so we would celebrate that someone came to faith in Christ - regardless of where it took place.
Paul didn’t want the Corinthians to think only of themselves. And I don’t want that for our church either! When a church thinks only of itself, it has a “little c” mentality. That is - a spiritually immature mentality. The church that only thinks of itself has forgotten that Jesus wants the gospel message to spread from Jerusalem, to Judea, to Samaria and then to the uttermost parts of the earth. That is - Jesus wants his message of hope and forgiveness spread throughout the world. So as a matter of obedience to Jesus, we HAVE to get involved in what God is doing in other churches around the state, in New England, in other parts of the country and around the globe. And this is precisely what we accomplish through our missions giving all year long, and through our special annual Christmas offering from Thanksgiving through the end of the year.
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