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Sunday, 01 May 2005 |
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Cheerful Giving |
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WBVN Listeners:
Thank You! The pledge forms have been "stowed away" for another six
months. The tally sheets' information has been entered into the
computer and now is being ceremoniously retired. Volunteers have gone
back to their daily routines, the phones are napping once again, Cindy
has carried off the snacks, and the total gifts for this Celebration
have again blessed this ministry. Almost 300 contributors called during
the Spring Celebration and about 75% of those were "new" donors to this
ministry. We are very grateful for all the support and kind words
shared during the three-day event.
I wanted to take one more opportunity share the ministry vision for
funding WBVN. It is our understanding from Paul's teachings that God
has always funded ministry through the very people that received from
the ministry. That's the biblical pattern we have associated ourselves
with for the past 15 years. We do Celebrations to permit the Spirit of
God to "stir people's hearts" and also to "celebrate" with our
listeners the ministry they've provided over the past year. As you
listen you can hear a "light-hearted" celebration and the joy of having
had the chance to share the Grace of God over the years. We truly are
very grateful for your help in providing that opportunity. We have a
tendency to "marry" a joyful mood with a very serious and solemn
activity, the activity of giving for the Gospel's sake. It's a sacred
act when it's motivated from the heart of a believer and initiated from
God's own prompting. Giving with a cheerful heart is "ground zero" for
this ministry. It's a central theme throughout the three days.
At the same time, we're aware that each gift is something that some
person, family, church or business is entrusting to us to "multiply" to
thousands of other believers each day. We're aware that each gift is a
sacrifice by those people. We place a very great value on the "giver"
of the gift, actually a higher value than the gift itself! For that
reason we are very careful about how we express the motivation to give
to WBVN. We don't "do what ever it takes" to raise funds. We do not
encourage listeners to give "until it hurts," rather, we encourage
people to experience the "life-style" of giving that yields blessing
because it is the very foundation of the Christian life. Giving should
be a natural way for Christian to live. Jesus taught the Word of Truth
in a way that expressed a knowledge that it's in giving that we will
receive. He was very precise about the order of giving, obligating that
action first. It's a simple truth. As believers, we'll always have to
humble ourselves to that teaching to fully experience the fullness of
the Christian life. However, if during our Celebrations we simply find
a way to separate our listeners from their money, we have not
encouraged a sacred, a holy thing. Ours is to offer the opportunity for
the Spirit of God to create a "real desire" to give as a "holy action."
If that takes place during WBVN's Celebration, two very important
things take place at the same time. One, we will be funded
sufficiently; second, believers will learn to experience the
blessedness that follows being a generous giver, not just financially
but the cheerfully part as well.
Thank you again for the kindnesses over the 15 years of this broadcast
ministry. We're aware that the funds you share with us are pledged in
good faith and trust and we're grateful for the opportunity your
contributions give WBVN to share the Gospel with thousands of listeners
each day. We believe you have a treasure hidden in your hearts that is
the Spirit of God and it is a much more valuable treasure than the
money Celebrations generate. And, while the gifts are vital and
necessary, we value the relationship we have with our listeners more
than the contributions that are given. At WBVN that "ground zero" is
summed up in the following: "give as unto the Lord (Col 3:23) from each
man whose heart prompts him to give (Exodus 25:2) because with perfect
heart they offer willingly (1Chron. 29:9) and not only supplying the
needs of God's people, but also overflowing in many expressions of
thanks to God (2Cor. 9:12). |
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