BIG Stories

“Today when you asked us to pray, I told the Lord that I want to give unselfishly and trust him 100% that whatever needs to be paid will get paid. When Matt and I got in the car, I asked him how he felt about the sermon and he said “I think we need to give the church our rebate checks from the government.” I was amazed because during the prayer something told me that I needed to give the church all of the rebate check! Of course, we had previously talked about saving that money but after today it became clear what we would do with those checks!

Also, I just wanted to tell you that we discussed at lengths the importance of tithing and we made a vow to ourselves and to God that on the 1st and 15th of each month the first thing we will do is write a check for the church. From now on, we promised each other that we will not let bills s tand before God. Thank you for opening the eyes of our hearts! We want to be the best Christians we can be and show Evan and Jacey how to give unselfishly!”

Thank you,
Matt and Jamie Anderson

“Right after your message on that first Sunday (of the BIG series), we prayed and decided that we needed to start tithing, and that we needed to start doing it right. Not just some money here and there, but totally. Before we could even put the check in the box the next Sunday, we got a huge bonus check from my husband’s work, and we got the stimulus check from the government, THEN we found out that his expense check for his gas was going to be increased because of the gas prices being so high, and we couldn’t even keep up! The blessings started falling before we even did it.

Then on Sunday, a voice in my head was telling me to hold it, hold it, hold it, and I said NOOO! I couldn’t wait to put it in there. . . God is with us, and he is taking care of us. We have one last bill to pay, and we will be debt free.”

Love,
The Shearers

Who Do I Invite To Give?

Who should I ask to give financially to something BIG that God is dong at House of Joy? The answer is, everyone in your realm of influence – past and present. If you would take some time to think of all the people God has put in your life you’d be amazed at the number. Many of you have family and friends that have visited House of Joy and experienced first hand the awesome things God has been doing. You might be surprised at how many people in your life would love to support the BIG vision that God is carrying out through us at House of Joy.

In order to maximize our outreach to individuals not experiencing God’s love, to meet the real needs of people in our community at a high level and to accomplish the mission Jesus died for we feel it is necessary to purchase land and build a permanent facility for the church. I know there are people in each of our lives that are excited that we found a church where we can be ourselves and experience the love of God in a comfortable environment. Even though many of the people we ask to give may attend church somewhere else you will be surprised at how many will still be excited to support you and your church at this crucial time. We want you to ask them to contribute to a church (House of Joy) that is making a BIG impact in each of our lives as well as the community of Valdosta.

Take some time to write down all the people that come to mind you can ask to join you in giving to something BIG at House of Joy. Don’t count anyone out for any reason. Remember, God is for us and the Holy Spirit will prompt individuals to give if we simply do the asking. Just imagine if all of us knew five people that would give One Hundred dollars, we could purchase land and build in a year which is another step in our journey to reaching more and more people in Valdosta.

1) Use the list below to help you brainstorm all the people in your life (past/present) you can ask to give to something BIG at your church.

2) Then click on the following link and follow the appropriate steps. It is very important that you write a personal note briefly describing your experience at House of Joy and how God has impacted your life here.

3) Then follow up a couple days later with a phone call or e-mail to answer any questions.

http://houseofjoy.info/big/email-invite/

• Parents
• Siblings
• Extended family members
• Past/present employers
• Co-workers
• Friends
• Old Family Friends
• Business owners
• Spiritual mentors
• Wedding list
• E-mail list
• Christmas card list
• Previous churches
• Butchers, Bakers, Candle Stick makers (or anyone else you know!!)

You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” (2 Corinthians 9:7 NLT)

A Guide to discerning God’s Will In Deciding Your Giving Commitment

The most important decision you or your family will make during our Building For Life emphasis will be the decision about your own giving commitment. How do you know what God wants you to give? Here are some suggestions to consider.

As you pray about your part, keep in mind that our theme is “Equal Sacrifice, Not Equal Gifts.” Obviously, everyone doesn’t have the ability to give the same amount. However, God does want all of us to make a genuine sacrifice for Him. “I will not sacrifice to the Lord an offering that cost me nothing.” (2 Samuel 24:24)

Remember, your Building For Life commitment includes both a cash gift (now) and a 36 month giving commitment. Most of us can give far more than we initially think by giving it over a three year period. More important, you will grow more spiritually if you develop the habit of consistent, weekly giving. God says, “On every Lord’s Day you should put aside something from what you have earned during the week, and use it for this offering. The amount depends on how much the Lord has helped you earn.” (1 Cor. 16:2 LB)

Each of us has a choice to make:

1. I can give based on REASON. This means I look at what I have, figure out what is “reasonable,” and commit for that amount. It takes no faith to give by reason. Reason simply asks, “What can I afford?”
2. I can give based on REVELATION. This means I determine my gift by praying, “Lord, what do you want to give through me?” This kind of giving requires faith. The Bible says “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” (Heb. 11:6) That‘s why God honored the Macedonians. “They gave not only what they could afford, they gave even more than they could afford!” (2 Cor. 7:3) God promises to bless us when we give in faith. 2 Corinthians 9:8 (LB) says “God is able to make it up to you by giving you everything you need and more so there will not only be enough for your own needs but plenty left over to give joyfully to others.”

Suggested Steps for (Determining God’s Will)

1) Begin by praying everyday, “Lord, I want to give sacrificially in a way that stretches my faith. Now please show me how.” If you’re married, pray together with your spouse.

2) Don’t rush your decision. Give yourself time to hear from God. You are receiving this packet nearly a month before our Commitment Day on June 1. You’ll find that the longer you genuinely pray “Show me how,” the more ways God will show you, and you’ll be able to give more that the first amount that popped into your head.

3) Plan a family conference to discuss ways to give. Ask your family members to suggest creative ideas. Be sure to involve your children, no matter how young they are. This is a great opportunity to teach generosity and faith. At your family conference read the following Bible promises and instructions and make a list of what you learn: Prov. 3:9-10; Prov. 11:24-25; Luke 6:38; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2; 2 Cor. 8:1-12; 2 Cor. 9:6-12; Matthew 6:19-20.

4) In your family conference, ask yourselves aloud these questions:

Regarding our cash gift:

• How much cash could we gather by June 1?
• Is there anything we could sell or convert to cash?

Regarding our weekly or monthly commitment for 36 months:

• How can we decrease our expenses in order to make a larger commitment?
• Are there expenditures that we could delay?
• How can we increase our income in order to make a larger commitment?
• How much are we willing to trust God for?

5) Decide as a family the total amount you’ll give, hold hands and have a prayer of commitment similar to this: “Father, this is a big step for us. We’re asking you to strengthen our faith and help us grow spiritually through giving. We thank you for all you have given us. We know we wouldn’t have anything if it weren’t for you. We want to be cheerful givers. We’re claiming the promises you’ve said in your Word that you’ll take care of our needs if we trust you. Thank you for this opportunity to grow and thank you for our church family. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”

DISCOVERING CREATIVE WAYS TO INCREASE MY CASH GIFT

We are calling June 1, BIG Sunday. The BIG Sunday offering will be both a cash offering and a commitment to give over the next 36 months. Obviously, the more we are able to give in cash up front, the sooner we will be able to create an updated look in our current meeting room on Sunday mornings and make a purchase on land.

At first thought, most people do not think they have much cash lying around to give. But with a little creativity… and by taking advantage of the four weeks we have until the offering … each of us can probably come up with a sizable cash gift. And together it will all add up.

Here are some creative ways that people in our HOJ family are already considering:

• Eliminate all eating out for the next month. Save that cash to be added to your offering.
• Hold a garage/yard sale. You probably have a garage or closet full of unused items that could be converted into cash. It is estimated that the average resident has at least $500 in assets sitting unused in his or her home.
• Take a second, part-time job for one month. Some members are moonlighting in order to be able to give more on BIG Sunday, June 1.
• Have everyone in your family locate the spare change in your house and begin collecting it all in one giant piggy bank.
• Postpone a major purchase for a few more months in order to give more.
• Make crafts and sell them to raise additional cash for the offering.
• Give stock dividends, stock, bonds, or tax refunds.

Basically, there are two approaches to finding more cash to give:

• Look for ways to reduce your expenses.
• Look for ways to increase your income.

By using a combination of these two during the next month, you’ll be able to give far more cash than you thought. Be creative! Imagine… if 200 families in our church each found an extra $500 cash to give through these ideas - that alone would total one hundred thousand dollars!