Our church has designated February 5, 2012 as Super Sunday for two reasons:
(1) To challenge each member to take a step of faith in obedience in the stewardship of material possessions for their own spiritual growth.
(2) Demonstrate what Grace Baptist Church is capable of doing financially in support of our ministries.
“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My House, and test Me now in this, says the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open for you a blessing until there is no more need”. Malachi 3:10.
These words speak directly to our responsibility in being faithful with our tithes and offerings.
Please plan to participate in Super Sunday by bringing a tithe (10% percent) of your weekly income. Thank you for activating your faith in giving the tithe unto the Lord on Super Sunday, February 5, 2012.
Suggested Stewardship
reading available at
The Bookstore @ Grace
31 Days of Christian
Stewardship
J. G. McCann Sr.
God & Your Stuff Wesley K. Willmer
The Treasure Principle Randy Alcorn
Stewardship Practices
Stewardship is a means of showing gratitude for all that we have in our lives. Each of us has something that we can be grateful for. As a way of life stewardship calls all of us to action.
To respond generously to others, our communities and the world, for the gifts that we receive from God, is not something that God demands or needs it is something that we need to do.
You may ask: How can I show enough gratitude for all that I have received? I have so much compared to others. Just start. Just do something and plan to build upon these first steps.
Giving
Back To God Our "First Fruits "
Scripture teaches that we are to give back
to God our "first fruits" (Exodus 23:16,
19). Proverbs 3:9 encourages us to 'honor the
Lord with (our) wealth, with the first fruits
of (our) crops'. This is consistent with our
understanding that we are first and foremost
citizens of God's kingdom, seeking to invest
our resources (time, talents, money) in ways
that are consistent with God's values and priorities.
This is what Jesus meant when he asked us to
think first of investing our wealth "where
no thief comes near and no moth destroys".
Biblical
Reference "Give, and it will be given to
you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken
together and running over,
will be poured
into your lap. For with the measure you
use, it will be measured to you."
-Luke 6:38, NIV
Mature Stewardship
2 Corinthians 9:6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
As we step into a New Year, let each one of we step up our stewardship by sharing in the many events that are designed to help us grow into our relationship with Jesus Christ through the use of our time, talent and treasure that God has entrusted to us.
Dinner served 5:30 pm
Stewardship workshop 6:30 pm
Revival at 7:30 pm
Grace in collaboration with Unity Baptist Tabernacle will be hosting the Stewardship Workshops
Stewardship Workshops: Monday Jan 16- at Grace Baptist Church - Workshop 1 - Examining Our Stewardship Tuesday Jan 17- at Unity Baptist Tabernacle- Workshop 2 – Giving As An Act of Worship Wednesday Jan 18- at Grace Baptist Church- Workshop 3 – Grace of Giving
It is an incredible challenge to be a disciple of Jesus in today’s world. We all face obstacles, opportunities and challenges in our fast-paced environment that promote selfishness and greed as the path to success and happiness.
Having a clear vision and sense of purpose informed by the Gospel, opens the way for us to actively commit to a life of gratitude, generosity and responsibility, to thank God for abundant gifts and play our part in creating a better world.
Being a Christian Steward will help us to:
Nurture our talents for the benefit of others
Experience the power of God’s presence in our lives
Cultivate a generosity of spirit and an attentiveness to the needs of others
For those who have various medical conditions, which may preclude your participation in the Daniel fast, please consult your health care professional. *Click HERE for important disclaimer message
Grace members are encouraged to participate in our corporate Daniel fast from
January 2nd through January 11, "Please test your servants for ten days: Give us
nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink.” -Daniel 1:12 (NIV)
Please note that those who are pregnant, nursing, or have various medical conditions are admonished to consult with their health care provider before undertaking any dietary restrictions.
This partial fast is a method of entering into the spiritual discipline of prayer and fasting.
Fasting teaches us to deny our "selves" and instead put our spirit in control over our flesh. As you plan your meals and eat your food, keep in mind that the definition of a fast is to deny food for a spiritual purpose.
Fasting is an integral part of our spiritual development as a disciple. Fasting when
coupled with prayer redirects our focus onto the things of God. The Bible is laden
with examples of fasting. Moses fasted 40 days and nights on Mount Sinai and
received the Ten Commandments (Exodus 34:28). Queen Esther declared a 3 day
fast, which ultimately led to the deliverance of her people (Esther 4:16). Finally,
Jesus, who is our perfect example, fasted for 40 days and nights in the wilderness
(Matthew 4:2).
Fasting and prayer demonstrates to God that you are seeking a closer walk and
deeper relationship with Him. Join us in this season of corporate fasting and prayer
and by faith watch God change things!!!!
Remember that a fast, by its very nature, is supposed to be challenging. We are called to pray and ask God to strengthen us to rise to a higher level in Jesus Christ and commit to our spiritual development.
Faithfully — The Stewardship Committee
Giver's Heart For Generosity
As you weigh the great opportunity that God has placed before you, we would urge you to:
Pray earnestly that God would put to work the riches He has entrusted to you for His glory.
Be both intentional AND spontaneous in your giving.
Strive to be proactive rather than reactive.
Identify and give to opportunities that match your unique interests, passions and calling.
Establish a short-term goal or an immediate step that would improve your giving habits today.
Rely on the Bible's teachings on Stewardship---go to the Scriptures yourself and study to test these things.
Reflections
Almighty and gracious Father, we give you thanks
for the fruits of the earth in their season
and for the labors of those who harvest them.
Make us, we beseech thee, faithful stewards
of thy great bounty, for the provision of our
necessities and the relief of all who are in
need, to the glory of thy Name; through Jesus
Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with
thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for
ever. Amen
My
Gift of Treasure The earth is the Lord’s, and everything
in it (Psalm 24:1). Whatever we have has come
from the Lord’s hand, and only indirectly
by our earning (1 Chronicles 29:14). Our wealth
belongs to us in the same way that a child’s
bedroom belongs to the child.
Pledge
of My Treasure I am now giving approximately ______
of
my blessings for worship and to the work and
mission of the church.For the next year,
I will try to increase my giving for the
church to______ % per week.
The Giving Calculator
Have you thought how much you could give to
advance Christ's kingdom?
No matter what your income level, God has given
every Christian the opportunity to bless others
through
generous giving. Use Giving's Giving Calculator
below to determine how much you can give.
(This information is not stored and, therefore,
will not be shared with anyone.)
My
Gift of Time The giving of time is as important as
the giving of money. Consider that each of us has
168 hours each week. 10% of that time is approximately
16 hours. 5% of that time is approximately 8 hours.
2% of that time is approximately 3 hours.
Pledge
of My Time I am now giving approximately ______hours
per week for worship and to the work and mission
of the church.
For the next year, I will try to increase my time
for the church to______ hours per week
My
Gift of Talents When the Bible speaks of wealth, it not
only relates to money but also to homes, families,
abilities, talents, intelligence, and education;
everything we have. Now, there is only one reason
that God supplies a surplus of wealth to Christians—so
that they can provide for the needs of others.
Click HERE for Food List 