RevWrites - November 15

Pledge Sunday. Although I said last week at 9.00 and 5.00 that this would be in 2 weeks time, it will actually be in 3 weeks time (from last Sunday!).

We held our first Pledge Sunday 2 years ago. It was a good start. Why do we need to do it every year?

So we will develop a culture. If it’s a good thing, then it’s a good thing until it becomes a bad thing.

Why is it a good thing?

First, it helps you. Some Christians simply never get around to deciding how much they should give to the Lord’s work. This will help us all to worship God with our money. And we all want to be spiritually healthy.

Our 6.45 congregation conducted a survey recently. One thing they found out about their congregation was that that majority of those who direct debit feel less guilty about their giving. Perhaps that’s because they had actually decided what to give.

Second, it helps the Parish Council as it develops a budget for the next year. As we become more used to an annual pledge and it becomes the norm so the results will become a more helpful guide to budgeting. And we all want our church to be healthy.

Why is signing your pledge a good thing?

First, you don’t have to. No one can force you to or wants to force you to. It’s your choice. But if you choose not to put your name on it then it will not be useful for our parish budgeting purposes. If I have no idea who put the pledge in the plate then I have no idea that I can trust the piece of paper. Anybody could have written it.

Second, it’s your pledge. You own it, so own it. The Bible says we should be people of our word. If it’s our word then we should own our word.

Third, because your pledge is a faith issue and not a money issue. It’s your decision how much you give but it’s not only your business. As we saw last Sunday, what we do with our money is an acceptable indicator of our stewardship. As ministers we are responsible for your spiritual lives. Your stewardship is a spiritual issue. Just as faithfulness in using your ministry gifts is our concern so is how you use all the resources God has given you.

One thing is certain, it’s not about the amount. It’s about our hearts and our spiritual health.

Neil