05.18.08 Never In Seven Years Have I Seen This. Ever.
I’ve seen some one-of-a-kind stuff in American churches over the last seven years, but nothing like this.
I’ve seen the miraculous. I’ve seen a prostitute run down an aisle crying out for Jesus to save her. I’ve seen a gang member hand over his gun and get on his knees at an alter.
I’ve seen the strange. I’ve seen a worship leader in sun glasses and a sequined suit slide across a stage twirling a microphone. I’ve seen cars, pirate ships and diving boards in sanctuaries.
I’ve seen the bad. I’ve seen a pastor promise a good sugar beat harvest to farmers in Wyoming if only their teen children will stop having sex and smoking. I’ve seen luxury cars promised to those who’ll give all the money in their bank accounts to the church.
But never, in the last seven years, have I seen this.
I’m at 100 churches a year right now. I try to ask someone on staff at every one of them what their church is already doing across the street and on the other side of the world to meet spiritual and physical needs. I ask for lots of reasons. I want to know if I’m speaking to a group of people who are in the habit of giving and thinking of those outside their church. I want to know if they hear about the poor in this place. I want to know if there’s already a habit of giving and serving. I want to know if there’s a theological foundation already regarding poverty and compassion present I can build on or if I have to lay that myself. I need to know what I’m dealing with because my time is short and I have to make the best of it and, in a country of short attention spans getting shorter, I want to waste as few words as possible.
The answers vary. We support missionaries. We give money to our denomination. We build houses with Habitat. Our small groups do stuff. Most churches do something both locally and globally. It’s very encouraging to see, hundreds of churches in the last seven years doing something to meet physical and spiritual needs.
Today I asked Sandy the question. She’s the associate pastor at Pender United Methodist in Fairfax, Virginia. Part of her answer I’ve never heard before. ONE THIRD OF THIS CHURCH’S BUDGET GOES TO MISSIONS. I’ve never heard a percentage that high before. Astounding.
More astounding? Twenty-one years ago they weren’t giving like this. Back then they were having a hard time meeting their budget. Then a shift happened. I don’t know all of why, but the pastors decided to raise $25,000 for missions that year. At the end of that year the church met their budget but didn’t raise the $25,000 for missions. They raised $65,000 for missions instead!
Think about that. A church that couldn’t meet their budget not only met their budget but also gave more to missions than ever before.
Today, the church, Sandy says, averages 500-600 people in attendance each week and gives $365,000 to missions: one third of their total church budget. And they don’t just give cash.
Their members, feeling as if their time and money aren’t just going to support a building and a staff, give generously.
I’ve never seen anything like it. And that realization leaves me simultaneously grateful and grieved.
said:
Shaun, thanks for sharing this. It’s incredible to hear that something like that is actually possible. It seems most churches that I know feel they are doing well when they’re giving 10% to missions.
David said:
It’s like my pastor sometimes says (somewhat jokingly, but with the intention to make you stop and think) - if you haven’t yet found this church to be a place where you’re excited enough about what’s going on that you’re eager to donate your time and resources to it, then by all means, get out of here and go find a place that does get you excited about it.
emma said:
That’s incredible, it’s such an encouragement to hear.
anne jackson said:
i know you are familiar with francis chan, and i know they give a ton of money away. i don’t remember specifically how much to missions, but it’s an obscene amount as well. that gets me excited.
our last church in dallas committed at least 10% of tithes to missions, but it usually was much more than that actually given.
Shaun Groves said:
Yes, I’ve posted about Francis here before. Met him briefly. Incredible man. I just haven’t personally seen what they’re doing out there at his church, but tales of it are legendary.
Wouldn’t it be great if they weren’t? If they were - well - ordinary?
Bush said:
i was blown away this weekend. i felt like a journalist askin sandy all of those questions and writing them down. she laughed at me...i told her i have never heard of this in 5 years on the road. this gives me hope.
said:
Shaun,
That is awesome and troubling. I’m glad Ann mentioned Francis Chan because the last I heard, his church gives away 50% of everything brought in. That is incredible too!
Rachel said:
All this makes my heart hurt...in a good/bad/incredible way.
said:
The church in which I grew up, First Presbyterian Church in Chattanooga, has been giving 50% of its annual budget to missions for decades. Over a million dollars a year. It is an inspiring benchmark to which to aspire. My current church gives only 10% to missions, but we’re gradually improving.
amos lanka said:
thats amazing, and very encouraging to hear
Sarah Chia said:
My old church did that. It was a 3000 member (atendance, actually) church. We took 15 short term trips a year (my daughter and I took one to orphanages in Jamaica when she was 4), and sponsored a crazy amount of full-time missionaries.
One of the coolest things that results from this commitment is that we were a able to FULLY sponsor the missionaries. A ton of missionaries go overseas with an organization and have to round up support from several churches. So, when they’re home on furlough, they’re constantly traveling to give updates and gain more support. Our missionaries got to come home for 6 months and just rest. They truly got a sabbath from their work, and that was important.
The funny things is that there were people in our town that criticized the church for not doing enough in America (which wasn’t even true because there was always encouragement to serve as part of your daily walk...as well as local-mission emphasis months and such.)
Being part of this church in the recent past put an intense passion in me for overseas missions.
David said:
The funny things is that there were people in our town that criticized the church for not doing enough in America
I suppose that’s just part of the unfortunate reality that nobody can support every cause. No person or organization has the time or money to spread themselves that thin. I’d rather see concentrated support of a few missionaries and/or local ministries that a church genuinely believes in, than see that they’re all over the place but they don’t really keep close tabs on what those ministries/missionaries are doing.
Of course, no matter what you are supporting, there’s always someone there to guilt trip you about what you’re not supporting. I suppose that helps us to not be complacent, but sometimes certain people are pushy about it and I’m like, “Dude, just because I haven’t invested in your specific cause doesn’t mean I don’t care about missions.”
Another thing to consider is that sometimes missionaries are getting their financial support, but feeling a bit isolated and forgotten out there. Our church recognized this and actually sent one of our pastors on a trip to visit a good 6 or so of our missionaries scattered across Asia, just to bring them cards and care packages and a word of encouragement and really see what their day-to-day lives are like.
said:
Twice in the past few years our church (membership of about 1200) has raised a million dollars for missions. It’s been awesome to see all the ways that we’ve been able to support what missionaries are doing on the field, through special projects, etc. How fun!
said:
Its encouraging to hear of church’s really giving. I went to a church in college (Lookout Mountain Presbyterian Church, Lookout Mountain TN) They don’t broadcast this or gloat over it. You won’t find this info on the internet but for every dollar the church puts into their budget, they give a dollar to missions (International Justice Mission, various overseas, local homeless shelters, real outreach community missions work). The church has a $3 mil. church budget last I heard. Yet they in turn give $3 mil. to missions every year. Unbelievable. And trust me it made a difference in that church!
said:
Thanks for visiting with my Pender family, Shaun! Yes, I’m blessed to say my family and I are part of Pender UMC! As David posted earlier about what his Pastor said about being excited about your church is so true with us at Pender. We are excited to be at Pender each and every day. Our kids are excited to go to Pender to see and spend time with their church family...whether it be for worship or clean-up after our Flea Market!
We’re excited to share our resources and our time just for the simple reason that we are called to do it....with enthusiasm!
I pray that other churches continue to work towards raising funds for missions and support the missionaries (and families) who are out there doing God’s work.