Faithful Giving: Building Churches and Partnerships Globally
Summary
The sermon begins with the pastor discussing a church building project in the Ivory Coast, emphasizing the importance of sacrificial giving and the blessings that come with it. The congregation is committed to giving for three years to establish a physical church, after which the funds will be used to support the pastor, ensuring the church's self-sufficiency. The pastor also addresses the selection process for pastors, emphasizing the importance of genuine faith and obedience to God.
The pastor then discusses the varying levels of involvement that churches can have in supporting missionaries, from simply writing a check to being more engaged. He gives an example of a church that fully supports a church planter in India, providing $250 per month through their organization. The pastor also shares their plan to revive a vacant property in Honduras, using it as a hub to reach the surrounding area and provide support to the local churches.
The sermon then shifts to the process of finding and partnering with pastors and missionaries in different countries. The pastor emphasizes the importance of referrals to ensure doctrinal alignment and prevent unnecessary expenses and potential partnership issues. He shares an example of a missionary in the Ivory Coast who was recommended by a pastor, leading to a connection with a pastor in Egypt.
The pastor also discusses the ministry in the Ivory Coast, where pastors require $100 a month to support themselves and their families. The ministry aims to help the churches become self-sufficient and address the lack of proper church buildings. The pastor believes that within three years, the churches will be established, the pastors will be in a better financial position, and the people will have learned the importance of sacrificial giving.
Finally, the pastor discusses the importance of having a main contact in missionary work, emphasizing the need for accountability and financial transparency. He shares a specific example from the Philippines where their main contact alerted them to a pastor who had relocated without informing them. The pastor concludes the sermon by sharing a story about how they were able to acquire a property for their church, expressing gratitude for this unexpected blessing.
Key Takeaways:
- Sacrificial giving is a key aspect of faith, and those who learn to give often continue to do so, especially when they see God's blessings in their lives. This principle is demonstrated in the congregation's commitment to the church building project in the Ivory Coast ([12:45]).
- The process of finding and partnering with pastors and missionaries always starts with a referral, ensuring doctrinal alignment and preventing unnecessary expenses and potential partnership issues. This approach maintains accountability and ensures that the pastors they partner with have the necessary structure and training ([28:30]).
- The goal of the ministry is not just to provide financial support but also to help the churches become self-sufficient. This is demonstrated in the ministry's efforts in the Ivory Coast, where they aim to help pastors build permanent church buildings and teach the importance of sacrificial giving ([35:20]).
- Having a main contact in missionary work is crucial for accountability and financial transparency. This is demonstrated in the example from the Philippines, where their main contact alerted them to a pastor who had relocated without informing them ([45:10]).
- God often works in unexpected ways, providing blessings that we may not have anticipated. This is demonstrated in the story of how the church was able to acquire a property through a lease that was about to expire, a blessing that the pastor expresses gratitude for ([52:30]).
Study Guide
Bible Reading:
Since the sermon does not directly quote or explicitly allude to any specific Bible verses, we will focus on general themes of sacrificial giving, partnership in ministry, and accountability that are prevalent throughout the Bible.
Observation Questions:
1. What are some examples in the Bible where individuals or communities demonstrated sacrificial giving?
2. Can you identify instances in the Bible where partnerships in ministry were formed? What was the outcome of these partnerships?
3. How does the Bible address the issue of accountability, especially in the context of ministry and stewardship?
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the Bible define sacrificial giving? What does it suggest about the blessings that come with it?
2. What principles can we draw from the Bible about forming and maintaining partnerships in ministry?
3. How does the Bible's teaching on accountability apply to our roles in the church and in supporting missionaries?
Application Questions:
1. Can you think of a time when you were called to give sacrificially? How did you respond and what was the outcome?
2. Is there a ministry or missionary that you feel led to support? What steps can you take this week to begin that partnership?
3. How can you ensure accountability in your personal life and in your involvement with church or ministry activities?
4. Reflect on a time when you experienced an unexpected blessing. How did it impact your faith and your perspective on giving?
5. What is one way you can help your local church become more self-sufficient?
Devotional
Day 1: The Blessings of Sacrificial Giving
Theme: The Power of Sacrificial Giving
Description: Sacrificial giving is a fundamental aspect of faith. It is through this act of selflessness that we often see God's blessings manifest in our lives. This principle is demonstrated in the commitment to a church building project in the Ivory Coast ([12:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eu2d2VIc2fM&t=750s)). Those who learn to give often continue to do so, especially when they witness the transformative power of their contributions.
Bible Passage: 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 - "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."
Reflection: Reflect on your own giving habits. How can you practice more sacrificial giving in your life? Can you identify one specific area where you can give more generously?
Day 2: The Importance of Doctrinal Alignment
Theme: The Value of Referrals and Alignment
Description: The process of finding and partnering with pastors and missionaries should always begin with a referral. This approach ensures doctrinal alignment and prevents unnecessary expenses and potential partnership issues. It maintains accountability and ensures that the pastors they partner with have the necessary structure and training ([28:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eu2d2VIc2fM&t=1695s)).
Bible Passage: 1 Corinthians 1:10 - "I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought."
Reflection: How can you ensure that your spiritual partnerships align with your beliefs and values? Can you think of a specific relationship that could benefit from this kind of alignment?
Day 3: The Goal of Self-Sufficiency
Theme: Empowering Self-Sufficiency
Description: The goal of ministry is not just to provide financial support but also to help churches become self-sufficient. This is demonstrated in the ministry's efforts in the Ivory Coast, where they aim to help pastors build permanent church buildings and teach the importance of sacrificial giving ([35:20](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eu2d2VIc2fM&t=2105s)).
Bible Passage: Acts 20:35 - "In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
Reflection: How can you contribute to the self-sufficiency of your local church or a ministry you're involved in? Can you identify one specific action you can take to support this goal?
Day 4: The Need for Accountability
Theme: Accountability in Missionary Work
Description: Having a main contact in missionary work is crucial for accountability and financial transparency. This is demonstrated in the example from the Philippines, where their main contact alerted them to a pastor who had relocated without informing them ([45:10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eu2d2VIc2fM&t=2695s)).
Bible Passage: Proverbs 27:17 - "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another."
Reflection: How can you foster greater accountability in your spiritual life and relationships? Can you think of a specific situation where increased accountability could lead to better outcomes?
Day 5: God's Unexpected Blessings
Theme: Embracing God's Unexpected Blessings
Description: God often works in unexpected ways, providing blessings that we may not have anticipated. This is demonstrated in the story of how the church was able to acquire a property through a lease that was about to expire, a blessing that the pastor expresses gratitude for ([52:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eu2d2VIc2fM&t=3135s)).
Bible Passage: Isaiah 55:8-9 - "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Reflection: Reflect on a time when God worked in unexpected ways in your life. How did this experience change your perspective on God's blessings? Can you identify a current situation where you might be overlooking an unexpected blessing?
Quotes
1. "People that learn to give don't generally stop giving after they see God blessing them, especially when they're giving sacrificially." [04:02]
2. "Their ministry will be able to keep going if we can get behind and partner with these pastors and keep reaching villages in West Africa." [04:54]
3. "Being a pastor is a prestigious position. So it demands respect in the community." [06:11]
4. "But how we find them, it always starts with a referral. That way, we're not wasting our time with people that aren't doctrinally like-minded." [06:58]
5. "And so these pastors are pastors that have, like in Ivory Coast, they've already graduated from Bible Institute and are already actively pastoring. They're just very, they're struggling and in need." [08:08]
6. "We got to have a main contact. They have to fill out accountability reports each month. So we have a financial circle of accountability. The main contact is crucial, having someone there." [10:07]
7. "We want to help their church become self-sufficient. So that's really our goal when we go to a country is to find out how to help them, but also figure out how to help them become self-sufficient." #!!00:58!!#
8. "And the best thing is the people will have given for three years sacrificially, which is something that's been hard to teach in West Africa. Because they are so poor, they don't have much. They haven't been faithful in giving, which has hurt their pastors becoming self-sufficient." #!!02:58!!#
9. "And so finally they, we went and presented our vision for it and they said, oh, great, how much you want to pay for it? And we said, well, we'd rather you just give it to us. And so they gave it to us." #!!16:09!!#
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