My Best Church Life - Week 3 - The CORE - Pastor Tim Glende
My Best Church Life
Week 3 - The CORE
Pastor Tim Glende
Again, welcome to The CORE and to week number three of “My Best Church Life”. Your five pastors are staff. All of us here at 922 Ministries want you to experience just that in light of the church that we are. But also the child of God that you are. And I pray that you've been blessed through weeks one and two as we've talked about gathering and what that looks like and what's a little bit different and special about being a part of gathering at a big church and why is a big church? The other is great. But the Life Groups are so important to do life together. And then today, we're going to talk about one portion to Give root, and we're going to split the other one up to a week down the road. Thank you so much again for being here, enjoying this.
And as we get into week number three, I want you to think about that one thing.
Like what's the one thing on your list of chores things that you're responsible for things that you end up having to do? Whether it work at home that you simply wish you could pass on to someone else? No questions asked. Like, what's the job that you dislike the most about your job? And you wish someone else had to do it. But unfortunately, you do.
When I think about my house, I think about growing up when the home that I lived in. Yeah, my chores were like the vacuuming and the dusting and I despised it. Like I learned all the tricks of the trade to try and dust around things and not move things. But mom would catch me doing that. And why I didn't like doing it. It wasn't really that difficult of a job. Like plug in the vacuum and push it around a little bit. It wasn't life-changing or messy or horrible. For some of you probably don't like much doing the dishes like your moms and dads made you do them. Everyone's going, what's that? I know there's dishwashers but sometimes you have to actually wash the dishes with your hands, scrub a little harder and dry them off. Like take some time, but it's not one of those things that at the end of the day, I wish of all things I could pass on to somebody else.
In my house, when we were raising our kids, the thing that would have been at top of everyone's list was the same. Picking up after the dog when they did their work.
Right? Like no one likes to do that in a house. You know how? I know because the other three people, the amazing blessings God gave to me and my wife never did it. They didn't want to do it. They didn't want to pick up the well, the do.
And I had to, I get there. Someone here who wants to tell me that you would opt for that job? And you'd be willing to do it for any of your nights to do church, friends? I don't think you've ever experienced picking it up. What's left behind after the winter, stop. Can I get an Amen from all your dog owners. Amen.
Like no one likes to do that.
How about at work? Like I thought of all the jobs at 922, if there's a job I wouldn't want to do which one would make my list. And it's the one that Joel does on our 922 campus during the school day. Like when the littles who walked through our doors were so cute and adorable aren't so cute and adorable when they're tummy aches and they get sick. The teachers don't mess up, clean up the mess. They call Joel, like, that's what he does. Like the odds are pretty good. It's the same home. I grew up in when my kids got sick, my wife said, I'm not doing that, you are.
Like there's a list of things that your job at your workplace, in your home that you probably wish you did not have to do.
And as you have that on your mind, I want you to think about me.
Because the job I have to do today is the least favorite job that I get as a pastor. Like having this sermon. Like I'm the lead pastor of this church. I'm the one. Who schedules the preaching schedule? I shouldn't have to preach on money. Like, I should give it to one of THEM, right? Now, that was my fault. I scheduled myself.
Because a hard job because it's the one job of all the things that I have as a pastor had to do, because I know the minute some of you heard he's gonna talk about money today. 50% of you in your mind already checked out. Like seriously, I gave up an hour of sleep to listen to this dude talk about that.
Like, it's hard as a pastor to do this. No matter what church size you're at. Like I've been a pastor at a small church and we've had to talk about money a whole lot more than I ever have had to here because like every last dollar in every last Sunday matters because you have to pay your bills in order to keep the lights on.
It's hard at a big church because, you know, what happens at big churches. If you've been around here long enough, we're on campus campaign and ask over and above gifts time. Number four, like there's always something new, always something big, always a new opportunity and it always requires an ask. Like getting tapped one more time for over and above gifts is hard. And hard to talk about.
You know what else makes it hard.
The economy right now. Like when times are good and and your investments are going great. And your job is kicking out bonuses. And gas is a dollar fifty, I don't know what was that, but when gas was two dollars, remember those days? It's a little bit easier, right? Because the money and resources, we have shrunk down due to the gas prices. That we experience the minute, we drive into the gas station, the prices on the shelves at the stores that have increased rapidly. When, you know, the economy is where it's at right now. This is a hard sermon to preach.
I'll be honest with you, it's hard. Because it's personal.
There are a lot of things that me and my friends. Me and my wife, me and the people closest to me, talk about like we're pretty honest, and pretty open. But when it comes to money and how I use it, and how they use it, we don't much go there. It's like politics. Like, it's personal. You do you in your resources and I get to do me and we don't have a discussion.
But maybe the hardest reason of all right. Now for me to do this in this series, as the lead, pastor of 922 ministries is the very thing Pastor Jim likes to say over and over and over again, 922 Ministries is not normal. Like we are living a pretty good church life right now, as a ministry. Like the facilities we have are amazing, right? I mean whichever campus, you've gone to, they're beautiful.
The CORE’s facilities that we just built the last two years are amazing. Like the ability that we have to do because of the resources that are at our disposal, like we have a whole lot and that's what makes this hard. Because you've heard a say this isn't normal.
Which probably is just the simple thing to stop and pause before we go into this sermon any further to say, thank you, God. Because that's true.
Like it's true over this last year. This last fiscal year we received over $2.5 million in regular offerings at 922.
Okay, man.
Like I got pastor friends, who would Literally love to have that be their case.
Or how about the fact that, in addition to that $1.7 million came in over and above just for Greater Things 2.0 as a part of our building project of our new school, on our Saint Peter campus. Like that's $4+ million that came in from you, from your generosity, like, praise the Lord. He is so good to think about this, that, or the course of the time that 922 Ministries has been in existence since the founding of The CORE, our budget has gone from $600,000 to $5 million dollars. The income that has been received from $650,000 to last year being $4.5 million. I mean that is no joke, that articles are huge blessings which make this sermon really hard.
And it might be the reason why some of you look at your Give root and say, “Doesn't matter.”
Like in that big of a pool. What is the little drop I'll be giving?
Okay, tell you. What else is not normal?
The budget like big churches, have big budgets with big opportunities with big expenses. Like over the course of the last 14 plus years in the history of 922 ministries that same budget that has increased from an income standpoint has also increased 550% to $4.5 million.
Our staff has gone from 12 people to 80.
And we don't spend fervently when it comes to the monies that we receive like 77% of our offerings. Only about 13% of our offerings, go to buildings that we have for a purpose, 77% going to people. Flesh and blood to help bless people and their Jesus roots. But we need those resources because we are a big church serving a whole lot of people.
Again, there's this, there's literally $8 million dollars in debt.
Like it's amazing. These facilities are they coming across?
And they say all those things so you would stop and pause it. And celebrate the amazing grace of God, what he's accomplishing here at 922. To see the opportunities that we have and all this that isn't normal. But I'm gonna tell you this right up front before you leave and shut down on me. This sermon is not about the bottom line of the budget.
Like when it comes to you experiencing Your Best Church Life and the Give root, it has nothing to do with 922's bottom line.
It in fact is simply about you and God.
Like your relationship with him. Like, your best church life and your best relationship with God. God would tell you and want you to know can be found by having a strong giver.
And so before I even broach a topic of offerings and and giving to a church today, I want you to stop and pause and think about why you give.
And I want to give you three compelling why’s.
Why having your best church life? Involves a strong Give root.
What it looks like to give in light of what God says for you to experience the best. Because that's what God wants for you. A three true, three takeaways a whole bunch of passages that I'm going to try and wrap up in a decent amount of time, because I know that a lot of you will tune out way quicker today because there's something you want to tune into in about 30 minutes.
All right, unless you're driving from Oshkosh, you'll be okay.
So, why give like if it's not about the bottom line and the budget, why give, what does giving have to do with your best church life? Well, give number one is a simple truth that I need you to keep in mind. If it's the only truth that you remember today, it will bless you with a better church life. Here it is. Why give? We give because God gave.
Like at the heart and core of giving like my God tells you to give why we encourage you to give by. We have give as one of the five roots that we believe will bless you to and cause you to experience the best church life and relationship with God is because the Bible says so.
And more than anything it says, because God gave.
Like, why give? God gave.
But God is the most generous person/example. What it looks like to give.
But God gave His one and only son. The Bible said throughout Scriptures, it takes time and tail about time and time again, about what all the things are that God has given to you all the spiritual blessings that that he has given to you. All the things that he has done for you. We give simply put, why? Because God gave.
It's the why that the apostle Paul told those Corinthians we read earlier from 2 Corinthians, chapter 9, if you want to read two little chapters where it talks a whole lot about giving and your best church life and what it looks like the apostle Paul's words in 2 Corinthians, 8 and 9 tie them together. You'll hear some great words of encouragement. And here's the apostle Paul, to Christians, 2,000 years ago, talking about, the best church life involves giving and what it looks like. He said this since you excel in every thing. So the Corinthians were excelling in their spiritual life. They had some really good Jesus roots. We would say it here at 922 since you are excellent, everything in faith like they were growing because they gathered him because they were in the word in speech because they knew the truth of God and knowledge. So their wisdom had increased. You excelled in complete earnestness. So their give, their server. They're Give root was on fire, one might say. And in the love we have kindled in. You see also that you excel in the grace of giving. Like you are excelling in all these different areas. Your roots are really strong, but I'm going to put in front of you a challenge because your best church life will be better. You will be blessed if you excel in this.
And he doesn't leave them without a why.
Like it isn't legalistic motivation, it isn't a hammer over the head. Like it doesn't because pastor Tim needs a nicer car or a better vacation. Don't please don't write my name in the memo line on your checks and say pastor Tim's next vacation I can't accept that. Just kidding, that was kind of a pause for laugh.
It's so good.
Why? For, you know, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. You know, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. That though he was rich, God owns everything, that though he was rich, he lived in the mansions of heaven. Tthough He was rich, the place where we all longed ago, that has streets paved in gold and gates made of pearl, though He was rich. He became poor for your sake. Poor. He gave it all up, he took on human flesh. He was humbled and born in a manger. He, he lived a most modest, and average of lives.
So that you Corinthians you. 922 you, pastor Tim through his poverty, might become rich. Like at the end of the day, God wants you to understand and know he gave, and he has made you rich spiritually, he gives and provides for all that you need, but above all, He gave His one and only Son, so that you and I might be saved and spend eternity with Him on this, in the mansions of heaven. Like at the end of the day, that is the why God would want you to hear and know, and be humbled by and inspired by to give. Not hammered to, because your parents made you, not because you have to, not to make the budget. But because he gave.
And to live Your Best Church Life, God wants you to excel in that.
So I ask are you?
Or maybe some of you are wondering. What does excellent look like when it comes to giving? I've never been taught or modeled. Parents of here maybe this is time for you to encourage your kids on what giving looks like and why you give and how you give and teach it. Well, the Bible has some clear teaching on it. The Old Testament and New Testament, there are principles. Like, if you want to know what excelling looks like for the grace of giving before, we compare it to how we are doing here at 922, is it normal or not? Normal. God says, a lot about it in the Old Testament? God commanded this people to tithe, you know what that means. If you remember that, where before a lot of people in the church world will use the word tithe them into 10%. So in the Old Testament, God comes into this, people to bring 10% to God. There was a reason and a motive. It was because one tribe of his people didn't get any land, they couldn't grow any crops, they couldn't raise any animals, they couldn't provide food on their table, so that the Levites, those people who serve God, the people who carried out ministry could be fed and could have homes. But God looked at the Israelites and time and time again he said you are anything but excellent. You're maybe not even average.
And when God says, living Your Best Church Life, involves the Give root. Be serious.
He literally said to the Old Testament Christians when they worked coming with their heart when they weren't excelling in this area, he called it robbery.
Like you're stealing from me. Like look at the words of Malachi.
Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you robbed me.
Logical question Christians would ask, “but you ask how are robbing you like God we're not robbing you. God said yeah you are robbing me because I've commanded you to bring it in. I’ve commanded you to give back and you're not. And so his command was bring the whole tithe that there may be food in my house. Test me in this, as the Lord almighty, like God, who gives wanted the Israelites to know that he wanted them to be tested in, challenged. And he wanted to be put to the test to say, just see what I will do when you do excel in the grace of giving because I am a generous God who gives like I will provide for your needs test, me and see
Here's the thing about the Old Testament like God's command to tie his reason for that went away with the New Testament church.
But the principles have not changed.
Like no word is God of the New Testament, who we live in light of grace, tell you or me that we have to give 10% and some of you in back are going, Amen. Okay, but can I get you to take the heart? The principles of God?
To evaluate in later how God has blessed you, he would have you consider giving it's no different than the Old Testament. He just gives you an opportunity to consider it and doesn't attach a specific number to it like in the New Testament. God said this to the Galatian churches or the Corinthians in the first letter, he wrote, which he also said that the Galatian churches, on the first day of every week principle, number one of giving regularly. Each one of you, this doesn't apply to some, implies to all. Should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income. Regular all people first set aside, not last in keeping with one's income proportionately. But God wants you to look at what you have been given. God wants you to set it aside first, not last.
And God wants all people to do this regularly.
Like that's what excelling and giving looks like. That's what God's principles for giving look like. Why put you to have Your Best Church Life and you want you to excel in it? So how are you doing? Like, I'm not going to ask you to open your checkbook. This church is too big for me to, literally understand or know, who gives what they give like, numbers are recorded, but no one looks at it.
But I can compile a large list of numbers in the offerings. We have in the giving units that we have. And you know what? I would tell you Pastor Jim is wrong about one thing when it comes to not being normal. This.
Us.
Like we are average.
Like we have about 1550 giving units here at 922 ministries. Our giving unit is a husband and wife, or if you're single or you and your confirmed member, no matter what age like giving unit is a husband and wife or any individual who is a member here. We have 1500 of them from age, 14 to in their 90s. And in the past year, only 850 gave at least one time. I'm not talking regularly, I'm not talking monthly, I'm not talking in keeping with their income. Just about one gift, one time 55%.
The national average of people who give the charity of any kind of about 60%. We’re like great about average, Like, 45% of our members of 922 never gave a recorded offering.
How about the number?
Like the average person in America gives about two to three thousand dollars in charity. The average household income in the city of Appleton is $75,000 some of you make more. Some of you make less, I understand that. So when I average it out based on the 850 you gave at least once the average gift is about a thousand.
And then, that national average is two to three. If I take out, you know all the zeros, it's only 1800, we're a little below average.
But God would have us put on our heart. He wants us to have our best church life. He wants us to strive, to excel. Is there an area in your life where something needs to change? Where you want to change?
For the simple fact that God gave causes you to rethink what you give.
And here's the thing, I'm not going to tell you how
I just told you what God would have you consider?
Like first.
God is worthy of best. God is deserving of regular.
And keeping with a God that has given we give because God gave.
And I say all that because I want you to hear this.
And if you didn't hear it before, you'll hear it again. This root, this part. This important best church life moment about the giver has nothing to do with the bottom line of the budget that I'm responsible for.
Now, I'm gonna tell you this 922 ministries need your offerings. Like, I'm not gonna lie to you. Like to have all this, we need resources.
But here's what I believe about my God.
He will get whatever he wants to get done here at 922 ministries with or without you or me, and our individual offerings. He is that big and he is that good. And if he wants to get something done, he will bring forth resources to make it happen.
Your best church life though is about you and God. And while we need your offerings, God does not. God doesn't need a thing.
But he wants something. He wants your heart.
Like so often in the Bible, Jesus used the example, people talked about it. Where your heart is there, your treasure will be also. What you treasure has your heart.
Think of its your resources that you treasure.
You probably not experienced in your best church life and your relationship with God is struggling.
Are limited.
God wants your heart.
Like I said, he doesn't need your offerings. He wants you and he wants to be first like we give because God gave and we we should give because He loved from the heart.
How great is the love? The father has lavished on us that we should be called the children of God.
Like that's his heart. For you.
Like her God. So loved the world that he gave us one only son so that whoever believes would be saved you and me.
God wants your heart, he said it spoken very simple words in Psalm 50. If you just gloss over them, you read through them later. God goes back and forth to these people who he called the give. And he simply said, I have no need for your bulls. I have no need for your offerings. Everything in the world is mine. I know every bird in the mountains by name, if I were hungry I would not tell you for the world is mine and all that is in it. Like God doesn't need your offerings, he wants your heart. He says sacrifice thank offerings to God fulfill your vows to the most high. Why is your best church life attached to the Give root? Because God is worthy of praise because God is a God who loves and God is a God who gave So here's what I want you to hear, and think about in light of that, God wants your heart.
So as you give in order to experience your best church life, God wants you to get your heart in the right place with him.
Like it's what I read before from 2 Corinthians chapter 9. Each one of you should give what he has decided in his heart. So, if you’re a member of 922 here today, and you brought an offering, but, but you're not excited about giving it today. Take it home.
We don't need it.
I'd rather have you go home and think about it.
And consider it.
If you brought it here today because you're under compulsion because this is just what a Christian does and it's what my mom and dad made me do. Please don't. It'll be okay, Pastor Tim, I'll eat this week. You don't have to write my kids, they are full grown. I don't take care of them anymore.
God loves a cheerful giver. You want your heart?
But just go home and think about the heart of God and his love, we give because he gave like, what does it look like to give a gift? That first to God, because He has given you His one and only Son, that is best because God will end up giving you the best of all the riches of heaven. Like, what is it that it looks like to give cheerfully. I'm not going to tell you what that number is, but I'm going to ask you to look at how God has blessed you. And before you give next time, give from the heart, the Lord loves that. And when you consider what you're going to give consider His love, that He’s given.
And all that you're getting.
Which leaves us with one more wide.
Like all those things are true. We give because he gave.
God wants our heart, he doesn't need our offerings. But here's Jesus speaking on the topic and here maybe when you talk about your best church life, when we talk about our best church life, we tell you to plant Jesus roots because they as a result you will experience the Spirit’s fruits. You know, as you plant a deep Give root, you know what fruits you will receive, you will find more peace and contentment in your life because you understand the God who makes a promise to you and to me that that he will provide for all of our needs.
Like when it's a season of good or a season of lacking, you can find peace and hope. Even though this life, like Job knew might be hard, you can even praise the Lord. The Lord gave, He has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
But you can give like the widow who went to the temple. And Jesus saw all these people throw in big chunks of money. In the street, she pitched in two little meaningless coins and Jesus said which one is greater and the disciples debated and she said hers because she gave all she had, she gave from the heart. Because she trusted that God who gave would give.
But God wants you to have that kind of fruit in your life. He doesn't want you to think that this world is the be all & end all. And he also wants you to experience the amazing fruit that can come from giving. Because Jesus said this, the Apostle Paul quoted it, he told it to the Christians, I believe in Ephesus as he was given a farewell ceremony. He said, I commit you to God into the Word of His grace. It comes back to that we give because God gave it all about His grace, and His son, which can build up for you and inheritance among. All those who are sanctified, like you have riches beyond compare in heaven. For eternity, remembering these words that Jesus himself said, it's more blessed to give you are more blessed to give than to receive.
The giving is a part of your best church life. And here's why when you think about giving it blesses them, and it blesses you, and yes, as a byproduct, it does bless 922. Like I will not undermine how blessed this church is. I go to sleep some nights and go God, I love challenges but almost every time we've called out a challenge and I've been concerned, people in 922 have stepped up in faith and been so generous. Like you guys amaze me you overwhelm me. I'm humbled by your generosity. So this is not about the budget but I want you to have your best church life which has a strong healthy giver because giving for you spiritually bless them and you and 922. Them.
Like all those teens that come through that door on Monday through Friday, the lighthouse, you're offerings in your gifts, help support us having that facility here. We don't fund that ministry. But we have paid for the lights to be on and the space to be remodeled. Now those kids come with an offering you're offering help us do that. So they could hear about Jesus or them. Like the 350 people who walk through the amazing doors of that new facility up on our North Appleton campus. Like, three to fourteen years old. None of them have jobs. None of them support a dime, but your dollars make a difference in the lives of 300 people each and every day because they learn about God and His love for them.
Or how about them?
Like the friend that you invited over and over and over again to church who came here and learned about Jesus and you're offering helps support the ministry that made them feel welcome. That taught them Jesus and Starting Point, and now has brought them into a faith community, like your gifts matter. And every dollar makes a difference. Can I tell you here at 922 like some people have said out loud to me. They have actually set out loud to me “my dollars don't make a difference. I'm gonna give them somewhere else. 922 doesn't need them. Because this is not normal.” Can I tell you that every dollar makes a difference? In fact, almost every gift that comes in is not big, it's small. God doesn't want a church, and no church will experience, it's best church life if there is one generous person or a few generous individuals. God wants a generous church to the generous people.
Can I say thank you to God for your generosity, blessed them and 922.
Like .01% of our offerings. We had 14,000 unique gifts, this last year today. 14,000 times someone hit send online and gave their gift, dropped an offering in the boxes in back, brought it into the office. 14 separate times someone gave a unique gift point, .01% of them are over 10,000. Two of them, two.
0.7% of them were between 10,000 and 1,000. Very generous gifts. You know what that totals?
The other ones all under a thousand dollars, as you unique gives, most of them far smaller than that. Are the ones that make up most of the dollars that help us do the things that we do that help people plant Jesus roots, that produce the Spirit’s fruits. I need you to understand that every gift between you and God will bless you to give you the best church life, but it blesses them and it will bless you and it blesses 922.
Like, I thank God for you. And I want you to know how God feels about you and He wants you to know that He'll bless you as you give because He gave when you give cheerfully from the heart. Because He says it. Like I won't promise you things, I can't. But I will tell you what God promises, hHe will do. He says this now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store seed. Like He'll bless you, He'll give to you. He'll provide for you even better here on large the harvest of your righteousness, like spiritual blessings, you will abound in. You'll be enriched every way so that you can be generous on every occasion. And through us, you're generosity results and thanksgiving to God, my wife tells me all the time you should be more generous. I'm like I struggle with this. He's like, this will be good. Will experience amazing fruit because they will be blessed. Others will be blessed. And so, will you with a heart of contentment? This service you perform is not only supplying, the needs for the Lord's people, 922, but it's also overflowing in many thanks to God. Like, people are celebrating your fate and thanking and praising God, because of the service by which you have proved yourselves. Others will praise God, like your generosity, your give root, your best church life results in praise for the Lord Almighty. The one who gave us, His only Son. Because as people see this, it will accompany, your confession of the gospel in Christ and the generosity and sharing with them. And if everyone else and in their prayers for you, they'll pray for you like giving blesses you and them as we get to pray for each other, their prayers will go out to you because the surpassing grace God is giving you. It comes back to God. It's about His grace. He wants your heart and it is a blessing.
God for his indescribable gift.
I thank God for you.
And I also know for 922 what? Well it's not normal. God wants far better than normal for you. When it comes to your Give root because he believes it's connected to your best church life.
Like this is not about the bottom line of the budget. It is about your heart.
And God.
Which is exactly what He knew.
Like last week when I purchased that St. Peter, I said it was a hard sermon for all those reasons. You don't make it harder. Like someone who is a part of our church family, someone who's very involved in our church family, his heart stopped beating a week earlier.
And most you may not have known him but you probably had seen him. You were blessed by him. Like you sat behind the scenes for all 17 years of my time here, and worked the soundboard for so many different people and the bands that were playing.
Played the drums up here on this stage and play them at the other St. Peter campus, so many times. Like he gathered and he experienced hs best church life, he grew and he was blessed as he did. He grew in God's word. He talked to people about it, his church and his Go root was strong. He served and volunteered.
And he also gave.
Like, I don't know if we would ever had a praise team at our, North Campus, 20 plus years ago, if it wasn't for Ferral, giving the resources, providing the drums, buying the keyboard because that's back in the day, when the ask were about the lights and the heat.
And it was really hard for our church family, a lot of the people on our praise teams. Because they'll miss him.
I thank God for him. Like the Give root. That was strong. He loved God, and you cheerfully gave, and He blessed you. And he blessed 922. And he was blessed to.
And two weeks ago on Sunday, he got the amazing call home to heaven.
He experienced his best church life. And now he's experiencing his best life with God and God wants that for you. And for me, on both fronts,
Which all comes back to the fact of why we give. Because He gave.
