Jesus commanded us to go and reach the lost, to feed the hungry and to help the hurting. We believe that we are called to reach those, no matter where they are, to teach them God’s word. We believe we can do this by going, by sending, by praying and by giving. Partner with us as we reach around the world with the saving message of Christ.
In 2 Corinthians, chapters 8 and 9, Paul shares the inspired testimony of the sacrificial giving of the churches in Macedonia. Paul’s teaching concerning the Macedonian churches is clear. They gave in two ways: according to their ability and beyond their ability (2 Corinthians 8:2-3). How can people give beyond their ability? By getting God personally involved in their finances. While we are repeatedly warned in Scripture not to test God, the opposite is true regarding our finances. Instead, we are told, “Put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you a blessing until there is no more need” (Malachi 3:10).
As Christians, we can respond financially to the Great Commission in the same manner as the Macedonians. First, we can give according to our ability. This means to give out of our known resources. In other words, we should make giving to missions a part of our monthly budget. Every Christian has a certain level of income. God wants us to make reaching the world a priority when it comes to the way we use that income. How about the amount you budget for missions being at least the same or more than, say your pet costs, cable/internet cost, or the amount you spend on movies and entertainment?
Second, Faith Promise Giving brings us into a whole new level of giving, because it rests confidently in God’s ability to provide, not solely on a believer’s ability to pay. We, as Christians, can use our faith to tap into God’s resources for the global harvest. As a matter of fact, that is exactly what God wants us to do. This is what the Macedonian Christians did! They used their faith to be able to give beyond their ability. A Faith Promise is a spiritual agreement between the Christian and God that, with His help, he or she will give a pre-determined amount to be used in world missions as the Lord provides that exact amount from unexpected sources such as a sudden inheritance, a bonus from work, a gift in the mail. At Asbury we encourage our people to pray and see what they and the Lord will covenant together for our Faith Promise amounts for world missions.
You are invited to join us in this exciting faith relationship with God as He provides through us the necessary finances to advance the Kingdom around the world.
Advancing His Kingdom,
The Missions Advancement Team of Asbury
