In this series of posts, I am sharing:

• The reasons that Jenn and I give
• How we determine who we give to
• How we decide the amount to give
• The results of our giving

Today's Focus

• The results of our giving

Giving is by far the most rewarding thing that Jenn and I get to do!  There is NOTHING like being able to bless someone or an organization with a financial gift or our time.

Here are some of the rewards that we have enjoyed as a result of giving.

• Seeing lives changed at our church.  We have seen over 1,000 people commit their lives to Jesus in the past year.  We have seen over 1,000 people baptized and publicly proclaim Jesus as their Lord - in just the past year.  This happened in part because of our giving.  Someone once asked the question, "How much ministry can be accomplished for $100?"  The response was so right, "About $100 worth!"  God has given a huge vision to NewSpring Church.  I LOVE being a part of that!
• Having a great spending plan that works!   "What?!!!". you might ask.  Listen, Jenn and I could not give like we do without having a great spending plan that follows the magic formula INCOME - OUTGO = EXACTLY ZERO.  By having a great spending plan, we are able to KNOW that we can give AND save AND spend money.  It is awesome!!!  Don't have a good spending plan?  You can start yours right now by clicking TOOLS at the top of the page!
• Seeing Purdue University grow.  I spent four years there having my world rocked!  Jenn spent five years there.  It is awesome to go back and see all of the new buildings and KNOW that they are grooming phenomenal talent for generations to come!
• Seeing the reports from the missionaries.  I actually place their reports in my investing binder.  Why?  Because this is our investment into leaving a legacy that will last far beyond us!
• Teaching our daughter the power of giving!  This is an awesome way to teach your children a lifetime of learning!  Melea clearly understands that we are giving to causes that we really believe in.
• Knowing that we have been a part of something great.  NewSpring Church, Nappanee Missionary Church, Purdue University, Missionaries ...  The list goes on.  We have been a part of some great things!  What better way to live life?  To be able to GIVE, SAVE, and SPEND is to be live a FULL, RICH LIFE!!!

What can I say?  We love giving to worthy causes!  When you have been as blessed as Jenn and I have been, you can't help but be compelled to give!

Read the rest of the series

In this series of posts, I am sharing:

• The reasons that Jenn and I give
• How we determine who we give to
• How we decide the amount to give
• The results of our giving

Today's Focus

• How we decided the amount to give

For Jenn and me, this is extremely relevant right now.  Our church is taking a HUGE STEP to reach more people with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ.  By HUGE, I mean $20,000,000.  Yes, that is a "20" with SIX zeros behind it!

Let me put this in perspective.  Jenn and I were part of the original group of 15 who launched NewSpring.  That is "15" with NO zeros behind it! :)  That was only 7 years ago!  Now, we are in a great facility that has allowed us to grow to over 8,000 in attendance and fill up four services per Sunday!  BUT, our children's area is overloaded.  The Youth have met in multiple off-campus locations for seven years.  It is time that they had a state-of-the-art facility on campus.  It is time to grow to Greenville.

God is moving, and it is TIME to act.  It only takes $20,000,000 to make the vision a reality.  It takes a BIG GOD to make this happen, and we are confident that HE will make it happen!

So Jenn and I are convinced that we must STEP UP and give above and beyond our normal giving of tithes and offering.

This is the first time that we will be a part of such a thing.  It has been a very interesting conversation for Jenn and me!

Let me share some thoughts that I have had as we went through the process of determining our gift to this effort (NOTE:  SOME of these thoughts are extremely selfish!)

• I LOVE being a part of a church with HUGE vision and a passion 100% directed toward Jesus Christ.
• I already tithe, why should I have to give even more?!
• I want to pay off my house NOW.  Not tomorrow and not in three years and not in five years.  NOW!
• My daughter will grow up in the new children's facility and youth building!  How awesome it will be to see her grow up in these facilities!  She will have a church that she will LOVE to invite friends to.  I never invited friends to my church when I was growing up!
• God is in control.  I am not.  He is the owner.  I am the manager.  A good manager seeks to reap a profit for his manager!  I want to reap a record crop!
• There are people who do not even give one dime to our church.  If they all gave as the Bible commands Christ-followers to, there would be no need for a capital campaign.
• I want my gift to make a difference.
• My gift will be a very small percentage of the $20,000,000.  I pray that some day I will have the ability to give a large percentage gift toward God's vision.

At the end of the day, here is how we decided how much to give to NewSpring's GameTime.

1. We sought God through much prayer.  In Exodus 25:2, it says that the offering is to be given by each man whose heart prompts him to give.
2. Jenn and I had countless conversations about the gift.  I believe that this discussion helped cement our commitment to the vision God has given to NewSpring.  It also involved discussions with our daughter.  She understands clearly that we are making a financial gift to this ministry!
3. We both have a peace about the financial gift we are making.  Now, I am a finance guy.  I love seeing how numbers fit in the budget.  This number does NOT fit into the budget!  INCOME - OUTGO does NOT equal EXACTLY ZERO if we make this a monthly contribution!  That might scare you to death, but it does not scare me.  Why?  I know that God will provide the money.  He has in the past, and He will now.  Do you know why I know this?  Because if HE gave me the number to commit to, He will provide the necessary resources for my to fulfill my commitment.

So, this coming Sunday, Jenn and I will make our commitment.  We can't wait to see the entire church come forward (by the thousands) and commit TOGETHER as a unified body of Christ to be a part of God's vision for NewSpring.

This Sunday ...    LIVES    WILL    BE    CHANGED.

Read the series

At NewSpring Church, we are in the midst of a huge move of God!  In fact, the vision God has given to Perry blows my mind!

You can read about the next steps of NewSpring HERE.

There has been loads of prayer, discussion, and dialogue and NOW the time is here for us to STEP UP.  All of the talk is over.  It is time to give in order to see this vision accomplished.  Next Sunday, October 7, will be the time for us to give!

This entire process has caused me to ask the question "Why do I give?" at an entirely different level.

So in this series, I will be sharing the process that Jenn and I have followed to determine what we will give and the reasons we give.

Today's Focus

• How we determine who we give to
• The reasons Jenn and I give

Jenn and I give to many organizations.  Here are some.

1.  We support our local church with at least 10% of our gross income.  As Christ-followers, we are commanded to bring the whole tithe (10% of gross income) to the church.  I know this is hard for some folks to commit to, but I am so BLESSED!  I cannot imagine NOT giving at least 10%!!!  Why do I give to my local church?  Let me count the ways!

• Because NewSpring Church is committed to reaching people with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ!
• Because people give to NewSpring Church, I am able to offer one-on-one financial counseling for FREE to anyone in the community - regardless of their attendance at NewSpring.
• Because people give to NewSpring Church, I am able to carry this crusade to the nations!
• Because people give to NewSpring Church, we are able to provide counseling for troubled marriages and those suffering through addiction.
• Because I believe that the local church is the hope of the world!

2.  We support missionaries.  Why?

• Because they are carrying this great message of HOPE to those who have never heard it!
• Because we believe in these two missionaries and the mission they are on!  As a result, Jenn and I support their efforts financially.

3.  We support Purdue University.  Why?

• Because this fantastic school provided a springboard for us to lead productive, meaningful lives!
• Because Jenn and I met at this school our first weekend there as freshman!  We went through four years of school together at Purdue, and it was AWESOME!  It was the best four-year vacation I have ever taken!
• Their football team is GREAT!

If I were to boil down the reasons we give, this would be the short list.

1. The cause is visionary, far-reaching, effective, and challenging
2. The cause has a track record of results
3. I believe in the mission of each cause and the leaders of it
4. We are just managers of our money.  God is the owner.  We have been blessed beyond what we ever deserve, and Jenn and I would rather spend money toward leaving a legacy beyond ourselves and our lives.

The Bible says "... where your treasure is, there your heart will be also"

Question of the Day:  What cause do you believe in?  Why not support it financially?

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Read this series of posts on giving