Giving FAQs
FAQs
Determining how much to give is a journey that each person takes with God. We’ve created several tools to help you walk through this process. To use one of these tools Click here.
Grace has implemented carefully designed policies and procedures for every area of finance and accounting. Spending decisions go through several layers of accountability. Every credit card purchase by Grace Staff is seen by a minimum of three sets of eyes.
We spend significant time and money every year to have third-party professionals review and evaluate all our financial books (and we consistently receive high rankings).
The church has a congregational form of government and is not owned or controlled by an individual, family, or a small group of insiders. This means that the congregation has direct involvement in approving budgets and financial opportunities. Our elders are elected by the church and are not paid staff. They come from all walks of life and provide spiritual and practical oversight of the church’s ministry and finances.
There may also be ways to be sacrificial with your lifestyle to create margin for generosity in your life. Some will cancel cable, and some will ditch the smartphone plan and return to a basic cell phone. Others will play a little less golf, and still others will forego a few caramel macchiatos every week. Some families will buy a smaller home or rent a smaller apartment to be able to give generously for the progress of the gospel. Find ways to involve the entire family in the process of giving generously. Use this as an opportunity to teach children and grandchildren to obey the Lord with a generous heart and to trust Him. This is a great opportunity to take a look at our overall stewardship of all that God has entrusted to us.
Jesus spoke more about money than he did about heaven and hell combined. People take different spiritual steps at different times. Giving is a critical spiritual step, and it comes at different times for different people. Like all other spiritual disciplines, giving draws us closer to God, and God expects that faithful followers of Christ will be joyful and generous givers. Paul is so concerned about our tendency to separate our giving from our living of the Christian life that he admonishes us to excel in the grace of giving (2 Corinthians 8:7). Giving is an essential part of the Christian life.
The church mentions money frequently because money is a frequent area of spiritual attack. The enemy wants to rob the church of the joy of giving and allow the church to excuse its failure to give. He does this because a church that gives generously is a church that knows the joy of the Lord and is impacting its community. We refuse to believe the lie that we can be devoted followers of Christ while we are stingy with God’s resources.
Jesus tells us, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). The questions God is calling us to consider are, “Do you really love Christ and his gospel?” “What is Christ worth?” and “How much do you long for the progress of the gospel?” According to Jesus, your answers to these questions are found in where you place your treasure. What does your treasure say about your heart for Christ and his gospel?