Missions: Give
Part 3 | Return to Missions
We continue to meditate on God's missional pattern to reconcile and restore all of creation, and how we are invited to participate with Jesus in crossing cultural barriers.
Why do we give?
Giving can sometimes be a touchy subject for a number of reasons. We are born into a world where we are owners of money, not stewards. Yet biblical scholars estimate that 20% of Jesus’ teachings were about money on some level. Sixteen of the thirty-eight parables were concerned with how to handle money and possessions. This is interesting because Jesus wasn’t raising money throughout his ministry. Instead, Jesus seems to be concerned with the state of the human heart–that there is a connection between money and our hearts. We know when we’ve stolen or lied. We don’t always know when we’re being greedy.
One way of reading the story of humanity is through the lens of squandered generosity. In Genesis 1: God created the world as an act of generous love. When we read through the creation story, we see the word gave over and over again. God gave humans the plants, He gave them the animals, gave them food, gave them water, gave them breath. And then in the midst of God’s giving, Adam and Eve took. There is a shift from receiving life as a gift from a generous God to taking life as a resource we deserve. This shift from gratefully receiving to greedily taking.
When Jesus enters the story, it’s not surprising that this is what Jesus spends so much time talking about. And it’s no surprise that the gospel writers frame Jesus through this lens of generosity: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Generosity is one of humanity’s greatest forms of love. The resources we have, the income we make—this is all through God’s grace and provision. To receive and give what you didn’t earn in some way is a reflection of the gospel.
What are ways to practice giving to missions?
Money itself is not evil. Money can be used wrongly–but money can also be a blessing. So what are some practical ways to practice giving to missions?
Give to the local church
Do you know where we see tithing in the bible? Abraham is the first expression of this practice, but he didn’t tithe out of law or obligation. Rather, it was an act of worship. Generally, it is wise to tithe regularly to the community of believers where you are part of the mission. Through the generosity of the community, the body of Christ is able to be a witness in its context. At its best, this discipline of tithing is a witness to how the resources of money can be stewarded for the Kingdom. This discipline also protects our hearts from greed and reminds us that God is our provider. As we grow in this discipline, we are stretched to see the tithe not as a ceiling, but a floor. As Tim Keller once said, “If Jesus tithed his blood, we’d still be lost.”
Give to missionaries
Paul makes the observation: “How can they preach unless they are sent?” (Rom 10:15) Throughout the bible, we read of beautiful partnerships between those sent out to the nations and communities of believers. This may look like giving to your peers who are raising funds to go on a short-term mission trip or to give a year to ministry. Consider committing to giving monthly to a missionary in a cultural context where God is not calling you to move to. This practice of giving to specific missionaries allows us to be more directly connected to God’s work amongst a specific area and allows us to participate in the gospel going forward all over the world. Through faithful giving, we can actually be part of the reconciliation of individuals and communities to God.
Reflection questions
How was money viewed in your family? How is money viewed in our culture?
What kind of person do you think you would be in 10 years if you practiced giving now? If you didn’t?
How might giving to missions help you structure your life toward generosity and against greed?
What is one step you can take towards giving to cross-cultural missionaries?
Part 3 | Return to Missions