Is church giving a function of dollars or a matter of the heart? Do we encourage people to "just give more money" or encourage them to examine their hearts? We should have hearts of gratitude, compassion and faith.

1. Just the Facts
2016 Actual
Contribution: $803K
Spending: 856K
Shortfall ($53K)
2017 Budget
$873K
839K
$34K Surplus
However, based on run
rates through 2/12/17,
2017 contribution would
be only $771K, leaving a
shortfall of ($68K)

2. Just the Facts
For the remainder of 2017, if each family:
Gave an additional $12 per week we would
make our contribution budget.
Gave additional $8 per week would cover our
spending budget.

3. Examining
Your Heart

4. Examining Your Heart
“Do not lay up for yourselves
treasures on earth, where moth
and rust destroy and where
thieves break in and steal; but
lay up for yourselves treasures in
heaven, where neither moth nor
rust destroys and where thieves
do not break in and steal. For
where your treasure is, there
your heart will be also.”
Matthew
6:19-21

5. Examining Your Heart

6. Examining Your Heart
We should have
hearts of
gratitude

7. Examining Your Heart
2Corinthians 9:6-12
6 But this I say: He who sows
sparingly will also reap sparingly, and
he who sows bountifully will also
reap bountifully. 7 So let each one
give as he purposes in his heart, not
grudgingly or of necessity;
for God loves a cheerful
giver.

8. Examining Your Heart
2Corinthians 9:6-12
8 And God is able to make all grace
abound toward you, that you, always
having all sufficiency in all things,
may have an abundance for every
good work.

9. Examining Your Heart
2Corinthians 9:6-12
9 As it is written: “He has dispersed
abroad, He has given to the poor; His
righteousness endures forever.”,

10. Examining Your Heart
2Corinthians 9:6-12
10 Now may He who supplies seed to
the sower, and bread for food,
supply and multiply the seed you
have sown and increase the fruits of
your righteousness,

11. Examining Your Heart
2Corinthians 9:6-12
11 while you are enriched in
everything for all liberality, which
causes thanksgiving through us to
God.

12. Examining Your Heart
2Corinthians 9:6-12
12 For the administration of this
service not only supplies the needs
of the saints, but also is abounding
through many thanksgivings to
God.

13. Examining Your Heart
We should have
hearts of
compassion

14. Examining Your Heart
2Corinthians 8:1-7
1 Moreover, brethren, we make
known to you the grace of God
bestowed on the churches of
Macedonia:

15. Examining Your Heart
2Corinthians 8:1-7
2 that in a great trial of affliction the
abundance of their joy and their
deep poverty abounded in the riches
of their liberality.

16. Examining Your Heart
2Corinthians 8:1-7
3 For I bear witness that according to
their ability, yes, and beyond their
ability, they were freely willing,
4 imploring us with much urgency
that we would receive the gift and
the fellowship of the
ministering to the saints.

17. Examining Your Heart
2Corinthians 8:1-7
5 And not only as we had hoped, but
they first gave themselves to the
Lord, and then to us by the will of
God. 6 So we urged Titus, that as he
had begun, so he would also
complete this grace in
you as well.

18. Examining Your Heart
2Corinthians 8:1-7
7 But as you abound in everything—in
faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all
diligence, and in your love for us—
see that you abound in this grace
also.

19. Examining Your Heart
“Many believers seem to care
only about the spiritual welfare
of others, paying no attention
to the hardship and injustice
they suffer. How sad. But
many other believers seem to
care only about the physical
and material needs of people,
completely ignoring their
spiritual poverty.

20. Examining Your Heart
Such believers may deplore the
worship of mammon, and at the
same time imply that a little
prosperity is all poor people
need. The contradiction would
be humorous were it not so
loveless. To love others is to
love them as complete persons,
body and soul, not one detached
from the other.”

21. Examining Your Heart
We should have
hearts of faith
and trust

22. Examining Your Heart
2Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to make all grace
abound toward you, that you, always
having all sufficiency in all things,
may have an abundance for every
good work.

23. Examining Your Heart
“At the center of biblical
generosity lies the belief that
God truly provides all that we
need. With gratitude for what
He has already provided, and
confidence that He will
continue to provide, we open
our hands and release funds in
a way that would honor our
creator.

24. Examining Your Heart
We enter a cycle of care,
where God provides, we give,
and God provides again. But
if we are skeptical of God’s
goodness, if we are not
confident of His care, a
lifestyle of generous giving
will almost certainly be
short-circuited.”

25. Examining Your Heart
Gratitude
Compassion
Faith and
Trust
For where
your
treasure
is, there
your heart
will be
also.
~ Jesus