1 Corinthians 15:58 reminds us because we have victory through Jesus we can “be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”
The blessings bestowed upon us are magnified when we open ourselves to serve those in need. Take your mind to a place where God’s people are beautiful in spirit and yet are lacking in the day to day necessities that we take for granted… food to feed the grandmother and the toddlers living with you, visitors to brighten your day because you cannot leave the nursing home, a floor that supports your weight, a ramp because your wheelchair cannot navigate the steps into your home, a roof that does not leak, medical and dental care, the love of those teaching Bible school.
When church members support missions outreach endeavors, you “donate it forward.” Stewardship funds are well managed by staff and lay leaders supporting communities in need through mission trips and organizations.
The recipients of these actions see the love of Christ through our work, lives are enriched as we share time together on work sites and become a team, and just possibly someone’s life is now a bit easier.
Our missions budget supports trips to Bland, Nickelsville, Lumberton, and Panama. Those dollars provide materials for construction, teaching supplies, transportation, and meals for church members. The church budget also supports three organizations. The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Virginia is an organization with mission engagement as the heartbeat, to be intentional about serving “the least of these.” The Baptist General Association of Virginia is a cooperative missions and ministry organization that consists of over 1400 churches in Virginia and beyond. The Baptist World Alliance is a fellowship of Baptist churches around the world with a focus on missions, evangelism, and justice.
Contributions to the mission’s budget are doubled and tripled in their rewards to those who are recipients of the donations and especially to the church members who follow Christ’s advice and give of their time and energies. Without the church’s budgeted dollars to missions, our collective good for providing aid to those in need is greatly diminished.
Every church member who generously pledges provides for ever increasing needs in our community and beyond, and for the ability for our church members to continue regular partnerships in multiple communities in need.
When you support the budget through your financial contributions, you have strengthened every aspect of the important work of missions. Won’t you consider adding a bit more to your stewardship pledge this year to “donate it forward,” to help with the ever-increasing culture of need in our communities?
Written by Laura Lee Chandler