I love it when I get emails/facebooks like this – Thank you God for your faithfulness…

“hey pastor eric last week was the first time I pay’d all of my tithes in a long time and the last 3 weeks our hours were slashed to 24 hours and this week after paying tithes we are working overtime. God is great!!!!! thanks for all you do. it seems like every time I hear a sermon at journey its something I need to hear.”

Journey – Trust God – He is faithful.. So faithful.

The Portico is kicking off this Sunday morning at 10:45am on Solomon’s Porch. If you are 18-20 something you will want to be there. Simply show up on the back patio right at the end of 1st service!

2008 is drawing to a close. It has been a year of great turmoil in world financial markets. For many of us finances have been stretched like no time before.

As believers it's an opportunity to retreat, or to trust and press in by continuing to exhibit a lifestyle of giving.

The Gospel of Luke gives us some great words of encouragement on the topic:

Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”   – Luke 6:38

As 2008 draws to a close I want to ask you. Have you been faithful to God in the area of your finances?

If the answer is yes, then praise God, continue to live to give. If the answer is no, prayerfully consider what God would have you do. The close of the year presents us with an opportunity to finish strong in this area of our lives. We can then continue that into 2009 and just watch what God will do.

It's also the last opportunity of the year to get a tax deduction for your 2008 donations as well.

Church, lets finish strong..

Click here to donate online.

I was talking with Pastor Jeff Henderson yesterday. The conversation was church finances and the effects of the recent global economic situation has created. As one might expect giving is down considerably since October. As an example while Journey has more than doubled in size from 175 to 550 in weekly attendance since August an almost 200% growth in attendance. Giving has grown a mere 30%. It's almost scary. I guess it is scary.

Jeff shared a story about a church that He was a part of that got in over it's head at one point and stopped it's missions giving. He noticed that stopping God's flow of giving had an even greater negative effect on the churches finances so he asked the pointed question – Eric are you guys being faithful in tithing your outside missions $.

I am greatful to say that we are, we continue to make our 12% outside contributions faithfully as some of the first checks we write. In November we had our highest ever monthly missions giving of over $6400. At Journey we have also been aggressively looking at ways to cut expenses and have shaved over $1000 per month off the top to try to be great stewards over all that God has entrusted us with that we might be positioned well as we enter 2009.

So, to twist the situation back to you and I the challenge at the core becomes do we trust God with our finances even in difficult times? Do we believe scriptures like,

Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”   – Luke 6:38

I read scriptures like this and try to keep it simple. Simple, pratical and put into practice.

So my thought and challenge is this. During this Holiday season do a few things – 1) Take God at His Word, 2) Be faithful in your tithes and offerings, infact be a hilarous giver and watch what God does in your life, 3) Don't get into debt over Christmas.. Live within your means.

Prayerfully consider where you are at in terms of giving. If you have not been faithful in this area of your life – repent, seek God's direction, and put His word into practice. If you have been faithful trust in God, stand on His promises, even if things look bleak know that He has your back.

I humbly thank the people of Journey Church for their faithful, over and above giving, keep making a difference – keep the gift revolution going. Let's blow this area away with how much God loves them.

Just received a complementary copy of Outreach Magazine. Got as far as the editors notes on the 1st page. In them he talked about a church in the suburbs who had as part of it's core mission "To elevate the urban poor." He was intrigued as was I that the closest poor neighborhood was some 25 miles away yet they had a passion for "The Least of These"

How important is this as Thanksgiving and Christmas approach.

There will be much to say about the two upcoming series "Gratitude List" and "Gift Revolution"

But suffice it to say – I challenge the people to step up more than ever before – during these tough economic times and be a church that is passionate about ministry for the least of these. No doubt we will be helping Pastor Moses out at Triumph. In fact.. 2 weeks from now Pastor will be preaching here and I couldn't be more excited about him sharing about Triumph.

We want to make sure everyone at Journey as a great thanksgiving.

If that might now be the case for you be cause of your economic situation would you email me ejaffe@journeychurch.org  and we will see what we might do to help!