CHURCH IN A THEATER here we come...
We've moved to Hagerstown 10 Cinema. We love it. This past Sunday was our first at our new location, and it felt like HOME. It seemed like we'd been there for years. It's great when you can leverage your location rather than feeling like you have to hide it (such as at the school- no one wants to go back to school). We had a great service, and I genuinely believe that lives are being changed by God through Lifehouse.
I felt like I was watching myself preach on Sunday, you know, like third person. It was one of those moments that felt "once-in-a-lifetime". Here's the premise, church for too often has felt like one of the greediest places on earth, but biblically, it should be the most generous, serving, and loving place in all the world.
So, I preached about how in the Book of Acts, Jesus-followers willing gave to and care for each other and the growing Church (Acts 2:42-47; Acts 4:32-35). We need to be willing to GIVE to the ONE CAUSE. What's the one cause? Sharing God's Love with the whole world. It's really that simple. And the Church is the organism God created to fulfill that cause.
Then, the clincher...
We're putting our money where our mouth is...
We ask people to give (tithes and offerings) out of their need. Saying, "we can't afford not to give" AND "we can't out-give God". So, my thought, "let's try as hard as we can to out-give Him and prove that it's not possible."
So, we've given the Church (that is the people) the funds to serve the community. What? Yea, we gave an envelope to every person that was their on Sunday (from 6yrs old and up) that had anywhere from $5 to $100 and one person got $1000. The gifts totaled $6,000. I believe that we, as people, are the church, and I also believe, that God is us is the HOPE of the world. We carry the love of God to all. So what?
The mission...
Everyone was challenged not to keep the money, but to use it to personally help someone one in our community with their needs.
Who needs what God can do with people who are willing to give and serve others.
Oh, and this wasn't tithe money others gave. Laura and I personally gave it.
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