Miracle Offering Results

| August 29, 2010 | Comments (15)

If you haven’t yet heard the results of  the Miracle Offering last weekend, check out this three-minute video.

Category: Featured, General - All Campuses

This post was written by Kyle Gilbert: Kyle came on staff at Faith Promise Church in October 2008 as the Pastor of Communications. He oversees web technology, the Internet Campus, and helping get the word out about our church. View author profile.

Short url: http://fpchur.ch/4m

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_AB5VL6L7KFCDNIH4FZNW5GOKXE Katrina

    I think that it’s great you’ve raised all this money, and you want to do things to glorify the Lord and to it in his name, but why do you have to go to Haiti? Do you know how many people here in the United States, in this horrible economy, are in need and suffering?

    Why not do some good works here in the U.S. first? Again – I applaud your efforts, but isn’t it time we start to do some mission trips that are a bit closer to home for a change?

    Better yet, why not start a fund to help your church body get out of debt? I’ll bet if you start asking the people in your flock “who’s hurting financially? who is in debt $10,000 or more? who needs a job? who’s about ready to lose their home?” you’ll find 3/4 of your congregation, if asked anonymously, will admit to one or more of those problems.

    Think about this: the Lord does not want his people to be in debt. With debt comes worry, and worry is a sin. Imagine a congregation consisting of people who are debt-free, and how people like that could come together and REALLY do good works as a family, right? Not too long ago, I heard of a program, Christian-based, that was developed by a pastor to help get his congregation out of debt. As a church body, they all actually worked together to pay off each other’s debt! It took a while, naturally – but they did it.

    If I were the pastor of this large church, and the church body came together to gift this large sum of money, I’d look into who needed help within. Work to do what God asks of us and become debt-free. Once your own home is free, you’ll then be able to do so much more for others, as a church body, in the Lord’s name. God Bless.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_AB5VL6L7KFCDNIH4FZNW5GOKXE Katrina

    I think that it’s great you’ve raised all this money, and you want to do things to glorify the Lord and to it in his name, but why do you have to go to Haiti? Do you know how many people here in the United States, in this horrible economy, are in need and suffering?

    Why not do some good works here in the U.S. first? Again – I applaud your efforts, but isn’t it time we start to do some mission trips that are a bit closer to home for a change?

    Better yet, why not start a fund to help your church body get out of debt? I’ll bet if you start asking the people in your flock “who’s hurting financially? who is in debt $10,000 or more? who needs a job? who’s about ready to lose their home?” you’ll find 3/4 of your congregation, if asked anonymously, will admit to one or more of those problems.

    Think about this: the Lord does not want his people to be in debt. With debt comes worry, and worry is a sin. Imagine a congregation consisting of people who are debt-free, and how people like that could come together and REALLY do good works as a family, right? Not too long ago, I heard of a program, Christian-based, that was developed by a pastor to help get his congregation out of debt. As a church body, they all actually worked together to pay off each other’s debt! It took a while, naturally – but they did it.

    If I were the pastor of this large church, and the church body came together to gift this large sum of money, I’d look into who needed help within. Work to do what God asks of us and become debt-free. Once your own home is free, you’ll then be able to do so much more for others, as a church body, in the Lord’s name. God Bless.

  • Anonymous

    I could not agree more. Very well said Katrina. My husband and I have stressed and worried (yes I know it’s a sin but when you aren’t making your house payment, you tend to WORRY) about these very issues and have said we want so much to be able to do something that COUNTS and help others and make a difference, but all our time is spent on keeping our head above water financially. If we did not have the finanacial worries we could actually spend our time making a difference; mission trips, volunteering, all those things you allude to. Yes indeed if the congregation of FP were debt free, think of how empowered we would be! We could be debt free (except for our home) for as little as $25,000. A drop in the bucket in relation to some.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_AB5VL6L7KFCDNIH4FZNW5GOKXE Katrina

    Oh my – I totally feel for you tnlisa, and I’m right there with you. I’ve finally found the church body who has implemented this program successfully, and it’s in our neighboring state of Virginia! The program sounds really interesting, and the pastor has written a book to help other churches learn how to implement the program as well! Read here: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1365/is_4_33/ai_93307087/?tag=content;col1

    I wish you the best and will pray for you and your family. And tomorrow I’m heading to the library to see if I can find a copy of that book! ;-)

  • Anonymous

    thanks for the info Katrina. I will definitely check it out. and thanks for your prayers. I will pray for you too. :)

  • Anonymous

    There is no doubt that there are many great needs in our own city, state, and nation, and Faith Promise Church does care greatly about those needs. That is why we contribute 10% of all church contributions to local missions, global missions, and benevolence in our church and community. That is why we’re asking our congregation to take an active role in mentoring inner-city students, why our small groups are adopting classrooms there, and why we’ve taken teams of people to Nashville to help with recovery there.

    Because of our missions efforts in Haiti and time on the ground there, we felt compelled to make a difference in the lives of some of the children there.

    The impact of $25,000 would make a big difference in the life of an individual here in the states, but there… the need is astronomical. The same amount could impact many children – providing them food, education, and shelter.

    The needs in this world are huge, and as a church, we must make a Spirit-led decision about how and where we will choose to strategically make a difference. That’s what we’re doing.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_AB5VL6L7KFCDNIH4FZNW5GOKXE Katrina

    Oh – there is no doubt of the good FP church is doing in the community and that good is not in question in any way, shape or form.

    But as tnlisa so eloquently puts it: “If we did not have the finanacial worries we could actually spend our time making a difference; mission trips, volunteering, all those things you allude to. Yes indeed if the congregation of FP were debt free, think of how empowered we would be!”

    My thinking is that a church body could and would be so much more effective, and be able to impact so many more lives than it already is, if the personal issues of its family, such as those suffering from financial woes due to the economy, a death in the family, and yes…even due to the fact that most people do not know how to budget properly…were resolved at home first. That is all. Imagine the miracle in that… ;-)

  • Anonymous

    One of the reasons God moved so greatly over the past weeks, and especially this past weekend, is that Faith Promise has a Pastor who fervently seeks the Face and Will of God in his leadership of the church. Pastor Chris had a clear Word from God about the Miracle weekend and he obiediently led the congregation in that direction.

    As a Pastor-led church Faith Promise did not require a “miracle committee” to be formed and didn’t need to appoint a layperson who was the chairman of the miracles. He didn’t do a survey of the congregation to see what the majority wanted to do. He listened intently and acted obediently and God showed up.

    There are undoubtedly many, many opinions about what should be done with the money, including those who think it shouldn’t be used for Haiti. However, as a member of Faith Promise I’m glad that our leadership doesn’t survey everyone’s “opinions” but instead looks to God for guidance. I trust my Pastor when he says we will fund an orphanage in Haiti and believe that he is acting as God leads. That’s what makes Faith Promise different from most churches and that’s what makes it a great place to serve God.

    Thank you Pastor for being obedient and allowing God to move so mightily!!

  • Anonymous

    Amen brother. I’ve been actively involved in the past in churches where committees and lay people drive the bus…Where surveys leave many unhappy when their preferences and expectations aren’t met. Ultimately the bus ends up back in the parking lot having driven in circles. My family and I are struggling financially right now as we never have before. A “stimulus” from someplace or someone sounds awfully appealing, but we’re relying on hard work and earnestly seeking God to see us through, and not on others to write us a check.

    Seek first His kingdom, and all these things will be given to you…Not seek first these things and then His kingdom will be given to you. $25K would go a long way right now, but we’re seeking Him and trusting the $25K (or whatever He believes we need) will come.

  • Anonymous

    I’m stoked about the orphanage in Haiti and the opportunity to effect the country by changing the next generation. I’m super pumped we’re doing things around the world like we’re already doing here in Knoxville

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_AB5VL6L7KFCDNIH4FZNW5GOKXE Katrina

    I understand what you’re saying, John, but you’re missing the point. The monies raised that will now go to Haiti would not be used for the program I’m suggesting – it doesn’t work like that.

    My suggestion is that it’s great the church is helping the people of Haiti, but why not start a program here, closer to home, to help the FP body? By utilizing the “Upon This Rock” program, FP would be able to do just that. The monies for that program would have to come from each of the church members – not from the fund created for Haiti.

    @Kevin – you apparently do not understand the program. I am not suggesting anyone be provided with stimulus monies and depending on others writing you a check to just pay off your debt willy-nilly. Nor am I advocating dependency on others. It’s all about working together as a church body to reduce each other’s debt. About working hard to free yourself of the financial burden you’ve placed upon yourself by committing to certain goals and meeting financial objectives. The program also ensures that only those who contribute will be allowed to participate, so…no free lunch. Additionally, controls are put into place to encourage future fiscal responsibility, such as learning how to budget, cutting up all but one or two credit cards for emergencies, attending classes on budgeting, etc.

    So – nice that we’re helping Haiti, but can we not also help the people in our own church who are in need? And is this not what the Lord would want us to do? Help each other; get out of debt; and free ourselves to the point where we could then be an even more productive body for Christ-driven good?

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_PCVQC2KLPIN52BIWV6N2ZNB7EY Fred

    Katrina thank you so much for touching on this issue…we all know how blessed we are to have such a wonderful church as FP and pastor chris who truly seeks the face of god and to do his work we are truly blessed..The question here is if the body of christ in the church was not suffering how much more effective could we be as a brothers and sisters in christ to reach out to others in need….It is not about the million dollars rasied and how it is used…It is about a program in the church to help the church and the church body get out of debt..giving more people more time to do the works of god that he has laid on our hearts…it is not about a free ride or hand out…it is about the body of the church working together to help each other…for example how much further would the million dollars go if a hunderd people in the church could afford to go to hati for 2 months and help build the orphanage and cut costs, how many more could be helped..how much more money do you think the true body of christ could give each week if they were not burden with the fears or the sins of debt…20%-25%-30%…well you dont have to sit down and do the math on that..A LOT..we can all agree the world is changing fast and time is short..me and my family are so blessed to have pastor chris in our lives to help us in our walk with with god.Katrina we will keep you in our prayers..what a wonderful concecpt.

  • Anonymous

    Yes that is good logic, but there are a few holes in your idea. The reasons that an orphanage in Haiti is a better idea than giving money to the congregation to get out of debt are as follows.

    Orphans in Haiti suffer homelessness, disease, hunger, neglect and a host of other tribulations that no one at Faith Promise will suffer. I’m sorry, but the U.S. is set up in a way that 99% of the population in this country will never face these adversities.

    If a FPC family is in danger of losing their home, three things separate these folks from homeless Haitian children. 1) Family will most likely take them in if they lose their home, it is ungodly to be ashamed to be helped in a time of need 2) FPC may have someone who would be willing to take in the family for a time or 3) it will teach the lesson to not live beyond our means (Dave Ramsey talks of this, but that is a whole other discussion)

    We are in debt because of our lavish lifestyles. We do not need nice homes or fancy cars. We as a nation have come to feel that when we are in debt for a $15,000 car and $200,000 house we are victims to the poor economy. We put ourselves in that situation by believing that we deserve and even NEED those things. The child in Haiti never chose to be abandoned and suffering. Our sense of entitlement has skewed our Christian vision in that we take care of our exorbitant families needs and then we can help others. Put yourself in the shoes of any truly poor individual from another country. Would you appreciate if an FPC family skipped going out to eat after church for a year so you might have an education similar (but still not as good) as their’s?

    “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” 1 John 3:17-18

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_PCVQC2KLPIN52BIWV6N2ZNB7EY Fred

    In regaurds to @ elicash80 comments… once again it is not about helping the those in hati…they need our help…This is about a program in the church to help the members of the church…and to use a blanket statement that everyone who is in debt and having a hard time putting food on the table is because they were living a lavish lifestyle…yes some people have been foolish and lived way beyond their means ….but I can assure you brother there are so many others who have lost their jobs in this wonderful ecomony…or a death in the family and now there is only one income…I think that in the body of the church were should be helping these familys with every possible means…as well as those abroad…

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_AB5VL6L7KFCDNIH4FZNW5GOKXE Katrina

    @elicash80 – Judge not, lest ye be judged. Also — what Fred said pretty much sums it up. We aren’t just talking about people losing their homes, although that might be an issue for some people, but also the intent is to help each other get out of debt and learn how to keep from getting into debt in the future.

    And thank you Fred. You totally get what I’m saying. I think it would help if people read the info from the link I posted; that might help one obtain a better understanding of the program, and see that no one is talking about a hand out. ;-)

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