Giving

“One man gives freely, yet gains even more.” Proverbs 11:24

The foundation of all Christian giving is based on the understanding that God first gave to us. He gave us life. He gave us the beautiful creation we call our home. He gave us health and strength, and talents with which to work and prosper. He gave us our families and loving relationships. More significantly, he gave us his Son and a way for redemption and salvation. “For God so loved the world that he gave…” John 3:16. To begin to understand God at all, we have to understand what He has given us.

Secondly, a fundamental understanding of ourselves is that we are made in God’s image. And that involves giving. The Bible teaches that our hearts are just as inclined to give as His. It is a part of our nature. And, though we may be reluctant, our hearts will not be satisfied until we learn to give fully of ourselves. We learn to truly live as we learn to give ourselves away, just like the Father and the Son did.

So, Christian giving is not just a financial issue, but a spiritual issue. It runs through every facet of our life. If we are to experience the full Christian life, we must learn to give. Three main ways we can give in the context of our faith is by giving our Time, Talent and Treasure. At the Church of the Good Shepherd you will have the opportunity to give financially (see Financial Stewardship), to give your talents and abilities (see Spiritual Gifts) and your time, literally investing yourself in our community (See Mission and Outreach, or Adult Ministries). As we learn and practice giving in all three of these ways, we are blessed beyond measure by experiencing God’s presence and His abundant life.