faithrunner

This past Sunday, I tackled another spiritual discipline, giving , as part of our Shift! series . Cheers went up throughout the auditorium when I announced the topic, while others texted their friends to hurry and get to the building to hear what the Pastor had to say about giving. Then I woke from my daydream. I get why so many look at the organized church in America askance . We give them many reasons to wonder what we do with the money. Our buildings and programs make the outsider guess why we don't use that money to solve problems like poverty and housing. We tend to hide what is on our books, and we do a lousy job of showing people how we help the community and people around the world. But, giving is at the heart of the church's message . Why? God is a giving God , ( John 3:16 ) and we who have been captured by God's suffering, sacrificial love given to us through His Son, Jesus, cannot help but share that love with others in tangible ways. Grace motivates u...