faithrunner

How do you make an impact at Advent this year? Win the battle of Get vs. Give .  Advent Impact at Legacy Church this year is about helping people have a "counter cultural Christmas." We are committed to families helping families, and have begun to bless families with what they need this time of year. I have been blown away by how God's people have stepped up to provide the necessities and extras for those the church has brought forward as families who needed help this Christmas.  How does this happen? Are some people naturally more generous than others? Do some have more money and are able to share more than those with less?  We explored how to win the personal battle of Get vs. Give. last Sunday by reviewing the story of Mary anointing Jesus' feet with an expensive perfume. (You can hear the entire message here .)  Read the story captured in John 12:1-8 . We observed that: Giving is an act of worship and reflects the heart of God. ...

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...