Vision Beyond Your Resources

"We refuse to let our budget determine our vision.  That left-brained approach is a wrong-brained approach because it is based on our limited resources rather than on God's unlimited provision.  Faith is allowing your God-given vision to determine your budget."  (Mark Batterson, The Circle Maker)

How long does it take for a faith-based, risk-taking movement of God to morph into a financially-controlled and risk-managed organisation?  Just as long as it takes for compliance to systems to become more important than obedience to the Spirit!

Mark Batterson's quote resonates with the heart of this leader who constantly wrestles with the tension between organisational compliance and a Holy Spirit driven vision.  I increasingly find myself financially inhibited by an organisational culture that makes missional decisions based upon "our limited resources rather than on God's unlimited provision."  I am not advocating for irresponsible stewardship but the courage to support a clear vision from God and the faith to trust Him to supply what is needed to turn that vision into reality.

I have personally experienced too many moments in my leadership and ministry where God's promise of provision was not enough to secure organisational approval.  This has been frustrating when I have had to spend a disproportionate amount of time and energy defending God's vision and justifying my faith position.  Nevertheless, it has also been affirming when I have stepped out in faith anyway in obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit, trusting God at His word, and seeing Him provide what He has promised.

When God gives you a "vision beyond your resources" He is inviting you into His economy which transcends what is into the realm of what could be when we trust Him to resource what He has revealed.  I am tired of a risk and faith averse culture that limits the potential of our mission because of what we don't have instead of trusting God for what we could have.  I am concerned by a culture that is more dependent upon the generosity of our community than the generosity of our Creator!  I am discontent with a culture of leadership that manages away miracles.

Having a "vision beyond your resources" is not a form of prosperity theology, nor is it a licence for financial mismanagement, but an invitation to dream big dreams because you believe in a big God!  In fact, if a vision really is from God, it will always be beyond your means.  Let us embrace a God-sized vision that demands complete dependence upon God's generous provision!

The Resources Are In The Harvest

I once heard about a famous preacher who was invited to speak at a Church's new building fundraising campaign.  He got the congregation all excited when he declared that all the money they needed for their new building had already been provided by God.  Their excitement soon subsided, however, when he went on to say that it was in their wallets and was just waiting for them to release it!

I hold a firm belief that God provides everything we require to fulfil His mission.  Today, I heard a statement that took this belief to another dimension, capturing my imagination - "The resources are in the harvest."  Think about that for a moment.  The resources that we need to fulfil God's purposes are not only among those who are called to that purpose, but will be found among those whom we are called to reach.  The implications of this statement is that our response to a lack of resources for a God inspired mission should never be to withdraw from mission but to advance the mission.  If the people of God generously sowed into the mission and reaped the harvest that awaits the fulfilment of the mission, then it seems to me that the mission should never be lacking.  I know that sounds simplistic and maybe a little naive, but I worship a faithful and generous God who always provides for His purposes.  So why then do so many mission endeavours in a well resourced western world struggle with resources?  If we follow my interpretation of this statement through to it's logical conclusion, then I think the answer has something to do with a lack of sowing and reaping by those called to do the mission!  I think it has little to do with accounting and way more to do with discipling.  

Let us inspire and challenge the people of God to sow extravagantly and reap enthusiastically and watch the God of the harvest pour out more blessings than we could ever contain.

Building Projects Are Worthy Of Your Support

40 Day Spiritual Journey to a More Generous Life
Day 39 - Building Projects Are Worthy Of Your Support
 

"O Lord our God, as for all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name, it comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you."  (1 Chronicles 29:14-16)  

 

It may surprise you that as a church pastor, with a background in Architectual Drafting and who has led three building projects, that this is a contentious issue for me.  While I acknowledge the need for functional buildings to advance the mission of the Church, I feel a real conflict when I see a disproportionate amount of resources invested into buildings in the first world where the Church is in decline, while there are grossly under-resourced churches in the two-thirds world where the Church is experiencing revival.

God Can Use Anyone And Any Resource To Provide For His Work

40 Day Spiritual Journey to a More Generous Life
Day 34 - God Can Use Anyone And Any Resource To Provide For His Work
 

"Her profit and her earnings will be set apart for the Lord; they will not be stored up or hoarded."  (Isaiah 23:18) 

It always amazes me the generosity of our community towards The Salvation Army through donations of money, goods and people who volunteer their time to support our mission.  Despite where they are on their faith journey, God takes what is given and blesses it for His glory.  God's work is advanced through the resources that are given and sanctified for His purposes.

Never Neglect God's House And Servants

40 Day Spiritual Journey to a More Generous Life
Day 21 - Never Neglect God's House And Servants

"[The leaders and the people repented and said] We will not neglect the house of our God"  (Nehemiah 10:39) 

While traveling through some historic South Australian towns during my last holidays, it struck me the time, effort and money local people invested into building the church in the centre of town.  The community united together to ensure the church was built, even when resources were scarce and often at the expense of their own properties.  Imagine the impact of the local church today if the same priority was given to building the kingdom of God than is given to building our own homes.

God Is The Owner Of Everything

40 Day Spiritual Journey to a More Generous Life
Day 1 - God is the Owner of Everything

"Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand."  (1 Chronicles 29:14-16) 

If we only give God what already belongs to Him, then when we consider the giving patterns of many Christians we can draw two conclusions:  God is not a very generous God or we are not very honest givers!  Imagine if our giving was in proportion to God's generosity.  Imagine the resources that would be unleashed to fulfill God's mission. Imagine the testimony we would give to the world about the generosity of our God and His Church!