We’re nearing the end of the Tithe Challenge.  We’re at Day 74! During this process, we’ve captures people’s stories about their experience tithing–some for the first time–some are long time tithers.  If you missed last week’s Tithe Challenge Interview, check it out here.  (Sorry– still can’t embed vimeo video yet).

KW had the opportunity to totally bless people this past weekend.  Hosted a FREE rummage sale—although we didn’t tell people it was free until they came to pay for everything.  So much fun doing this….

Though the fig tree may not blossom, 
Nor fruit be on the vines; 
Though the labor of the olive may fail, 
And the fields yield no food; 
Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, 
And there be no herd in the stalls— 

Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, 
I will joy in the God of my salvation.

Habakkuk 3:17-18

We’re a “church plant” and move in and out of South Lebanon Elementary each week.  They are gracious hosts, but I often think about the luxury of having our own place. 

Reading in 1 Chronicles about David making the preparations for his son Solomon to build the temple.  Did you know David procured 3,750 TONS of gold and 37,500 TONS of silver?  So I had to do the math–and in those two materials alone in today’s prices, God’s temple would have cost about 125 Billion dollars.  ($125,000,000,000)  Dang, that’s a building project!

We love our volunteers, so we want to say thank you!  See below! (click to make bigger)

If you have served in anyway at KingsWay in this past year, consider yourself invited (and appreciated!)

If you aren’t taking the 90 Day Tithe Challenge, here’s a peak at letter’s I periodically send out to people who have taken the challenge to encourage them to press on!

“We are Day 53 into our 90 Day Tithe Challenge—Over half way done!  How’s it going?  It’s God showing up in miraculous ways?  Are you struggling with the pursuit of this Malachi 3:10 challenge? Along the way, I told you I’d share stories about how God was working in people’s lives as they’ve taken this challenge (or have been long time tithers).  Here’s a story I received near the beginning of the challenge:

 Tithing is our budgeting plan.  I keep a record of bill-type expenses, but it doesn’t include any income information.  I send KingsWay about 10% twice per month when I pay bills (as well as our $100 pledge to Kirkwood once per month) and there always seems to be enough money to cover the bills.  I never, ever calculate ahead of time (and rarely afterward) how our income and expenses balance.  When I was less organized, and therefore more haphazard about tithing, the money definitely seemed to disappear faster… and at one point we were almost a year behind in our pledges to Kirkwood.  I used to tithe when there was 10% left over to give, but that was inconsistent at best and it seemed like there was never enough money for everything.  Ever since I added our tithe and Kirkwood pledge to my schedule of payments, things have been much more stable.  There are always lean months around property tax and homeowner’s insurance time, but never to the point that it feels like we’ll never be able to catch up.  I have absolutely no proof that tithing has made our financial situation healthier.  I can, however, say that in response to our dedicated tithing and giving regimen, God has made us more comfortable with the financial situation He’s given us.

 I was thinking for the 90-day Tithing Challenge I will collect some actual paystubs and do an exact calculation of our gross income and give a true 10% of that rather than the generic round number/estimate that I’ve been using.  I’ll keep you posted of anything interesting that happens in the meantime. Her spouse adds this: I have not always had a great job, or any job for that matter during this time and we have never had to back off of what we want to save and invest while we are tithing.

 I hope this story encourages you. Keep pressing on!  Malachi 3:10: “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.

 Ps.  Several Financial resources are available on my blog here.  Check out the post heading “Going Green Resources” and find a “Spending plan,” “debt reduction plan,” and “spending record.”  These have personally helped me greatly as I seek to be a good steward of what God has entrusted me with.

Love Bill Hybel’s passion: “Personally, I’ve never understood inactivity.  Why a person would sit when he could soar, be a spectator when he could play, or atrophy when he could develop…is beyond me.” Phil 3:13-14