Will You Support Your Church in 2018?

Whenever I think of those who find themselves outside of God’s kingdom and God’s church – looking in – I am reminded how much being raised in a Christian home meant to me as a child. I also remember the confusing times when I found myself separated from God. As a young man in his twenties and thirties I questioned the existence of God and the need to pretend to worship God in his church.

Like many people at that like age, I thought that the answers the world was searching for could be found in our culture – not in God. I could not imagine how any god could alter the direction of humankind; that answers and direction could only be found in science and human activity.

But I also saw that God was not pleased with the path in which we humans were headed.  Our problems were too large to be handled on our own. We needed direction. I needed direction.
I found that direction in God’s holy church – not as a leader, but as a disciple. And now I know that discipleship is the path toward happiness, love, mercy, and God’s grace. Whatever difficulties you face, whatever problems challenge you, God has what we need and freely offers it to us. We just need to accept God’s gift.

We can best be disciples in God’s church – the Body of Christ. And like all human structures, the church needs to be loved and supported to ultimately succeed. This is our chance to give our support to the church and God’s work in the world; to spread the Good News of Christ, to promote justice and peace in our neighborhood and world, and to equip the Saints for the work ahead.
Will you join me in supporting your church with a pledge this year?