GIVING

Jim Elliff with some practical tips for increasing your giving

Give at least the foundational amount (I start with the tithe of the Old Covenant) through your local church. It is very important to give through the church when possible since the church is God's plan for reaching the world. After all, Christ gave His life for it. Actually, I double the tithe to the church just for starters. And, I try to be ready for special needs that our church encounters.

Beyond that, give to meet needs of individuals inside and outside the body. Have some fun doing it. Do you know somebody who struggles with finances or is under a financial burden? Go right to them and slip them some cash or a check. You may do that anonymously if you wish, or not. It is not always right to be anonymous; sometimes it is important to bless them with words and actions coming straight from you as a fellow believer so that they can see it and rejoice with you. I do both. Can't you get excited about somebody's burden being lifted and joy coming into their face because their prayers are being answered? Pam and I try not to pray for anyone's need unless we are willing to be the instrument God uses to meet that need.

Attach yourself to some great cause or mission; maybe connect with more than one. Perhaps there is a person of great integrity whose ministry you can support, or maybe a young missionary couple leaving for another place, or maybe a prison ministry, or a group that reaches tribal areas. Connect with real people and real ministry and then do some extra things for them. Surprise them. Sacrifice to help the cause. Keep in touch. I can tell you personally that there are some people who have done that with us and with CCW through the years to whom we are tremendously indebted. I almost tear up when I think about them. They have made this work go forward in amazing ways. We need a lot of this throughout the broader body of Christ.

Make it a family affair. There are times when the whole family can participate in a giving project. It's well worth it for all of you to pray that what is given will bless and help. Children can contribute to the project.

Plan bigger each year. Consider setting aside an additional percentage each year related to your overall income. Let it accrue by percentage rather than by set amount. God may just open wide the doors of heaven for you and pour out a huge amount just to give you additional giving opportunities.

Pray for some surprising "windfalls" to come in. We've seen this happen many times. Just when you think you cannot give more, God steps in with something that was totally unexpected. You may even want to say to the Lord and your family, "Look, we'll give this percentage now, but if something extra comes in, let's give __% more. Let's see what God does!"

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