YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED ABOUT FAITH PROMISE
FAITH PROMISE GIVING is relatively new to some of you and many people have misunderstandings about its function. The following are a few questions that folks have asked. Hopefully, this will prove beneficial to all.
1. WHAT IS FAITH PROMISE GIVING?
Answer: Faith Promise Giving is trusting God, by faith, to enable you to give extra money, above your tithe, to the mission program of your church.
2. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF FAITH PROMISE GIVING?
Answer: According to II Corinthians 10:15-16, it accomplishes a 3-fold purpose.
1. It increases the faith of the believer and the church body collectively.
2. It enlarges the mission outreach of the church accordingly.
3. It reaches more people with the gospel of Jesus Christ that are in the regions beyond.
3. HOW DOES FAITH PROMISE GIVING WORK?
Answer: God gives us the plan of Faith Promise Giving in II Corinthians 9:6-10. This is it. You pray and ask God how much He would have you to trust Him to give to the work of missions. As God impresses a certain amount upon your heart that He would like to give through you, then you promise to give that amount by faith. THAT IS FAITH PROMISE GIVING!! The promise is found in II Corinthians 9:6, “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.” In verse 8, God said, “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:” God will simply use you as a channel in order to give what He would have you give to the work of world-wide evangelization through your church.
4. WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FAITH PROMISE AND
TITHING?
Answer: Tithes are taught in the Bible and are based upon your known income; they are to go to the work of the local church. A FAITH PROMISE GIFT is NOT your tithe nor part of your tithe. FAITH PROMISE GIVING is letting God use you as a channel to place extra money into His work!! ... You ask God how much? When He places the amount upon your heart, you make your promise to Him by faith!!! New participants can start at any level.
[Involvement is what is most important. Even if only $1 per week, you are doing something regularly for worldwide missions! CAUTION: You shouldn’t give to Faith Promise unless you are first tithing.]
5. WHAT IS THE BIBLICAL BASIS FOR FAITH PROMISE GIVING?
Answer: In II Corinthians 8 and 9, we find the principle of giving by faith. It is referred to as a grace. II Corinthians 8:3 says they gave “to their power” and then “beyond their power”. “To their power” refers to the regular tithe. “Beyond their power” refers to giving more than they could afford or beyond their limits of ability. They gave and trusted God. II Corinthians 9:8 “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.”
6. IS A FAITH PROMISE GIVING A PLEDGE CARD THAT IS SIGNED?
Answer: NO. A pledge is made between you and your church and when you sign a pledge card, you are obligated to fulfill it. The Faith Promise is made between you and God and the only person who will knock on your door is God. No attempt is made to collect a FAITH PROMISE. It is a matter between you and God.
7. HOW DO I MAKE A FAITH PROMISE?
Answer: Faith Promises are usually made at the close of the missions conference. After praying about it, each person marks the amount (weekly) that they feel God wants to give through them. These cards are turned in unsigned and are used by the church only to determine how to plan the giving for the coming year. Do not ask others how much they give.
8. WHEN SHOULD I GIVE MY FAITH PROMISE? BY THE WEEK OR WAIT UNTIL GOD GIVES IT TO ME?
Answer: Scripture teaches us that we should purpose in our heart and then we should so give. Paul says that it is giving by faith and trusting God to meet your needs. Luke 6:38 says, “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”
FAITH PROMISE GIVING causes one’s faith in God’s ability to increase. It motivates the believer to trust God more in every phase of their lives. It leads to the kind of faith that says to the mountain, “Be thou removed and be thou cast into the sea, it shall be done.” “Should I try Faith Promise Giving?” God invites you to experiment. II Corinthians 9:13 says, “Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto ALL MEN;” Help us reach the world for Christ through Faith Promise Missions giving.
For those who have already been involved and are continuing a pledge: the challenge each year is to grow in faith. Please consider an increase in your promise for the sake of lost souls, and as a step of ever increasing faith!
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