Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

James 1:21-24

Tithes and Prayerful Distributions:  

 The givings that we report here are truly our own.

 

We support our own ministry and will never ask for money from others.
 
It is a good way to know where and how the money is being spent when you give it.

 

Our Homes become our church houses

     In my ministry, I do not have a church building. A church building requires maintenance, utilities, and a staff to keep things running. I do not take a paycheck from the ministry. I have a secular job and earn money by working, the same as anyone else. I do make a note of the tithe from my paychecks and prayerfully decide where the money should go: a friend in need, a homeless shelter, an active outreach ministry where people are actually doing something for the people.

     Upon meditating on the subject of what it means to be called to be the living church, I have come to realize that our own home is a church house. Since we are called to be a living church, it would stand to reason that we need a place where we can take refuge from the world’s demands and spend some quiet quality time with the Lord.  Suddenly, the seemingly mundane activities of ordinary housework take on a whole new meaning. I am not just taking care of a house so that our family can be in a safe environment, but, by coming to view our home as a church house, I am creating a worshipful environment where all activities, whether it be washing dishes, playing a game, studying for a school exam, or washing my hair, can be dedicated to the Lord and offered to Him to be used to advance His Kingdom on earth. I am also creating an atmosphere that would witness to  anyone who comes to our home, that we are a practicing Christian family and that the Lord is with us in all things: the mundane daily chores; the worshipful prayer time; and the play times.

 

     Hospitality and evangelism can become great witnessing partners in our church homes. A non-institutional atmosphere can sometimes be a blessing when ministering to those who have had negative experiences in conventional churches. It also emphasizes our duty as Christians to witness the Gospel message in our daily walk, not just by talking to others, but by actually living the Gospel message in such a way that people are directed toward the Lord. This leads into the subject of evangelizing.

 

     The tricky part is to keep the focus on the Lord. Too many times, the focus shifts, sometimes very subtly, from the message to the messenger, and we end up with a bunch of spiritual celebrities. People will start talking about the celebrity more than the Lord.  I don’t pretend to know everything there is to know about evangelizing, but if I can witness to someone in such a way that they come to praise God and not me, then I consider my efforts a success.