Today, I'd like to ask you a question. How much money do you give to missions? I don't mean the tithe, the 10% that goes to the church. I mean for mission work in Korea and other countries around the world? By the end of this message, I hope to challenge you to be doing more for missions than you are doing now.

$50,000 (1-2%) =$500-$1000 $10,000 (10-20%) = $1000-$2000
Can you guess what these numbers represent? Christians who make fifty thousand dollars or more a year only give an average of 1 to 2 percent of their income to the church. People earning ten thousand dollars or less per year give an average of 10 to 20 percent of their income to the church. Do you see what these numbers mean? These numbers mean that the more money Christians make the less money they give to the church.

I've heard many people say, "In the future, I'm going to get a good job and make a lot of money so I can give it all away to the church and missionary work." This just isn't usually true. Now, of course there are some rich people who are very generous with their money but on the average, the more wealthy Christians become the less they give. Getting more doesn't mean you will give more; it usually means you will give less.

30 pounds 1400 pounds. John Wesley saw this problem with wealth. Many of you know he was the founder of the Methodist church but few people know that he was a very wealthy man because of all the books he wrote. In the 1700's he was one of England's most wealthy men. Wesley found that he could live on 30 British pounds each year. So when he started making more and more money he would live on the 30 pounds and give away the rest. Wesley believed that the Christian should not only tithe the 10% but also give away the extra money once his family and savings were taken care of. He believed that what should increase was not his standard of living but his standard of giving. One year his income was 1,400 pounds. He lived off of 30 pounds and gave away 1370 pounds. I think you will find his rules about money very interesting because they were so simple:

Rule #1. Gain all you can. Having a good job is not a bad thing. Money itself is not evil, especially in the hands of a Christian. Psalm 24:1 says, "The earth is the Lord's and everything in it, the world and all who live in it."All money is God's anyway! Wesley said, "Money in the hands of God's children is food for the hungry, drink for the thirsty, and clothing for the naked. It gives a place to rest for the traveler.... It provides care for the sick."

Rule #2. Save all you can. Wesley believed that as you worked hard to make money, a Christian shouldn't spend that money to satisfy his own desires. Wesley lowered the amount of money he spent by not raising his standard of living. After food, simple clothing and a place to live, everything else should be saved in order to fulfill his third rule:

Rule #3. Give all you can. The Christian should use 100% of his money the way God directs him/her to use it. He would provide food and clothing for his family, money for business, and the rest he did what Galatians 6:10 said, “As we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.?

$307,000 (368,400,000 won) This is the amount of money people at our church in South Carolina have promised to give this year for missions. Now, this is ABOVE the regular tithe of its members. Every year, this church spends more than 50% of its budget for missions. It is not a big church (maybe 350 members). But it is a church with a big heart for missions. Most of the people that attend that church are middle class. They are teachers, construction workers, painters; normal people who believe that all of their money is God's money.

1,000-5,000 won So what can we do right now to be a part of what God is doing in missions? 2 Corinthians 8:1-4 says,

2 Corinthians 8:1-4

"And nowbrothers we want you know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial their overflowing joy and extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able and even beyond their ability. Entirely on theirown they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.

A. Give out of your poverty What can you do right now? You can give! Give out of your poverty like the verse says. Probably some of you only have 10,000 won per week to spend. So you say, "I can't give any money to missions!" Maybe you don't even have that much. I want to challenge you to start giving NOW out of the little you do have. Maybe that means setting aside 1,000 won a week to give to missions. Maybe it means setting aside 5,000 won a week. Even that small amount can make a big difference in God's kingdom. Remember the boy with the fish and the loaves and the 5,000 people who were hungry for food. I'm sure that boy had no idea how his fish and loaf would help, but he gave what little he had to Jesus. And Jesus multiplied it! God will multiply your 'pennies'too.

B. The Benefits Did you notice the results of their giving from their poverty? The verse says, "their overflowing joy welled up in rich generosity. There was joy in giving. And they were giving out of poverty! That's one benefit of giving. Giving brings joy to the giver. The Macedonians saw giving as sharing the ministry. "(They) pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.? Another benefit of giving to missions is that it strengthens the relationship with the missionary. When you make a commitment to give to a missionary regularly, even a very small amount, you will be surprised at how motivated you are to pray and be involved in what that missionary is doing.

There is a family who gives us $10 a month faithfully. That doesn't seem like much but that family is faithful to pray for us regularly. They are faithful in keeping in touchwith us and encouraging us in our ministry here. They are even open to coming and helping us in Korea any way we could use them.

When Nicole and I were first married, we were both graduate students with very little money! But we decided then that we would be faithful in at least tithing to the church and giving above that to missions. We had little, so what we gave was little?in the world's eyes, but God blessed us with much. We have never had a lot, but we have always had enough! My point is this. Start now when you have little because it is MUCH easier to give when you don't have much to begin with.

by Denny Smith
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