One of the funniest church music videos I’ve ever seen
David Landrith is preaching through a sermon series based on the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) called Uncool. This is the latest trailer for the series.
Enjoy!
Is your church worth my generosity?
When the people leave your church campus, are they…
- clear about what your church is on mission to do?
- invited to participate in the solution?
- filled with a sense of urgency to join the work…immediately?
If not, it’s time to rethink you’re communication strategy. This video represents your competition. Will the compelling case for support you prepared for Sunday morning capture the hearts or waste the time of your membership? Is it all about you, or is it all about them?
I’m looking to fund Kingdom impact, and I’m not the only one. What does that look like in your church? If you can’t answer that, then you’re going to have a tough time competing with organizations like the one represented in this video.
Church leaders: watch and learn.
Excellent “thank you” video from World Vision to donors
This video accomplishes three things:
- Offers a “thank you” to the donor
- Reminds donors of the need and exhibits the impact of World Vision’s intervention
- Acknowledges that World Vision couldn’t have done it without donors and won’t be able to continue without donors
The focus of this video was not World Vision, but “the work” its donors have accomplished through World Vision.
I wonder what impact this strategy would have on local church funding if staff leadership adopted the same posture.
Ignite generosity through song: “Meant to live” by Switchfoot
“20 percent of all American Christians give literally nothing to the church.”
–Passing the Plate
Before I became a generous Christian…I was just a Christian. I lived protecting what God had given me, thinking that it was meant for me to possess and own. I feared that giving away the gifts God had given me would mean I couldn’t enjoy them.
Since I became a generous Christian, none of what I feared would happen has ever happened. In fact, I live with a greater sense of purpose and meaning than ever before. The pleasure of giving the gifts God has given me is so much greater than the gifts themselves. It sounds crazy, but the more I give away, the more I have to give away.
God intended his children to give as freely as he did when he gave us his son on the cross.
Ignite generosity through song: “Don’t give up” by Alicia Keys and Bono
We must never give up.
We must never be satisfied with what we have given today.
We must never forget that we are all God’s creation, and God desires a relationship with everyone.
We must never forget what it feels like to live in the tension of what we can do today and what God is calling us to do tomorrow.
We must never believe that there are limits to what we can give, for that would mean God is limited.
We must never give up.
Ignite generosity through song: “Give me your eyes” Brandon Heath
Have you ever wondered what the face of God looks like?
I’ve always wanted to make a book of pictures that captured the face of God. But where would I find it? And what would it look like?
The face of God is in the kindness of strangers, the sacrifice of a distant acquaintance, the generosity of God’s people.
There is nothing more exciting than to hear the story of a child of God, a follower of Christ, who experiences a “second conversation” where he or she realizes that generosity is the only appropriate response to the grace of God.
Did you recognize the face of God when you saw it today?
Ignite generosity through song: “Follow you” by Lealand
I really…REALLY…like this song.
The whole idea of finding the intersection between Gospel and Social Justice seems very authentic to me. This is what I love most about what I do. It’s not about money, volunteers, or programs. It’s about unleashing what God has entrusted to his people so that others might find the same hope, strength, and peace.
It’s easy to forget while we’re “doing” church that it’s essential we “be” the church.
Francis Chan dares you to pray this
I think one of the greatest obstacles Christ-followers have to being generous is letting go of all that gives us security and certainty. We must learn to live with open hands, not holding back in an effort of self-preservation, if we ever expect to practice reckless generosity.
If God owns it all, then it is his to take, leave, or multiply.
If we believe in the providence of God, then we must take action knowing we’ll have enough for the day’s journey ahead.
People want to fund life change
People want to fund life change. They don’t want to fund self-preservation.
Below is a video of a church who effectively uses the “cardboard testimony” idea. BUT the best part is at the very end when the pastor provides a great example of calling his people to action. Too often, we set up “the ask” but never follow through. Watch how this pastor clearly and compelling challenges his people to fund life change on the heels of Kingdom Impact being clearly demonstrated.
