By
CCSB National Ministry Leader
This is one of the most difficult articles I have ever written because, like most pastors, I don’t like talking about money.
The CCSB is in a very serious financial situation and it is important for each of our churches to examine their commitment to the Cooperative Program of World Missions.
The American dollar has fallen 62 percent in the last five years; this devaluation of the US dollar has had serious consequences for the CCSB’s overall budget. We will have received funding of more than 2-million US dollars this year. These funds will yield $1,240,000 less Canadian dollars than they would have in 2002.
Three years ago we cut our budgets by 30 percent to adjust to the first round of US currency changes. Although those cuts were hard to achieve we adapted and cut expenses in every department.
The growth of our work has expanded so that we now have churches in every Canadian province. Team leaders made “bricks without straw,” keeping positive attitudes, and we still saw increases in every indicator we tracked. We have set records in church starts every year and are on track to plant more churches in 2007 than in any previous year.
The 2008 budget has also been cut an additional 15 percent (besides the 30 percent) along with more cost-cutting measures implemented to make ends meet.
We have seen increases in the Cooperative Program every year for more than 10 years. The faithfulness of our churches has been demonstrated year after year. Many of our churches give through the Cooperative Program before they pay their pastor’s salary.
When I talk with pastors who lead their churches to priority giving through the Cooperative Program they tell me it is their opportunity to trust exclusively in God and for the church to tithe on its first income.
I want to thank all of our churches who have given sacrificially through the Cooperative Program. I especially want to recognize those who give 10 percent or more of their monthly general offering. They exemplify the partnership we have to reach people for Christ across
I must appeal to those churches who have given little or nothing this year through the Cooperative Program. I understand that many worthwhile causes appeal for your financial attention but I am obliged to challenge you to consider giving to the most successful worldwide missions sending strategy in evangelical history.
We want to impact this world for Christ and can only sustain and increase that outreach if every church gives sacrificially. In order to do that, I challenge you to give a tithe (10 percent) of your general offerings through the Cooperative Program.
Whether you have a large or small budget, whether you are a big church or a house church, our family of churches invites you to give yourself away by giving through the Cooperative Program.
Will you encourage your church to give a tithe of your general offerings to extend the
The devaluation of the US dollar took many people by surprise but nothing takes God by surprise. He knew that this would happen and He has a plan to address the resulting need. Your sacrificial giving may just be part of His plan. This financial downfall may be our opportunity to take more ownership of our mission and vision.
Would you prayerfully consider your commitment to our Canadian and world missions vision, and give 10 percent through the Cooperative Program?