Leftovers…
Imagine this scenario… You go to your favorite restaurant anticipating a fresh, cooked to order, hot meal. You are hungry and have been looking forward to this meal all day. The waitress finally comes and delivers your meal to the table. You look at your plate, look at the waitress, and cannot believe what you see! There on the plate is half eaten hotdog, a few cold French fries, and what appears to be small amount of mixed vegetables. You look at the waitress and say, “What the heck is this? Is this a joke? I ordered a ribeye, potato, and fresh asparagus??!! What in the world is this?? The waitress looks at you and says with a smile, “I apologize if your meal isn’t as expected. Unfortunately, all we had available were ‘leftovers. Enjoy your meal!”
If the above scenario actually took place you would probably walk out, be ticked, and perhaps share a few choice words. However, the reality is that many of us are doing exactly what this restaurant did. How you ask? By giving God our leftovers.
Am I speaking about money here? Yes! And let me preface what I am about to say by saying that I realize there are folks at Life Change who give regularly and abundantly to support the ministry of Life Change Church. And for that I am thankful, and I know God is pleased. However, there are also many who give God their leftovers, if they give anything at all. And just like you don’t want to be served leftovers, neither does God.
The Bible puts it this way…
Malachi 8:8&10(NKJV)
“Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. 10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.
I realize some of you are struggling, living paycheck to paycheck, and the idea of giving regularly or 10% of your income to the church (a tithe) seems impossible. On the other hand, some of you are financially blessed, and you might be able to give above and beyond the 10% (tithe) threshold. So, here is what I am asking from ALL of us…
Do Something! Give something on a regular, consistent basis! Whether you make $200.00 a week or $2000.00 a week, if we all do something, on a regular, consistent basis, our church will flourish!
This past Sunday we received $1400.00 in tithes and offerings which is $1300.00 under budget. Our weekly budget need is $2700.00. Our lease alone each month is $3050.00. If you have not already done so, I encourage you to look over LCCT’s 2019 budget at https://www.lifechangetullahoma.org/2019-lcct-budget.
Perhaps God has blessed you with the ability to give a one-time gift that would be a game-changer for Life Change Tullahoma. A gift that could provide Life Change Tullahoma the finances to send multiple kids to our summer retreat that otherwise are unable to attend due to finances, a gift that would allow Life Change to be more productive in reaching our community, a gift that would help in meeting the needs of others in our community, a gift that would allow LCCT the ability to hire a regular youth leader or children’s leader. The truth is that the more money we have, the more ministry we can do!
It is important to note that I, The Pastor, have no idea who gives what and I don’t want to know. Only those who serve on our finance team see what comes in and who it comes from.
From today through Sunday, I am labelling the next five days as “Catch Up days”. And I want to encourage you to give sacrificially between now and Sunday so that LCCT and catch up on its budget needs. As the Pastor, and Church Planter of Life Change, I think it is important for you to know that I sent out 21 letters yesterday to friends and family outside of our church asking for financial support. I say this to let you know I am working to do my part in raising funds for our church. However, our main support will always come from our friends and family at LCCT.
You can give right now in one of the following ways:
1. Give online via PayPal at https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=4P4U3YMRHUTU6&source=url. You do not have to be a member of PayPal to give online.
2. Bank Draft. Just like you pay other bills online, you can setup a regular gift to LCCT via your bank account. Make your check/bank draft payable to: Life Change Church Tullahoma at 414 Wilson Avenue, Suite 121, Tullahoma, TN 37388.
3. By mailing a check to: Life Change Church Tullahoma at 414 Wilson Avenue, Suite 121, Tullahoma, TN 37388.
Perhaps you received or will receive an income tax return this year. Don’t forget Life Change when considering how you might spend your money. Donating part or all of your income tax return is a great way to bless God’s church!
Again, for those who support Life Change Church regularly, thank you! I know God’s word is true in that He will “open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it!”
If you’ve read this far, thank you! This is not an easy letter for me to write, but I believe it is a necessary one. God wants to do so much in and through His church called Life Change! And He is asking some of you to step out and step up in faith and do more! Do something! I pray you will be faithful to Gods call.
In service to Christ and His Church,
Pastor Christian Watts
931-321-0900
