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Clyde Billingsley is one of America's most respected and loved evangelists.
He has served as Director of Evangelism for several State Conventions and
many other positions of great responsibility. He has now returned to his
"first love" and gives all of his time preaching the blessed Gospel of Christ
around the world. Here, he shares vivid insights with us on the joy and
responsibility of giving. "LET EVERYONE GIVE" by Clyde Billingsley Occasionally I am in a church service somewhere when the pastor or other person on the platform announces that we are about to receive an offering, but that visitors are not expected to contribute. As a visitor, I think, "do they want me not to sing when they sing, or pray when they pray, also? Why should a visitor in our church services be discouraged from giving when that MAY be the only reason they came to the service, or that may be the only way they can participate in the worship service. I think of the stranger who showed up one Sunday morning at a Southern Baptist church near Seattle and put enough money in the offering plate to pay off the churches indebtedness, then left after the service without anyone ever knowing who he was! Would that have happened if someone had discouraged him from giving ? Its important to remember that giving is not burdensome. It is a joyful and blessed experience ! It’s the way God has chosen to finance the greatest business on earth...the winning of souls to Christ. Giving is as much a part of worship as singing, praying, and preaching. Everyone should be encouraged to participate fully in a worship service whether or not they are members of the church. It is not offensive to an "outsider" to feel he can participate as fully in worship as he or she desires. After all, it was GOD who said, "It is more blessed to give, than to receive". The person who only receives something from a worship service and gives nothing (in any facet of worship) is not blessed, but impoverished. Certainly a person can give more ways than through participating in the offering...sometimes people have no money to give. But the true heart that gives from whatever resource it has, will be blessed of God, whether the gift is in money, consecration, or dedication. It is important to remember that no kind of giving should be discouraged in worship. Years ago many churches practiced "closed communion", in which nonmembers of the church were discouraged or asked not to participate in the Lord’s Supper. There was some justification for that. But it is worse to practice "closed giving" where nonmembers are discouraged from giving in the offering ! I can find no justification at all for that! |
Copyright ©2001 Dale Freeman. All rights reserved.