Kinds of Givers (part 3)

Good Morning,

If you have not caught the first few points, these words are the outline I got from my friend Pastor Jose Ruiz.  He has built a large church in Negros, Philippines. They are located at the end of a dirt road, nowhere near any businesses, and within sight of only a few of homes. I did not want to mess up the outline Pastor Ruiz created, “Considering Sixteen Types of Givers,” but as you can see, the following outline was a lot of work to find all of these “C” words. I would have enjoyed hearing his messages on the subject, for he makes the listener smile.  

8. Conceited Givers

Some people who attend church think that the church cannot succeed without them. God provides for the church. He may choose to use a rich or a poor man; but make no mistake, God takes care of His church not people.

Between people leaving the state of California and the events around the time of the COVID craziness, most churches in California lost many members. We lost many people, but, interestingly, our missions giving never wavered, and our bills were always paid. We were constantly reminded that it is God Who takes care of His church. He uses people, but people are just the tool in the hand of God.

John 15:1-8 tells the story of Christ being the Vine, and the believers being the branches. The branch may bear fruit, but if you take it away from the vine it will die and become worthless. This is how we are in our relationship with Christ and the work of God. As long as we stay near Him, we can be fruitful Christians. We need to be reminded that it is not people who provide the resources – everything comes from Jesus.

John 15:5 “…for without me ye can do nothing” 

9. Conditional Givers

There are people in each church who give if they agree with the project, or if people are nice to them. These people give on the condition of everything making them happy. If one of their children has a problem in the Christian school, their giving will change.

Observe their giving when someone is not chosen for an available position, and then see if they’re giving stops or continues. These situations reveal the conditional giver. If the preacher preaches on something that steps on their toes, they will withdraw from their faithfulness to church, as well as their faithfulness to giving.

10. Corrupt Givers

The corrupt giver takes and rarely gives. The corrupt giver finds a way for their children to go to camps and special programs without carrying the load of financing the camp. The corrupt giver will not support the conferences, adult Sunday school classes, or other programs around church. The corrupt giver will wonder why the books and church materials are not free - they are takers not givers.  

11. Convenient Givers

Many people simply do not like any pressure. They want to give when they feel like giving. They want to give when there is extra at hand.

Forgetting that Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also,” these kinds of people treasure ease and convenience over faithfulness.

12. Curious Givers

Some will give, and then wait to see if it pays to give. They will give a little and watch to see if there is a return on their gift. They give as someone who invests in the stock market. Curious givers are very guarded with how much they give because they are waiting to see if there is a return on their investment. They forget that the souls of men and churches being started around the world is the greatest investment anyone could imagine. Curious givers are thoroughly concerned with only what they can receive not with the glory God will receive.

13. Confident Givers

Luke 6:38 “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom…"

The confident giver knows that God is faithful. He may not see the result of his giving, but he knows the One to Whom he gives. The confident giver invests in God’s house, God’s Book, and God’s people, knowing that this pleases the Heavenly Father. He is confident that in God’s own time, He will take the investment and use it for His glory. Confident givers know that their eternal reward is sure.

Pastor