90 Day Covenant

Why Is Giving So Important?

As Christ followers, we are called to live our lives as a reflection of Jesus. Giving is at the core of becoming a follower of Christ, whether we are giving our time, our energy or our resources. Jesus gave His life and by His example we should be givers, as well.

Jesus says, "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."
(Luke 6:38[NKJV])

What Does "Tithe" Actually Mean?

You may have heard the word "tithe" used in connection with giving. Tithing literally means "tenth." In the Old Testament, the tithe referred to God's people giving the first 10% of their gross income (also called "first fruits") to fund the Levitical priests' ministry (Numbers 18:21-29). In addition, many other offerings were given by God's people for various purposes.

In the New Testament, giving focuses upon grace, generosity and the heart. Perhaps the most thorough teaching, in the New Testament, on giving is in the book of 2 Corinthians chapters 8 and 9 where we discover the following principles:

• Giving is a joy and an honor.
• Giving to God should be a priority and come first.
• Giving should be regular, cheerful and sacrificial.
• Giving is expressed in proportion to your faith.

God says, "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do, I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won't have enough room to take it in! Try it! Let me prove it to you!"
(Malachi 3:10[NLT])

Does Tithing Apply Today?

According to the Bible, our grace giving is to exceed the Old Testament requirements seen in the law. That is to say, 10% should be a floor, not a ceiling and it is a place to begin, not a place to end. Since God is ultimately the owner of all our wealth, the question should never be how much we give back to God, but rather how much of God's money He desires for us to keep.

What Is The 90 Day Partnership Covenant?

Everything that God has called HIs church to do, which requires financial resources, is provided by those who worship here. This reality makes it vitally important for everyone to be an active participant in giving.

It might seem that taking the step to commit to giving 10% of your income to God is impossible. However, because we are convinced that God is faithful and that His blessings follow obedience, we want to partner with you in this journey. As you begin tithing, we believe that God will honor your commitment. And, in many cases He will provide increase in unexplainable ways and bless your life well beyond your finances.

As you take this step of faith, we want you to know that you are not alone! That's why the 90 Day Partnership Covenant is based on three primary factors: your part, our part, and God's part. Perhaps, the following picture will help to explain that better in a visual way. Please note that each part is intrinsically connected with the other parts forming a complete union.

Regarding the 90 Day Partnership Covenant, your part is to faithfully tithe, our part is to faithfully support you in prayer and God's part is to faithfully fulfill His Word. Each separate part is connected and works together to form the strength of this Covenant. While this may be a new step for you to take, please remember, you are not alone. In fact, here's what we are continuing to discover: If you will do your part and if we will do our part then we can be assured that God will do His part!

If you would like to participate in the 90 Day Partnership Covenant, simply complete the enclosed Commitment Card and return it to the church. After three months of faithfully tithing, if you should have a change of heart and do not believe that God has blessed you for being obedient, we will return the contributions you presented during the 90 day period that you selected. Please know that your decisions will not be publicized at any time.

¹¹"Everything in the heavens and earth is Yours, O Lord, and this is Your kingdom. We adore You as being in control of everything. ¹²Riches and honor come from You alone, and You are the ruler of all mankind; Your hand controls power and might, and it is at Your discretion that men are made great and given strength."
(1 Chronicles 29:11-12, Living Bible[NKJV])