This is a BLESSING!  I understand where the money comes from, it’s money that you and I worked hard for and then “voluntarily” paid to the government to maintain and improve the infrastructure we have in our state and country; then the government refunds a portion back to us.  I get all of that and I get that there are many who have heated political feelings about taxes, and how much money we should get back; that isn’t my focus in this post.

Let me shed some light on the “tax refund” from a spiritual & eternal perspective.  What if I told you every year as followers of Jesus WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD MORE UNCHURCHED PEOPLE TO BECOME HARDCORE FOLLOWERS OF JESUS CHRIST through the TAX REFUND.  That’s right, your tax refund, which is really a blessing from God is an opportunity to be a blessing to Jesus & His Church!

The Bible teaches us that God is the BLESSOR, we are the BLESSED, to be a BLESSING!  Every good gift comes from God.  This includes the air we breathe, the minds we think with, and the hands we work with.  God wants to bless us because He loves us.  And God wants to bless others through us!

The spiritual discipline of tithing is the tool God uses to shape our hearts to become more like His in the area of our finances.  A Tithe literally means, a tenth or 10%.  God says, I have given you everything you have.  Now, bring back to me a portion, 10% as an act of trust and obedience.  When we bring back the 10%, God blesses the remaining 90%.  I would much rather live on a blessed 90% than a cursed 100%, when you live on the cursed 100% you will never feel like you have enough, you will be swimming in debt, and you will be enslaved to the almighty dollar.  Besides, God promises to pour out so much blessing on us that we won’t have enough room to contain it all (Mal.3:10).

Imagine with me all of God’s people returning a portion of their tax refund to their local church in an effort to see GOD DO THE IMPOSSIBLE! Imagine all of the lives that would be changed, imagine all of the churches that would be strengthened, imagine how much glory God would get!  Imagine God pouring out HIS BLESSINGS UPON HIS CHURCH in proportion to the portion WE BRING BACK TO HIM!

So, this year, before you go out and spend your entire tax refund on televisions, cell phones, dvd’s, video games, couches, cars, and clothes – RETURN A PORTION OF YOUR REFUND TO GOD, as an act of TRUST AND OBEDIENCE!  If you already tithe on the gross of your income, consider this a SACRIFICIAL OFFERING that you are giving above & beyond the tithe!  My family tithes on the gross and gives a certain percentage above & beyond our income every single week, PLUS we love to return a portion of our tax refund every year as a sacrificial offering to Jesus & His Mission in the Church!

For more info on giving at The Dialogue Church visit www.theDC.tv/giving.

1. Cash flow – giving sacrificially every week over the long haul makes a BIG impact!
2. give up dunkin donuts and brew at home
3. do a garage sale and give a portion to the 3:20 Challenge
4. every 3 months we get an extra pay day – give an entire paycheck
5. lower your cable service for 3 months
6. fast from Starbucks
7. fast from dining out
8. pick a luxury like: dvd rentals, movies, video games, and give that to the 3:20 Challenge & use free rentals from the library or a friend
9. carpool as much as possible, walk more, drive less to save on gas
10. cut out coupons
11. quit smoking or drinking alcohol
12. give a vacation to Jesus
13. pack a lunch
14. bring a snack
15. bottle your own water
16. make your kids Halloween costumes and homemade Christmas gifts or birthday gifts
17. Give up one meal a day for a week and give the money saved ($3/meal = $21/week)
18. Reduce cell phone plan (especially if you don’t use all your minutes)
19. Only drink water for a week instead of any other liquids (and follow #15)
20. Be very conscious of electricity; for example, in winter, wear an extra layer of clothing and turn down the heat; in summer, use the fan more than the A/C
21. Plan for a night or two a week to refrain from computer, TV and all electronics to save electricity (and spend more time together as a family)
22. Most importantly, be creative and substitute what you normally do for something more cost-effective
23. Shower at the gym so you don’t have to do it at home
24. Find as many free events to take the kids to as possible.
25. Use free kid sitting instead of paying for a babysitter (kid swap with other families)
26. Use what you have, and learn to live on less.
27. wear the clothes you actually have in your closet before buying new ones.
28. eat all the food stashed away in the pantry.
29. Refinance your house!

If you can think of any more please add them in the comments section;-)

For more info on taking the 3:20 Challenge at The Dialogue Church please visit www.theDC.tv/320.

THIS PAST SUNDAY WE EXPERIENCED OUR HIGHEST NON-HOLIDAY ATTENDANCE EVER IN THE 3 YEAR HISTORY OF THE DIALOGUE CHURCH! That is amazing evidence of how God is at work in so many lives, changing people through the power of Jesus Christ!

This past Sunday we started the 3:20 Challenge as a Church Family. If you don’t know what that is, it is our way of preparing for the next season of growth at theDC. The 3:20 Challenge is about impacting more lives with the love of Christ! The 3:20 Challenge will allow us to do ministry on a “hole nutha level.” The 3:20 Challenge states, “For the next 3 months I will give an additional $20 a week above and beyond my regular giving and trust God to do the impossible.” This fundraising campaign is about fully resourcing God’s church so we can fully reach this city for Christ! Through these financial resources we are trusting God to provide a facility that will allow His Church to gather 400+ people very weekend, reaching thousands more for Jesus Christ over the next 3 years.  For more info on the 3:20 Challenge please visit www.theDC.tv/320.

So many families have already signed up for the 3:20 Challenge, but we are trusting God for many more. It’s not too late to partner with the greatest thing going on planet earth, the local church. Honestly, every bit helps lead unchurched people to become hardcore followers of Jesus Christ. Recently, we have invested more in outreach and bringing Christ’s love to those far from God than ever before; and I am asking you to help us reach thousands more for Jesus!

Here is what you can do:

1. DARE TO DREAM…by asking God to do infinitely more than we might ask or think!

2. DECIDE TO SACRIFICE…by giving up something I love in order to give to something I love even more!

3. SIGN UP…by completing a Connection Card and marking, “I’m ready to take the 3:20 Challenge.”

To help you remain faithful in your giving, there are 4 easy ways to give which you can find online at www.theDC.tv/give. If you haven’t signed up or started the 3:20 Challenge, I am asking that you trust God on a hole nutha level and join us in making a God-sized crater here in New England with the gospel of Jesus Christ!

Now, I realize that times are tight, I get that, but God hasn’t been caught off guard and the cross of Jesus Christ doesn’t become any less important, and Hell doesn’t suddenly get any colder because the economy is hurting. This is all the more reason we need to trust Jesus and rely on Him fully for every bill, every decision, and every relationship. People’s hearts are more open when there is pain and suffering in the air. We don’t need to step back from Jesus’ call on our lives, we need to continue to step up!

LET’S BECOME A TITHE-LOVING CHURCH!

ARE YOU IN OR OUT? Unfortunately, there is not a whole lot of room for being neutral with Jesus. Jesus said it Himself, You are either with me or against me (Matt.12:30).
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A thought I have been dealing with is this: Am I as the senior communicator of this faith community not elevating the tithe in the way Scripture does? I don’t believe I have been. That will change. I don’t want to be disobedient by lowering or minimizing even indirectly the standard of tithing. Tithing is one of God’s standards and it is no wonder why the mission and the vision are so closely tied to it.

TITHING IS ABOUT OBEDIENCE, WORSHIP, & MISSION

Tithing first and foremost is about OBEDIENCE.
We are commanded in Scripture to tithe. I love it when people say that tithing was only for the OT Law, that is such an indicator that they have no idea what they are talking about. Jesus not only said that we should tithe, but that it was a minimum requirement for being a God-follower (ouch)! Not only that, but the tithe started way before the Law of Moses was ever introduced (boom-sha-ka-la-kah)!

Tithing is about WORSHIP.
By bringing my 10% to God I am putting Him first. I am revering God more than money and anything else tangible or intangible in this world. If you want to continue to grow in your worship of God, in your love of Jesus, then tithing is the prescription.

Tithing is about MISSION.
God doesn’t want us to rely on bake sales, bingo nights, or car washes to fuel the proclamation of His Son, but He wants us to rely on Him and His word. His word says that we should tithe, and from this tithe we operate the expenses of the church – the expenses of the mission. If we don’t tithe, we can’t push the mission of Jesus forward, the church shuts down, and the gospel doesn’t get preached, and people don’t get saved, and our loved ones who die without Christ go to hell. I don’t want that, and you don’t want that, so let’s pull together and really show Jesus that He is worthy of our best and that He is worthy of our total obedience.

I just love it when I hear someone say, “WELL, THE TITHE IS JUST FOR THE OLD TESTAMENT, YOU KNOW UNDER THE LAW.” When I hear someone say that I realize right away that they don’t have a clue what they are talking about; and I say that with all humility and compassion. Honestly, they are missing out on a clear command of Scripture that always follows with a blessing.

First of all, the Tithe is not just for the OT. Just because God first talked about something in the OT doesn’t mean that it is now obsolete or unnecessary, or is no longer His desire for our lives. In fact, since He started talking about it from the very beginning it makes it all the more important. The Old Testament is not obsolete, it is every much the Word of God as the New Testament is. But even more importantly is this: GOD COMMANDED THE TITHE TO TEACH US HOW TO FEAR HIM, REVERE HIM AND TO WORSHIP HIP HIM.

Bring this tithe to the place the LORD your God chooses for his name to be honored, and eat it there in his presence. This applies to your tithes of grain, new wine, olive oil, and the firstborn males of your flocks and herds. The purpose of tithing is to teach you always to fear the LORD your God. (Deu 14:23 NLT)