Is it wrong of me to want money I donate to the church to go specifically towards ministries that I feel get easily over looked like...

Is it wrong of me to want money I donate to the church to go specifically towards ministries that I feel get easily over looked like Children & Youth or Pastor’s Retirement? Carmen

Hi Carmen,

I work with financial and business matters here at Christ Fellowship and would love to share with you on the topic of giving.

First, we must recognize that everything belongs to God (1 Chronicles 29:11-12) and that we are his stewards, or managers. Giving back serves as an external, material testimony of our attitude and willingness to trust Him.

Malachi 3:10 says, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”

In the Old Testament the storehouse was a place where people would bring their offerings of grain and animals. Today, the church is the storehouse and when we obey Him and give our tithe to the church, God holds the leaders responsible for the distribution of the tithes. (Nehemiah 12:44-45, 13).

Your question concerning how you will give is called “designated” giving. Designated giving is given over and above the tithe and is encouraged for ongoing projects such as building programs or missions. Beyond that, we encourage people to give to the general fund so that the leaders can use it to fund the Vision God gives them.

For the believer, Stewardship extends even beyond life. When we give either in this life or when we pass away, we are dependant on the integrity and leading of those God makes responsible.

At Christ Fellowship, each Pastor and Director plans ahead and participates very closely in the budgeting process, submitting their plans for the year with a request for what they will need to fund their ministries. The Stewardship Committee reviews the big picture and presents the budget to the church for a vote on how much is needed and how the money will be spent each year.

Thank you for your commitment to trust God by giving back to him a portion of his blessings.

Deborah Sutton