The Joy of Giving!

Dear Partners in Ministry,

Every year at this time, more money is given to charitable causes than any other month. And with the economy strong, we may see more money given to charity in December 2006 than any month in history. That is wonderful! America is the most generous country on earth!

My ministry is about giving. I see both sides. I see a country that the Lord has blessed with abundant resources, unlike any country ever in the history of the world. Yet I frequently see many missionaries living at near poverty conditions. So I would like to present you with three reasons why we should give generously.

1) The Lord commands that we give generously: Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote to Timothy these words, “Instruct those who are rich in this present world…to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed,” (1 Timothy 6:17-18).

2) The cause of Christ needs laborers: In my travels across Eastern Europe I see doors opened wide for the gospel but no one is there to go through them. I see missionaries who want to bring the gospel to their countrymen but just don’t have the resources to support their work. I see excellent outreach strategies that never get past the proposal stage. There are many reasons why this is so, but always top among those reasons is a lack of funding. In one of the most influential New Testament passages to me, Jesus says, “the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few…” (Matthew 9:37).

3) The words of Jesus: “It is more blessed to give than to receive,” (Acts 20:35). THIS VERSE IS RADICAL! Many of the national missionaries I work with are scared about asking American Christians for financial support. I answer by showing them this Scripture; they are a blessing to their donors! It is more important for the donor to give than it is for the missionary to receive! I believe that the biggest competitor to missions is not Muslims, secularists or foreign governments; it is materialism. When we give to the cause of Christ we are choosing to divorce ourselves from the idol of materialism. Giving, if done in the right spirit, is a high form of worship to Almighty God!

But the sad fact is that very few Christians are giving. The “Rule of 3s” helps to explain this: 1) the average Christian gives only 3% of their income to Christian causes 2) only 3% of Christians tithe and 3) of the money that is given only 3% goes to the international mission field. Yet most Christians complain of financial problems. Is there a connection? Imagine where the cause of Christ would be world-wide if merely half of us tithed!

However, I must say this: EB and I have received undeserved attention for the financial turn around of our ministry in Hungary (they still have needs but are now pointed in the right direction). We don’t deserve credit; YOU do! When we began to help our Hungarian staff, we went to THOSE ALREADY SUPPORTING US! And you all gave generously again and introduced our beloved Hungarian staff to your like-minded friends. Even recently in an email I quoted our Polish director that it will not be a happy Christmas for many of our Polish staff families due to poor support. And YOU took the initiative (I never asked). Over $20,000 thus far has been given to our needy Polish staff. Wow! YOU MAKE EB AND ME LOOK GOOD! Keep up the excellent work; you are an example to the cause of Christ everywhere!

EB and I want to live with a “kingdom mentality.” If you will be giving extra this Christmas, then please consider the needs of national missionaries (with ANY Christ-exalting ministry) before our family’s needs; also EB and I would like to recommend Samaritan’s Purse (http://www.samaritanspurse.org) Through their humanitarian work, they get the gospel into areas that mere evangelists and church planters cannot go.

Giving benefits you, it empowers the missionary and brings the Lord glory. Name another use of money that does all that! Giving generously is a WIN-WIN-WIN opportunity!

Serving with you,

Matt and EB

PS: this is a link to a talk I heard by John Piper. No other theologian has influenced me like Piper. This is classic Piper and it is a “go into all the world and lay down your life for Jesus” message. http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByScripture/10/11_Let_All_the_Peoples_Praise_Him/

Do not seek a painless death; seek a purposeful death.