Reverse Offering?
Some folks thought it sounded crazy. Some folks thought it sounded crazy cool. A number of folks gave to the fund anonymously to help make sure it could happen. 85 folks left church with more money than they came with and they also left with a mission to share that money in ways that change people’s lives in the name of Jesus.
On November 23, Southern Hills members who attended Refresh had the opportunity to participate in a Reverse Offering. Eighty-five envelopes containing a total of $2,500 (all of which had been given by anonymous benefactors for the purpose of the Reverse Offering) were handed out to volunteers. They gave their name and email and promised to share how they used the money to bless others. Every person I’ve heard from took the task very seriously, looking at people in a very different way and prayerfully going about finding the right person in answer to prayer. One of the exciting things about this is that we have heard from people from all sorts of age groups who picked up one of the 85 envelopes to help. Generosity and concern know no generational limitations in the Lord’s family.
Read some of the stories about the reverse offering.
Like most churches, our finances have been extremely tight as the economy issues have settled in, so there was some wondering about how smart it would be to give money to folks to give money to the needs they saw in our community. However, the stories of how this has impacted both giver and receiver, and the anticipated stories we believe we will be able to tell about how it has impacted our church family, are incredible.
Paul knew a statement Jesus made that wasn’t recorded in one of the four Gospels. He shared this statement with men he was seeing for the last time. He was close to them and was pointing them to God’s way of leading His people:
In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35 TNIV).
So maybe we shouldn’t call it a “reverse offering,” maybe we should call it a “blessed offering” for our church and those who participated.
As Paul said as he wrapped up his instructions about giving to the Corinthians, “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15)
A friend gave me money to fly to Nebraska so I could help my daughter-in-law after her second child was born. I couldn’t afford the trip at the time. The money was given with this expectation: “Someday, you help someone who is in need.” There came a time when I could & I did that. Perhaps the “reverse offering” should be called the BLESSING OFFERING. We praise God for those who are willing to give the money & for those who went out to find people to share with & for those people who are in need. God gives us abundant opportunities to share & to proclaim His glorious Name.
Brenda Terrell
5 Dec 08 at 9:45 am
What a blest idea. I am going to present the idea to our pastor and see if it will fly with hom. Please pray that more churches will do something like this to help others and to spread the Word of our wonder Saviour. God bless you and keep up the good work.
Shirley G
6 Dec 08 at 2:30 pm
I\’m really interested in this. We have some families in our church in financial need, who will probably not ask for help from our benevolent fund. And, of course, there are total strangers on the street. And there\’s a sizeable balance sitting in that fund.
Radical idea: We could take all or part of that money and make it a blessing offering. Recipients, if they were hesitant to take it, could simply be told, \"Pay it forward\" (like the movie).
I have a feeling our deacons might nix the idea, and there isn\’t even a regular deacons meeting this month. OH ME OF LITTLE FAITH. Prayer appreciated!
Paul
7 Dec 08 at 6:20 am
Our church (Essex Alliance Church in Vermont) did this sort of thing a couple of years ago. All attendees were given an envelope that had either a $5, a $10, or a $20 in it. Everyone was to use this money to be a blessing to someone in the community, specifically an outreach blessing. Many folks used this to take someone to lunch, or to buy flowers for a friend. The stories that came back from this experience were wonderful.
Jerry
20 Dec 08 at 6:36 pm