For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.  Romans 6:14

I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.  Galatians 2:21

You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.  Galatians 5:4

Just as it should be, we are to preach salvation by the grace of our Lord and His mercy through faith, not deeds of the law.  This is what brings us salvation.  And yet when it comes to money, all that is thrown to the wind and the law invariably gets reintroduced.

One of the most common Bible quotes that you will hear on the subject of giving is:

Will a man rob God?
      Yet you have robbed Me!
      But you say,
      ‘In what way have we robbed You?’
      In tithes and offerings.

Malachi 3:8

After this reading, you’ll be given an hour sermon on how you’re stealing from God if you don’t give ten percent just as the Bible says.  But does it?  Let’s quote the pertinent passages from the Old Testament concerning tithing.  Read carefully, but underlining will be helpful here and is added by me.  Remember, I didn’t write these words – they’re right in your Bible:

But when you cross over the Jordan and dwell in the land which the LORD your God is giving you to inherit, and He gives you rest from all your enemies round about, so that you dwell in safety, then there will be the place where the LORD your God chooses to make His name abide.  There you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the heave offerings of your hand, and all your choice offerings which you vow to the LORD.  And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God, you and your sons and your daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levite who is within your gates, since he has no portion nor inheritance with you.  Deuteronomy 12:10-12

Only the holy things which you have, and your vowed offerings, you shall take and go to the place which the LORD chooses.   And you shall offer your burnt offerings, the meat and the blood, on the altar of the LORD your God; and the blood of your sacrifices shall be poured out on the altar of the LORD your God, and you shall eat the meat.  Deuteronomy 12:26, 27

“You shall truly tithe all the increase of your grain that the field produces year by year.  And you shall eat before the LORD your God, in the place where He chooses to make His name abide, the tithe of your grain and your new wine and your oil, of the firstborn of your herds and your flocks, that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always.  But if the journey is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry the tithe, or if the place where the LORD your God chooses to put His name is too far from you, when the LORD your God has blessed you, then you shall exchange it for money, take the money in your hand, and go to the place which the LORD your God chooses.  And you shall spend that money for whatever your heart desires: for oxen or sheep, for wine or similar drink, for whatever your heart desires; you shall eat there before the LORD your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household.  You shall not forsake the Levite who is within your gates, for he has no part nor inheritance with you.

“At the end of every third year you shall bring out the tithe of your produce of that year and store it up within your gates.  And the Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, and the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are within your gates, may come and eat and be satisfied, that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.  Deuteronomy 14:22-29

“When you have finished laying aside all the tithe of your increase in the third year—the year of tithing—and have given it to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, so that they may eat within your gates and be filled, then you shall say before the LORD your God: ‘I have removed the holy tithe from my house, and also have given them to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, according to all Your commandments which You have commanded me; I have not transgressed Your commandments, nor have I forgotten them.  Deuteronomy 26:12, 13

Come to Bethel, and transgress; at Gilgal multiply transgression; and bring your sacrifices every morning, and your tithes after three years.  Amos 4:4 (KJV)

In Deuteronomy, and for the rest of the Old Testament, tithing is mandatory, but for the first two years it is to be spent by the one tithing and his family in the presence of the LORD – for food, for drink, for rejoicing.  Only in the third year is the tithe to be entirely given away.  The only additional requirement besides spending the entire tithe on a party in the presence of the LORD for the first two years is the sentence, “You shall not forsake the Levite who is within your gates, for he has no part nor inheritance with you.”  I’ve always said that if God repeats Himself in the Bible, it’s for the reason of clarity.  In this case, it mentions the “third year” tithe not once, not twice, but three times.  There can be no mistaking this.

I’ve read that because of the variation between Deuteronomy and the earlier tithing requirements (such as in Leviticus), some Jewish and Christian exegetes say the Bible actually stipulates a second or even a third tithe.   I’ll bet.  These “exegetes” are most certainly dual-hatted synagogue rabbis or church pastors who would have to face losing approximately 67 percent of their income if they simply accepted the Bible for it’s black and white lettering!  Their view disregards the fact that Deuteronomy was written in the form of an ancient suzerainty treaty.  It is the treaty by which the people of Israel would guide their lives.  Anything in it that differs from the first four books of the Bible is either a replacement of that thought or a further defining of it.  In other words, what is written in Deuteronomy concerning tithing is the standard and only further defines tithing where it is previously mentioned.  Here’s an example of what I mean from the Ten Commandments:

The 10th Commandment in Deuteronomy differs from its initial reception at Sinai:

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”  Exodus 20:17

‘You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife; and you shall not desire your neighbor’s house, his field, his male servant, his female servant, his ox, his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.’  Deuteronomy 5:21

Here a “field” is added into the commandment in Deuteronomy.  During the wilderness wanderings, there was no ownership of property, but at the renewal of the covenant in Deuteronomy the change is made in anticipation of this occurrence.  Likewise, regulations concerning tithing in Deuteronomy were the standard for Israel.

I heard one pastor on TV indicate that the “third year is a special, extra year of tithing in addition to the regular annual 10%.”  Never mind the fact that it NEVER says such a thing in the Bible.  This is in line with the other incorrect analysis above and has absolutely no ground in the truth of what is clearly written.  I’ve also heard it said that with the tithing and all the other required sacrifices, almost thirty percent of what an Israelite made would have been required.  Again, this is simply not correct.  Many of the required sacrifices were eaten by the one who brought them after the removal of the sacred portion by the priests.  These arguments simply have no basis in the truth.  The passages above clearly indicate that the third year tithe alone was given away in its entirety and the other two years’ tithes were enjoyed by the giver in the presence of the LORD.

None of this really matters though because ALL of this train of thought comes from the law – the Old Testament.  And, as cited in verses above, we are not under the law.  The closest we can come to a general rule of thumb for giving in the New Testament is this:

Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.  1 Corinthians 16:1, 2

There you have the only real direction given to any New Testament saint – lay something aside, storing up as you may prosper.  The next time your pastor tells you that you’re stealing from God if you don’t tithe, ask him to show you the standard for tithing in the Bible.  If he can find it at all, then ask him if you’re under law or grace.  Finally, if he still insists on an Old Testament tithe, ask why he’s not instructing you to give in the Biblical fashion – every third year.  In any case, he’s trying to have his cake and eat it too.

I do suppose that if pastors spent more time preaching the glories of the Cross, and how Christ gave His all for us, people would appreciate more where their money was going and be willing to give out of a grateful heart and not a sense of obligation – which is exactly what the law demanded.  Personally, I’d say 10% is a good starting point, but that we should give based on how we are reflecting appreciation to God for the immeasurable gift He gave us in the person of Jesus Christ.  This attitude is clearly proclaimed in Scripture as well:

But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.  So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.  2 Corinthians 9:7

A final point on tithing, this can be a hindrance as much as a benefit.  I’ve heard of people starting out in business and giving 10%, but actually becoming so blessed that they now give 90% of their income.  Counting beans so that every person gives exactly 10 percent can actually hinder giving when dealing with wealthier or more generous people.  Giving in Christianity must be a matter of the heart or there is no appreciation of grace.

This is where the rubber hits the road.  If a pastor or teacher reads these passages in the Bible, understands them, and continues to instruct incorrectly, they have put their personal desire for financial gain above what the Bible instructs.  Error in doctrine is sin – how much worse if it is intentional!

Who to give to – why to give?

Now that we know that there is NO mandated tithe in the New Testament, and the tithe we’ve been misled to believe in doesn’t even exist as described, let’s consider who and why we should give.

If you’ve ever watched a televangelist, you’ve certainly heard the words, “sow a seed.”  This appeals to the greedy side of the giver.

If you give, you’ll be blessed.

Give and expect.

Give in faith and reap a harvest.

Etc…

This mindset almost makes me nauseous.  If you’re giving in order to get, you have an entirely different concept of the Christian message than the one presented in the Bible.  This is not to say that God doesn’t faithfully bless those who are obedient to him, but the intent of the heart concerning your gift says a lot about your ultimate relationship with your Savior.  You might as well put your money in a slot machine as the result you’re looking for is no different.

During the writing of this book, one of the sharks that daily appears on every Christian channel has been asking for his viewers to give for his new jet plane.  If you give $10,000, he promises to put your name on a plaque at the front and back of his plane.  If you give $1000 he’ll put your name on a plaque in the back only.  Then he promises to pray for you each time he passes the plaque.  Put your money in the slot and wait for the payoff.  If you gave to this guy you’ve been suckered.  Why would such a person need a $6,000,000 aircraft?  If he were to fly first class everyday for the rest of his life, he’d never spend that much.  Adding in the costs of fuel, a personal pilot, etc., you can see how absolutely absurd his request is and what a dishonest heart he must truly have.

For the most part, televangelists are the last people I’d be willing to give to – especially if they ever promise a blessing in return; that they will pray for you; that you can expect to reap a harvest; or for any other reason.  If you give, do it because the Lord of all creation hung on a tree to redeem you.  He bought you back at the greatest cost of all and in gratitude you should give for the furtherance of the Gospel.

Don’t you have a local church to give to?  One that supports Bible-believing missionaries?  Think!  If you give to the Episcopal Church, you’re giving to a body that promotes anti-biblical teachings, homosexuality among them.  The same God who calls homosexuality an abomination in the Old Testament treats the matter in like fashion in the New.  Before you proudly state you’re a Methodist, Baptist, Catholic – or whatever – remember first your duty to Christ.  If you’re in a larger denomination, go on line and read their annual meeting minutes.  If you have any moral compass, you may be appalled at some of the programs they’re throwing at with the money God has trusted YOU to handle.  Remember, when you give to an organization, you are showing an active support for their policies.  How do you think the Lord feels when you donate to an organization that condones the murder of unborn children, homosexuality, idol worship, or a host of other abominable issues?  Think!  Think!  Stop and think what you are ultimately accountable to your Creator for.

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Because of the negative vibes you must have received from this short page, I thought that just for fun I’d add in a bonus for you.  The Hebrew word for “donut” is pronounced “soofganyah” and is a combination of three words, “end,” “garden,” and “God.”  Therefore, the word for donut has the basic meaning, “The end of the garden of God.”  Maybe it’s because they’re so tasty and delicious that someone thought, “Oy, we lost paradise, but this is the next best thing!”

When giving, rejoice in His goodness and give more than you can afford in gratitude for His unlimited mercy!

In giving, the mark of a Christian is to understand that all we have came from the open hand of the Creator.  We are the recipients of His grace and love.  Further, He sent His Son to pay our sin-debt.  When you give to your church or other Christian charity, the percent of what you make is far less important than knowing that it’s not enough.  If so moved, give up a luxury and donate that amount along with your weekly giving.  Finally, it is the mark of a Christian to ensure his money is being spent to further the Gospel of Jesus Christ and not on an immoral or greedy organization.

God thunders marvelously with His voice;
      He does great things which we cannot comprehend.
Job 37:5

Clothing conveys a message. A business suit says, “Money!” A police uniform says, “Law!” A tuxedo says, “Wedding!” Casual clothing says, “Me!” Clericals say, “Church!” Any of those messages might be valid in different contexts, so you have to make sure you are wearing the right clothes for the occasion. If you wear a business suit in a department store, people will mistake you for the manager. If you wear a tuxedo to a ball game, they won’t ask you to play. If you wear a jogging outfit to a fancy restaurant, your clothing says, “I wandered in here by mistake,” and the staff will treat you accordingly.

The word clericals refers to the special clothing that clergy wear outside of worship services, usually consisting of a white collar on a black shirt (for male clergy) or on a black blouse (for female clergy), combined with other clothing that is either black or grey.

If you are a pastor and you think you are aggrandizing yourself when you wear clericals, you’ll be disappointed. The congregation quickly gets used to the clericals and they see them as badges of service, not honor. Clericals put you in the same functional category as bellhops, waiters, police officers, airline pilots, and so on. We do not dress to please ourselves, or anyone else for that matter; our manner of dress facilitates our service. It makes our function obvious to strangers. It makes our duties inescapable, and it constrains our personal conduct, because we can’t disappear into the crowd when we are wearing clericals. Clericals mean that visitors don’t have to ask, “Where is the pastor?” They know just by looking.

Clericals also have other advantages. They communicate to the congregation that you are not a proxy child, a potential date, a worldly expert, or a bosom buddy. It allows you to focus on the job of pastoring, without slipping and sliding into those role conflicts and boundary issues your denomination keeps warning you about.

A friend of mine, who was ordained in the United Church of Christ, was required by his ministerial association to wear a clergy shirt with a tab collar while he was traveling. He thought it was a huge imposition on his personal liberty, until he obeyed. On the airplane, he heard a confession, reassured a frightened traveler, and calmed a terrified child. He was delighted that a routine air flight had turned into pastoral ministry. If you are clergy and you’ve never worn a clergy shirt to visit people in the hospital, you should try it. The clergy shirt means you don’t have to explain what you are or why you are there. The staff extends you all necessary courtesies, and even delirious patients know right off what you are. You can get in after visiting hours and quite often you don’t have to pay for parking, even if you’ve never been to that particular hospital before. Of course the catch is, you have to be on your best ministerial behavior the entire time you are there, so this is not something you should try if your self-discipline is weak.

If I called the police because of a burglary in my house, I would not be reassured if the police showed up driving a sports car with his kids in the back, and wearing jeans and loafers. If I am in distress because of a crime, I want the police to arrive in a police car and I want them to be wearing freshly pressed uniforms. If I have just been through a burglary, I don’t need a buddy, I don’t need a narcissist expressing himself in his clothing, I need a policeman. I need a policeman who will carry out the law, not his self-expression. I couldn’t care less about who he is personally; I called him as a representative of a greater force. Similarly, if I am on my deathbed, facing the greatest spiritual crisis in my life, I don’t want a buddy to come express himself. I want a properly uniformed and equipped minister of God who subordinates himself to his ministry, and who confidently and authoritatively represents God.

Our parishioners deserve nothing less.

When you visit people in the hospital or in jail, for example, what sort of message do you convey with your clothing? If you show up in casual clothes, you are trying to say, “I’m just one of the gang,” but they hear the message, “I’m not taking this seriously.” If you show up in a business suit, you are trying to say, “I’m a well-dressed capable person,” but they hear the message, “I’m a man of the world.”

When you are watching television, you can tell right off what sort of character has just appeared on the screen, because script writers take advantage of our cultural stereotypes to dress the characters to give us the right first impression. For example, if the character is supposed to be an inhibited secretary, they pull her hair back in a bun, put glasses on her face, and give her plain make up. When she loses her inhibitions, they signal the change by removing the glasses, letting her hair down, and improving her make up. Very few actresses play romantic scenes with their hair up in a bun.

So have you been paying attention to the way they dress the characters who are supposed to be clergy? Because women are relatively new to ministry, they almost invariably appear in tab-collar blouses. However, the men tell us what sort of ministers they are by the way they are dressed:

• If the minister is a shyster who is fleecing his flock for their money, he is most often wearing a sports coat and tie.
• If the minister is the manipulative type who is gradually transforming his congregation into a mind-control cult, he is most often wearing a well-tailored business suit.
• If the minister is an activist who is crusading against the establishment, he is most often wearing casual clothing, with a tab-collar shirt under his sweater or leather jacket.
• If the minister is competent and respectable, and if he is performing a valuable spiritual service (such as a wedding, funeral, or exorcism) in a dignified setting, he is most often wearing clericals on the street and vestments in church.

Objection: But Jesus Didn’t Wear Clericals!

Now of course there is the objection that Jesus allegedly wore the clothing of the working man, not special clothes of the clergy. The assertion doesn’t stand up to close scrutiny in Scripture. In many places, people walked up to Jesus out of the blue, addressed Him as “teacher,” which the New Testament informs us is the translation of the word “rabbi.”

Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?”
—John 1:38, NIV

Without knowing who He was (that is, Jesus), they knew what He was (that is, a rabbi), because they asked him to do rabbinical things: to heal the sick, cast out demons, settle disputes, probate wills, and decide religious issues:

As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
—Mark 10:17, NIV

If they thought He was a rabbi, these were reasonable expectations, because those were the duties of rabbis. However, in John 7, Jesus attends a festival at the Temple and even though everyone is talking about Him, they are unaware that He is among them in the crowd. Since there was no photography in those days, we can understand that strangers would not recognize Him by His face. There was no television newscaster to say, “Galilean rabbi draws large crowds with His controversial miracles—film at eleven.”

However, after his brothers had left for the Feast, he went also, not publicly, but in secret. Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, “He is a good man.” Others replied, “No, he deceives the people.” But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the Jews. Not until halfway through the Feast did Jesus go up to the Temple courts and begin to teach. The Jews were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having studied?”
—John 7:10-15, NIV

So we have to ask: how could they know He was a rabbi in one circumstance, but not in another? Why were people surprised by His expertise at the Feast in John 7:10-15, when they took it for granted in situations such as Mark 10:17? The only explanation is that they knew by the way He was dressed. When they addressed Him as a rabbi, He must have been dressed like a rabbi; the surprise was not that He was a rabbi, but how He handled their requests. In John 7, they did not recognize Him as a rabbi, so they were surprised that He knew rabbinical things. He must not have been dressed as a rabbi. The only way He could attend the Feast “in secret” was to go without wearing rabbinical clothes.

While Jesus definitely did not wear a black shirt with a white collar, He obviously wore the first-century equivalent. So clergy who wear clericals are imitating Christ. I think the clergy who do not wear clericals have the more difficult position to defend.

Objection: Some People Have an Adverse Reaction to Clericals!

Conflict-avoidant people raise this objection, but there are two problems with letting other people’s phobias dictate your wardrobe. The first is that you are not solving their problem by changing your clothes, you are only letting it fester unresolved. The second is that if you are driven by your own fears of what other people will think of you, you’re on a slippery slope to second-guessing yourself into total ineffectiveness as the Rev. Milquetoast. If someone has a problem with clerical dress, at least this exposes it so you can help them overcome it. I observe, however, that this problem is more apprehension than substance.

Recently, a colleague of mine visited my church. I knew he had a chasuble and that he liked it, so I invited him to bring it and wear it—which he did. One of my parishioners admired the chasuble. When I told her that he doesn’t wear it in his own church because he’s afraid his congregation won’t like it, she looked very frustrated and said, “Sometimes you just have to assert yourself!”

A person who is assertive without being authoritarian or bossy is said to have a strong character.

Objection: But a Collar Would Make Me Look Catholic (or whatever)!

Don’t bet on this one, either. One Sunday I went to lunch with some of my parishioners. The restaurant was so crowded that you couldn’t exhale without saying “excuse me” to someone. As we got up to leave, we walked past a booth with a well-dressed family. Their son was sitting on a chair at the end of the table. The young man grabbed me by the hand and said, “Pastor!” Then he saw my face and was confused that I wasn’t who he thought I was. He said, “You are a pastor, aren’t you?” and I said, “Yes, I’m pastor of Garfield Memorial Christian Church,” and gave his father my card. The father explained that they were members of a Lutheran megachurch that is nearby. The young man asked me, “Is Garfield a Lutheran church?” and I said, “No,” and turning to his mother who was looking at me, I said, “However, if you sat in our church blindfolded, I bet you couldn’t tell the difference.” And the father nodded, saying we are all alike.

The reason this happened is that for the young man, the collar made me look Lutheran. To an Episcopalian, it would make me look Episcopalian. In some areas, it would make me look Methodist. Orthodox clergy have taken to wearing black shirts with white collars. Recently someone wrote to me to say that in his country, rabbis wear black shirts with white collars.

My parishioners who witnessed this exchange were very proud of their church. In their minds, it made our little church just as important as the Lutheran megachurch, because I received the same treatment as the Lutheran pastor for whom I had been initially mistaken. This is not a bad thing.

And by the way, the inventor of the clergy shirt, the Rev. Dr. Donald McLeod, was not Catholic.

Objection: None of This Applies to my Congregation!

You may be surprised on this one, too.

Some time ago, I attended the installation of a pastor. Her church was a startup, so the installation service took place in another church’s building. She had worked out all the arrangements with the host pastor over the phone, so she had never seen him before. The startup church was Disciples of Christ and the host church was one of those independent community megachurches. Neither congregation had ever experienced clergy wearing clericals before; I was the only one there in a collar, so this was definitely the acid test.

I severely overestimated my travel time, so I arrived at the church much too early. As I was standing in the narthex in my clergy shirt, the guest of honor walked in the door. She walked right up to me and began thanking me profusely for everything I had done. She had mistaken me for the pastor of the host church—whom she had never seen before—even though she had no reason to expect the pastor of an independent community church to wear a collar.

About a half hour later, someone else mistook me for the host pastor, which was very embarrassing for him, because he was standing right next to me at the time. Later, I was mistaken for the host pastor a third time! Now all the other clergy were beginning to feel a little out of uniform, because I was the only one whom lay people perceived as clergy.

After the service was over, someone complimented me on my lovely wife, which was strange, because I’m not married. Then I realized that the person had met the pastor’s wife and presumed I was her husband—after all, I was the one wearing the collar.

All this happened in an environment where it was not customary for clergy to wear collars.

The lesson is that if you dress like a minister, everyone will think you are one.

Full Circle

So we come full circle. Maybe if you are ordained clergy, and you wear a black shirt with a white collar, someone will come up to you and ask, “Pastor, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

A black shirt with a white collar makes you look like ordained clergy. If that is what you really are, why not dress like it?

CM ALMY

MISSION

The people of CM Almy are dedicated to being the world’s best suppliers of decorative furnishings, apparel, worship-related products and gifts to churches, religious institutions, their clergy and members.

VISION

CM Almy will continue to build itself into an internationally recognized industry-leader known for its innovative and adaptive style. We will mature into a company structured around true partnerships with our associates, customers and suppliers, and will practice consultative management, opening the decision-making process to all associates.

You can’t effectively sell yourself if you don’t value who you are. You must have confidence in your abilities. Maintaining a high level of integrity and a high quality of work will help keep you self-assured. You need to feel proud of your actions so don’t do things that will undermine your efforts. Focus on building your confidence and being the person you want to be.

Share Your Knowledge

Knowledge is a valuable resource and it can make anyone look more attractive. Sell your skills by sharing your knowledge. Be willing to teach others what you know. This will not only help them, it will demonstrate your abilities at the same time. A win/win!

Share Your Experiences

Tell your story. People are drawn to those who are willing to open up and share their experiences. It will help you build strong connections with others. Remember that you are unique and there is value to be shared.

Be Authentic

Trust is a critical part of selling yourself. No one values dishonesty. Be genuine in your interactions with others and work to develop honest communication. The truth will earn respect and trust.

Present Yourself Professionally

Everything you do and say creates an image. You always want to present yourself with professionalism. This includes everything from your appearance to how you speak and how you shake hands. It’s always best to play it safe and follow formal business etiquette. Though things have relaxed quite a bit in most professional environments, formality is never viewed as unprofessional. When attempting to sell yourself, it can be a big added bonus.

Be Positive

Show positivity in your interactions with others. Smile, show interest and be enthusiastic. Don’t complain, engage in gossip or negative conversation. Keeping yourself upbeat will draw people to you.

Selling yourself is all about showing others who you are. The trick is to present yourself in the best possible light.

Many people are looking for God. If you're one of those people, we'd like to share with you that the Bible has what you are seeking. It contains answers to life's vital questions, and—most important—can help you understand how to have a right relationship with God. Here are some selected verses:

God Loves You

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. —John 3:16

But God commendeth his love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. —Romans 5:8

All Are Sinners

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. —Romans 3:23

As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one. —Romans 3:10

God's Remedy for Sin

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. —Romans 6:23

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. —John 1:12

All May Be Saved Now

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him. —Revelation 3:20(a)

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. —Romans 10:13

But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. —John 20:31

Receive Christ as Your Saviour Now

Confessing to God that I am a sinner, and believing that the Lord Jesus Christ died for my sins on the cross and was raised for my justification, I now receive and confess Him as my personal Saviour.

Seeking a Church

After making your decision to receive Christ, we encourage you to prayerfully seek a local Bible-believing church that will assist you in growing as a new Christian. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen. —II Peter 3:18

Assurance as a Believer

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.—Romans 10:9 Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. —John 5:24

Please tell us about your decision by filling out the following:

We’ve all heard the stats: people are exposed to three-thousand messages per day. Billboards, emails, podcasts, radio programs (even messages on your morning coffee cup) all vie for a piece of our limited attention. Plain and simple: folks are distracted. Fortunately, “cutting through the clutter” does not necessarily require a bigger budget. What it does require is some hard thinking about how your ministry’s story is packaged and presented to the world. This article will discuss best practices for magnifying your ministry’s voice in an increasingly noisy environment.

Step 1: Build Conviction Internally

The old adage of “think before you speak” says it all. Too often, organizations squander a captive audience because they have not decided ahead of time what it is they’re supposed to be telling them. Before an email is sent, before a newsletter is mailed, and before a receptionist talks to a caller, make sure there is a crystal clear understanding—from the top down—of why you are communicating in the first place. Clear conviction at the core of an organization is a prerequisite for controlling the messages being distributed on the front lines. By way of example, the answer to “Why are we writing a newsletter?” should never be “Because ministries are supposed to write newsletters.”

A few (of the many) questions worth considering as you define your organization’s purpose:

1. What is your organization’s mission/vision? Why do you exist?

2. What are the short and long-term goals of the ministry?

3. What separates you from other ministries? If you went away, what need would go unfulfilled?

4. Who do you serve? What are you dying for them to know about your ministry?

Step 2: Pick Your Voice…and stick to it

These days, there are countless ways that individuals interact with your organization. Every one of these exchanges is an opportunity to reinforce your core purpose. Ensure that all of your communications come from a similar “voice.” Over time, your constituents are more likely to develop a deeper understanding of your work and needs.

No need to reinvent to wheel every time. Remember how hard Step 1 was?…and that was building consensus among the people closest to your organization. The rest of us will need reminders of who you are, why you’re talking to us, and why we should care?

Consider how these “windows” to your organization might better reflect a focused mission to your audience:

* Website content

* Newsletters

* New member welcome/follow-up process

* Website design

* Appeals

* Phone conversation protocol

Step 3: Keep the Conversation Going

Now that you’re getting some attention, keep your audience engaged. The best way to do this is through new content, updated messages, and ongoing conversations.

The consistency we talked about earlier does not mean we have to be a broken record. Instead, think of your communications plan as a wardrobe. Even though a person might have an overall “look,” that does not mean that every shirt is identical. Similarly, different messages at the tactical level can all stem from a singular organization voice…and will go a long way toward keeping your audience engaged.

One of the most challenging places to carry on a conversation is on the web. Many ministries find that changing content/pictures/etc. requires substantial effort. However, since so many existing and new members connect to ministries through the web, your web site is a prime candidate for routine content updates. Fortunately, today’s technology options include editable content management systems that make it easy for non-technical staffers to update sites with your latest news and accomplishments.

It’s over a series of interviews, and I think really takes it to the core of success, and he’s not holding anything back! I am in awe! here it is:

A Double Benefit
A website provides a double benefit. First, it helps to streamline and reduce your costs in key areas:

• Lower printing costs
• Less spent on postage
• More strategic use of advertising
• Lower CPM (an advertising metric, used to measure the cost of reaching each potential visitor)

Beyond the financial justification for having a website, consider several direct benefits to your ministry:

• More targeted and strategic use of advertising
• Streamlined communications with congregation
• Increased appeal to younger demographics
• Additional capabilities to support curriculum, teaching series, and audio/visual resources

More than Just a Website
With Child of God Minstry Concepts, you can reach new people, in new ways.  You'll have a spectacular website to showcase your church, communicate your message, and provide resources to your community.  Many people these days will turn to the Internet when seeking out a church, even before they look in the yellow pages!  Furthermore, your young kids and adults will expect to see you online, providing the things that most church attendees have come to expect:  basic church information, information about upcoming events, downloadable sermon audio, a place to learn about ministry opportunities, etc. 

Child of God Ministry Concepts makes it easy to keep your site up-to-date. 

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