It’s an understatement to say, “A lot is going on in our communities right now.” Feelings of restlessness hurt, fear, and devastation, among so many others, are abundant. So, why am I even writing a post on the topic of giving, specifically, financial giving? Please know that what I am sharing; I am sharing from my heart. Also, please know that there are no easy answers to address everything that is happening right now. What I will say will fall short with some of you, but please continue reading.
One thing I do know and believe is that Jesus is the hope of the world. And the method of hope He established before leaving this world was His church. We, the church, now more than ever, need to be His hands and feet to share His good news, to be a safe place, and to provide hope during a tough and wearying time. Your support in helping us continue to do this matters.
This subject is something that can be awkward to talk about, but it shouldn’t be. God owns everything, and we are stewards of what he has entrusted to us, either large or small.
The church is never sure of what the future is going to hold regarding finances, and there are many people who call our church, Southside Church, their church home that has yet to take a step to make a financial contribution. At the same time, there are thousands of children, teenagers, and adults in our community who need to call Southside Church home and need a place to heal and can do so due to your generosity.
I want to challenge you right now to take this step. I know it’s risky. There are a lot of risky things in this 2020 season, but God wants to show up for you and your finances. He wants to show off His faithfulness in your life as you give sacrificially.
Maybe it’s starting with 1% or a dollar amount. Perhaps some of you can go back and take a look at your expenses and say, “I want to give something to someone, why not the church that I know and love, and the church that my kids love to attend. That’s where I need to give generously.”
We want to make it as easy as possible for you. Just go to our website, Southside.org. At the top, you will see a button that says Give. Now, clicking on that button doesn’t commit you to anything; you will begin to see what is involved with setting up reoccurring giving or a one-time gift. Giving digitally right now is currently the best way that we can give.
Will you take this step? If you’re married, talk with your spouse. Take a look at your finances and figure out where you can create some margin to be generous. Ask, where do we need to trust God when it comes to our finances so that we can give to the mission of leading and inspiring people to follow Jesus, especially at this time? Now is your moment.
During this crisis, we have the opportunity to meet the needs of those in our community. We can only do that when you give sacrificially. Will you join us?
We love seeing God work through this avenue, and I want to thank you in advance for taking this step. I want to encourage each of you. I know some of you have lost your jobs; please take care of your family first. Don’t worry about Southside Church. God has got us, but if you have some margin, we want you to engage with us in making a financial gift. For those who have been giving for all these years, or maybe just the last few weeks, we want to say thank you.
Now is our opportunity to be #forthesouthside!
-Chris Patton
Senior Pastor, Southside Church
