How to Give

Pray. Step Out in Faith. Give Sacrificially.

“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

As it is written: ‘He has scattered abroad His gifts to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.’ Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”

2 Corinthians 9:6-15

On Sunday, November 4

HFBC family members will be given time to prayerfully complete and submit commitment cards provided in each worship service.

On Sunday, December 2

We will celebrate “First Fruits Sunday” as we make our first payments toward our three-year commitments!

Commitment Card

The Commitment Cards are provided in the worship services. Click here to download a printable PDF of the Commitment Card. Please print the card, fill it out, and mail back to the HFBC address on the card.

Gift Profile Chart

To reach our Capital Campaign goals, gifts of all sizes will be needed and welcomed. This Gift Profile Chart provides an example of the different gift levels we can expect to receive from our congregation. Please review this chart and pray about how the Lord is leading you to contribute.

three year gifts chart

How to Make an Over & Above Gift

Capital stewardship campaigns rely on church members making gifts “over and above” their current level of giving.

The best path to increased giving is the spiritual path, where you set your heart on things above. Financial priorities then take shape from the spiritual priorities.

One way of defining this is “Lifestyle Stewardship,” a term used to describe a level of giving that affects one’s living. The challenge of Lifestyle Stewardship is to find ways, boldly and prayerfully, to let our giving touch our living!

King David declared, “... I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing....” (2 Samuel 24:24) David understood the gift that would touch the heart of God must first touch the heart of the giver!

This is the spirit of Lifestyle Stewardship: If it is for my God, my gift must have value and meaning to me.

Often, Lifestyle Stewardship means giving up something in one area so that you can give more of yourself in another. The three keys to effectiveness in Lifestyle Stewardship are:

  • Reassess lifestyle
  • Rearrange priorities
  • Reallocate resources

Many Christians have been amazed at their ability to give “over and above” to their church.

The following seven steps are offered to help you in this regard.

1. Practice priority budgeting
Many families will choose to rearrange their priorities and give up something in their current budget in order to give more to a capital campaign. Priority budgeting may mean postponing a planned expenditure such as a new car, vacation, home remodeling or other major purchase.

2. Redirect present expenditures
Often, families have significant short-term expenditures for special needs. One family realized that their daughters would be graduating from college during the three years of a capital campaign and, as a result, they were able to increase their commitment to the second and third years of the campaign by thousands of dollars by giving what they had been spending on their daughters’ tuition.

3. Increased giving with increased income
Some people receive periodic increases in salary or bonuses from their employers. The temptation for many of us is to increase our lifestyle to fit the higher income. In many instances, families have decided that they will commit the full amount of salary increases.

4. Give from your excess
Some families save money over a period of years for a special project. A couple had saved $80,000 to build a lake cabin. When their church entered a capital stewardship campaign, they decided the needs of the church were greater than their need for a second home.

5. Commit unexpected cash
Often, people pray for God to show them a way they can give beyond what they can presently see or afford. One couple had been praying for weeks about their commitment to their church capital campaign. Much to their surprise, they received an inheritance of several thousand dollars. They gave the entire amount to their church.

6. Sacrifice your extra time
Some family members have extra time they would be willing to use in a part-time job to be able to give more to the church. This is particularly true for families whose children are grown and away from home and for semi-retired or retired couples.

7. Donate appreciated assets
Gifts of appreciated assets – typically investment securities or real estate – can be very advantageous to both the donor and to the church. By transferring ownership of the asset to the church, the donor avoids capital gains taxes on the sale of the asset. In addition, the donor receives an income tax charitable deduction for the full market value of the asset. That, in effect, makes these gifts less costly to make.

“At one time during the work of Dr. J.B. Leavell (1917-1932) our church was to have $50,000 paid to the bank or lose the church. This would have happened on a Monday morning if we had not gotten the money. On the Sunday before, our church was literally on its knees in prayer, asking the Lord to help us get the money. The church was $20,000 lacking. Mrs. G. Lee gave $12 she had in her purse and another $400 her husband left her as Faye’s education money. After she gave her money, other money started coming in and in about 20 minutes the other amount was collected.”

quote from The History of the First Baptist Church Scrapbook