What does “more than enough” mean for a church?

More Than Enough, Part 3 of 3. Part 1 looked at why generosity starts with gratitude, and Part 2 at the part God invites each of us to play. This article closes the series by asking what “more than enough” means for a church.

The goal wasn’t to collect as much as possible. The goal was to accomplish what God had called them to do. More than enough starts in the heart before it shows up in the hand.

What happened when Israel gave more than enough?

Exodus 36:4-7 describes what happened:

So that all the craftsmen who were doing every sort of task on the sanctuary came, each from the task that he was doing, and said to Moses, “The people bring much more than enough for doing the work that the Lord has commanded us to do.” So Moses gave command, and word was proclaimed throughout the camp, “Let no man or woman do anything more for the contribution for the sanctuary.” So the people were restrained from bringing, for the material they had was sufficient to do all the work, and more. (Exodus 36:4-7, ESV)

The craftsmen of the sanctuary came to Moses. Each of them had been doing what they were supposed to do. Verse 7 hits home: the material they had was sufficient for all the work.

The people had given so generously. The craftsmen, in their integrity, came to Moses and told him they already had more than enough to finish what God told them to finish. And what did Moses do? He told them to stop giving.

Consider what this shows: the people were generous enough to keep giving, and their leaders were faithful enough to tell them to stop, because they had everything they needed to accomplish what God had commanded. The goal wasn’t to collect as much as possible. The goal was to accomplish what God had called them to do.

Is a church’s goal excess or readiness?

We feel the same responsibility. Our goal, as pastors and leaders of Heights Church, isn’t excess. Our goal is readiness: readiness to respond faithfully to what God calls us to do as a church. Readiness so that you never have to hear me say, “We need a capital campaign. We have to raise a certain amount of dollars.” We want to be ready to say yes to the vision God gives us, whatever the vision is.

A year and a half ago, I was in the back seat of a truck in the middle of Texas, on a church planters’ retreat. I was talking with my new friend Anthony, and I heard him express a burden for Flagler County, Florida. He believed God was asking him and his wife to move to the St. Augustine area and plant a church without any prior relationship there. The church was called Revival House, because he believed there would be revival in that county.

I sat there, stirred by what God could do in and through the people He was already bringing into their lives. I didn’t have to call around and say, “I really feel like we want to support this guy, but all I have to give him is some prayer.” I knew in my heart that we would write him a ten-thousand-dollar check to help him plant his church. Why? Because of the faithfulness and generosity of our church. It was already saying yes to the vision. Strategically, as God brings opportunities into our midst, we want to be ready to say yes.

I pray there’s a day, because we postured ourselves in gratitude and generosity as a church year over year, that we announce we’ve purchased a property. I pray we would be the kind of people who don’t wait for God to bring something into our path, but who in faith and obedience come into alignment with His will and purpose and take the steps of faith necessary, so that when the door opens, we’re already walking through it.

What was the tabernacle for, and what is God building now?

Why were the people contributing in the first place? What was it for? If we miss the purpose of the tabernacle, we’ll miss the significance of our generosity.

In Exodus 36, God wanted a tabernacle so that He could dwell among His people. In Ephesians, the apostle Paul tells us where God dwells through the finished work of Jesus.

“So then, you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.” (Ephesians 2:19–21)

“In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:22)

God instructed Israel to build the tabernacle because He desired to dwell among His people. Their generosity served that purpose. Through Jesus, we discover something even greater: in Him, we are also being built together into a dwelling place for God by His Spirit. In Exodus, God’s people helped build a place where His presence would dwell. In Ephesians, God is building His people into a dwelling place for His presence.

Through Jesus, people who were once far from God have been brought into the family of God. By the work of the Holy Spirit, He’s building us together into something we could never become on our own. God’s desire has always been to dwell among His people, and through Jesus, He’s made a way for us to belong to Him.

That’s what we mean by more than enough. We’re not just talking about how much money we give. We’re talking about the kind of people God is forming us to become, the kind of church that can be His handmaid, the kind of willing participants who say, “God, whatever it is that You desire to do, not only do we believe that You’ve given us more than enough, we’re willing to lay down our lives, so that You can have Your kingdom touch here.” More than enough starts in the heart, before it shows up in actions.

How can I prepare my heart to give?

I’m excited about what God wants to deposit into us over the next several weeks as we prepare for our year-end offering on Sunday, December 6. My prayer is that when the day approaches, we wouldn’t approach it out of pressure or out of a desire to earn something from God. I pray that we would respond to His grace with grateful, willing hearts.

If you receive a commitment card for the More Than Enough offering, take it home and use it as a reminder of three things.

First, pray. Ask, “God, what are You asking me to bring?” Not every amount will be the same, and that’s perfectly fine, because what we believe is that what we bring from a place of gratitude in our hearts will be more than enough.

Second, prepare. Prepare your hearts and your offering for December 6. Pray for your church, and for what God wants to do in and through the working of His church. On the commitment card there’s a place that asks what you’re believing God for. Theologically, I don’t believe that we give to get. I don’t think that’s the principle. I don’t think we write something in the box, give our offering, and then receive whatever is written on the card. But I do believe there’s importance in attaching our faith to the seed we’re sowing. I can tell you story after story of people who were believing God for things during last year’s Overflow offering and today are experiencing the overflow of what God has done in their lives. One family wrote on their commitment card last year that they were praying through infertility and believed God wanted to add to their family. Today they are at home with their newborn baby. I think we can prepare our hearts for what God wants to do.

Third, participate. On December 6, bring your offering to the Lord. If you were with us last year, you know there is something tangible when there’s faith and expectation that we are putting our hands to what God is building in our midst, trusting Him with the outcome and knowing that He’s more than enough. I don’t want something from you. I want something for you. I don’t want you to miss what God can do in your life as He stretches your faith and generosity.

As you pray about what you’re going to give, ask God, “What are You forming in my heart? How are You inviting me to participate?” As we pursue what God wants to do through our lives, here’s what I know: we will become a people who reflect the God of more than enough, not simply by what we give, but by who we’re becoming as we follow Him.

This is the last of three articles from Pastor Seth’s message “More Than Enough.” You can start with Part 1, “Why does generosity start with gratitude?”, or go back to Part 2, “What part does God want me to play in what He is building?”