Church Camp! And a simple model for giving

“Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil."
- Matthew 5:37

Ahoy Church,

Thanks to everyone for welcoming so many visitors and new people on Sunday! While we aren't the church for everyone, we want to make sure that everyone get a sense that Jesus is for everyone! :) A huge part of that is welcoming them with a warm embrace.

I was stoked to hear more stories of people sharing meals after church and opening their week to connect with people they don't yet know well.

What a joy to love others as God has loved us!

This is a perfect expression of the main rhythm we are focusing on in Term 1 - inviting people into our lives.

As promised, in an effort to embrace the three key skills Jesus outlines in Matthew 5-6 for his followers - giving, praying and fasting (check out FAM (Fully Alive Model) for more info) - we're in a series of posts encouraging us all to embrace a life marked by the generosity of Jesus to those around us.

For those who may be new to our church or the way of Jesus, it's important to note that when it comes to "giving", our primary goal is not to be a church whose own financial needs are met, but to be a church that meets the needs of those around us.

To encourage each other in this, we promote a simple giving model for both our church and the individuals in it: give UP, IN, OUT. In the next three weeks, I'll outline how you can use our church model to guide your generosity towards those around you.

Jesus never wrote a budget!

I want to be clear that the model is one that Jesus never explicitly taught. Rather, we're simply attempting to use our money in a way that reflects Jesus' teachings and the early church's habits as outlined in the Bible.

If there's only one way Christians were to spend their money, Jesus would have laid it out for us. Despite what you may have been taught, Jesus didn't do that. Jesus spoke a lot about money, but he didn't give us a budget. He modelled a generous life and then left it up for you and me to decide on the details!

What do we mean by giving "up"?

For our church

Our church is a part of the Queensland Baptist denomination, a family of like-minded churches. We are free to operate quite independently, but by willingly associating with QB, we receive accountability, advice, support and frameworks for operating legally and ethically as a local expression of Jesus followers.

Each month, we give 2.5% of our income (your offerings) to QLD Baptist as a way of contributing to the broader body of churches and ministries (e.g. QCCC, State Youth Camp) that we belong to and to effectively "pay our way" for the wonderful support, administrative and otherwise, that we receive from them as a church.

While we may donate in other ways to QB or other local churches/ministries (e.g. launch a new church or meet a pressing financial need), we keep this pretty simple. It's a joy for us to do this because by giving "up", we are not only enabling our own stability, but more broadly resourcing other like-minded Jesus-followers around the state!

1 Corinthians 16:1-2
“Now about the collection for the Lord’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.”

For people in our church

Likewise, as Open Road gives "up" to our broader church family, we encourage all Christians to consider "giving up" to their local church family. Believe it or not, while we've never asked for money, that's how we exist at the moment. Every cent we receive, spend or give away has come from people within our local beach church family.

While a church can exist without a budget, without some of us giving to Open Road, it won't exist in the same format it currently does. So, if you believe our church's existence is important, then please consider giving towards our financial capacity (listed at the end of every email).

If you are willing to give, then how much you give is entirely up to you.

2 Corinthians 9:6-9
“The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written, "He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever."”

While Jesus mentions tithing - the practice of giving 10% of your income, widely promoted in Christian churches - he never demands it. At Open Road, we avoid expecting anything of each other that Jesus doesn't expect. So, because he doesn't demand a percentage of your income, we don't either.

Martine and I have given about 10% of our income to our local church almost every month of our married life. That's how we have, "decided in our heart" to give indefinitely. You are encouraged to freely come to your own decision, "in keeping with your income," situation and guidance by God.

Currently, a small group of people meet 100% of our church's needs. I've never logged into our bank account (though I have a login), so I don't know who they are. Because of their generosity, I'm able to lead our church, my family's needs are met, and Open Road is positioned to meet the needs of others in our church and community. Thank you!

If you are nervous about giving to a local church, please don't let it stop you from being generous to others. Read the emails in the coming weeks about giving "in" and "out", and ask God to show you how you can live with Jesus-like generosity.

We'll also highlight some key mission projects you are encouraged to donate to directly in Morocco, SE QLD, the Middle East and beyond.

Much love and see you Sunday,

Dan

Church Camp @ Cobb & Co

Cobb & Co Nine Mile Camping Grounds, 1484 Noosa Rd, Tandur QLD 4570

We've found a great location for our next church camp! We're aiming for Friday June 19 to Sunday 21 (a week before school terms finishes) to avoid interrupting holiday plans and avoid the crowds.

You can come and go as you'd like, but we'll be there from Friday arvo to Sunday midday/arvo.

Cabins, Glamping, and BYO Camping - check!
Lots of toilets, but none in cabins or glamping tents.
Open fires - check!
Big billabong to swim in - check!
<1hr drive from Caloundra - check!
Multiple playgrounds, waterslide and an insane mini golf course!
Recently bought by Qld Baptists QCCC ministry - bonus!

HOW TO BOOK!

Send an email to cobbco-ninemile@hotmail.com and let them know you'd like to book with the Open Road church group on June 19-21 and make sure to include the following information.

First and last name:
Mobile number:
Number of adults and children:
Accomodation: BYO Tent/van, Luxury Tent, Breezeway Cabin.

That's it! They'll put us all together, or as close together as your options allow.