What if I could promise you there was more than enough to do the work God is calling your congregation to do? More than enough money, more than enough time, more than enough volunteers, more than enough resources.
In the midst of the narratives of decline and resource scarcity in the church today, you might feel like the disciples did in the story of the feeding of the 5,000 (John 6): bewildered, confused, and maybe even a bit begrudging towards me and this audacious promise. You might wonder if I really saw the depth and breadth of the challenges your congregation is facing: Do you really know what it’s like to ask members of a congregation who are faithfully giving to step up to fill in the gap for a few large givers who have passed away this year? Have you ever had to beg congregation members just to join the altar guild, sign up to read during worship services, or simply step out of their comfort zone to greet someone new who comes in the door? Don’t you see how difficult it is just to keep the doors open and the lights on?
And yet, as impossible as it may seem, I think this is exactly what God promises us. One of my absolute favorite stewardship stories in the Bible is tucked in the very back of the book of Exodus, chapters 35-36. By the time we get to this story, we can assume that the Israelites had been wandering in the desert and camped by Mount Sinai for quite some time. It had been many weeks since they left Egypt. They had winnowed down the possessions they had brought with them, retaining only what was most precious, the things they intended to carry with them into the Promised Land. Despite God’s provision of manna, things felt scarce compared to life in Egypt (or at least what they remembered of it). And yet, in the midst of scarcity, God instructs Moses to build a tabernacle, a dwelling place for God.
Despite the generous and tacit response reflected in the text, I imagine when the Israelites first heard this invitation they responded a little more like the disciples in the feeding of the 5,000 story, a little more like us: “Really, God? Right now? Are you sure this is the best place and time to build the tabernacle? Why not wait until we get to the promised land? Why did you wait until now, we would have had plenty of supplies at our disposal in Egypt?”
But despite their concerns,“they came, everyone whose heart was stirred and everyone whose spirit was willing, and brought the Lord’s offering to be used for the tent of meeting and for all its service and for the sacred vestments.” (Exodus 35:21). With a bit of skepticism, I imagine the Israelites going back to their tents to see what they could possibly bring. They found the fine jewelry, the family heirlooms they had hoped to pass down, and the linens they had saved for a special occasion. They scrounged up the last of the spices and oil they had taken just before leaving Egypt. Skilled craftsmen and artisans freely offered their services. Before they knew it, they were well on their way to getting started, and Moses put Bezalel and Oholiab in charge of the building process.
As the building process started, the giving didn’t stop. People continued to bring offerings every morning – as they uncovered new things to share or felt drawn to let go of something they had held so dear. Finally those who were building the temple told Moses they had more than enough supplies: “So the people were restrained from bringing, for what they had already brought was more than enough to do all the work.” (Exodus 36:6-7).
When was the last time you heard from a church or another non-profit organization that you had given more than enough? When was the last time we restrained people from giving any more because we were overwhelmed with what we received? What a vision of enough! It goes against all traditional fundraising advice which says once you’ve received enough for the first project, it’s time to move on to the next one (and quick!) so you don’t lose out on the opportunity to receive the next gift.
In this time in church history, this story has so much to teach us not only about how we invite generosity, but also about how we follow God into a faithful future when the landscape feels a bit bleak:
- God-Ordained Goal: God called them to build a tabernacle. While the lists of items needed for the work may echo the list in 1 Chronicles 29 as David takes up an offering for the building of the first temple, the goal is very different. If Moses had commanded the people to build a temple in the desert, not a tabernacle, I don’t think they would have had all they needed to do the work. But, because Moses invited the people to exactly what God had called them to do, there was a match between the resources and the mission. I would argue that one of the biggest challenges for congregational stewardship campaigns is not that people aren’t giving, but instead that we aren’t telling a clear enough story of what we are asking for. We haven’t taken the time to discern what God is calling us to do.
- Specific Ask: Moses wasn’t afraid to get specific. He knew the people wouldn’t know what they should bring to build the tabernacle and could easily get discouraged in the face of such a large goal. The specificity of both the items and tasks allowed everyone to see where they might play a role in making the tabernacle a reality.
- Engaged Hearts: The text reminds us that even though people were physically offering items and skills, there is more going on behind the scenes. Their hearts were stirred and their spirits were willing (Exodus 35:21). God was at work in the people, just as God was at work in Moses. Their giving connected them more deeply with God and one another.
- Saying Enough: While it’s not recorded in the text, I can imagine the people’s astonishment when they were restrained from giving any more and realized there was more than enough to do God’s work. It was yet another miracle God performed in the desert, yet another reminder that God would always provide even in the midst of scarcity. I also wonder what space this “enough” created for those who still had resources to give. Might this proclamation have encouraged them to share what they felt called to bring in other ways?
This promise that there is more than enough to do God’s work can feel just as impossible to us as it did for the Israelites. It can be easy for us to turn inward with frustration, shame, and blame. I have no doubt the Israelites did that, too! We often assume the problem is with the resources – those who have the resources to give just aren’t willing to share them – and while there may be some truth to this, I think the bigger problem lies somewhere else. We are so focused on keeping the doors open and the lights on, that we forget to listen for what God is calling us to do right now, in this time and place. We want to wait until we get to the promised land (we have enough butts in seats and bucks in the plate) before we heed God’s call. I get it – it’s only human to want to have a stable foundation before we take a risk, and yet the Bible tells us over and over again a different story. God speaks to us right in the midst of struggle, encouraging us to take faithful risks to follow God into the future God has prepared for us.
Maybe God is calling your congregation to feed the hungry in your community. It may feel like a Herculean task with the small amount of people in the pews each Sunday. What if part of God’s provision isn’t just volunteers from the pew, but partners from the community who can bring time, resources, and leadership to this work? What if this work isn’t just funded by donations, but by renting out the church parking lot to local food trucks each week and receiving grant funding to start a community garden? What if God is stirring the hearts of those in your community, not just those in your congregation? What if we trusted the impossible promise that when we focus on God’s mission, God will provide the needed infrastructure as well and that this infrastructure might look different in this new season of ministry?
This year’s Stewardship-in-a-Box theme is The Impossible Promise of Enough. If you’re looking for a stewardship program that’s relevant, theologically-grounded, and easy to implement, this will be a great resource for you. Created in partnership between Faith+Lead and Church Anew, you’ll receive a digital box full of carefully curated resources: preaching prompts, liturgical resources, activities to engage kids and youth, and more! I will be hosting the online equipping event on Monday August 12, along with Dr. Michael Chan, where we will get a chance to dig into this text together. Can’t join us on the 12th? You’ll get access to the recording when you buy the box. Best of all, Faith+Lead is offering $25 off to the first 50 people who use the code: FAITHLEAD25 at checkout.
Before you rush to tend to all the important details of your congregation’s stewardship campaign, I encourage you to take a step back before you step forward. Do you know what God is calling your congregation to do over the course of this next year? Might this vision look different if you knew there would be more than enough to do the work? Like Moses, I encourage you to lean into the Spirit’s leading and be bold in your asking, people will be excited to participate in all that God has in store.
