Rise & Build 2010

PREPARING OUR HEARTS

three things we all need to do

•1.    Courageously surrender all we have and do.

No matter how little or how much you have, it's already His.  We need to remember we are stewards of what He has blessed us with.  Before you begin to determine what you should give, make sure you surrender everything you have to the Lord.  Make a commitment to give Him control over everything in your life.

•2.    Take time to listen to the Holy Spirit.

It's in stillness that we hear and know.  Take time to remove yourself from any distractions and ask the Holy Spirit to speak to your heart.  Ask Him, "Lord, what do you want me to do?  How much should I give?"

•3.    In faith boldly obey.

 There is nothing that attracts the blessing more than a heart that, boldly in faith, obeys the leading of the Lord.  To move from a nice thought to a blessed action requires faith and obedience.  Boldly obey Him and you'll be blessed beyond your dreams.

TODAY'S INVESTMENT FOR TOMORROW'S OPPORTUNITIES

Giving generously and sacrificially today opens the way for our future.  Our financial offerings will enable the Church to be in an increasingly strong financial position as well as enabling us to plan for the next stage of our building program.  We will see thousands of people touched by the Holy Spirit, through a whole range of creative and practical programs and events.  Our church home is where people will come to eat, listen to music, enjoy the arts, stay healthy, celebrate, learn, be still, connect, worship and grow.  Our financial offerings will also position us to respond to the ever increasing influence the Lord is giving us in reaching the people in our own community, nation and overseas.

THE FUTURE

What could happen?

• Thousands of people across our city impacted
• Connect Groups birthed right across Canberra in houses, restaurants, gyms, workplaces, cafes, schools, universities... Connect Groups for every age and stage of life
• Hundreds of effective ministries will be raised up, trained and released through our Church
• The development of an incredibly fruitful Youth and Children's Ministry
• Creative arts rising to such a standard that hundreds will come to see, listen and experience the love of Jesus through the arts
• Teams of miracle working ministers laying their hands on the sick and seeing them recover
• Hundreds of spiritual mothers and fathers will be trained and team together to see spiritual sons and daughters supported, equipped and multiplied to plant churches and establish ministries - affecting our nation beyond our life time
• A community ablaze with the activity of God - the Church at the centre of community life, a 24 hour, seven days a week Church - always alive and invaded by the presence of God
• Business men and women dreaming outside of the box, releasing incredible skill, knowledge and financial resources into extending the kingdom of God through the Church community
• Teams of people travelling back and forth overseas, planting churches, training leaders and helping those in need
• Your dreams coming to pass as you give yourself wholeheartedly to the dream of God - to win the lost and build the Church.

NOT EQUAL GIVING BUT EQUAL SACRIFICE

Any offering of this type will be sacrificial.  We will have to rise to the challenge, yet that challenge will be different for each person.  So, our theme is "not equal giving, but equal sacrifice".

To sacrifice means to willingly give the best I have for a greater purpose.

Whilst we cannot all give the same amount, we can all sacrifice.  This way, everyone can have a part.  For some, a sacrificial gift may be $500.  For others, it could be $100,000 or more.  God will impress a specific amount on your heart if you ask Him.

A sacrificial gift is one that requires you to:

• change your lifestyle;
• re-arrange your priorities;
• actually give up something.

Your sacrificial gift, which is sown in faith, can only be determined by you and the Lord.  I urge you to make your gift a matter of prayer, being confident that God will clearly direct you, enabling "each to give as he purposed in His heart." 2 Corinthians 9:7

Our faith goals will come about as a result of our prayerful consideration of the questions, "What does God want me to do?"  Our response to the challenge before us must be made on the basis of God's will for each individual or family.

To determine the rightness of your faith goal, ask yourself these three questions:

• 1. Was it born in prayer?
• 2. Is it truly sacrificial?
• 3. Does it involve faith?

"Rise+Build" requires a financial commitment separate and above what we already give in tithes and offerings.  

Through prayer and commitment, the offerings we give are important in the growth of the church in reaching and building people.

giving by faith is giving that pleases God

Giving by faith happens when we decide to give an amount that will require God's help to fulfil.  When Jill and I ask the Lord how much He wants us to give, we are not surprised when we find out that the offering will be large, requiring faith and sacrifice.  Our board and senior leaders, are always the first to lead the charge on our building fund, and each year are among our biggest contributors, "the leaders... offered willingly" 1 Chronicles 29:6-7.  Some of our giving will be supernatural and some sacrificial.  Both will be by faith.  I encourage you to allow the Lord to speak to you in this matter - don't limit what He might want to do through you.

this is your opportunity

• to make a difference with your money;
• to do something significant that will outlast your life;
• to help establish a church that has the call of God upon it - to reach this region and beyond;
• to be a part of a continuing miracle

NONE OF US ARE AS GOOD AS ALL OF US

We presently have 500 people in the congregation.  All of these people make up about 250 families or individuals that are able to be part of this offering.

As an example, to raise $330,000 dollars it would simply take:

There is no greater investment than to invest in God's Kingdom, in the task of reaching people for Jesus.  It deserves our best effort.  For what we do today will echo in eternity.

CREATIVE WAYS TO GIVE

• 1. As a family, give up one of your takeaway meals a week for a meal at home. Missing one meal a week at an average of $30 per family is $1,560 per year.
• 2. Give up a habit. Easier said than done, but not impossible. A cappuccino per day for a year costs $1,460.
• 3. Commit your income tax refund to the Lord.
• 4. Give a gift of assets. You can give real estate, stocks, bonds, gold, cars, boats etc.
• 5. Adjust your holiday. Try having a holiday at home and taking day trips and picnics. Or take a three day holiday instead of a week. This can save $1,000 - $2,000.
• 6. Wait for a movie to come out on video instead of seeing it at the theatre. A trip to the movies for two people costs approximately $50 with tickets, popcorn and a drink. If you cut out one movie a month that is $600 over the year.
• 7. Put off a major purchase and redirect the money into Rise+Build.
• 8. If you have a business, consider making a gift which is tax deductible to the business.
• 9. A dollar increase per week. This is a great idea for those who have never given or do not see a way to increase current giving. Start by giving one dollar the first week, then two, then three, etc, praying all along that the Lord would show you a way to add that next dollar increase each week. If you keep this up for a year, you would give $1,345.
• 10. Trust Distributions. Input tax credits that apply to distributions from trust funds - these are able to be refunded to the church from the tax office.

HOW DO I GET INVOLVED?

•1.    Prayerfully consider the amount of giving that is appropriate for you.

This should be your first step in becoming involved.  Pray for both faith and wisdom in making your decision.

•2.    Make your commitment to the Rise & Build 2010.

On Sunday 21^st February 2010, you will have an opportunity to make your commitment during any of the services, by completing the commitment card.

Alternatively, if you are unable to attend church on the 21^st, you can obtain a commitment card from the Church office or Info Desk at any time and return it to the info desk, send to the office or simply pop it in the offering.

•3.    Consider how you will fulfil your commitment.

You will have several options available to you:

• Make a regular weekly or monthly contribution. Regular giving can be easier to manage, is rewarding and quickly builds up over time, as you can see in the table:

• Make a one-off gift.
• Salary sacrifice. Arrange with your employer to make a deduction from your salary each pay. (Please check with your accountant about doing this, as it is a before tax payment you cannot also claim a deduction afterwards. The net benefit however is the same to you.
• Direct deposit. You can organise regular payments to be made via internet banking.
• Online donation. Go to the church website - http://www.c3monash.org.au/. Click on "Payments" on the top menu, then scroll down to building fund section and follow directions from there.

to give directly into account:

• 1. All donations over $2 are tax deductible. For direct deposits our account details are:

Name of account:      C3 Church Monash - Incorporated Christian

                              Education Building Fund

BSB:                        633 000

Account Number:       127089068

Cheques should be made payable to "C3 Church Monash".  Cash donations should be placed in our "offering" envelopes, and the "Building Fund" box ticked with Name and/or Pin number.

EVERY SEED

Every seed we sow in life bears fruit.  Your seed sown into the Rise & Build fund will bear fruit of an eternal nature and bring a blessing to your life and others, here and now.  Countless numbers of lives will be changed because of your faith, obedience, sacrifice and generosity.

This is an incredible Church.  We love you and are continually overwhelmed by your selfless commitment to believe for something greater.

We are absolutely confident that God will do immeasurably more than you can dream or ask for - that He will fulfil His promise to return to you one-hundredfold what you give freely to Him.

We are in this together for the sake of our community and for the glory of His name.  This is an incredible journey and how wonderful it will be to look back in years to come and see all that Jesus has done for us, in us and through us.

The Lord richly bless you as you give to this incredible cause.

We are overwhelmed with awe and excitement with what God is doing in our church.  God is opening numerous doors of ministry and opportunity to reach the lost and we are literally bursting at the seams.

We feel a great urgency to run with the vision to reach the people of Canberra and thus, we need to continue to develop and expand our facilities in order to accommodate all the Lord has called us to do.

SENIOR MINISTERS