By Ed Barnett

Just a little more than a week ago, I was at the year-end meetings for the North American Division wondering, along with others, what Randy Robinson, the new treasurer for the Division would deliver in his first treasurer’s report. I was curious about how he would deal with the financial planning of our church. He began with a picture of a beautiful retired couple sitting at their kitchen table writing out their check for tithes and offerings. This beautiful picture, he explained, was common in this household as they faithfully give of their monies for God’s work with each increase.

Then he explained that because of Mr. and Mrs. Jones and many others like them we must faithfully give account for every penny given to God’s work around the globe. Whenever we use money given by God’s faithful people, we must keep in mind the Joneses and their faithful trust in God’s work. I was impressed with our new treasurer.

Every penny that comes into God’s work must be carefully and faithfully used toward God’s work. I am proud that our Rocky Mountain Conference is audited each year and care- fully checked for legality and faithfulness. Once again, auditors gave us a clean audit and were impressed with the work that George Crumley and his team are doing.

It is the faithfulness of God’s people in our conference that makes it possible for us to fulfill our mission of taking the Gospel of Jesus to everyone in our territory. Most of our members have humble salaries, but are nonetheless faithful. Some of our believers are financially blessed and able to give large sums of money, but all God asks is that each of us be a faithful steward of whatever He has given us.

Many give hundreds of dollars to God’s work each month; some give thousands, but as long as God’s people are faithful, we have a steady stream of funds to do His bidding. These are the monies used to make our monthly and yearly budgets.

Once in a while, someone will sell a piece of property or a business, giving them the ability to return a onetime event tithe and offering on that blessing. We call this windfall tithe and since we can’t count on it happening again, we never budget using hoped-for windfall tithe.

Checks and electronic monies are faithfully given all over our conference, sometimes in small amounts, sometimes in large sums. It is amazing to see the generosity and faithfulness of God’s people. A windfall tithe from a property sale just short of a million dollars came in this year and I wondered what it would be like to write out a check of that size. I was reminded that every gift, no matter the size, from a faithful supporter of God’s work receives the same blessing as the return of a smaller yet honest and faithful amount.

Last year, more than seventeen million dollars came into our conference through tithes and offerings from faithful people who care about God’s work in our conference and beyond. God is blessing His work here in the Rocky Mountain Conference. Both my wife and I are grateful to be able to faithfully give our funds into God’s work.

It reminds me of the words found in Malachi 3:10-12:

“‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the LORD Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,’ says the LORD Almighty. ‘Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,’ says the LORD Almighty.”

It is a joy to be faithful in God’s tithes and offerings. When I look back over my life and ministry in the church, I can say unequivocally that God has blessed us way beyond what we deserve. He is always faithful to His word.

We are nearing the end of another year and, believe it or not, 2020 will soon be upon us. I invite you to continue your faithfulness to God as we finish the year, and you will receive blessings beyond measure and beyond belief.

–Ed Barnett is RMC president. Email him at: [email protected]