Money is important
There is no question that money is important in the
world we live – often too important. Wars are fought
over it, lives are lost in the pursuit of it, families
are devastated by the lack and the excess of it, people
consume their lives in the desire and management of it,
and churches loose focus in pleading for it.
At Solomon’s Porch we desire to follow God in the
way of Jesus. This has implication on all areas of our
lives, including money. While the issue of giving of our
money is an important part, it is not the only part.
The way of Jesus calls on how we spend our money, how
we view money, what we pursue in our lives in relationship
with money and of course the giving of our money.
Certainly many communities of faith have lost their
way in the pursuit of the right use of money and we should
always live in recognition of this. With that humbling
realization clearly in mind, we must seek as a community
to live in the way of Jesus in the our lives with money
both collectively and individually. Money must never become
of focus, but it almost must never fall from care.
The history of the church and the Bible teach more about
the issue of money than it does about many other topics.
The right understanding of money and the right behavior
with money is crucial to following God in the way of Jesus.
The Bible is at times explicit about the care that should
be given in people’s relationship with money.
Phrases such as these are not uncommon in the text
of the Bible:
Psalm 15:5
He who lends his money without usury and does not accept
a bribe against the innocent, he who does these things
will never be shaken.
Proverbs 17:16
Of what use is money in the hand of a fool, since he has
no desire to get wisdom?
Ecclesiastes 5:10
Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves
wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is
meaningless.
Matthew 6:24
Jesus Said, "No one can serve two masters. Either
he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be
devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve
both God and Money.
1 Timothy 6:10
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.
Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith
and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Hebrews 13:5
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content
with what you have, because God has said, "Never
will I leave you; never will I forsake you."These
kinds of warnings are not intended to makes afraid of
money, but should serve to keep us from pursuing money
and the power it can bring in our lives. There is little
question that this is easier said then done. So, in the
Community of Solomon’s Porch we are seeking to create
ways that will help us be people who relate to money in
ways obedient to God and in service of others.
Giving 10%
The example set for followers of Jesus in the Bible
and throughout history includes a giving of 10% of their
income. While this is not a hard set number, and some
may chose to give more, the giving away of 10% of what
we have control over has served as a starting base for
followers of Jesus. At Solomon’s Porch we seek to
find ways to encourage and provide ways to give at least
10% of resources to the care of others and the efforts
of God.
The issue is not the amount of money given, the issue
is a perspective of money that it is not ours to consume,
but it is ours to give and share for the efforts of God.
It is much more an issue of having real-life ways of following
the teaching of God and to give tangibly to the efforts
of God.
Not Only To Solomon's Porch
The giving away of 10% of our resources is a good amount
with which to start and we encourage those who of the
Solomon’s Porch community to begin there. There are
many worthy efforts that are doing the work of God in
the world, and there is not an expectation that the people
of Solomon’s Porch only give to Solomon’s Porch.
But for those who are part of this Community there is
an expectation that they will join with the others of
the community in our efforts.
The Opportunity of Community
We Are Called to Join Our Lives Together.
The Book of Acts in the New Testament of the Bible records
in the second chapter that in the early days of Christianity
the followers of Jesus met together and sought ways to
live their lives in obedient patterns of Jesus. Central
to this effort was their sharing of money, homes, meals
and all of life with one another.
While we live in a different time and culture than the
first followers of Jesus, their way of life with one another
should be encouraging and instructive for us in how we
ought to live.
We are called as followers of Jesus to share what we have
with one another and to collectively give and spend our
money. That is why as a part of our community we give
money and set a collective budget for that which we are
collectively about in our community.Not Control, but accurate
Information.
In Christian giving, there is no room for the giving of
money with the notion that it is still your money which
you have control over. The giving of money means that
the control of the money is also given away. This does
not mean however, that we should give blindly or foolishly.
Therefore, we attempt at Solomon’s Porch to make
the spending of money an open and informed process that
we all participate in.
Thoughtful Spending
We seek to be thrifty and thoughtful with our money
at Solomon’s Porch.
While money is not the most important thing in life, it
is an important thing and we seek to be good stewards
of that which is put in our care.
To this end we make every effort to be thoughtful and
effective in the use of money. It is with careful consideration
that money is spent.
The building of the budget of Solomon’s Porch is
decided by the amount of money that is given and pledged.
Because the budget is determined by the amount of money
contributed, we do not set a budget and then attempt to
persuade people to give that amount. This way of budgeting
raises the importance of people making accurate commitments
of the their money and the fulfillment of those commitments.
We are Called to Give, Not to Consume
The clear call of followers of God throughout the Bible
is that we live as a people who are a blessing to others
and readily design our lives around the understanding
that it is God who is central and it is God who provides.
In the earliest of days in the recorded history of the
Bible, God calls people to give in response for what God
has given them and for the care of the needy.
In the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy, the nation
of Israel is given specific instruction about important,
timely, societal patterns of giving in series of gifts
each of 10% of their income (the first to God, the second
to the poor, the third to the work of the Temple) which
totaled some 28% of their income. This was the basis not
only for things of faith, but the establishment of a particular
governmental and societal structure. A nation was being
created that gave and did not simply consume all that
was at their disposal.
While in our day we live under a different social and
economic structure with the government taking on some
of the roles of the Old Testament Temple, the understanding
of the followers of God to give to the poor and to the
efforts of God is none the less important for us.
The pressures we face are as daunting as ever to be consumer.
The call of the Gospel of Jesus however, is that we not
be a consumer people, but a giving and blessing people.
Thoughtful Giving
We believe that the giving away of money is best done
in a thoughtful and prayerfully considered way. But there
are different ways that people may chose to give their
money.
Some give weekly or monthly or annually. Some give by
cash, writing checks, automatic deposit or check card.
All these ways are legitimate and should all be taken
with consideration and prayerful intention.
If you would like to establish automatic deposit to Solomon’s
Porch from your checking account please contact Tom Karki
612-874-6555 M-Th 10:00 AM-4:00 PM
Our Commitment
Our desire is that our community would live right with
one another and the world in all areas, including money.
To that end we covenant with one another:
- To not consume all we have (with money and all things)
- To give our money to the efforts of God, including
special concern for the needy
- To join our resources together in the efforts of
Solomon’s Porch
- To use 10% as the norm for our giving
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