Core Community Church of Omaha

Throughout this year, our church has sought to give regular reports of Core’s giving and spending.  The elders of Core are committed to above-reproach, clear communication on these issues.  We believe it is a reflection of God’s faithfulness and care for us, his children.  Below is a snapshot of June’s financial dealings, along with year-to-date figures.

It is important to note that giving drastically dropped in June.  We had consistently been giving over $36,000 before this.  At the same time that giving dropped, expenses went up.  This is due to a new sermon series launch and other purchases that came due.  In response to June, your elders challenge you to give generously.  Let’s not let this level of giving become a pattern!  Instead, let’s ask God to refuel us and take our giving back to well past $36,000.  As your elders, we remain committed to controlling spending over the course of the year and carefully stewarding all that God provides.

Grateful,

Doug Stevens, Admin Pastor
Ethan Burmeister, Lead Pastor
Matthew Smith, Formation Pastor

Recently, I heard my friend Jeremy Solomon share part of his story of redemption.  Oddly enough God has used financial giving as a way of bringing peace to his struggles in fearing the future.  Check it out:

Coming to faith in a college ministry, I wasn’t in an atmosphere of learning what God says about money.  At Sunday night service, instead of handing out the plates for financial offerings, it was encouraged to give yourself as a sacrifice in prayer, keeping the plate to yourself for whatever time you wanted. While I enjoyed the practice, in hindsight, the ministry may have conceded that giving may not be my demographic’s strong suit.

In any case, money didn’t really come up in my first years of being a believer, and so selflessness never occurred to me. Being a perpetual worry-wort my whole life, I unconcsiouly held a free pass to cling to all that I earn.  Even for me, a single man with no financial or family obligations, there has always been fear of sacrifical giving, like clinging to a security blanket as a kid, uncertain of a world without it. From here I let pass any opportunity to give sail down stream without a second thought.

As I write this, I realize that my maturation rests in the word opportunity.  Far from being a sales pitch, it fits with Scripture, knowing who God is and what is at stake:

1. Opportunity to engage in the Kingdom of God. One of my first times of giving was to a missionary to India. After prayer and confessed hesitation, I gained a sense of community and partnership in the giving. The evangelist, an heir to the Kingdom of God, was asking for the participation of his fellow heirs in the Church. So is true of the genuine, God-breathed ventures to bring the world as it was meant to be, in worship, justice, and quality of life. From the the time of Jesus’s ministry to today, our world is being put to right, and we get to be a part of it!
2. Opportunity to be blessed. Or as Paul put it, being given that which may “…be credited to your account” (Philippians 4:17). By this I do not mean a prosperity gospel, where one expects God to exchange our gifts for wealth or promotion, as if we are bartering equals.  I hope to mean as Paul did, as well as Malachi, in “open[ing] the floodgates of Heaven” by our offerings (Malachi 3:10).  In whatever manner that God apportions, from our needs to our joy and fruits of the Spirit, there is blessing with sacrifice. And in such things, His glory shines through as the branches bear His fruit.
3. Opportunity to worship God. As much as He, by Grace, accepts my worship in music and prayer, all of life is worship, with money being a big part of life. The difference between the being interested in something and worshiping it as an idol lies in our level of sacrifice. What do I give for it?  What level do I sacrifice for it?  One look at my bank account would give answers.  Truly, “…where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).

When reflecting on these things, I know there is always opportunity to let go of the security blanket a little more. For an example that hits close to home, when a pastor of Core speaks on Sundays on offerings, I no longer see it as him asking for money.  Instead, I realize that he is offering something to me. In such times, I hope that you and I will respond to the opportunities, not hoarding that which was never ours to begin with.

As said last month, in the post entitled “Mission and Money: January 2011“, the eldership team of Core want to share three adjustments being made to correct and move forward with Core’s financial aspects:

1. What is given
2. What is spent, and
3. What is budgeted.

Here is an overview of February 2011:

(or view as a pdf; a printed version will be available this Sunday.)

There is promise.  There is progress.  There is self-control.  Most of all, however, there are lives being resurrected by Jesus!  There are churches being planted, and it is by the measure of faith God has given to you, Core, that has made this all possible! Thank you for remaining faithful to your Heavenly Father and His bride, the church.  Together, let us continue to pray for one another, that this is a reflection of the love Core has for Jesus, and that the gospel would continue to renew all of Omaha as more churches are planted, home communities are developed, and lives are resurrected.

In our Sunday gathering on February 6, I shared that our elder team is making some adjustments in how we steward the financial resources God brings to and through our church.  One of those adjustments is to share more regularly…

1. what is given,
2. what is spent, and
3. what is budgeted.

To that end, you can view a brief overview of January’s giving, expenses, and budget here:
(or download as pdf; a printed version of this will also be available this Sunday.)

I certainly don’t want to bog us down with a bunch of numbers and graphs, but I am more convinced than ever that there is a connection between the resurrecting power of the gospel and how we steward God’s resources. As we are resurrected by the gospel, we are eager to give more, manage better, and plan more effectively.  This has an influence on all of us in our church, including you.

I encourage you to continue to ask God to resurrect your life and the lives around you by the power of the gospel.  Resurrected lives lead to radical generosity. If you have any further questions, I would love to hear them.

It is more blessed to give than to receive.  -Jesus, in Acts 20:35.

These odd words of Jesus still surprise me each time I set out to give.  Really, Jesus?  Are you sure about that?  As I wrestle with the truth of Jesus’ words, I have begun to realize why he might have said this.  Here are a few possible reasons:

1. Giving happens naturally when the love of our Father overwhelms us. And there is no greater blessing than experiencing the love of our gracious Father, shown to us in the sacrifice of Jesus!
2. Giving sets us free from little trinkets that seek to enslave us. It’s like they speak to me in the store or online banner ads: “Buy me, and you will be strong or significant or happy or cool.”  But as we give our money away those pretty little trinkets are shut up before they grow into addictions.
3. Giving speaks truth to our souls in a culture soaked with lies about money. Millions of dollars are spent every year in focus groups and market research to get you to believe that what you have isn’t enough.  In contrast, giving says, “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all I need” (Psalm 23:1).
4. Giving leads to lives changed and churches planted and staff growing. For this, we are deeply grateful for your giving to Core.

Here is a snapshot of what this means for us.

• Your giving led to men, women, and children meeting Jesus and becoming his disciples.
• Your giving enabled us to meet on Sundays as a church of nearly 250 people.
• Your giving was tied to developing leaders and more than 150 people in Home Communities.
• Your giving allowed us to develop Redemption Groups, where dozens of hurts were healed, sin was repented from, and the love of the Father was poured out.
• Your giving made it possible for us to bring in, develop, and get ready to send out a team to plant Sacred City Church in Davenport, IA.
• Your giving allowed us to continue supporting church plants in Omaha and Lincoln, NE, and Cape Town, South Africa.

And the list could go on and on.

As we look back on 2010 with gratitude, we also look forward into 2011 with hope. This next year is a year of mission and renewal through communities of the gospel.  It is a year that will require all hands on deck.  We are excited to welcome Rich Zakrajsek on staff as a key developer of Home Communities.  We are excited to send Justin Dean with some others to plant Sacred City Church in Davenport, IA.  We are thrilled to see Home Communities grow and multiply and renew our city with communities of the gospel.  But, as you may expect, all of this requires money.

We are expanding our monthly budget from $30,000 to $36,000. The last quarter of last year proved we can do it.  We can do it well.  But make no mistake: it requires all hands on deck. It requires hearts that are deeply loved and transformed by our heavenly Father through Jesus.  It requires men and women who are eager to be free from little trinkets and large addictions.  It requires children who want to know the truth about money instead of what our culture is telling them.

We invite you to join us.  All hands on deck.  All hearts discovering that it is truly more blessed and more joyful to give than it is to receive.

The Bible has a lot to say about our hearts’ connection to money.  In fact, the Bible brings up money and possessions 2,350 times.  It is shocking, when you think about it.  Why would God talk about money so much?  One reason is that he knows our hearts are at stake.  Every transaction is a statement of allegiance.  Every distribution of a dollar is a declaration of loyalty.  We worship when we spend, when we save, or when we give.  In light of this, let me share a few surprising stats about our culture and then connect us back to the gospel:

• The average American citizen sees about 500 advertisements each day.  City-dwellers might be higher than that.  And some estimates soar into the thousands.  Each of these ads are telling you that you can find satisfaction in their product or service.  They are asking for your worship.
• It is estimated that $1.5 trillion will be spent in American malls this year.  And $8.2 billion of that will be spent in our state, Nebraska.  This is about $4,700 spent per person in our state.
• In contrast, the average Protestant Christian will give about $840 away this year.
• Finally, it is a well documented trend that the younger a person is the less they tend to give.  Most giving among Christians is done by those who are 55 years of age or older.  This is a particularly potent insight for a church like Core who has few in our family who are over 55.

Into this kind of culture, Jesus speaks the following words: No one can serve two masters, for 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 (Matthew 6:24).  This is a heavy hammer that drops onto our capitalistic culture.  And to be honest, at first glance it can sound detached and rude.  Sure, it is true, but what do we do with Jesus’ words here?  Would a loving Savior like Jesus just stand aloof from us, look down on our consumer-driven culture, and tell us how bad we are?  Is that all he does?

The answer, of course, is No.  Jesus is not the kind of Savior who just barks at us in anger to tell us how stupid we are to spend so many trillions of dollars in a shopping mall.  He actually enters into our world and becomes one of us.  He gives grace – not just truth.  He shows love, mercy, and kindness.  Paul expressed it this way: For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9).

• Do you find yourself spending money on things that you wish could satisfy you? Please know that Jesus didn’t die just to make you feel bad about your spending habits.  He died to make you a different person, one who is rich in God, a son or daughter who shares in Jesus’ eternal inheritance.  This makes you a cheerful giver who finds satisfaction in Jesus, and the allure of 500 ads each day loses its glamor.
• Do you find yourself living by the rules that your church pounded into your head? Please know that Jesus didn’t die just to give you rules and regulations that make you feel prideful or hopeless.  He died to make you a different person, one who is loved by God, free to be a son or daughter who shares in Jesus’ eternal inheritance.  This makes you a grace-drenched giver who overflows with financial generosity.

Stats come and stats go.  There are things we can learn from them.  But even more than stats, we can be deeply and profoundly affected by the love of God revealed to us in Jesus Christ.

Just a few weeks ago, we were posting on a continued shortfall of giving in our church.  We were celebrating almost every other area in our church: friends meeting Jesus, communities experiencing the gospel together, attendance up, leaders developing, and on the list went.  But financial generosity was walking with a limp at best.

Now, after making our church aware of the situation, we are thrilled to share an update on the financial generosity of our church.  We began October with our normal budget, which is $30,500.  But as we figured the need for catching up on what was taken from the savings account, we knew we really needed $40,000.  God chose to surpass even that, though.  The total financial giving for October for our church was $47,000, a new record for us.

Let me be quick to say that a total dollar amount is great, but what is even greater is how God brought that money in.  It came from many, many givers. Included in the giving were:

1. regular givers who have given consistently for years,
2. brand new givers who had never given $1,
3. out of town friends who responded to the need,
4. leaders setting aside additional amounts to give,
5. sales employees giving sales bonuses,
6. and more.

Therefore, our giving trajectory has reversed at least for the month of October.

At the end of the day, this isn’t about money.  It isn’t even about breaking records or catching up.  It is about the name of Jesus being known in our city, in our region, and in our world.  Our church exists for the renewal of all of Omaha through a movement of the gospel of Jesus.  That’s why each of these dollars matters, and that’s why each giver matters.  The gospel of Jesus is on the move.  We invite you to join with us.

How can I give financially to Core?

• Cash or check on Sunday mornings. If you give regularly in cash we recommend that you put the money in an envelope with your name on it so that we can track your giving and send you an end-of-the-year receipt for those gifts.
• Check mailed to the office. We can even provide you with already-addressed envelopes.  Of course, we recommend not mailing cash.
• Debit card or bank draft online. We don’t want you to give from your credit card, but a debit card or automatic account withdraw is an excellent way to build in your giving as a priority and regular habit.

Can I get a tax deduction for my giving to Core? Absolutely.  If you give in a way that we can record, then we will keep accurate totals of your giving, and send you a receipt at the end of the year certifying the amount of your total contributions.

What financial controls are in place for Core to make sure contributions are handled safely? We have accountability built in at every step of the way.  At this stage, there are at least 2 sets of eyes that..

1. gather the offering,
2. count the offering,
3. see deposit totals in our computer system,
4. see deposit slips from the bank,
5. approve check-writing, and
6. track debit card receipts and bank statements.

Furthermore, at least 2 signatures are required for bank withdrawals, both in person and online.  Our hope is to be above reproach in how we handle the money given to Jesus’ church for Jesus’ mission.  The expanded written Financial Policies for our church are available upon request.

How does Core model wise financial stewardship and giving?

Core gives at least 10% of its income to fund church planting and support the poor.  Right now we support 2 Pillars Church in Lincoln, NE, Vox Church in Capetown, South Africa, church planting events and development in Omaha, InCommon Community Development in Omaha, Vision Nationals church planting ministry in India, and occasional other special gifts or offerings.

Additionally, Core leaders are available for personal finance counsel, occasionally provide classes with a personal finance focus, occasionally preach on this subject in Sunday gatherings, and seek outside counsel when making financial decisions (including Orizon Group and a Financial Advisory Team made up of non-pastors).

Finally, Core elders go through a thorough process of development, including financial examination.  We want to make sure the elders of Core all serve as models of giving and stewardship.

This past month has been tremendously encouraging in the area of financial generosity in Core.  We began the month by acknowledging that our church was excelling in most every area…except giving.  We were much like the Corinthians that Paul wrote to: But as you excel in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in your love for us – see that you excel in this act of [giving] also.

It has been amazing to see God stir up generosity in the hearts of Core.  Here is one letter we received from friends of Core who felt led to give even though they now live in a different state:

We loved serving, fellowshipping, and growing during our time in [Omaha], but now from afar we feel encouraged to give.  After the financial report came out indicating the budget deficit, we began praying about our role. We currently attend and give financially at our new local church, but we both felt a leading hand urging us to give a gift to Core.  Both of us winced a bit, thinking of finances and hesitated, but ultimately we had to ask ourselves one simple question: Do we have any reason to believe God will not provide for us, be it financially or in any other way?  Our answer: Absolutely not!

So without further ado, we hope this can help chip away at the current budget crunch.  In addition, we continue to pray for others to generously shower Core with the necessary funds.  May you all at Core and the work and service of its people be blessed.

Should I tithe from my gross or net income?  From all my income or only my salary?

Here is how the Bible speaks to this: Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops (Proverbs 3:9).  In our nation, the government takes a piece of our income before we even see it (in most cases).  The Bible teaches this concept of first fruits, meaning that of all we are given – that is, gross income – or all that we earn, we should give the first portion back to God.

Should all of my tithe go to Core?  Can or should I give to other kingdom work?

God rebukes the Israelites in Malachi 3:10 for not giving to the “storehouse.”  The storehouse was an extension of the temple that supported the work of the Old Testament equivalent of church.  It was used to cover temple costs, provide for temple sacrifices, and support temple workers.  We believe this should encourage Christians to focus their giving first towards their local church, but we also understand previous giving commitments or unique circumstances.  Please talk with an elder if you have questions, as we certainly do not want to be legalistic in this area.