At the end of his life, King David gathered Israel’s leaders to announce his successor, Solomon, and to invite the nation to be a part of Solomon’s major project—the construction of the Temple. David announced his own contribution to the project and then asked if any others would follow his example. They did, giving “freely and wholeheartedly.” David was “filled with joy.” But instead of thanking the people, David blessed the Lord with the words quoted above.

Why did he do this?

Even a casual reader of David’s life can know he always wanted others to recognize God clearly. And in this story, David was filled with joy because the people did see God clearly. They gave freely and wholeheartedly because they knew God was the true Provider and Owner of all they had. They offered to God what was already his.

Scripture tells us that “the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it” (Psalm 24:1). Our livelihood (Psalm 50:10), our resources (1 Chronicles 29:12), our success (Psalm 76:6-7), our influence (Daniel 4:25), and our bodies (1 Corinthians 6:19) are not our own.  Even our lives are sustained on borrowed breath (Genesis 2:7).

When we forget this truth, we are tempted to hoard what we value for ourselves. But when we acknowledge God as Provider, we are free to be generous with our time, talent, and resources whenever he calls on us.

In the Old Testament, the law commanded the people to give a tenth (or a “tithe”) of all they harvested so that the priests and Levites could be free to serve the spiritual needs of the people (Leviticus 27:27-33). In the New Testament, however, the concept of tithing is transformed. Rather than a strict percentage, Jesus calls upon his people to become truly generous. Sometimes this meant giving a tenth, while at others it seemed to be up to half (Luke 19:1-11) or even all we have (Mark 10:17-27)! Many Christians believe the model of giving a tenth of our income is a good place to start in the journey of generosity, but clearly Jesus spoke so frequently on the subject of money because he understood its power to distract us from the reality of God’s provision. He said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). Jesus (and King David before him!) wanted us to live with undivided, free hearts aligned with God.

As you prayerfully consider how to become more generous while supporting the work of God’s people in his Kingdom, we want you to know that from the Grace team we are incredibly grateful for anything you choose to invest with us for the sake of the local neighborhoods, the next generation in our community, and the nations all around us. On this page, you will find some of the testimonies of the work the Grace community is doing by God’s grace, and also you will find details of how to give online or otherwise. Please feel free to contact us with any questions about our mission, vision, or finances as a church.

Fruit of Your Giving: Stories from Around Grace

Giving online allows you to:

• Give and track your giving history
• Register and pay for Grace events, retreats & camps
• Sign up for Grace Groups
• Register and contribute towards mission trips
• Submit prayer requests

Questions about online giving? Email Chris Roudebush ()

Other Giving Options: