Sounds like money.  That’s what “contribute” will sound like to many people.  And, the fact is that giving money or tithing is a form of contributing. Unfortunately, this is where some get hung up and miss the whole point of what it really is to contribute. It involves so much more than money.

I was raised on a farm in Central California and being born into that life brought with it a few expectations. Early on I remember being given chores to do, which I resisted in the early days. But, over time it became clear that chores were more than just an expectation, it was an opportunity to contribute to my family. My parents did a great deal for me and there were things that I could do to give back. My contributions to the family helped our family and our ranch function more effectively and had I withheld my contribution it would have run less effectively, but more importantly it created a sense of belonging in me.

The Church functions in very much the same way. Gold Creek is a family. God created each of us as unique individuals. Each of us has different gifts and talents. Just as it was in my biological family, when we decide to join a Church family there are expectations for contribution. 1 Corinthians 12 uses the illustration of the belonging to the Body.

“The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

“Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body… But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.” [Verse 12-20]

“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” [Verse 27]

So to belong to the body we need to contribute. Whatever gifts you bring God will bless the body through them.

There are many reasons we use to explain away why we are not able to contribute to the family or body. We have heard people say, “I cannot give financially because I am too strapped right now.” God knows our financial situation and it is His desire that we trust Him with it. I have heard others say, “I can’t give any time to the Church because I am too busy with work and besides that, I need to spend more time with my family.”  We are all given the same number of hours in each day and we all have the ability to manage those hours. I propose that it would be possible for all of us to contribute time if we trust God with our time management. As far as spending time with family… what if you found a ministry that you could contribute with your family? What a legacy to leave your children., for them to see the importance that you place in the contribution of your time and resources is immeasurable.

What do you contribute? Have you really joined the family? Are you bringing your gifts, talents, and resources to the body?

We need you! Get involved!\

Pastor Larry Ehoff