giving at eastwood

"Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion for God loves a cheerful giver." 2 Corinthians 9:7


Make a Difference, Change Lives

Whether you bring your tithe or give an offering, your contribution gives the greatest return on investment: changed lives. Your generosity helps spread Christ's message of hope and healing locally and globally.

  

Tithe

Tithe means 10%, and in the Bible, God challenges us to return 10% of all we make back to Him through the local church. It's not because God needs your money. It's because He knows that when you get an accurate handle on money, money will not handle you. And you'll find yourself in a place of blessing and assurance.


"Bring all of the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this," says the Lord of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such a blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it." Malachi 3:10

Offering

An offering is any gift above your regular tithe. Whatever the amount of your offering, God will use it to advance His kingdom. Money represents so much of who we are and what we do. What we do with our money tells others who we are and what we do. When we give, we acknowledge the fact that God is in control of our lives.


"As we sow generously we will reap generously." 2 Corinthians 9:6


If you need assistance, please contact the church office at 270-842-7867. 

Leave a legacy

For most people the largest single act of stewardship they do will be their estate plan and the bequests made from their lifetime of accumulated assets. That can be a time of difficult decisions – and important ones.


Sadly, while family, hospitals, universities and others are often considered as beneficiaries in estate planning, far too often, God is forgotten. The local church that was God’s way of meeting you, nurturing you, growing you spiritually and blessing you with fellowship should not be forgotten in your estate plans.


But to make it even more complicated, true stewardship is far more than just money. Stewardship is about everything God has given you, even what you have earned and worked for so hard. If you think you worked hard to earn your “stuff” and that you deserve all of it, consider two things. First, God’s Word tells us that is a mistaken view:


Deuteronomy 8:18

18 But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.


Second, it is obvious that you can’t take it with you. Life is brief and eternity is long, so respect the fact that God is the owner of all (Psalm 24:1) and we are merely temporary stewards of what He allows us to have and use.


Real stewardship includes giving back through service, giving your time and your talents, generously. Stewardship is more than time, talents and treasures, it is all of your life and all that you are and will be.


But the “money” part of stewardship is important. God gave us more than 2,000 verses on money and possessions in His Word. He gave us that much instruction because we need it! We like our “stuff.” We want to hold onto it, accumulate it, grow it, hoard it and enjoy it. But instead, God wants is to be generous toward others and to Him. How do we know God wants us to give generously? Simply, He told us so! We are to “excel in this grace of giving” as God has instructed us.


2 Corinthians 8:7

7 But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.


We are to be generous with our faith, speech, expertise, knowledge, love and money. One way of obeying, one way of excelling at generosity, is by giving to God through your estate plan.


The Benefits to You Include:

  • Giving through your estate plan can be an act of stewardship that helps you know your church will continue to support and nurture your children and grandchildren into their future. 
  • This act makes you more than a contributor, it makes you a part of the mission of Christ through His bride, the church.
  • Giving through a will or trust is also an act of obedience. God has called on us to be generous with what He has given to us, being generous is a calling we have been given.
  • Giving is a final way you can witness to others of your faith.

Eastwood partners with a ministry called PhilanthroCorp to help families put together estate plans at no initial cost. If you are interested in more information contact the church office at (270) 842-7867 or call PhilanthroCorp direct at 800-876-7958 and let them know you were referred to them by Eastwood.