INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this handbook is to rekindle the awareness of missions in local churches around the world.

The following questions seem to haunt the pastor of the local church:

• Is my local church really responsible for the lost at the ends of the earth?
• How do I mobilize my flock to be involved?
• How will we finance the mission's endeavour if we get involved?
• This book attempts, in a practical way, to answer the last question.

A conviction that all the money needed to reach the world is locked up in the church of our Lord Jesus Christ prompted a study on this subject. The only strategy, which has the potential of involving the entire body of Christ in financing World Missions, is that of "Faith Promise".

The late Oswald J. Smith of the People's Church in Toronto, Canada, used this strategy with amazing results. The following is an extract from his book, "The Challenge of Missions"(1959: 59-63), in which he gives his own testimony of how God taught him to give to missions. He puts the principle of Faith Promise in a nutshell:

I had been pastor of a large Presbyterian church in the city of Toronto. Presently one day I resigned and became pastor of a church that knew how to give in a way I had never known.

I commenced my pastorate on the first Sunday of January. The church was holding its Annual Missionary Convention. Now I knew nothing about a convention. I had never seen one in all my life, so I just sat on the platform and watched.

The ushers were going up and down the aisles giving out envelopes. Presently, to my amazement, one of the ushers had the audacity to walk right up the aisle and hand me - the pastor - one of the envelopes. I sat there holding it in my hand. Never will I forget that moment. I can still remember it as though it were yesterday.

As I held it, I read:

'In dependence upon God I will endeavour to give toward the missionary work of the church $…. each month for a year.'

I had never read such a statement before. I did not know that that morning God was going to deal with me and teach me a lesson that I was never to forget and that I in turn was to teach scores of other churches all over the country in the years to come.

At first, I started to pray. I said, "Lord, I can't do anything. You know I have nothing. I haven't a cent in the bank. I haven't anything in my pocket. This church only pays me $25.00 a week. I have a wife and child to keep. We are trying to buy our home and everything is sky-high in price." All that was true. The First World War was on.

"I know that," the Lord said. "I know you are only getting $25.00 a week. I know you have nothing in your pocket, and nothing in the bank."
"Well then,' I continued, "that settles it. I have nothing to give."
It was then the Lord spoke. I will never forget it. "I am not asking for what you have," He said.
"You are not asking me for what I have, Lord? Then what are you asking?" I replied.
"I am asking you for a Faith Offering. How much can you trust Me for?"
"Oh, Lord," I exclaimed, "that's different. How much can I trust Thee for?"

Now of course, I knew nothing at all about a Faith Promise Offering. I had never given such an offering in my life. But I knew the Lord was speaking. I thought he might say $5.00 or perhaps even $10.00. Once in my life, I had given $5.00 to missions. Once I had given $2.00. But never more. I almost trembled as I waited for the answer.

Presently, it came. Now I am not going to ask you to believe that God spoke to me in an audible voice, but He might just as well have done so. I was scarcely conscious of the congregation, as I sat there with my eyes closed, listening to the voice of God. God was dealing with me that morning, though I did not realize it at the time.

"How much can I give?" I asked.
"Fifty dollars."
"Fifty dollars!" I exclaimed. "Why Lord, that's two weeks' salary. How can I ever get $50.00?"

But again the Lord spoke and it was still the same amount. It was just as clear to me as though He had spoken in an audible voice.

I can still remember how my hand trembled as I took my pencil, signed my name and address and wrote in the amount of $50.00.

Now, how I ever paid it, I don't know to this day. All I know is that every month, I had to pray for $4.00 and every month God sent it in some miraculous way. At the end of the year, I had paid the entire amount - $50.00.

But this is what I want to make clear. I received such a blessing, there came to my heart such a fullness of Spirit, it was such a thrill, that as I paid the final amount, I realised that it had been one of the greatest experiences of my life.

So great was the spiritual blessing that had come to me because I had given a Faith Promise Offering, had trusted God for a certain amount, and I had given in a scriptural way, that the next year at the Convention, I doubled the amount and gave $100.00. Then, at another Convention, I doubled the amount and gave $200.00. Then the church raised my salary and I received more than I had given. You see, you can't beat God's giving. At still another Convention, I doubled it once more and gave $400.00. Then, at another Convention still, I doubled it once again and made it $800.00.

From that day to this, I have been increasing the amount and sending on thousands upon thousands of dollars to the Bank of Heaven year by year. If I had waited until I had it, I never would have given it, because I never would have had it. But I gave it when I didn't have it. I gave a Faith Promise Offering and God honoured it.

A FAITH-PROMISE OFFERING

Paul, you remember, got the church to promise a certain amount and then he would give them a year to pay it. As the year drew to a close, he would send Titus, or someone else to stir the church, so that he would not be ashamed when he arrived. Then at the end of the year, he came and collected it. Therefore a Faith Promise Offering is a Pauline offering and God blesses it. (See Chapters 8 & 9 of 2 Corinthians in Living Letters.)

Have you ever in your life given a Faith Promise Offering, or have you only given a cash offering. If I have a dollar in my pocket, all I have to do is to tell my hand to go into my pocket, find the dollar, take it out and put it on the plate. I don't have to pray for it. I just give it.

But with a Faith Promise Offering, it is entirely different. I have to pray about it and ask God how much He would have me give and then trust Him for it, and month by month go to Him in prayer and ask Him for the amount promised and then wait upon Him until it comes in. That is the offering that brings the blessing.

That is the only kind of offering I have taken up for Missions in all these years, nearly half a century now - a Faith Promise Offering. I would never go back to the cash offering for anything. With a cash offering, I can only get very little, but with a Faith Promise Offering, I can get much. In our Annual Missionary Convention, we never get more than $7000 in cash, but we get over $400 000 in Faith Promises.

There is many a church that will not give a Faith Promise Offering. They are not interested in Scriptural giving. They will not obligate themselves for the definite support of their missionaries. They simply divide whatever cash comes in, between various missionary societies. They don't have to trust God for anything. If it comes in, they give it. But since there is no need to exercise faith, therefore, there is no burden, no responsibility. I do not like that kind of giving.

I believe that every individual church should obligate itself in faith before God for a certain definite amount and pray until that amount has been received.

I do not believe in pledges. I have never taken up a pledge offering in my life. What is the difference you ask, between a pledge offering and a Faith Promise Offering? All the difference in the world. A pledge offering is between you and a church, between you and a missionary society, and some day the deacons may come along and try to collect it, or you may receive a letter asking for it. In other words, you can be held responsible for a pledge offering.

A Faith Promise Offering, on the other hand, is between you and God. No one will ever ask you for it. No official will ever call on you to collect it. No one will ever send you a letter reminding you of it. It is a promise made by you to God and to God alone. If you are unable to pay it, all you have to do is to tell God. Give Him your excuse, and if He accepts it, you do not have to pay it.

I have gone to many a church that has been opposed to a pledge offering, but as soon as I have explained the nature of a Faith Promise Offering, all opposition has disappeared and those who have been antagonistic to a pledge of any kind, have been perfectly willing to accept the plan of a Faith Promise Offering, and God has accomplished wonders. I believe we could get all the missionary money we need, if we would take up Faith Promise Offerings in all our churches.

How can the Church know how many missionaries to accept for support unless you make a Faith Promise? You are not behind the missionary policy of your church if you do not co-operate in this programme.

The only men who ever become officers in The People's Church are those who are backing the worldwide missionary work of the church.

TO SUMMARISE:

A FAITH PROMISE OFFERING IS:

• Based on a Biblical principle (see 2 Cor. 8 & 9).
• Asking God to guide you regarding a specific amount
• Prayerfully trusting God for that amount.
• Experiencing the joy of God's faithful supply.
• Channelling it through the local church for a specific mission organisation or missionary.
• Being part of God's plan of reaching the lost world with the Good News of Salvation.
• It is over and above the tithe, which belongs to the local church.

"I tried to go myself; as a matter of fact, I went, but each time it seemed that I had to come back. I knew then that there was only one thing left to do; namely, to SEND OTHERS." Oswald J. Smith, "The Challenge of Missions" (1959: 32).

In closing this introduction, a FEW WARNINGS must be sounded:

1. A Faith Promise Programme will only be effective in a church, which is serious about missions.
2. A Faith Promise Programme will work in a church which has come to terms with the biblical mandate for its being, namely missions. (My definition for missions is "People reaching People with the Gospel of the Kingdom at their point of need".)
3. Faith Promise funds that are invested indiscriminately or without integrity will harm the church more than bless it.

This handbook has been written to be used in the local church.

My prayer is that, as you read it, you will be provoked, enthused, and inspired to release your church into the task of world missions.

Willie Crew