by Joe Yelton
Interim Pastor
This edition of Chime is posting on September 25. Yep, three months ‘til Christmas day. Arguments abound as to when it’s appropriate to put up the tree, decorate the yard, and begin playing Christmas music. I’m an early bird, and proud of it.
However, there is one piece of the coming Advent and Christmas calendar that isn’t too early to consider. It has to do with purchasing gifts. Data bankers tell us that the average American family spends about $3,200 each year on Christmas gifts. That sounds awfully high to me.
I want to extend a challenge to each of us inside the First Baptist family. I extend it now because in just a few weeks, it’ll be too late to renegotiate our spending (much of our gift buying is done by December 1 st ). Here’s the challenge: give a gift to our church in December which is above and beyond your usual monthly giving ... a gift that is equal to the amount of money you plan to spend on the person in your life receiving your most expensive gift.
For instance, if you make purchases for your spouse, child, friend, etc. totaling $400, in December, after making your typical monthly gifts to the church, write an additional check to the church for an equal amount. End of the year giving could substantially invigorate the bottom line of this church we love so much IF, enough of us actually participate in this challenge.
It goes without saying that this effort is between you and your God. You’ve now been given about 13 weeks to consider taking this goal upon yourself. I didn’t clear this article with anyone so, if I’ve overstepped protocol, it was not my intention. My hope is two-fold: first, give us time to better think through our upcoming holiday spending and, secondly, make a gift to the birthday boy of Christmas, Jesus, that could genuinely impact our congregational ability to move boldly forward.
Thanks for hearing me out.