Dear Church Family,
Thank you for your financial offerings in worship to God supporting the Kingdom ministry that Bay Area Church is all about. In 2017 it has been exciting to see lives changed, people equipped, and hope brokered in the name of Jesus all over the 4B area through the ministry of Bay Area Church. The unique challenges and opportunities for ministry provided by Hurricane Harvey made me wonder if our church will be able to give to support even more ministry. Thank you for your willingness to give out of His provision for you and your family even in this challenging season.
As we approach year end, many people begin thinking about how they can give to resource the Kingdom of God in even greater ways than they have in the previous months of the year. Let me encourage you first in the practice of tithing, and then in specific ways to give above and beyond your tithes.
A tithe is a biblical model of giving that delineates 10% of your household income to the local church as an act of worship. In effect God uses the collective tithe of all households within Bay Area Church to resource our present ministry and our future vision. For us to realize our complete potential as a church, everyone must be committed to tithing out of love for God and our neighbors.
Angela and I struggled to tithe early in our marriage. We erroneously thought we couldn’t afford to tithe. We learned that when we became obedient in giving, God blessed the 90% that remained for us to live on; we’ve always had everything we needed. God’s provision has always been just right. Test Him in this way. He is always faithful when we submit to Him in difficult areas such as finances. God blesses our obedience and resources His Kingdom. Don’t wait to make a New Year’s resolution to tithe. Begin now and experience the joy and blessing of financial obedience.
As you are thinking about giving over and above your tithe during the Christmas season, let me suggest a couple of priorities.
1.Budget Giving: When you give to the ministry budget you are resourcing missions on the local, national, and international levels, ministry here in the 4B (Beltway, Beach, Bay, Brazoria County) area, campus operations, and personnel salaries. You are supporting generational ministries for children, students, families, and adults, as well as Bay Area Christian School. You are providing quality biblical counseling at no cost to the community that we serve. Your giving makes possible our weekend worship services, our group ministries, and our ability to partner with many other churches and ministries to saturate the 4B area with the gospel. Your budget giving is vital.
2.Christmas Mission Offering: Each year we receive a Christmas Mission Offering above and beyond our normal tithe. Typically, we send that money on to our national and international partners at the Southern Baptist Convention in support of missions. This year, however, Hurricane Harvey has provided a unique opportunity to give in support of what we believe to be a two-year rebuilding effort right here in the 4B area. Our church, in partnership with other churches in the 4B area formed a 501c3 called the 4B Disaster Response Network to raise funds and facilitate the rebuild efforts in a greater way than any one church could accomplish now and to be prepared for future disasters. This effort will cost millions and we as the elders would like Bay Area Church to be a significant contributor financially. Let’s give generously to support this effort and be a catalyst for the renovation of people, families, and homes in our region. (If you would rather give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering in support of Baptist missions nationally and globally, just indicate that by writing in “Lottie Moon.)
How do I give?
As always, you can give in the offering boxes in the back of the worship center each week. Envelopes are located in the worship guide. Simply fill out the envelope and drop your offering in the box on Sunday.
Giving online is a great option. Visit the giving section of our website at https://bayarea.church/give/. Click, “give online,” and set up an online giving account. Angela and I have selected the option that allows for automatic tithing each month. We receive an email letting us know the gift has been made. This allows us to be consistent with our regular tithe. You can even select Budget giving or the Christmas Missions Offering if you want to give above and beyond your tithe.
If you would like to mail and check please mail to:
Bay Area Church
4800 W. Main Street
League City, Texas 77573.
C/O Indi Tumborang
Make sure to indicate if your check is for budget or for the Christmas Missions Offering. All envelopes must be postmarked by December 31 to receive credit for 2017. Online giving should be posted by December 31 to receive 2017 credit.
Again, thank you to all of you who have given generously and sacrificially this year. The amount of the gift is not the issue. God always looks at the heart. I thank God for His rich blessings enabling each of us to play a role in resourcing Kingdom ministry here and around the world.
Merry Christmas,
Pastor Brian