The month of June concludes the Mars Hill Church financial year. We have just two weeks left to finish strong, meet our budget for this year, and set the tone for next. With the conclusion approaching and the church behind our giving target for the year (details below), I wanted to provide additional insight and clarity on the subject of giving at Mars Hill (here’s how you can give now).

The Way Things Work

Mars Hill Church income is distributed across three different funds, depending on the source and/or designation:

• The General Fund: Pays for the day-to-day operations of the church—both campus ministries and church-wide ministries.
• Campus Capital Funds: Campuses organize local fundraising efforts to build up a Capital Fund to pay for special projects: new buildings, renovations, etc.
• The Global Fund: Pays for costs associated with expansion and our ongoing effort to spread the gospel around the world. Most giving that we receive from outside our own congregation (from those around the world who benefit from our resources, for example) goes to the Global Fund.

The Global Fund began earlier this year, and our hope is to build it into a regular revenue stream that will allow us to continue to bless the greater church by starting campuses, planting churches, training leaders, and providing more free resources. The Global Fund will depend on lots of little gifts and a few larger ones; a generous donor has offered $1 million in matching gifts to the Global Fund--give to the Global Fund and your contribution is automatically doubled.

Which Fund Should I Give To?

All regular church giving automatically goes into the General Fund. We encourage you to support the other funds, but ask that any contributions to Campus Capital Funds or the Global Fund be made above and beyond whatever God has called you to give to Mars Hill (or your local church) on a regular basis. You can give to any of these funds online, by mail, or in person on Sundays. Email giving@marshillchurch.org to set up automatic giving and other arrangements.

Finishing Strong

As we both look to the future and attend to the here and now, our end goal is to finish well. Our church has been entrusted with a lot of resources—"talents" (Matt. 25:14–30)—and our call is to use these gifts well and finish strong in life, in ministry, and in this month. Our giving target for the current fiscal year is just over $12 million. We still need $743,333 during the remainder of June in order to meet this goal and make budget. I realize these large numbers may be difficult to conceptualize, so here are a few more stats to help explain our current state:

• 5,852 different households have given to Mars Hill Church so far this year (July 1 through May 31).
• The average monthly giving per household during this period was $168.12 ($200 per household is what we need this month).
• While $168.12 per month may seem respectable, median giving is $41.82 per month. That means more than half of everyone at Mars Hill Church gives less than forty bucks a month or nothing at all.

This Sunday, campus pastors will share more details about local budget and giving and how this relates to the rest of the church. In all of this I realize that we must be sensitive to the poor economy and the relative youth and inexperience of our congregation (I’ve been there). I am confident, however, that the numbers indicate much room for growth when it comes to stewardship. The final weeks of Fiscal Year 2009 provide a perfect opportunity to advance in our maturity and worship. Please help us finish the year strong, Mars Hill. If you are already practicing the biblical model of cheerful, regular, and sacrificial giving, please continue to pray for your church as well. For those who need help organizing their personal finances, email money@marshillchurch.org to schedule a Financial Coaching appointment. Thank you for taking the time to read this information. I encourage you to discuss finances, money, and giving within your families and community groups, that we may cherish Jesus above all else, and that, through our generosity, the Gospel would continue to go forth. More about stewardship, money, and financial accountability at Mars Hill Church:

• 2008–09 Annual Report
• The Generous Series
• Stewardship: God Gives (from the Doctrine series)
• December 2008 Stewardship Update
• Financial Stewardship blog series