by Steve Cordle
Money and offerings can be sensitive issues in the American church, and churches handle them in a variety of ways.
At our church we choose not to take offerings in the group. We have very strict accountability procedures for handling church money offerings in the group would introduce a burdensome level of complexity and vulnerability for the leader.
However, some groups do occasionally choose to pool money for a special purposes; for example, to support a member in special need, or fund a mission project.
In these cases we do not ask for a report to our financial offices – it stays entirely within the group. But these initiatives lea to blessings which bring glory to God.
Comments?
Steve
Translation into Korean: http://cafe.naver.com/ncdcell/1090
Translation into Spanish:
Grupos de Ofrendas. Para ocasiones especiales.
El dinero y las ofrendas pueden ser temas sensibles en la Iglesia Americana, y las Iglesias lo manejan en maneras variadas.
En nuestra Iglesia decidimos no tomar la ofrenda en los grupos. Tenemos unos procedimientos muy estrictos de cómo manejar el dinero de las ofrendas en los grupos, introduciendo un nivel penoso de complejidad y vulnerabilidad para el lder.
Sin embargo, algunos grupos ocasionalmente deciden hacer un fondo para ocasiones especiales; por ejemplo, el soporte de un miembro con necesidades especiales, o financiar un proyecto de misión.
En estos casos, no pedimos un informe a nuestras oficinas financieras-Eso se mantiene dentro del grupo. Pero estas iniciativas llevan a las bendiciones que traen la Gloria de Dios.
Ditto.
In addition, we used our cell groups as our benevolence ministry. If the cell group deemed a specific person was in legitimate need then our church central fund would match whatever the individual cell group raised themselves. Of course, we had guidelines on the method of giving ( such as “we don’t give cash, we pay the utility company directly”, etc.) We had great results this way.
Great idea Mie!