The Western Church and Global Missions Giving: A Case for Discernment

God is a missionary. A missionary is someone sent by God with the goal of redeeming the lost. The Father sent both the Son and Spirit to that major purpose. The Father modeled this when He sought out Adam and Eve after they sinned (Gen. 3:9). God chose Israel not to enjoy unique blessings, but to be a light to the Gentiles (Is. 42:6; 49:6). Jesus went first to the lost of Israel (Matt. 15:24), in deference to the chosen, but trained and commanded His disciples to go into all the world with the gospel upon His death (Matt. 28:18-20). “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." (Luke 19:10, NIV). As the Father sent Jesus on that mission, Jesus now sends us to the remotest places—jungles, villages, slums, apartments and trailer parks, cities, and to gated-communities (John 20:21). So important is reconciling the lost that Christ was slain from the foundation of the world (Rev. 13:8).

Benevolence Ministry Guidelines for a Church Deacon Board

Purpose

Our purpose is to provide counseling and material assistance in the Name and to the glory of Jesus Christ. Our intention is to keep this ministry as an explicit testimony to the love of
Jesus Christ, not simply to provide services.

Scope

This ministry is designed to reach:

It is important for churches when giving money out of a benevolence fund to be prudent and careful. There will always be those who are truly in need and those who are just trying to take advantage of you. One easy way to start to tell the difference between the two is to get to know the person better.  Below are a pair of forms to help you do just that.