Financing the Work of God The Mountain View Vision Royce P. Bell October 24, Mt View, SB

Past - The Positives l Large Body of Career-Secure Christians n Locally Situated and “Settled In” n Financially Stable n Positive SB Business Environment l Consistent Financial Reserves n Fund Emphasis (Long-Range Outlay) l Profound “Outside Evangelism” n Literally $millions spent, “over there…”

Why the Past? Positives l Emphasis on “Preaching” n “Strong Preacher” Presence n “Go into all the world…” Emphasis l Sacrificial Giving by Members (80/20 Rule) l Strong, Consistent Oversight (since 1932!) l “Mountain View Avenue” Vision n Church Building Orientation n Gospel Meeting Local Evangelism “Vision”

Past - The Negatives l Stop-Gap Facilities Management n Repair What is Broken, But n Non-Permanent Problem-Resolution l De-emphasized Local Needs n Local Evangelism Inconsistently Applied –Personal Work Program orientation –Individual life-style evangelism not stressed n Limited “Future-Vision” for SB

Why the Past? Negatives l Inadequate Local Focus (esp. facility) n Right-headed Emphasis, but Inadequate Provision for On-going Facility Maintenance l Limited “Swarm Vision” n Especially after 1968 (Fear-Based Reality?) n Shifted SB Demographic (UCSB, Redlands) l ’s Declining Financial Base, Not Yet Resolved...

Recent Needs and Expenses l Windows$20,000 l Interior Carpet$16,000 l Exterior Painting$8,500 l A/C Repairs $2,000 l Cameras/Security$1,500 l Sound System Upgrade (2 yrs)$1,200 l Auditorium Seats/Reinstall$500 l Sign $500 Total is in Excess of $50,000 Beyond Budget

Current Ongoing Situation l Expenses n Support/Salaries n Utilities n Insurance n Office Expense (Incl. Copy Machine) n Literature/Curriculum (Mostly In-house) l Current Spending Pattern is Barely Adequate, No Excess to Replenish

Solutions l Despair, disappointment (cf. Numbers 13) l Unscriptural Efforts, Measures? Or... l Personal Sense of Local Obligation n Attendance, “exhorting one another” n Involvement / Training / Qualifying to service n Contribution of Resources –Time –Talents –Financial Ability But, how? But, how?

Turn Affliction/Poverty into Joy “Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality” ~ 2 Corinthians 8:1-2

Let Fellowship Exceed Ability “For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability they gave of their own accord, begging us with much entreaty for the favor of participation in the support of the saints” ~ 2 Corinthians 8:3-4 l Key Concept: “…of their own accord…”

Exceed the Expectation l “...and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God” ~ 2 Corinthians 8:3-5 l First, Be Given to the Lord l Then, According to His Will: n Whereever He takes us... n For whatever purpose He desires… n Under whomever He appoints...

Let Fellowship Match Faith “But just as you abound in everything, in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, see that you abound in this gracious work also.” ~ 2 Corinthians 8:7 l If You Lack or Doubt Abundance, Your Problem is Faith!

Exercise “Prompted” Sincerity “I am not speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:8-9

Use Integrity In Purposing “For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what a man has, not according to what he does not have. For this is not for the ease of others and for your affliction, but by way of equality” 2 Corinthians 8:12-13

Let God Provide Sufficiency “God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed...Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness” 2 Corinthians 9:8-10

Let Sufficiency Dictate Liberality “Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God.” 2 Corinthians 9:10-11

The Challenge of Example l Remember 2 Corinthians 8:8-9, “...as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love…” l Several have made a commitment of increased contributions… l Can you…will you do the same? n Amount is not the point… n Attitude is the key issue...

Paying a Vow l The Vow is Unto God n No defect in it (not “ill-gotten” or tainted)... –Tainted by defect in nature - Leviticus 22:21, cf. Malachi 1:7-9, “Why not offer it to your governor?” –Tainted by poor attitude - 2 Corinthians 9:7 n Pay it... –Ecclesiastes 5:4-6, cf. 2 Corinthians 8:10-11 l Penalty of failure is the penalty of lying to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:1-11)