Faith Promise Giving, also called Grace Giving, is the practice of giving directly for the spread of world-wide evangelism through a local church’s missions program.

There are many places in Scripture that teach the principles that we practice in our Faith Promise Missions Program. II Corinthians 8 is perhaps the most thorough. In this letter from a missionary named the Apostle Paul to a local New Testament church that Paul knew well, Paul teaches on giving and we find perhaps the most complete and concise writings of giving to missions.

Missionary Prayer Letters

The Precedent of Missions Giving (2 Corinthians 8:1, 4)

Paul is saying brothers in Christ we want you to know about the grace that God has given to churches in Macedonia.

II Corinthians 8:1 “Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;”

This Grace that God gave to those churches was the grace to give to support the work of missions.

II Corinthians 8:4 “Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.”

Paul wanted the church at Corinth to see an example of missions giving and he used the churches of Macedonia. The very fact that this letter is inspired by God and preserved by God in His Word, it also serves as an example to Shenandoah Baptist Church of Cleveland, Tennessee.

The Priority of Missions Giving (2 Corinthians 8:2)

II Corinthians 8:2 “How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.”

Notice two things about the condition of the Churches in Macedonia

• They were in a great trial
• They were in deep poverty

Their trial and great poverty was truly a real trial and real poverty! Yet, in their poverty and trial they “abounded” in their “liberal” giving. In other words, giving to missions was not dependent upon their current financial condition. Their giving to missions was of the highest priority.

The last place Christians ought to cut spending is to reach the world with the Gospel. It is the most paramount need; therefore; it should receive the highest priority. We may have to cut some things but don’t cut missions! We may have to change our standard of lifestyle in making missions a priority, but it is well worth it! God promises that He will meet all our needs.

The Power of Missions Giving (2 Corinthians 8:3)

I believe there are two types of giving mentioned in verse 3

II Corinthians 8:3 For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;

• “For to their power” – what you have and can easily give by your reason
• “Beyond their power” – what you believe you cannot give

“Your Power” giving requires no faith. “Beyond Your Power” giving requires faith.

God desires that we give “beyond your power” or more than you believe you can give. That is called “Faith Giving”. Giving by faith or “beyond your power” is a Bible principle and it pleases God.

Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

This “Power” to give by faith is only attainable by the grace of God (vs. 1).

II Corinthians 8:1 “Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;”

A Biblical Example of Faith Giving IS The Widow Of I Kings 17:8-12

• Giving According to Her Power – water (vs. 10-11)
• Giving Beyond Her Power – Cake (vs. 11-12)

The Partnership of Missions Giving (2 Corinthians 8:1, 4)

Two Views of Missions in Church:

• Missionary Focused – give to missionary, pray for missionary
• Missions Focused – give, pray , personal interest, help on the field, read prayer letters

The focus isn’t on the missionary; the focus is the Mission of reaching and teaching the people God’s Word. Missions is not what we do for a missionary. Missions it is what we do for a group of people through the missionary. When we give to faith promise missions we are partnering with soul winners and church planters.

The Portion of Missions Giving (2 Corinthians 8:5)

II Corinthians 8:5 “And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.”

How much should you give to mission? ALL OF YOU! You can give money to missions without giving yourself to the Lord, but you can’t give yourself to the Lord without giving to missions! God’s desire isn’t to have your wallet. God’s desire is to have YOU! When God has you, He has your wallet. When a church isn’t giving obediently to God’s local church and to missions it is because the people of that church haven’t given themselves to God FIRST.

When you give it all to God and realize that he owns it all, you then become a trustee of God’s riches. And God will direct much of his riches to you!

The man thought is this:

• He owns it, and I oversee it. He just allows me to keep much of it.

—NOT—

• I own it. I oversee it. I allow Him to have some of it.

After you have given God all of you, ask God how much of HIS money would He like for you give to world-evangelism. He will direct you if you are listening!

The Purpose of Missions Giving (2 Corinthians 8:9)

II Corinthians 8:9 “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”

The purpose of our giving is to see people gain eternal life through Jesus Christ. This is exactly what Christ did for sinful man. Christ was our perfect example. Christ who was rich became poor by leaving Heaven and taking on the form of a man so that we may become rich by having eternal life.

Through our sacrificial giving someone else will be made rich in Christ.

“If we have to become a little “poorer” to make someone else rich in God’s grace, so be it!” There are 22 Billion people who have never heard the Gospel! They are poor!

The Pledge of Missions Giving (2 Corinthians 8:1, 4)

II Corinthians 8:10-11 “And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago. Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.”

A year ago they made a commitment to give, and Paul is saying “perform” it or in other words, “When you commit to it, you stick with it.”

If we make a commitment to give to Faith Promise Missions, we ought to recognize it is a pledge to God and to the missionaries that we commit to support.