In Need and in Abundance

If last week was about the call to open our hearts, this week is about putting your money where your mouth is. Or more accurately, where your heart is. And it’s not just about money. It’s about resources—our time, talents, gifts, and, yes, money. But, in typical Paul fashion, we can’t just give—our heart needs to be in the right place when we give. Giving is an expression of a heart open to grace and to loving God and neighbor.

In the final verses of this week’s scripture, Paul talks about the present abundance of the Corinthians and the need of the Macedonian churches, as well as the balance and reciprocity between the communities. So often, we have no problem identifying our areas of need, but what if part of worship this week is naming your congregation’s assets? Do you have someone who excels at baking pies, building ramps, or managing spreadsheets? Do you have a Sunday school class that loves to throw parties or volunteer with a local school? Where is your church located in the community? What kind of space does your church have? What connections does your church have in the neighborhood? These questions and more are part of asset-based community development, which is a fancy way of saying, “Lead with abundance instead of scarcity.” (Click here to learn more about incorporating asset-based community development into your ministry.)

Consider not just how you can name your assets together in worship, but also offer them up to God as a response to the proclamation. Invite the congregation to open their hearts to discerning their assets and using them to live the good news out in the neighborhood. If you engaged in a prayer exercise using paper hearts last week, do it again! This time, ask congregants to write down one asset—time, gifts, talents, or other resources—that they have to offer God and the community. Then use the sending forth as a moment to commit to supporting one another in offering up the church’s abundance to God for God to use in the surrounding community. For as Paul demonstrates, we are called to shore one another up and encourage one another to complete the good work God puts in our hearts to do.