So, let’s talk about money and giving. Let’s do it from the context and perspective of our story at Encounter Church and how your giving has, and will continue to make an impact on the lives of people in Hot Springs, as well as nations around the globe. After more than 20 years in pastoral ministry, I know that few things bring more tension in a conversation than talking about money. In fact, most people never talk about it unless they are in trouble. But I think we need to have a healthy understanding of how ministry is funded and the part we play, the part God plays, and where the money is going. “Where’s the Money Going?” The finances of any church should not be based in fear, or tension, because our finances are really just a story about us and about where we are going as a church. Our budget, as a church, is a tool we use to manage the incredible gifts we have been given and to live boldly in the calling of God in this community. For example, you cannot talk about fina...
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Last spring I cut the side of my face, right my left ear. After the bleeding stopped I learned a great lesson about life, leadership, and relationships. Along the front of our church we had a beautiful life of crepe myrtles. They looked breathtaking: bright red, full of blooms and just a year old. They had grown at a very rapid pace, partly because we had an unusually mild winter, partly because the temperature has been quite comfortable for them, but mostly because we have had a lot of rain extending late into the summer. For those who are not familiar with Arkansas weather patterns, we usually have a lot of spring storms, bringing with them massive rains. Flash-floods - you know, National Weather Service alarms on your phone, kind of rains. This usually happens from around April until the middle of June. Then something crazy happens - the rain stops. I mean, turn the spigo...