I have two specific changes in mind.<\/p>\n
First, we should all plan our annual giving to the church. Paul wrote to the Corinthians:<\/p>\n
\u201cNow about the collection for the Lord\u2019s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.\u201d\u009d (1 Corinthians 16:1-2)<\/p>\n
Paul tells the Corinthians to think out the proportion of their income they are giving away (\u201ca sum \u201d\u00a6 in keeping with your income\u201d\u009d) and then to lay some aside every week. Studies \u201d\u201d and common sense \u201d\u201d reveal that people who plan their giving to the church and give it every month or at other regular intervals end up being far more generous than those who give only when in church, or give episodically, impulsively, or even just at the end of the year. We will only become more and more generous as time goes on if we set \u201cstretch\u201d\u009d goals to achieve a couple of years from now, and then make deliberate plans to get there through planned monthly or quarterly giving.<\/p>\n
Second, all people who attend Redeemer regularly should give to it, and not in a token way.<\/p>\n