Jeff Anderson: Vision and Doctrine

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“Are you tired of casting vision to raise money for your church? You know what I’m talking about. Showing how a dollar can advance a mission, erect a building, fund a budget…Everywhere people go, there’s a need…a problem…and a vision for how money can fix it.

Vision is not bad…The problem is over past years vision has squeezed out doctrine. Now instead of teaching people biblical reasons why they should give, we’re selling church goers on a building, a budget, an orphanage, or something else…Decades ago churches were starving for vision and were heavy on doctrine.

Now vision casting is in oversupply, and doctrine has been abandoned…For pastors willing to stand out from the crowd, sound giving doctrine is in order. Teach that biblical giving was instituted before there was sickness, hunger and homelessness. Before there were needs, God’s first born children (Cain and Abel) brought gifts to Him.

Teach them that in heaven, John saw the elders surrounding the throne and presenting their crowns and rewards before Jesus (that was some vision, by the way – see Revelation 4)…Giving isn’t only about fixing problems. It’s about worshipping God.”

Jeff Anderson in Acceptable Gift email dated 10 September 2015. For resources that are helping pastors and church leaders teach giving doctrine, visit www.acceptablegift.org. If you’ve not read his book, Plastic Donuts, get it and read it, because Christ-followers need both doctrine and vision!