The Rev. Daniel Floyd preaches about 'radical generosity' at Lifepoint Church, which meets at Chancellor High School in Spotsylvania County. The church returned the weekly offering to members to share with others in the community. AMY FLOWERS UMBLE/THE FREE LANCE-STAR View More Images from this story Visit the Photo Place

Pastor: 'Go bless this community' 'RADICAL GENEROSITY' BIBLE ON CASH

Church offers up its offering

Date published: 1/31/2009

BY AMY FLOWERS UMBLE

The crowd at Lifepoint Church claps and whistles when the offering baskets come out.

On Sunday, the congregation gathered at Chancellor High School grew completely silent when ushers brought the baskets down the aisles a second time.

The pastor quickly reassured them: Don't put money in the basket. Take it out.

The church gave out $12,000--its average weekly collection.

Each person in the audience took an envelope with cash in varying amounts: $10, $20, $50, $100, $500, $1,000.

Use the money to help someone, the Rev. Daniel Floyd directed.

"Whatever you do, do something outrageously generous," he said.

The rules were simple: Don't give the money to the church; bless someone else; and tell your story.

Church staff set up an Internet blog for the third rule.

Within hours, dozens posted stories of how they had already used the money to help others.

Within three days, more than 50 had responded, telling tales of sick children, eviction notices, struggling college students and people working low-wage jobs. Overwhelmingly, the posts mentioned the recently job-less.

Some families and small church groups pooled their money to give a larger gift to someone. Many matched the church's gift.

Each seemed determined to follow Floyd's call to "go bless this community with radical generosity."

Lisa Quinn and the members of her small church group decided to combine their gifts to create a small scholarship for a college junior needing money for books.

She hopes the "tsunami of generosity" that Floyd predicted from the church's 600 members would become contagious.

Quinn's husband served in the Marine Corps for 20 years, and the couple moved 19 times.

"We've been to a lot of churches, and we've never been to a church that's done this before," said the Spotsylvania County resident.

A few churches around the country have given money to their congregations for similar reasons. But it takes a leap of faith in this economy, Floyd said.

For four weeks, the church's sermon series focused on finances.

The topic was timely but scary. Floyd said the stereotypical preacher with one hand on the Bible and the other out for money scares pastors away from talking finances.

Many, he said, talk about money only to mention tithing--the 10 percent offering many Christian denominations seek.

"A lot of churches talk about the 10 percent, but never mention the 90 percent," said the Rev. Jeremy Pickwell, Lifepoint's worship and administrative pastor.

But the church dived in, tackling topics such as budgets, financial planning and creating margins--spaces for generosity.

"The No. 1 stress in everyone's life is finances," Quinn said. "We should be getting advice from our church about how to handle finances."

The frank talk about money is refreshing, she said, and fairly typical of the church, which attracts a mixed crowd.

Preaching in jeans and sneakers, with spiky hair, Floyd works to meet the people where they are.

"We say we're a church for the unchurched, and many people say that," he said. "But we want it to be more than just something we say."

Amy Flowers Umble: 540/735-1973
Email: aumble@freelancestar.com

Lifepoint Church wants to be known for not just giving to the community, but giving in a big way. The Spotsylvania congregation has held gas buy-downs and large Easter egg hunts. The staff hopes Lifepoint Gives Back will not only bless the community but also provide an example for how to give generously in tough times. Ideas that church members shared on the lifepointgivesback .org blog include: Leave an extra-large tip for the wait staff at a restaurant. Leave a bag of groceries on a porch. Chip in cash as a family, Sunday school class or book club to give to a single mom, a widower or anyone else who is struggling. Buy hats, gloves and scarves for needy children. Take canned goods to the food bank. Buy cold medicine or first-aid kits for the homeless shelter. Give restaurant gift cards to rescue workers or police officers. Many churches avoid the topic of money, but the Bible doesn't. With more than 1,000 references, money shows up more than any other subject. Almost half of Jesus' parables deal with finances.

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Date published: 1/31/2009

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