Harbor Covenant Church

Pastor Scott Hulet served Harbor Covenant from 2000-2007. Though he is no longer at HCC, we felt that his message on giving was still important and instructive for our church family.

A message from Scott Hulet:

Dear Sister and Brother in Christ,

I have a love/hate relationship with money. I love it when I have it and I hate it when I don't. But actually I am realizing that this love/hate relationship is much more than that. How I use my money does reflect what I love. Jesus talked about that when he said there is a link between my heart and my money – they end up being in the same place. He said, "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:21).

We make very important decisions about our hearts when we make decisions about our money. Let me invite you to set your heart toward Jesus through generosity.

When do I give?

Set a pattern and be regular! Paul challenged the early Christians to set aside weekly a sum of money to give. It is a good model to follow. The Old Testament model that Jesus would have followed was to give from the first fruits. The idea is to give when you get it. So my encouragement is to give regularly on the Sunday morning after you get paid. Some folks divide their giving by the number of Sundays and give each week because they like to give something every Sunday. Again, set a pattern and be regular.

How much do I give?

Give a percentage of your income! The foundation of giving in the Bible is the tithe. The word tithe literally means one tenth. The Hebrews brought a tenth of their income to the Temple as the basic commitment of their heart for God. The New Testament standard of giving is to give generously. Generosity is defined by the gift of Jesus giving his life for us (2 Cor. 8:9). I'm glad he didn't just give 10%. Therefore a Biblical model would be to give a tithe to the church general ministry budget and then offerings beyond that as you are prompted by the Holy Spirit. The goal is to grow in generosity.

Why do we do a Commitment Card thing?

Planning is important! There are so many urgent matters in life that need our attention. Without the discipline of planning, the important is too often lost to the urgent. Giving is important to form our hearts for Jesus over time. Remember this is a tool for your benefit. We do not add up the amounts on the cards to determine our church budget. This planning tool is for your heart.

Pray, listen to Jesus, and make an important decision about your heart and your money. Create a vision for your money and your heart.

Grace and Peace,

Scott Hulet

Harbor Covenant Church

5601 Gustafson Drive NW

Gig Harbor Washington 98335

office: 253.851.8450

fax: 253.851.3597

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