New to the Space
Missions Week
WEEK 8 DAY 1 — FAITH PROMISE: TRUSTING GOD FOR KINGDOM ADVANCEMENT
Text: 2 Corinthians 9:6–8; Luke 6:38; Matthew 28:19–20
What amazing services we had last couple of weeks. Our missionaries, who shared their hearts in our services and small groups, filled us with joy at what God is doing and will continue to do as we partner together to fulfill our part of the Great Commission.
This is so consistent and complementary with our sermon series New To The Space, where we’ve walked together through the throne of Christ, the Spirit’s conviction, wholehearted devotion, and the way God reforms a people for mission.
Today, I want to speak about a spiritual practice that helps us live out the implications of those realities — not just in intention, but in habit and stewardship.
Last Sunday, many of you stood and made a Faith Promise — a prayerful commitment to give, in faith, to the Kingdom Fund above and beyond your regular tithe. This is not simply “missions giving” in an old category. It is an expression of trust in God’s provision for Kingdom advancement, a step of faith that says, “I choose to participate with God in the extension of His work and will.” This commitment is between you and God — not a contract with the church — and it reflects our belief that giving is a spiritual act of dependence and obedience (2 Corinthians 9:7). Thank You for choosing to be a part of TLC’s outreach to our neighbors and those who are a far off!
This truly is the heart of God so it is the heart of our church! Let me take a moment to elaborate:
Kingdom Giving and God’s Heart
In Scripture, giving for God’s work is never incidental. God calls us to give cheerfully, freely, and with a posture of faith. Paul writes:
“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” — 2 Corinthians 9:7
That’s the heart behind Faith Promise: giving that flows from deliberate obedience to God, not guilt or pressure.
The early church didn’t operate under a line item in a budget sheet labeled “Global Outreach.” They lived in such dependence on the Holy Spirit that generosity beyond their own needs became the norm, even in hardship (2 Corinthians 8:1–3).
Jesus taught this same principle:
“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over… For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.” — Luke 6:38
Jesus does not promise that giving more makes God richer — but that giving graciously opens us to God’s gracious provision. In my own personal giving, I have found Jesus’ words to be both inspiring and practical. Each year Brenda and I make it a point to increase or faith by trusting the Lord to help us give more generously to expand the Kingdom. We have learned this simple truth, “You can’t outgive God!”
Kingdom Fund — Kingdom Focus
At TLC we have a Kingdom Fund category where your Faith Promise gifts go. The Kingdom Fund is our church’s way of stewarding resources not just for local ministry and benevolence, but for the spread of God’s reign — in our city, in our state, in our regions, and to the ends of the earth. Faith Promise giving isn’t an add-on to budgets; it’s an act of Kingdom discipleship, shaped by a posture of trust.
We emphasize that:
- Tithes belong to the Lord. Scripture teaches that the tithe is God’s portion given back to Him — a priority in obedience and gratitude (Malachi 3:10). This is the portion of giving that supports our facilities, ministries and pastors and staff.
- Offerings — including Faith Promise — go toward advancing the Kingdom in tangible ways beyond local church infrastructure. 100% of Kingdom Fund designations are invested beyond TLC.
Remember, Faith Promise is not replacing your regular giving — it is expanding it in faith.
A Faith Commitment Becomes a Spiritual Habit
Some of you already made a promise last Sunday. Others are still praying about what God wants from you. I want us to think about Faith Promise not as a single moment but a spiritual habit of Kingdom giving.
Here are several practical considerations to help your faith manifest into ongoing Kingdom practice:
- Pray First
Before deciding on an amount, spend time with God. Pray that He would reveal what He wants to do through your resources, not simply what you feel comfortable with. Faith Promise begins in communion with Christ, not calculation.
- Think in Patterns, Not Projects
Rather than thinking of Faith Promise as a one-time gift, decide how your promise will be given regularly — weekly, biweekly, or monthly. Regular giving creates a rhythm of dependence and Kingdom focus. Many churches encourage people to break their annual commitment into weekly gifts so faith is lived out over time.
- Connect Your Giving With Kingdom Purpose
As you give to the Kingdom Fund, pray for the purposes that giving enables — the people being served, the places reached, the lives being transformed. Giving without prayer is transactional. Giving with prayer is transformational.
- Expect God to Provide — Spiritually and Physically
Faith Promise is not about doubting your financial circumstances. It’s about trusting God to provide as you obey. Scripture reminds us that God is faithful to meet our needs (Philippians 4:19) and that cheerful, generous giving produces spiritual fruit in our lives.
- Review and Adjust Each Year
Faith Promise is often an annual commitment — a chance to pray, recalibrate, and step into what God wants to do in the next season. It’s okay if your promise changes from year to year as God leads.
What Kingdom Promise Looks Like
Giving for Kingdom advancement doesn’t mean dramatic sacrifice for everyone all the time. What it does mean is aligning your resources with God’s mission, even if the steps of obedience feel uncertain. A Faith Promise commitment may stretch you — and that is part of its spiritual formation. Giving by faith teaches us to trust God, not ourselves.
Listen to Paul again:
“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.” — 2 Corinthians 9:8
This promise is not about excess. It is about trust and transformation — that God will supply what He calls you to give.
Invitation
So as we turn our minds and hearts today toward the Kingdom, I want us to ask:
- Where is God calling me to trust Him more?
- How can I make my giving an ongoing act of obedience, not just a response to a moment?
- What difference might it make if I lived each month trusting God for a portion given to the Kingdom Fund?
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