What the Church Is Supposed to Look Like

We have made it to Day 7. Over the past week, we have talked about money in the church. We have talked about tithes and offerings and salaries and buildings and prosperity and generosity. It has been a lot. And I appreciate you staying with me.

Today, I want to paint a picture. Not of what the church has become. Not of what we have made it. But of what it is supposed to be. What God intended. What Scripture describes. The vision that should guide us as we think about money in the Kingdom.

The Early Church

Let me read you a passage from Acts 2. This is the most famous description of the early church, and it is remarkable:

"All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts and they broke bread in their homes, eating together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people." (Acts 2:44-47)

Everything in common. They sold their property. They gave to anyone who had need. Daily. Consistently. Together.

Now I want to be careful here. I am not saying every church should sell everything. I am not saying we should all live in commune. That is not the model for every age and every context.

But I am saying this. What they did was radical. What they did wasGenerous. What they did was a demonstration of a different way. They were saying something with their lives. They were showing the world what the Kingdom looks like when it is lived out in community.

That is the vision. Not accumulation. Distribution. Not hoarding. Sharing. Not each person for themselves. All things in common.

The Principles

So what are the principles we can draw from this? Let me name a few.

First, everything belongs to God. This is the foundation. We do not own our money. We do not own our possessions. Everything we have is a gift from God, and He has entrusted it to us for a purpose. That changes everything. It is not our money. It is His. We are just managers.

Second, the community cares for each other. When one person has need, the community responds. Not the government. Not a charity. The church. The family of God. That is what the early church did, and that is what the church is supposed to do.

Third, generosity is normal. It is not exceptional. It is not extraordinary. It is the standard. Every believer is expected to give. Not 10%. Not a tithe. Generously. Sacrificially. Joyfully.

Fourth, no one is in need. That is the goal. Not that some people are rich and some are poor and that is fine. The goal is that no one has need. That there is such community and such sharing that everyone is taken care of. That is the vision.

The Challenge

So here is my challenge to you. Not as a guilt trip. Not as an obligation. As an invitation.

Ask God what He wants to do through your resources. Ask Him where He is leading you to give. Ask Him what it would look like for you to live with radical generosity. Not recklessly. Not foolishly. But generously. Joyfully. Worshipfully.

Maybe it means giving more to your church. Maybe it means giving to a new cause. Maybe it means selling something you do not need. Maybe it means opening your home. Maybe it means mentoring someone. There are so many ways to be generous.

The question is not whether you can afford to be generous. The question is whether you are willing. Whether you are ready. Whether you are open to what God might want to do through you.

And here is the beautiful thing. When we give, we get to participate in the Kingdom. We get to be part of something bigger than ourselves. We get to be the answer to someone else's prayer. We get to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

That is what the church is supposed to look like. That is the vision. That is the goal.

A Final Word

This has been a hard series. I know that. It has challenged assumptions. It has raised questions. It has probably made some people uncomfortable.

That is not my goal, but it might be a byproduct. And here is what I want to say about that. Growth often feels uncomfortable. TheHoly Spirit often convicts before He comforts. And the process of aligning our practice with our theology is not always comfortable.

But it is worth it. Because the church is worth it. Because the Kingdom is worth it. Because the world is watching, and they need to see something different. They need to see a people who handle money differently. Who give differently. Who live differently.

That is what we are called to be. That is what we are becoming. And this series is one step along the way.

Thank you for walking through this with me. Now go be generous.