This week we dropped the actionchurch truck off at Impressive Signs to get the graphics applied. I can’t wait for you all to see the results on Sunday. As we talked about pricing, I had a conversation about how we “do business” as a church that I think would be valuable to share with everyone.
It’s a subject that comes up quite often whenever we purchase or give away things: The question people often ask me is: Why don’t we ask local businesses and corporations to “sponsor” our efforts? We are a church after all. Why don’t we ask businesses who provide goods or services to give us some sort of “church discount”? Why do we in fact tell folks who ask NOT to ask local businesses for donations or discounts for actionchurch? Wouldn’t it be good stewardship to try to get lower prices and donations for the ministry?
As a church, actionchurch of course accepts donations. It’s the only way we exist. If people did not chose to generously share their money, we would not be able to meet each week at Frank Theaters. We also except gifts of equipment, goods etc. Much of our sound equipment was donated to us. Like anyone, we are also quite happy to accept a really good deal on something. The guys at Maaco York painted the actionchurch truck for a fraction of what it should have cost. We REALLY appreciate that! They offered. We accepted…and thanked them thoroughly!!!
However, one of our core values at actionchurch is generosity. We want all actionchurch people to be generous people. The best way to teach generosity is to model it in the way we do business. When we give things away as a church…from the donuts on Sunday morning…to 500 coats for York City students…to all our efforts and expense at Relay for Life in the upcoming weeks, we do so with no strings attached. We want the gift to be from “us”. We don’t expect for others in the community to pay for it, discount it, or donate it. Like any good gift…we expect the things we give away to cost us something. Generosity is not generosity if you are using someone else’s money.
Does it “cost” something to do business in a generous manner as a church? Definitely. (It took us over a year to gather and save the funds to paint and logo our truck.) Is it worth it? Definitely. Whenever our church…or our church people…come into a business situation, I want others to EXPECT that they will be treated fairly, paid generously and promptly, and generally be pleased to do business with “Church” people. That’s priceless…and too rare. It is, I believe, generosity in action.
Choose a good reputation over great riches;
being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold.
-Proverbs 22:1