Last Sunday I was a guest preacher at another church.  During the announcements someone got up and talked about the deficit they were running and suggested a practical way that they could see to each give a little more to meet the deficit by the end of the year.

He did a good job.  But we always talk about deficit budgets in churches as if they were a totally negative sign.

I see a deficit budget as a sign of faith.  It means that the church is stretching itself to do what it feels called by God to do and it knows that God will be with them and help them to grow in numbers and grow in their generosity in response to all that God has given them.

So I suggested that I would pray for two things for that congregation.  First that they would step up and give and erase that deficit by the end of the year and then that they would be bold enough to vote another deficit budget for next year.  

The hope is that we constantly  enlarge  understanding of what God calls us to do and to be in this world and so our church budget and our giving need to grow as well.

Frequently a church with a deficit and even a church with a mortgage is a growing church. 

Lord, Help us to grow not only in our understanding of your will but in our boldness to lvie it and to give toward it.  Amen