The Buried Treasure: Still Buried?

           The last several weeks our church has been engaged in a series of studies and messages called "The Treasure Principle."  ABFs have used the book by the same title in their Sunday morning study.  Rolando and I have been preaching on Bible passages that correspond to the book study.  For me, it has been a fun series to preach and I have received positive feedback about the messages from several folks.  I'm convinced that God's Word has the power to work in our hearts to transform us.  I'm counting on that.  As we let the Spirit work in us, I hope we become more and more like the man who found the buried treasure, sold everything he had and bought the field.

          Ironically, during the same weeks we have had very low budget offerings at Calvary.  We have had a Sunday or so where the offering was extraordinary but we have had more low offering Sundays.  You will notice in this coming Sunday's bulletin the following year-to-date figures:

• Budget Required to Date:               $871,489.40
• Budget Given to Date:                    $750,473.00
• Giving UNDER Budget to Date:  ($121,016.40) 
• Giving UNDER Spending YTD:  ($  32,330.86)

Maybe the treasure is still buried? ;)  Since we haven't been meeting budget, we have been watching our expenses some.  Nevertheless, our expenses have still exceeded our income.  Clearly, we cannot continue to function at this rate for much longer.

         I am confident that God will provide for Calvary above and beyond what we need this year.  I am not sounding an alarm or losing hope.  Our hope is in the Lord!  I am praying that this coming Sunday, May 26, we have an extraordinary offering that will put us in the black and then some.  It just may be that God surprises us and does that this Sunday.  Or it may be that He has a different time line.  I fully trust Him.

         I will be working closely with the staff this next week to identify areas where we can make bigger spending reductions in operations, ministry, and even in personnel.  I am committed to make sure that our basic ministries continue to move forward: worship, Bible Fellowships, VBS, summer camps, missions, etc.  I am also committed to do our due diligence to ensure that we get back on the black as soon as possible.

         In the meantime, I would like to ask you to pray with me for God's provision.  In fact, ask your teams and the people to whom you minister to join in prayer.  I believe God is honored when, as his people, we depend on Him.  He is faithful and will provide.  We simply need to thank Him and pray to Him.

         Pray for me, the staff and other leaders as we make difficult decisions in the days ahead regarding spending.