Ministry, Money, & Me

Set Timer/Prayer

Introduction

By grace and mercy of God who is faithful and good this body of believers at GFGBC are entering into 2026, when considering the fact in 2025 about 15,000 churches in America closed their doors. Yes you heard it right about 15,000  and  perhaps as many as 100,000 over the next ten years could be closed shutting down.

Transitional Sentence

With that statistic as a backdrop going into 2026 our church, your church GFGBC needs be mindful of doing Ministry, Money to do Ministry, and what you will do not others, because you are only responsible for yourself. So the title  of this message for 2026 is: “MINISTRY, MONEY, AND ME” I want this message to help us realize and recognize the ultimate high importance of seeking, discipling, and sending others in ministry, as well as the sanctification and sharing of and being good stewards our financial  resources, and the deep personal commitment to surrender to God's will,  which will ultimately and prayerfully lead to a transformative life that is  aligned with God's purpose and plan. I pray and want to invite and encourage each and every member of GFGBC to desire and  pursue an active participation  in the life of GFGBBC church life, I want you to understand that you have a role in financial stewardship, and reflect on your personal spiritual growth, reflection a sense of community and responsibility within the church. We should  want and desire an effective efficient ministry goes beyond mere programs but involves deeply prioritizing relationships, responsible financial planning, and personal dedication, demonstrating how each element is vital for a thriving church and not become one  of  the projected 100,000 that will be closed in the next ten years if the Lord does not return to take His church home. When we read about the  life  of Christ and His ministry  in the Gospels  , we  cannot but see that He was the ultimate supreme example of seeking the lost, teaching stewardship of God's resources, and demonstrating total and complete surrender to the Father’s will, which sets a standard, the bar for our own actions in these areas as saints, Christians, believers, followers of God.

Main Points

Title: "Ministry, Money and Me:

I. MINISTRY A. Seek People 1. The Parable of the Lost Sheep – Luke 15:1–7 “1 Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. 2 Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” 3 So He told them this parable, saying, 4 “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5 “When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 “And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ 7 “I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.” 2. The Great Commission – Matthew 28:18–20 “18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”” 3. Personal actions to Implement – Pray, Seek, and Encourage. B. Settle People (disciple them) 1. The call to Discipleship – Matthew 4:18–22 “18 Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 And He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. 21 Going on from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.” 2. The Cost of Discipleship – Luke 14:27–33 “27 “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 28 “For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? 29 “Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31 “Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 “Or else, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 “So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.” 3. Personal actions to Implement – Teach, Lead, and Equip. C. Send People to Serve 1. Sending of the Seventy-Two – Luke 10:1–3 “1 Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come. 2 And He was saying to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. 3 “Go; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.” 2. The Charge to Commit – 2 Timothy 2:2 “2 The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” 3. Personal actions to implement – Guide, Empower, and Send.

II. MONEY

A. Sanctify/Set Apart Our Money for the Lord 1. The Widow’s Offering – Mark 12:41–44 “41 And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums. 42 A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent. 43 Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.”” 2. Responsibility for money – Luke 16:10–13 “10 “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much. 11 “Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you? 12 “And if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? 13 “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”” 3. Personal Actions to implement – Prioritize, Donate, and Pray. B. Sow Our Money into the Ministry 1. The Principle of Sowing and Reaping – 2 Corinthians 9:6–11 “6 Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; 9 as it is written, “He scattered abroad, he gave to the poor, His righteousness endures forever.” 10 Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; 11 you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God.” 2. The Generous Macedonians – 2 Corinthians 8:1–5 “1 Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, 2 that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. 3 For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, 4 begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, 5 and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God.” 3. Personal Actions to Implement – Contribute, Encourage, and Trust in God’s Provision. C. See Our Money Used for God's Glory 1. The Parable of the Talents- Matthew 25:14–30 “14 “For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. 15 “To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey. 16 “Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents. 17 “In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more. 18 “But he who received the one talent went away, and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 “Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. 20 “The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.’ 21 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 “Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.’ 23 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 “And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed. 25 ‘And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’ 26 “But his master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed. 27 ‘Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. 28 ‘Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’ 29 “For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. 30 “Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 2. God’s Investment Return – Mark 10:29–30 “29 Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, 30 but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life.” 3. Personal Actions to Implement – Remain accountable, Ensure transparency, Glorify God in all financial proceedings.

III. ME A. I Will Surrender Myself to God 1. The call for total surrender – Romans 12:1–2 “1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” (unpack -Therefore/now-11:33-36-verses 3-21 the attitude, actions, and aspirations of verses 1-2) 2. The Rich Young Ruler – Matthew 19:16–22 “16 And someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” 17 And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 18 Then he said to Him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not commit murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; 19 Honor your father and mother; and You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 20 The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 22 But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property.” 3. Personal Actions to Implement – Pray, Yield to the Holy Spirit, and Follow God’s Will. B. I Will Submit Myself to God 1. Obedience Better than Sacrifice – 1 Samuel 15:22 “22 Samuel said, “Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.” 2. The Example of Christ – Philippians 2:5–11 “5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” 3. Personal Actions to Implement – Humble oneself, Recognize God's authority, Live in obedience to His word. C. I Will Surpass What I Did in the Past for God 1. Pressing on Towards the Goal - Philippians 3:12–14 “12 Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” 2. Peter's Reinstatement - John 21:15–19 “15 So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My lambs.” 16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep. 18 “Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go.” 19 Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me!”” 3. Personal Actions to Implement – Encourage Spiritual Growth, Increase Service, Strive for Continuous Improvement.

Conclusion /Action/Application A. Reiterate the critical role of Ministry, Money, and Self in fulfilling the Kingdom mission. B. Address the practical implementations of the outlined points. C. Prayer for the grace to effectively serve in ministry, wisely steward money for God's work, and wholeheartedly serve Him in obedience and faithfulness.

Invitational Prayer and Call to Action A. An invitation for all who want to dedicate themselves anew to God's service. B. Encouragement to all to act on the practical steps highlighted. C. Closing prayer.