What is LET’S GO?
A Unique Time, A Unique Place
We believe we’re in the midst of a unique time and opportunity, a special moment in history that we may not see again in our lifetimes. What will it take to reach 151k followers for Jesus?
The Need
Many think that reaching the Northeast with the Gospel is a hopeless task. At Grace, we see things differently. We believe we’re in the midst of a unique time and opportunity, a special moment in history that we may not see again in our lifetimes. We believe we’ve been tapped by God for something unique and that is why we’re embarking… leaping really… into a new phase at Grace.
What will it take to see 151,000 fully devoted followers of Jesus kicking the darkness in the Northeast, transforming cities and families in a supernatural move of God’s Spirit?
It will only happen as each of us decides to take our next steps with the Gospel. That is what LET’S GO is all about.
Join the Mission
LET’S GO is a call for us to hold hands and “3, 2, 1, jump!” by faith to further join God in accomplishing the mission to reach Orange County and beyond for Christ. God’s ‘plan A’ to reach the Northeast is through His church.
The Call
LET’S GO is a two-year generosity initiative that will advance the mission of Christ through Grace Community Church to reach 151,000 people across the Northeast United States.
It’s a call for us to hold hands and “3, 2, 1, jump!” by faith to further join God in accomplishing the mission to reach Orange County, the Northeast, and beyond for Christ. We believe this initiative will be the spark that lights a fuse leading to massive, sustained impact through Grace Community Church.
LET’S GO is stepping out in faith into the Northeast knowing that if we don’t, we will miss out on experiencing the miraculous provision, power, and move of God in one of the most spiritually dark places in America.
We live in the heart of the “Northeast megalopolis”—the Boston-Washington corridor, home to more than 50 million people. God has planted Grace Community where 17% of the U.S. population lives. There are many communities desperate for the light of Jesus—researchers have identified 7 of the top 10 most “post-Christian cities” in the United States being right in our backyard.
God’s ‘plan A’ to reach the Northeast is through His church. And there is no ‘plan B’. LET’S GO is believing that Grace Community Church is God’s ‘plan A’ for such a time as this.
Primary Two-Year Goal
As Individuals
LET’S GO is a call to action. It’s a call to move out and take your next step. It’s about going deeper with God in practical ways that will impact not only Grace Community Church, but your family, your community, Orange County, and all of the Northeast.
Secondary Two-Year Goal
As a Church
As each person begins taking steps of growth, we believe that we’ll also see a movement of generous giving as kingdom-minded families continue to join God in the work He’s doing through the mission of Grace.
The Vision

We feel the call for Christ’s Love, Hope, and a Move of God
LET’S GO DEEP
While our goal is to continue moving farther into the Northeast, we also want to further develop the ministry that we already have here in Orange County. These areas represent our weekly impact continuing to grow and deepen. Click the button below to see who we want to serve.
LET’S GO DEEP
While our goal is to continue moving farther into the Northeast, we also want to further develop the ministry that we already have here in Orange County. These areas represent our weekly impact continuing to grow and deepen. There are people already in our midst Gaps and dreams.
- Weekend Experience: Our weekend services including worship, delivery of the message, and a Gospel encounter on every campus.
- Family Ministries: Discipleship and ministry to our children, middle school, and high school students.
- Adult Discipleship: Spiritual development, small groups, classes, and pastoral care for all life stages.
- Supportive Ministries: Everything needed to catalyze ministry and discipleship at all campuses including things like marketing, staff and management, and operations.
LET’S GO WIDE
Going wide represents Grace Community Church reaching more communities and families outside of Orange County. We are constantly asking ourselves, “Who else can we impact with the Gospel? Where else does God want us to go?” To see answers to these questions click the button below.
LET’S GO Wide
Going wide represents Grace Community Church reaching more communities and families outside of Orange County. We are constantly asking ourselves, “Who else can we impact with the Gospel? Where else does God want us to go?” These are some of our answers to those questions.
- Launch: Launching locations is our primary strategy for expanding throughout the Northeast and beyond. Here are key locations we are working toward:
- Four Hudson Valley campuses
- Online campus
- Three Spanish-speaking locations
- First New England location
- First overseas location
- Love: As we launch, each new location works to love their community in strategic ways. We believe God is calling us into a deeper commitment to:
- Families with special needs
- Adoption and foster care ministry
- Vulnerable communities (e.g. migrant, inner city)
- Those suffering from addiction
- Those suffering from mental Illness
- Prison ministry
LET’S GO PRAYER GUIDE
No vision this large can be accomplished without tremendous, persistent prayer. We will use this card as a reminder and guide to help us seek God and unite our prayers during this season. Use a prayer focus from below each time you pray. End your time of prayer with the personal prayer at the bottom of the card.




GENEROSITY LADDER
The Generosity Ladder is a tool designed to help people look at their giving with an open mind. Each rung of the ladder represents growth in a lifestyle of generosity and sacrifice. These are not rungs you slowly ascend to get to God but simply a way to evaluate your growth in generosity.
Initial Giver
Who: Someone who has not yet given to Grace Community Church. This is the first step toward inviting God to be a part of your finances and becoming someone who invests their finances where they will have an eternal impact for God’s glory.
How: To become an initial giver, consider making your first gift to Grace Community Church.
Consistent Giver
Who: Someone who is a regular giver, giving many times through recurring payments online. Consistent givers start to think of their giving in the same way they would about other expenses in their budget that are paid regardless of seasons of feast or famine. To provide more clarity, we’ve classified this as someone who makes six or more gifts per year. To become a consistent giver, consider:
Recurring Payments
Setting up a recurring gift through Grace Community Church or Auto Bill Pay at your bank;
Make a Budget
Budgeting specifically for giving in the same way you would your other monthly expenses (1 Corinthians 16:1-2);
Schedule It
Proactively scheduling on your calendar when you are going to consistently give.
Intentional Giver
Who: Intentional givers think about their giving in relation to other things they spend their money on. They consider a percentage or amount they want to consciously grow in their generosity. Intentional givers look at their budget and consider how their giving reflects their view of God and commitment to build his Kingdom. To become an intentional giver, consider:
Make it a Priority
Giving in relation to your other monthly financial commitments (such as your cell phone, mortgage/rent, insurance, etc.) and determining an intentional step to grow the priority of your giving.
Choose a Percentage
Choosing a percentage that would represent a new level of giving for you, potentially a tithe (Malachi 3:10).
Sacrificial Giver
Who: Someone who is no longer thinking, “What am I supposed to give?” but rather “What am I not giving and why?” This person is less concerned about the 10 or 15 percent and more concerned about the 90 or 85 percent. Sacrificial givers decide to make changes that cost them something in their lifestyle. To become a sacrificial giver, consider:
Release it to God
Looking at the dollars you are not giving and prayerfully considering if God is asking you to release a portion of those over to him.
Does it Cost You?
Evaluating if your giving is really costing you something or if it has become comfortable or routine (2 Samuel 24:24).
Consider Other Resources
Determining if there are resources God has blessed you within the past (savings, stock, retirement, etc.) that God is asking you to release as a sacrifice to him.
Legacy Giver
Who: Legacy givers are thinking past this year and moving toward long-term impact for their local church, their family, and eternity. They make decisions in the short-term that have longer-term effects on their giving capacity. Legacy givers consider the impact that every personal asset has on their ability to be generous. This person is no longer asking the question, “God, how much are you asking me to give?” Instead, this person is asking, “God, how much are you asking me to keep?” To become a legacy giver, consider:
Cap Your Spending
Putting a cap on spending and saving so every additional dollar goes toward Kingdom giving.
Set a Lifetime Goal
Setting a lifetime generosity goal (a specific number) for your family’s Kingdom giving over the course of your life.
Estate Planning
Engaging in estate planning (or revise your current plan) to accurately reflect your Kingdom giving priorities.
Inspire Others
Leveraging your own journey of generosity to encourage and inspire Kingdom generosity in the next generation (Proverbs 13:22).
Initial Giver
Someone who has not yet given to Grace Community Church. This is the first step toward inviting God to be a part of your finances.
How: To become an initial giver, consider making your first gift to Grace Community Church.
Consistent Giver
Someone who is a regular giver, giving many times through recurring payments online. Consistent givers start to think of their giving in the same way they would about other expenses in their budget.
How: To become a consistent giver, consider:
• Setting up a recurring gift through Grace Community Church or Auto Bill Pay at your bank;
• Budgeting specifically for giving in the same way you would your other monthly expenses (1 Corinthians 16:1-2);
• Proactively scheduling on your calendar when you are going to consistently give.
Intentional Giver
Intentional givers think about their giving in relation to other things they spend their money on. They consider a percentage or amount they want to consciously grow in their generosity.
How: To become an intentional giver, consider:
• Giving in relation to your other monthly financial commitments (such as your cell phone, mortgage/rent, insurance, etc.) and determining an intentional step to grow the priority of your giving;
• Choosing a percentage that would represent a new level of giving for you, potentially a tithe (Malachi 3:10).
Sacrificial Giver
Someone, who is no longer thinking, “What am I supposed to give?” but rather “What am I not giving and why?” This person is less concerned about the 10 or 15 percent and more concerned about the 90 or 85 percent.
How: To become a sacrificial giver, consider:
• Looking at the dollars you are not giving and prayerfully considering if God is asking you to release a portion of those over to him;
• Evaluating if your giving is really costing you something or if it has become comfortable or routine (2 Samuel 24:24);
• Determining if there are resources God has blessed you with in the past (savings, stock, retirement, etc.) that God is asking you to release as a sacrifice to him.
Legacy Giver
Legacy givers are thinking past this year and moving toward long-term impact. Legacy givers consider the impact that every personal asset has on their ability to be generous. This person is asking, “God, how much are you asking me to keep?”
How: To become a legacy giver, consider:
• Putting a cap on spending and saving so every additional dollar goes toward Kingdom giving;
• Setting a lifetime generosity goal (a specific number) for your family’s Kingdom giving over the course of your life;
• Engaging in estate planning (or revise your current plan) to accurately reflect your Kingdom giving priorities;
• Leveraging your own journey of generosity to encourage and inspire Kingdom generosity in the next generation (Proverbs 13:22).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is LET'S GO?
LET’S GO is a two-year initiative to launch the next phase of Grace’s mission. It’s a challenge to every individual to take their next step in their walk with the Lord both spiritually and financially. It also signals a shift for us as a church: the time has come for us to broaden our focus beyond Orange County to the entire Northeast and beyond.
What are the goals of LET’S GO? Why those goals?
The primary goal of LET’S GO is to see 100% of people who call Grace Community Church home joining in this life-changing journey.
LET’S GO is all about changing the culture of Grace Community Church. The focus is on helping people go deeper in their walk with the Lord such that their generosity is transformed by the Gospel. We believe that as each of us follows God’s leading and takes our next step in this area, it will permanently change both us as individuals as well as the culture of our church. This shift will last well beyond the two-year timeline of LET’S GO and will allow us to make massive progress toward our vision of 151,000 fully-devoted followers kicking the darkness in the Northeast.
In this way, LET’S GO is like a snowball that get’s larger as it rolls down a hill, finally creating a massive avalanche. It’s a spark to light the fuse of what we believe God has in store for Grace Community Church.
The secondary goal is to see 20 million dollars given over the course of the two years of LET’S GO. The purpose of setting such a goal is to give us a clear way to measure how many people are jumping in and taking their next step of faith. We believe that meeting this goal will be a good indication that the shift in culture we are praying for has taken place.
What am I being asked to do?
We are asking that you go “all-in” with us by praying and giving in new ways during the next two years. We believe that we grow spiritually as we step out in faith in ways that stretch us. For this reason, we are kicking off this new season by asking everyone at Grace to take their next step in financial giving to God. That step will look different for everyone and we’ve provided a tool called the Generosity Ladder to help guide you through the process of praying and thinking through what God would have you and your family do (you can find the giving ladder in this booklet or online at graceoc.com/letsgo). Finally, we’re asking each family to write down and commit to their plan for how they will give over the next two years.
How can we raise that much money?
It’s important to understand that LET’S GO is not in addition to our regular giving and operating budget but instead includes that money. Based on how much money we anticipate our regular giving to bring in, the number of additional monies to be raise is actually eight million dollars over two years. We believe that goal is both a significant stretch and achievable as each of us trusts God and invests in what He is doing at Grace Community Church.
What kinds of things will LET’S GO enable us to do? What will the money be spent on?
Rather than specify exactly where every dollar of the money raised will go, we are instead providing a thorough picture of our vision for the next two years to demonstrate the kinds of things we’ll be striving for through the project. This vision is laid out in the initial section of this booklet under the heading ‘The Vision’. The speed at which these goals and projects will be accomplished is primarily tied to the response of the congregation to the LET’S GO initiative.
Is LET’S GO in addition to my regular tithes and offerings?
No, LET’S GO encompasses our general tithes and offerings and then challenges us to take those to the next level for the next two years. In that sense, LET’S GO is not about giving a “special gift” on top our general giving, but instead focuses on stretching the general giving itself.
How will LET’S GO impact giving to things like the “vision fund”?
During this two-year period, every contribution to God’s work through Grace will be a contribution to our LET’S GO initiative. Every aspect of the vision God is calling us to will be funded through LET’S GO. There will not be separate funds. Every gift made will go into the same LET’S GO fund. Therefore, every weekend becomes an opportunity to celebrate and contribute to what God is doing in and through Grace Community Church as we give to go love and launch.
Why does LET’S GO last two years?
Two years is a helpful frame for two reasons. First, it helps people take a step because it allows us as individuals and families wrap our minds around what it will look like for us to take our next step in generosity. Trying to understand and predict finances gets difficult for longer time-frames. Second, it lets us plan and communicate the vision effectively. Planning how to carry out the vision further than two years in the future becomes less specific and sometimes impossible.
Will I be able to change my commitment over the course of the LET’S GO initiative if I need to?
Yes. We understand that things can change over the course of two years. We might face a surprise expense or be blessed with a new source of income. If God leads someone to increase or decrease their commitment during the LET’S GO season, we will have an online form they can fill out located on this website.
What if I’m struggling financially right now/can’t afford to give right now? How can I participate?
Even in times of scarcity, God wants our hearts. The widow who gave her last mite did not make a very big financial contribution, but Jesus said she gave the largest gift of all. LET’S GO is about all of us coming together, giving generously, and trusting God to do the rest. It may mean that God is asking you to trust Him by making a faith commitment that you do not know how to fulfill right now. God has supplied our every need in Christ, and we trust that he will honor a heart that wants to give generously in response to the gospel. To reach the Northeast and beyond, it will take all of us striving together—for each other, for our neighbors, and for our world.
There may also be ways to be sacrificial with your lifestyle to create margin for generosity in your life. Some will cancel cable, and some will ditch the smartphone plan and return to a basic cell phone. Others will play a little less golf, and still others will forego a few caramel macchiatos every week. Some families will buy a smaller home or rent a smaller apartment to be able to give generously for the progress of the gospel. Find ways to involve the entire family in the process of giving generously. Use this as an opportunity to teach children and grandchildren to obey the Lord with a generous heart and to trust Him. This is a great opportunity to take a look at our overall stewardship of all that God has entrusted to us.
How do I know how much to give?
Knowing that we should give can be easy but knowing how much to give presents a greater challenge. God has always had his people give the “firstfruits” of his provision back to him. Throughout the Old Testament, this took the form of the tithe. Approximately 400 years before the Law was given, both Abraham and Jacob offered the Lord a tithe of everything that he had given to them. The word “tithe” simply means “a tenth.” In response to the provision and the promise of God, these heroes of the faith offered the Lord not merely a tenth of their income but a tenth of everything God had given to them.
The Law codifies the principle of giving a tithe, but it also makes provision for peace offerings and freewill offerings to the Lord. Even the Law encouraged the people of God to exceed the minimum requirements of the Law!
Christ fulfilled the promise of the Law. This does not give us an excuse for no longer giving a tenth; rather, it should motivate us to give in grateful response to God. He keeps his promise and allows us the joy of being a part of his plan for meeting the needs of his people. In Acts, the church did not allow a legalistic reading of the tithe to limit their generosity. Instead, they saw the immense needs among the body of Christ and gave accordingly.
In short, “firstfruit giving” is a universal biblical principle. The tithe is a good place to start for many believers, but it is not a good place to stay. The principle that guides us as we give is this: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9 ESV).
The King of Kings left heaven to give his life. So, how then shall we give?
How do I know that Grace Community is a trustworthy place to give my resources?
Grace has implemented carefully-designed policies and procedures for every area of finance and accounting. We segregate duties so those who handle accounting at Grace, for example, are not involved in counting tithes and offerings or approving payments. Spending decisions go through several layers of accountability. Every credit card purchase by Grace Staff is seen by a minimum of three sets of eyes. We spend significant time and money every year to have third-party professionals review and evaluate all our financial books (and we consistently receive high rankings).
The church has a congregational form of government and is not owned or controlled by an individual, family, or a small group of insiders. This means that the congregation has direct involvement in approving budgets and financial opportunities. Our elders are elected by the church and are not paid staff. They come from all walks of life and provide spiritual and practical oversight of the church’s ministry and finances.
Why is it called LET’S GO?
In Mark 1:38, Jesus says, “Let’s go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also.” This is a clear demonstration of what God has called us to as a church. We are eager to not only continue going deeper in ministry where we are right now, but also to reach brand new places with the Gospel.
Why are we doing this now? Is our current giving not enough?
While our current giving is in a healthy place, we believe there is more God wants to do in and through Grace Community Church. In fact, we believe that He’s already doing a great work in the Northeast United States and we want to join Him more deeply and broadly than our current giving allows. We also know that many of our service times are consistently at or beyond their practical capacity. This means that guests who attend are significantly less likely to come back. LET’S GO will not only provide energy and resources to expand our current offerings (through things like new campuses, Spanish locations, and online services), it will also enable us to embark on the next phase of what we believe God has for us in the Hudson Valley and beyond.
How do I give to LET’S GO?
There are three primary ways to give. The simplest way to give is to set up a recurring gift that takes place each month automatically by going to graceoc.com/give, clicking “Give”, and then selecting “Set up recurring”.
Second, you can give an individual, one-time gift using the same link and selecting “Give one time”.
Lastly, you can give using cash or check by picking up a giving envelope at the Info Center, filling it out, inserting your gift, and putting it in the Giving Box at your campus (located at the back of the worship center at each campus).
How long is my commitment? When should I give?
The giving portion of the LET’S GO initiative will begin on the “Big Give Weekend” on December 9th and 10th and will culminate on the weekend of _________. You may choose to work through your plan slowly and systematically with small consistent gifts over the course of those 24 months. Or you may choose to make several larger gifts. Some may even choose to give all at once at the beginning of the LET’S GO season. There is no right or wrong timeline.
What if I’m unable to attend Commitment Weekend or I don’t live nearby?
“Commitment Weekend” is when the whole congregation will bring our commitment cards to show what we are planning to give. It will be a special moment that we are excited for everyone to take part in. However, we also realize that many people who want to be involved don’t live near a Grace location or might be unable to attend for reasons beyond their control. For this reason, we will put the whole service online as a livestream event that anyone can participate in. We will also have online tools to allow someone to respond to the challenge of LET’S GO no matter where they are.
How is this different than a campaign like “Under the Tree” or “Be His Story”?
Most campaigns focus on raising a specific amount of money for a project or building. A campaign says, “We need to raise this much money so we can build or pay for this specific thing.” Once the campaign ends and the money is raised, it has little or no lasting effect beyond the money that was raised. Think of a regular campaign like a firework: it flashes beautifully for a moment and then is gone.
In contrast, LET’S GO focuses on making lasting impact in the hearts and lives of people with the goal of permanently changing the culture of generosity here at Grace. While we do have a measurable financial goal, that is simply a tool to accomplish the heart change we’re truly after. We believe that the impact of LET’S GO will continue long after the two-year initiative ends. Think of LET’S GO like the spark that lights a fuse which continues burning long after the spark goes away.
Will we still do “Under the Tree” or other end-of-year offerings during LET’S GO?
We will not do any offerings or campaigns during the two years of LET’S GO. We want all our spiritual and financial focus to be in one place.
What is a commitment card? Isn’t my giving between me and God?
A commitment card is a helpful tool to guide people through the process of praying through and planning their giving for the next two years. It also provides a way for everyone to communicate their plan to the leadership of the church. This allows us as a church to begin making plans and decisions as soon as possible and lets us be flexible and agile as opportunities arise.
At Grace, we take financial privacy very seriously. Families’ exact giving amounts are never disclosed and only seen by a few carefully-chosen staff members for things like managing finances and tax records.
We also believe that generosity is a fundamentally spiritual issue. How we view our money can often make or break our walk with the Lord. To that end, we are striving to be a church where people are challenged in every area of their spiritual lives, including finances. Thus, we encourage open discussion of how each of us manages our money to facilitate transparency, exhortation, and encouragement.
Is our current approach to ministry changing?
While our core focus remains steadfast, accelerating our efforts and expanding our impact will mean a shift in some of the practical ways we do ministry. We’ll begin looking beyond the borders of Orange County as we launch more locations. At the same time, the way we launch those locations will need to become more flexible to allow for faster growth. It’s time to look more seriously at things like more portable locations, theatre locations, and other approaches that will enable the ministry of Grace to grow uninhibited.
What if I’m severely in debt right now? Am I still supposed to give?
It’s important for generosity to be a part of our lives at every point. If you are in the process of paying off debt, we commend you, and you should continue to do so. But, the Bible does not teach that we withhold giving until we are debt-free. When we honor God first with our giving, he promises to be involved with every other aspect of finances. If you need help or guidance in the area of personal finances, reach out to your location’s Lead Pastor. Also, we invite you to attend Financial Peace University when it is offered, where you will not only learn some great principles of personal finance but also God’s perspective on our stewardship of his resources.
Why do churches talk about money and finances so much?
Jesus spoke more about money than he did about heaven and hell combined. People take different spiritual steps at different times. Some people begin praying before they attend church while others go to small group before they begin talking to God in prayer. Giving is a critical spiritual step, and it comes at different times for different people. Like all other spiritual disciplines, giving draws us closer to God, and God expects that faithful followers of Christ will be joyful and generous givers. Paul is so concerned about our tendency to separate our giving from our living of the Christian life that he admonishes us to excel in the grace of giving (2 Corinthians 8:7). Giving is an essential part of the Christian life.
The church mentions money frequently because money is a frequent area of spiritual attack. The enemy wants to rob the church of the joy of giving and allow the church to excuse its failure to give. He does this because a church that gives generously is a church that knows the joy of the Lord and is impacting its community. We refuse to believe the lie that we can be devoted followers of Christ while we are stingy with God’s resources.
Jesus tells us, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). The questions God is calling us to consider are, “Do you really love Christ and his gospel?” “What is Christ worth?” and “How much do you long for the progress of the gospel?” According to Jesus, your answers to these questions are found in where you place your treasure. What does your treasure say about your heart for Christ and his gospel?
What is LET'S GO?
LET’S GO is a two-year initiative to launch the next phase of Grace’s mission. It’s a challenge to every individual to take their next step in their walk with the Lord both spiritually and financially. It also signals a shift for us as a church: the time has come for us to broaden our focus beyond Orange County to the entire Northeast and beyond.
How can we raise that much money?
It’s important to understand that LET’S GO is not in addition to our regular giving and operating budget but instead includes that money. Based on how much money we anticipate our regular giving to bring in, the number of additional monies to be raise is actually eight million dollars over two years. We believe that goal is both a significant stretch and achievable as each of us trusts God and invests in what He is doing at Grace Community Church.
Is LET’S GO in addition to my regular tithes and offerings?
No, LET’S GO encompasses our general tithes and offerings and then challenges us to take those to the next level for the next two years. In that sense, LET’S GO is not about giving a “special gift” on top our general giving, but instead focuses on stretching the general giving itself.
How will LET’S GO impact giving to things like the “vision fund”?
During this two-year period, every contribution to God’s work through Grace will be a contribution to our LET’S GO initiative. Every aspect of the vision God is calling us to will be funded through LET’S GO. There will not be separate funds. Every gift made will go into the same LET’S GO fund. Therefore, every weekend becomes an opportunity to celebrate and contribute to what God is doing in and through Grace Community Church as we give to go love and launch.
Will I be able to change my commitment over the course of the LET’S GO initiative if I need to?
Yes. We understand that things can change over the course of two years. We might face a surprise expense or be blessed with a new source of income. If God leads someone to increase or decrease their commitment during the LET’S GO season, we will have an online form they can fill out located on this website.
What if I’m struggling financially right now/can’t afford to give right now? How can I participate?
Even in times of scarcity, God wants our hearts. The widow who gave her last mite did not make a very big financial contribution, but Jesus said she gave the largest gift of all. LET’S GO is about all of us coming together, giving generously, and trusting God to do the rest. It may mean that God is asking you to trust Him by making a faith commitment that you do not know how to fulfill right now. God has supplied our every need in Christ, and we trust that he will honor a heart that wants to give generously in response to the gospel. To reach the Northeast and beyond, it will take all of us striving together—for each other, for our neighbors, and for our world.
There may also be ways to be sacrificial with your lifestyle to create margin for generosity in your life. Some will cancel cable, and some will ditch the smartphone plan and return to a basic cell phone. Others will play a little less golf, and still others will forego a few caramel macchiatos every week. Some families will buy a smaller home or rent a smaller apartment to be able to give generously for the progress of the gospel. Find ways to involve the entire family in the process of giving generously. Use this as an opportunity to teach children and grandchildren to obey the Lord with a generous heart and to trust Him. This is a great opportunity to take a look at our overall stewardship of all that God has entrusted to us.
How do I know that Grace Community is a trustworthy place to give my resources?
Grace has implemented carefully-designed policies and procedures for every area of finance and accounting. We segregate duties so those who handle accounting at Grace, for example, are not involved in counting tithes and offerings or approving payments. Spending decisions go through several layers of accountability. Every credit card purchase by Grace Staff is seen by a minimum of three sets of eyes. We spend significant time and money every year to have third-party professionals review and evaluate all our financial books (and we consistently receive high rankings). We are also in full compliance with the financial and accounting standards required by the Evangelical Counsel for Financial Accountability (ECFA).
The church has a congregational form of government and is not owned or controlled by an individual, family, or a small group of insiders. This means that the congregation has direct involvement in approving budgets and financial opportunities. Our elders are elected by the church and are not paid staff. They come from all walks of life and provide spiritual and practical oversight of the church’s ministry and finances.