When we gather on Sunday, we worship God in song. Then we open the Bible and worship God in study. And then we worship God in stewardship. We don’t pass offering plates after the worship service ends, but as a part of it.
Even though most of us give electronically these days, passing offering plates in the weekly service is a reminder that our giving is as much a part of worship as the songs and preaching.
Before I began pastoral ministry, Diane and I attended a church in Fort Worth that had an interesting way of collecting the offering. The offering plates were passed while instrumental music played, and then, when the offering plates had made it to the back of the building, the choir director would lead us in singing a song called the Doxology:
Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
Praise him all creatures here below,
Praise him above ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
As the congregation sang, the offering bearers would make a procession down the aisles toward the stage with the offering plates held before them. And as they passed each row, each row stood. It looked like a human wave sweeping across that large building from the back to the front. The procession and the music were timed so that everyone was standing by the last majestic line—Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Then, with everyone standing and the plates stacked on the front table, someone would pray for the offering that had been collected. It was a powerful weekly reminder to regard our giving as sacred time.
Even though we don’t follow that habit and routine in our church, the offering time should be regarded as sacred time in our church, too. It’s not something we do after the worship ends, but something we do as a part of it. Worship is a time to honor God, and Proverbs 3:9 tells one way we do that: “Honor the Lord by giving him the first part of all your income” (LB).
Tom
Tom Goodman serves as pastor at Hillcrest Church in Austin, Texas. His sermons are available on YouTube and the HillcrestToGo Podcast and you can find him on Facebook and Twitter. If someone forwarded this email newsletter to you, sign up here to receive Tom’s weekly devotional in your email inbox.