First Baptist Church of Downers Grove secured several loans to construct a new gymnasium, kitchen, fellowship hall, nursery, meeting room, atrium and restrooms in 2003. Construction was completed and the Lord has been glorified by the use of the new facility for a number of years now. In order for us to eliminate the debt and current interest payments within 3 years, we need to realize the following goals:

• OUR FIRST GOAL is to continue to meet the ongoing budget expenses of the ministry which includes staff salaries, church programs, missions and maintenance. To subtract from our regular giving to contribute to our building fund would undermine our ministry development. We do not believe it is wise or in God’s will to do this.
• OUR SECOND GOAL is to increase our weekly contributions to First Baptist Church to provide capital for the building fund. This goal is based on the biblical principle of tithing. In Old Testament times believers were instructed to give the first 10 percent of their income along with many other special gifts. In our day of grace, 10 percent should certainly be the place we start as we give in proportion to God’s provision for us. Our sacrificial giving is a great way of showing the sincerity of our love for the Lord (1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 8 & 9).
• OUR THIRD GOAL is to trust the Lord through our sacrificial giving of offerings. This goal may require us to stretch a little farther to present our gifts to the Lord. The total cost of paying off the building fund will be $1.1 million. Our initial offering to launch the campaign will be on Commitment Sunday, November 18, 2007. It is not beyond God’s capabilities to move by His Spirit in the hearts of His people so that all $1.1 million is given or committed on Commitment Sunday. Let’s allow God to decide how large the offering should be.

Currently, our congregation consists of approximately 210 households. The median household income in the Downers Grove area in 2005 was $68,100. The total of all contributions to First Baptist Church in 2005 was $807,000. Using these statistics, we can calculate that our congregation gave approximately 5.6 percent of our total, combined income to First Baptist Church in 2005. This is a good average as far as most churches go, but it is quite a bit shy of the biblical tithe (10%).

Consequently, we are praying that God would grant us the faith to trust Him and enable us to become a congregation of sacrificial givers. If every giving unit gave 10 percent of their income, that would amount to over $400,000 of additional offerings towards our building fund each year! This would help us easily pay off the building debt over the next three years. Obedience to the biblical concept of tithing would help us stop additional interest payments in 3 years, freeing up these interest dollars for funding direct ministry.

An offering commitment of $1.1 million would allow us to be good stewards of our resources permitting us to reallocate interest dollars totalling $433,507 to ministry uses.

Today is your opportunity to declare your response to the Lord’s leading. You are encouraged to evaluate your budget and accept the challenge to participate in giving that is indicative of trust in the Lord and His priority in your financial life. Your response can be expressed in any or all of the following ways:

• A commitment to tithing during the next three years which will result in giving over and above your regular giving.
• Additional sacrificial offerings during the next three years over and above your normal giving.

Our current buildings are a testimony to the commitment and sacrifice of earlier congregations of First Baptist Church. May we perpetuate their faithfulness through our recognition of the call to give.