Giving is Divine

These are the passionate and radical words of John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist church, encouraging people to earn, save and give ‘as much you can’. If God has created us to live abundantly, it means that God wants us to experience overflowing fullness in; our personal lives, family lives and in God’s mission. Our God is a God of abundance and not of scarcity. As God’s called children, let’s embrace the gospel of abundance and consider giving a ‘divine’ call.

Giving is Divine and giving is God’s very nature and character. In God’s Kingdom, giving is not a transaction, but a divine transformation. When we give, we’re not simply transferring resources, but empowering transformation in the lives of students, societies and nations.

You will recall the story of the paralyzed man being brought to Jesus by four people, by ‘unroofing the roof’. Become a roof-tile taker so that the disadvantaged can rise and leap with joy. It takes us to have love, dream, commitment and solidarity to be ‘roof-tile breakers’ in order to see the upliftment of the disadvantaged and the poor in our society. We need people with commitment and resources to ‘unroof the roof’ in various colleges and universities in North, South, East, West and North East India.

It’s a very disturbing and heart-breaking story of UESI and many States ending their financial accounts, month after month with ‘deficit’ instead of ‘overflowing’ funds. How long shall we continue this ‘deficit’ state of affairs? As people who are committed to God’s mission, we are accountable to ensure that UESI is governed ‘deficit-free’.

Giving Is Bountiful

In Ex 35: 4-6, Moses tells the people that what is needed is a suitable home for God’s glory. His request is very simple “Everyone who is willing is to bring to the Lord an offering, let him bring: gold, and silver, and brass, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats’ hair,” etc . No guilt trip, no teaching on tithing, no slick stewardship campaign. Just a simple appeal to those who wanted to respond. And they did respond

True, giving is bountiful (bring gold and silver and brass) and enormous. In some of the conferences, I have been touched by people who were joyful in giving their gold ornaments and pension amounts and bonus amounts as offerings. There are many who have been sharing the sale proceeds of their precious land as offering for God’s mission. There are some families who have come forward to give their houses as gifts for God’s ministry. There are many families who are joyful in bountiful giving to God, when their children get married. The more we are materialistic, the less the giving; the less we are materialistic, the more the giving.

I learnt a lot from my dad who was extravagantly generous in uplifting the poor and in giving towards mission. He invested his resources in building small houses in our village land, year after year and gave them free of cost to those who were poor and house-less. He invested his resources in organising Annual Conventions that drew thousands of people to God. It was definitely a sacrificial giving and it was worth it. His children and the generation are blessed because of his generous giving.

Giving Is Voluntary

Apostle Paul, in his letters, often commends the churches for their generosity. “Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not out of regret or compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Cor 9:7) . This encapsulates the essence of voluntary giving – giving willingly and joyfully. I am enthralled by the financial policy of UESI “UESI looks to God in faith and prayer for the supply of all needs”. God’s ministry done in God’s way will never lack God’s provisions.

I would encourage you to read the book ‘How will you measure your life?’ by Harvard Professor Clayten M Christensen. He says “ Don’t lose track of the essential things. Allocate resources appropriately” The underlying tenet of success is how we allocate our time, wealth, talents and other resources. How we invest the God-given resources to achieve our life goals will determine our life’s outcomes. Make daily choices to create great families, great friendships, great student leaders, great work-places, great communities and great nations.

Giving Is Blessing

Giving is an important principle God instituted as a means of blessing His children and for His children to bless others. When we give for God’s mission, the community will be blessed; the students will be blessed and the nation will be blessed.

The time has come for us to build the ministry among university students with vigour and commitment. I want to make it clear that if the students ministry fails, the nation fails; if the students ministry succeeds, the nation will succeed. This is the power of the students’ ministry. If we want a corruption-free nation, a compassionate nation and a noble nation, it’s a must that we build a critical mass of student leaders across the nation, who stand for honesty and compassion.

The church, in turn, UESI, is called to set an agenda for the world – raising leaders to be statesmen, reformers, civil servants, political leaders, change makers and evangelists – they are called to redirect the focus of the people away from corrupt thinking and corrupt behaviour and to focus on nation building.

We need active players, more than spectators and commentators in the ministry. We can’t stay in our ‘Christian bubble’ always and call ourselves ‘Disciples’. Get into the students’ ministry, as much as you can. We also encourage you to give your resources for God’s mission abundantly and regularly so that the ministry among the University students can be enlarged manyfold.

The ‘resource-rich’ States (Decentralised) must use their vast resources of wealth to develop the pioneering states- ‘the least of these’. The ‘resource-rich’ EUs and EGFs must come forward to identify and develop students’ ministry in pioneering EUs – ‘the least of these’. Ultimately, a great nation is a noble nation with noble leaders. We require many Staff members and Coordinators in many States across India, especially in North India. This requires adequate financial resources (According to the Treasurer, each Staff will cost Rs 29,000 p.m. on an average). When will the ‘resource-rich EGFs’ stand up and prayerfully come forward to support monthly at least one staff or one staff couple in any State?

This requires financial discipline, financial covenant and regular giving to build and enlarge God’s Kingdom. When we want to build the UESI ministry touching 4 crore students and 1200 Universities, we need thousands of committed graduates and families who will give regularly, joyfully and in abundance.

This year, God is enabling us to organize the CMTCs in Kotagiri and other parts of the nation and we have plans to train more than 200 student leaders. According to the Treasurer, it costs Rs 16,000 per student to cover the training cost. I am aware that the lives of many people were impacted by attending the CMTCs many years back. Will 200 graduate families come forward to support the cost of CMTC training by sponsoring Rs 16,000 per student?

During this month, the UESI Staff conference will be held at Kotagiri where 136 staff across the nation are participating for five days, along with their families. This is a very important program to build the staff members in leadership, spiritual , professional and ministry development. It costs Rs 6,000 per staff towards the Conference. Will 136 graduate families say ‘yes’ to support one staff each for their participation at the Staff conference and be a blessing?

“Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice”. In their worship, they proclaimed God’s sovereignty and His love for his people. In these uncertain times, worship reminds us that the God we worship is unchanging and eternal. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. We serve a God who hears and answers our prayers. A God who speaks. And a God who is worthy of our Worship because He is above all. What a privilege to know this God! He is trustworthy and in these trying times, we know that we can trust Him because of who He is and what He has done in history and in our lives. Thus, we need to live in hope, daily.

Financial Mission Statement

I would like to share my financial mission statement that talks of stewardship and generosity. “I affirm that all things – including money – are from God and to be used for God’s purposes. I will be a steward of the money God has entrusted to me. My finances will reflect my faith in God and a commitment to live for the purpose I am called. I commit to be a person of integrity in all my life and will neither give nor receive any bribes.

I will work hard to multiply the resources God has given me and will choose to live a simple lifestyle. I will be generous and gracious in my life and will care for the poor and the downtrodden. I will invest my time and resources in building God’s Kingdom”

We believe Jesus-like generosity has the power to change the world. A student mission this significant, requires enormous support and involvement from everyone. We need thousands of students and graduates, coming forward to support and be part of the UESI movement. Each one of you matters. Get engaged. Get involved. Don’t be indifferent.

John Samuel, President – UESI