1. Tithe to my local church. I’m going to put God first. The tithe or first 10% belongs to God and I will not rob God (Malachi 3:8-10). I want the church to be stronger than ever as our economic climate get scarier. In our house, the tithe is the non-negotiable starting place of financial faithfulness.

2. Save. With economic down-turns come a renewed commitment to spend less than I make. God tells us, "Look at an ant. Watch it closely; let it teach you a thing or two. Nobody has to tell it what to do. All summer it stores up food; at harvest it stockpiles provisions" (Proverbs 6:6-8). I'm determined to pay attention to my personal storehouse. I’ve been re-educating myself about budgeting and spending by reading some free online articles at www.crown.org to ensure that I can live beneath my means.

3. Honor my family. I want to provide food, shelter, and "daily bread" for my wife and children. I want their church to be strong. I want to honor the trust my family places in me. Managing my money well is a step toward providing a legacy of faith and dignity.

4. Bless others. To the extent that I am able, I want to be a blessing to other people. I want to share what God has given me with others. I want to live generously. I want to support causes I believe in.

I'm inviting you to ask yourself the question I'm asking myself: "What is most important to me?"

If Jesus Christ and the work of His Church are on your "most important" list, I trust you will join us in making your financial support of the church a budgetary priority in the days ahead.

Your determined financial support makes it possible for us to share the redeeming love of Jesus Christ across the street and around the world.