What Is Graceful Giving and A Pledge

It is the fruit of prayer.

Our giving begins not by looking in our wallets or at our bank statements, but by getting on our knees and turning our eyes toward God’s Graceful Giving to us.

It is a matter of the heart.

As we pray, God will guide us. We should not feel pressured or under duress. If we come to God in prayer, asking that He guides us in how to respond to His generosity, we will land in the right spot.

It is a portion of what God gives to us.

God does not ask for all He has given to us to be given back to Him. Instead, in order to grow His Kingdom and serve His children, God invites us to give back to Him. The Biblical teaching is that we give to him a “tithe,” a percentage – usually about 10 percent.

True Graceful Giving blesses others.

Such generosity will inspire within us not resistance, but a sense of inspiration that we are being used by God to carry on His work in the world and we are blessing others by supporting the Church.

Graceful Giving is a wonder to behold.

Graceful Giving is a gift that is given willingly and joyfully. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (II Corinthians 9:7)

Graceful Giving begins with a prayer-saturated decision.

Before you make any decision about what you will commit to our Lord’s work at Desert Hills – please pray and read the pages that follow. Only then, by God’s grace, make your own pledge and be a Graceful Giver whose gift comes from a cheerful heart.

What is a pledge?

A pledge is your promise to give a certain amount of money to support the life, mission and ministry of Desert Hills Presbyterian Church. A pledge is made in “good faith,” but may not in fact reflect the actual amount you are ultimately able to give.

Why do we pledge?

As members and friends of Desert Hills Presbyterian Church, we are all stewards of our shared mission to know Christ and make Christ known, by developing disciples in meaningful community and doing the work of Christ in our neighborhood and world. For the church, there is a practical reason why we ask for your pledge. Each year the elders of Desert Hills must create an operating budget based on the total amount of income we expect to receive the following year. “Good faith” pledges serve as the foundation for planning the future year’s ministries and expenses. If the total amounts pledged do not cover the projected expenses, then reducing expenses means that mission outreach, education and other important programs, and possibly the staff who support them, might need to be cut.