Multiply Missions Offering

Greetings from Rosedale International

A fact most people don’t know about me is that I am a billionaire. This is true, although one critical caveat must be noted: five billion of my dollars are Zimbabwean dollars rather than US dollars.

I became a billionaire in 2009 while visiting my son Andrew’s REACH team in South Africa. After several years of terrible economic policies, political turmoil, and ethnic strife Zimbabwe was hit by hyperinflation. At its peak, inflation ran over 79 billion percent per month. I purchased the 5-billion-dollar banknote for the equivalent of one US dollar, although the street value was even less—roughly the price of two eggs.

So why mention the fact that I possess a piece of currency that has literally no value in today’s world? 

Because it has amazing parallels to eternal values. When we stand before the judgment seat of Christ to give an account of how we have spent our lives on earth, nothing from our bank accounts, portfolios, funds, holdings, or any other earthly possession will be worth one red cent. Only the treasures we’ve stored up in heaven will have any value.

Now, of course, Christians need earthly money to live, just as citizens of Zimbabwe need Zimbabwean dollars. During the economic crisis, savvy Zimbabweans began to use only the smallest amount of local currency needed to survive and exchanged all excess funds into US dollars or South African rand—currencies that held their value after the currency collapsed. And so it is with Christians today, we ought to be transitioning to a currency with lasting value—to treasures with eternal value.

Jesus taught us, “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). The interesting facet of this teaching is that he didn’t say that our money will follow what’s on our hearts—he said that our hearts will follow our treasure. Want to have greater compassion for the poor? Invest some of your treasure in ministries that alleviate poverty. Want to be more connected to your local congregation? Give more generously into its coffers. Want to increase your passion for world missions? Sow freely into ministries like RI that proclaim the gospel among least-reached people groups.

God is doing amazing things through RI’s workers and those they’ve led to faith. Young believers in Southeast Asia who met Jesus in a youth hostel are sharing him with family, friends, and in neighboring towns. Tens of thousands are viewing high-quality video gospel presentations in the Middle East. An entire village trusted in Jesus in the Amazon River basin. Latin America Mission Partnership (LAMP) workers, with their vibrant faith and loving outreach, have helped revitalize a congregation in western Spain. A team of evangelists serving in Southeast Asian villages saw 50 professions of faith and 24 baptisms in the past year. New believers are consistently joining the flock through the outreach of our workers in North Africa, despite family disapproval and physical beatings. Jesus is building His church!

We invite you to join us in this work by giving to the Multiply Missions Offering, August 8th at CMC’s annual Multiply Conference. Whether in person, online or by mail you have an opportunity to exchange some of your temporal treasures for eternal treasures which can never spoil, perish or fade. You have the word of Jesus that it will be money well spent. 

Jerry
Chief Financial Officer

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