Gifts is one of five promises that members of McPherson First make: prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness. The five practices below are the rhythms and disciplines of generous people. They come from twenty centuries of Christian tradition and John Wesley's own way of forming Methodists in the eighteenth century. Whoever you are, long-time member, first-time visitor, or someone still figuring out what you believe, you're welcome to try any of them.
Gifts is giving financially in trust and joy. Money is not neutral. What you do with what you have shapes your soul, your family, and the church's mission. The Christian tradition has always treated generosity as a spiritual practice, not a fundraising strategy: a way of saying with money what you say with your mouth, that God is your provider and your security does not come from a balance sheet.
Generosity at McPherson First is also connectional. A portion of what is given here funds the wider work of the United Methodist Church around the world: disaster response, leadership development, theological education, mission partnerships, ministry with the most vulnerable, and the support of churches in places where local resources are scarce. When you give to your local church, you participate in something far bigger than any one congregation.
The five practices below are regular giving, growing toward a tithe, occasional sacrifice, daily generosity, and giving that outlives you. Pick one. Talk it over with the people you trust most. Let your money preach what you believe.
First-fruits giving means giving first, before other expenses, as an act of trust. The phrase comes from the Old Testament, where the first portion of a harvest was offered to God before any was used for anything else. When you give first, you say with your money what you say with your mouth: that God is your provider and your security does not come from a balance sheet.
Ways to try it:
For your Grace Group: Share what your giving rhythm is and what you've noticed about your relationship with money since you started.
Scripture: Proverbs 3:9-10
Wesleyan means of grace: Works of mercy (prudential), a Work of Mercy
A tithe is 10 percent of your income, the biblical standard for generous giving. For most people, tithing is a goal to grow toward over time, not a starting point. The 1% Challenge is a way to get there in steps small enough that you barely notice and steady enough that you actually arrive.
Ways to try it:
For your Grace Group: Share where you are on the journey toward a tithe and what's making it hard or hopeful.
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:6-8
Wesleyan means of grace: Works of mercy (prudential), a Work of Mercy
Sacrificial giving is generosity beyond your regular pattern, in response to a particular need or invitation from God. It is not extra money you happen to have. It is a gift that costs you something and changes what you can do this month or this year. The widow Jesus praised gave two small coins, but she gave everything she had.
Ways to try it:
For your Grace Group: Share a time when you gave sacrificially and how it changed you, without disclosing the amount.
Scripture: Mark 12:41-44
Wesleyan means of grace: Works of mercy (prudential), a Work of Mercy
Everyday generosity is small, direct giving that happens outside the offering plate. It's the cash you hand someone who asks. It's picking up the tab. It's the gift card to a struggling neighbor. It's the meal dropped off without a sign-up sheet. The Christian tradition has called this almsgiving for centuries, but it's really just the daily practice of letting money flow toward people you encounter.
Ways to try it:
For your Grace Group: Share a person you helped this month, not for credit but because the group prays for them too.
Scripture: Matthew 25:35-40
Wesleyan means of grace: Works of mercy (prudential), doing all the good you can, a Work of Mercy
Legacy giving is generosity that outlives you. It happens through a will, an estate plan, a beneficiary designation, or a planned gift to a foundation. It is not just for the wealthy. Almost anyone can include the church or a ministry in their estate, even a small percentage. Done well, legacy giving disciples your family by showing them what you valued.
Ways to try it:
For your Grace Group: Share whether you have an estate plan and what's holding you back from finishing or revising it.
Scripture: Proverbs 13:22
Wesleyan means of grace: Works of mercy (prudential), a Work of Mercy
This is one of five sets of practices at McPherson First, each tied to one of the membership promises.
The most fruitful way to walk these practices is in a Grace Group, a small group of six to ten people meeting weekly for a season. Grace Groups walk the practices together, share what's stirring, and pray for each other through the week.