Over ASD's 16 years, we have practiced resurrection in the discipleship area of God's generosity. His generosity is the basis of His authority. Created in His image and saved through the faith He gives, we are encouraged by the Holy Spirit as God shows us how to handle everything with generosity. One area, for example, is finances. Because of His generosity, He draws us into a relationship of reciprocal generosity.

In Scripture, God makes outrageous promises that if we honor Him with a tithe (10%), He responds because all we have is His anyway. Think of Luke 6:38, “Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you”. Or Malachi 3:10, “Bring the full tithe and thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need”.

But I have more to say on how this has played out at ASD. Through your faithfulness and God's generosity, we are experiencing significant fruit of His promises over the past year.

·       Growth – An 18% increase in average attendance, with almost 400 volunteers serving on ministry teams, 61 births, 66 baptisms, and 117 new members. Added to this is growth in staff, including positions overseeing spiritual formation, a financial controller, a facilities director, and more assistants in children's ministry and worship ministry.

·       Generosity – 22 cents of every dollar given is allocated to ministries beyond our walls. $717,000 was invested in church planting, missionary support, Alpha, Gospel Conversations, outreach programs, benevolence, and pastoral care.

·       Groundwork – This category encompasses the added space of Ascension Chapel to help us move to four services every Sunday.

This Sunday, we will also address where we are in the building discernment process. We are looking at several options: building a larger sanctuary at our present location, looking at other downtown properties, continuing to plant missionary communities and churches, and/or adding more services.

Lots of options. Help us by praying for wisdom and hearing from the Lord. We are all experiencing the fruit of the Lord's outrageous promises and our reciprocal response of generosity. This Sunday, you will hear more as we gather in worship to live in God's presence and to live out His love.

Come and See.

+Philip