One of the coolest things God asks of us is that we not only give, but give cheerfully.  We should ENJOY giving our “hard earned money” away.  Believe us, we know how radical that sounds.  But it’s true.  He’s not as interested in our money as he is our worship.  And giving to him, whether through our tithes or offerings, is an extension of our worship.  Jesus made it very clear, we cannot serve both God and money.  We will love one more than the other and begin to despise one over the other.  When we “love” our money, we are at risk of despising God for asking us to give it away at times.  It makes sense, but only one “King” can rule our hearts.  In light of this, it is our joy to help God’s people not only learn how to give lavishly, but enjoy every minute of it knowing that they are serving the One who sacrificed everything for them!!

When you visit us for the first time, please DO NOT feel obligated to give anything!!  Our time of giving to God is primarily for those that call LWAG their home church.  As our guest, we simply look forward to meeting you, your family, and serving you in any way we can while you’re here. Seriously, we’re not just saying that.  In fact, it’s something we strive to do every week!!  Just come as you are, have a seat, and enjoy the service.

What is a Tithe?
Tithing is a portion of our income that we set aside for God in support of his mission in the local church. We know that many people in society today are pretty skeptical about the whole “give my hard earned money to the church” thing.  There’s no hiding the fact that some prominent preachers and churches have mishandled the money that God’s people have entrusted in their care.  We make every effort to carefully balance purchases we choose to make, salaries of our staff, world mission efforts & missionaries, benevolence efforts in our local community, and everything in between.  Ultimately we are giving our money to God.  While that doesn’t justify any churches abuse in this area, it’s something that can help us become more lavish in our giving.

What is an Offering?
An offering is something God moves each individual to give toward a specific project, need within the surrounding community, charity effort, etc.  It’s above and beyond the tithe.  When God puts it on the hearts of his followers to support a specific endeavor, their offering doesn’t take the place of their tithe, but is given in addition to it.  This looks different for each person, so it’s important to keep a humble attitude while giving.  There are many opportunities throughout the year to support different things Living Word embarks on.  Whether it’s supporting a young person to go on a spiritual retreat, a missionary in Guatemala, or your next door neighbor, we honor God when we follow his lead.