Let’s Pray FOR the Offering

Most churches pray before they take up the offering, but I want to ask you to pray FOR the offering. Before I do that, let me make the case for why we take up a weekly offering. We have a mission here at YOUR CHURCH NAME. Our mission is, STATE YOUR MISSION STATEMENT. If you don’t have a mission statement, read Matthew 28:19,20.

This is not simply a phrase or slogan for us. It is a matter of eternal significance. Every week we touch the lives of children, students, and adults. Literally, scores of people depend upon our church for spiritual guidance and direction. I could stand here for hours telling you story after story of YOUR CHURCH NAME in action.

We can do this because of our members’ generosity. First, our members donate countless hours staffing everything from the nursery to the sound board. Without the generosity of their time, we could not do what we do.

The same is true when it comes to giving. It takes money to accomplish what we do. Every week our members step up with generous gifts. Again, without that generosity, we could not do what we do. Thank you for your service and your financial gifts.

So, this morning I want you to pray FOR the offering. I want you to pray that people would see the needs we are trying to meet and would willingly respond with a gift. Pray that each week people will generously give to our offering so we can continue the amazing work God has for us.

Then I want to ask you to pray this prayer, “God, what do you want to do through me?” In Exodus 35, Moses sent out a plea for gifts to build the tabernacle, and the NRSV reads, “And they came, everyone whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing, and brought the Lord’s offering to be used for the tent of meeting, and for all its service, and for the sacred vestments.”

If all of us will pray, “God, what do you want to do through me,” and then respond obediently, we will have all we need. So, before we take up the offering, let’s pray FOR the offering AND for what our part in that offering should be. Then, like the Children of Israel in Exodus 35, let everyone whose heart is stirred bring our offering to the Lord.