Collection for the Saints

This morning there was another earthquake in Haiti. It measured 6.1 on the Richter scale; no small thing. Americans, as is standard operating procedure, are in the process of providing relief, both in manpower and charitable giving. Here is a reason to help that you may not have considered.

Sunday, our pastor read this passage to us:

Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem. (1 Corinthians 16: 1-3)

He reminded us that this was written by Paul at a time when Jerusalem was suffering from famine. The other churches were taking collections to aid their brothers and sisters of the Jerusalem Church.

Our church is member of the North American Baptist Conference. It just so happens that within the NAB there are over 30 churches and schools in the affected region. As of last Friday, among Haitians with NAB ties, there were 450 families homeless and 85 confirmed deaths. With another earthquake today, certainly those figures have not improved.

Ours and other churches within the NAB have been taking special collections to go to our brothers and sisters of the Haitian NAB Churches, and I feel confident that the moneys will be used wisely. My guess is that if you check with your local church, they are doing something similar.

With such a clear Biblical pattern to follow, what's stopping you?