When ‘Thriving’ Replaces Worship: A Review of ‘How to Thrive Financially’

[00:00:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:00:00] Hey guys, what's happening? This is Pastor Derwin, and I want to welcome our guests to Transformation Church.
[00:00:06] Thank you so much. Whether you're in Fort Mill, South Carolina, or Brazil, we want to welcome you to Transformation Church, especially those of you who are exploring who Christ is. You want to know who He is. Welcome, welcome, welcome.
[00:00:18] Let's give a big welcome to our over 1,400 correctional facility partnerships that tune in.
[00:00:25] Last year, in 2025, there were over 600,000 downloads of our sermons.
[00:00:31] Family, the gospel is going forward. People's lives are being transformed. Families are being touched.
[00:00:37] So your generosity, when you give not to Transformation Church, but through Transformation Church, you are affecting people that you may never, ever meet until eternity. That's pretty awesome.
[00:00:50] TC family, welcome, welcome. So we're going through a series called Thrive.
[00:00:54] So we're learning how to thrive in life. And it's based on John 10, 10, when Jesus says this, the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but I come to give life and to give life abundantly.
[00:01:07] That word abundance means overflowing or thriving. We have a God who literally wants to indwell us.
[00:01:15] One of the plumb lines, one of the models you hear at Transformation Church is Jesus gave His life for you, to give His life to you, to live His life through you.
[00:01:24] That's what thriving is. We've learned how to thrive in singleness.
[00:01:29] We've learned how to thrive after divorce. We're learning how to thrive in marriage.
[00:01:34] And today, we're going to learn how to thrive in our finances.
[00:01:39] This sermon is entitled Peace Over Panic, How to Thrive Financially with God's Wisdom.
[00:01:47] Now, let me pause here. Right off the bat, there's always a hesitation, particularly with the miracles.
[00:01:53] You talk about money.
[00:01:54] It starts to get funny. And then sometimes the church does not have, and I mean big church, there's this caricature that the church always just wants your money.
[00:02:05] So let me pause here. God is not broke. You and I are broken.
[00:02:11] We are broken by greed. We are broken by selfishness.
[00:02:18] And what God wants to do is not take something from us. He wants to give something to us.
[00:02:24] He wants to give something to us.
[00:02:24] He wants to give something to us.
[00:02:24] So watch this. I want you to marinate on this.
[00:02:32] Teenagers and young adults, God doesn't want something from you.
[00:02:36] Like God doesn't need anything. God is self-existent.
[00:02:40] He's never had a longing, a desire.
[00:02:43] He is fully complete in himself as a Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
[00:02:48] God doesn't use people. God invites people into his grace and kindness.
[00:02:54] And mercy. God is the essence of thriving and he wants to overflow upon you his thriving kind of life through Jesus. So God doesn't want something from you. He wants something for you. Financial faithfulness. God wants financial faithfulness for you. And as your lead pastor, as your lead shepherd, I want something for you as well. I want what God wants for you. We want you to thrive with financial faithfulness. We want you to manage God's resources wisely. And so as a result of that, our teams have worked very, very hard. So this is what I need you to do. I need you to download the Transformation Church app. Here's why. We have a financial faithfulness curriculum to help you. We want to help you. In the words of the great philosopher from the 90s, Jerry Maguire, help me help you. Right where you are. Repeat after me. Help me help you. Help me help you. Seriously. Like there is help. No matter how deep the hole you dug yourself in, no matter how much you lack understanding, if you manage God's resources wisely, we have resources to help you. You don't have to do it all in one day. It's a process. Step by step by step. God is patient. God will walk with you.
[00:04:30] He wants you to thrive. So please download the Transformation Church app. Go to Next Steps when you are in T.C. Lake Wiley or T.C. Indian Land. Go to Next Steps so you can learn about our financial faithfulness. We want to help you. And here's why. There are money problem issues that take place. There are money problem issues that take place. Money problems can cause, number one, chronic stress. And maybe some of you know what I'm talking about now. Chronic stress. And what chronic stress does is it releases this chemical in your body called cortisol. Cortisol is great if you're in the mountains. If you're in the mountains, if you're in the mountains, if you're in the mountains of Montana and a grizzly bear is chasing you and you run really fast. Cortisol is not great if you're always in chronic stress. It wears you down physically. It wears your organs down. It wears your mental health down as well. And some of you live with chronic stress concerning money. The next thing. Severe anxiety. Anxiety, in essence, is your mind races with what if, what if, what if.
[00:05:47] And oftentimes with finances, because we don't steward it well, there's always this anxiety that goes along with it. I grew up in a context that was not wealthy. Money was hard to find. But there was always anxiety. And everybody always had a hustle. One of my first ministry experiences, this is back in 2000, a gentleman at a church that we were a part of, his wife asked me and a few other men to come over to his house and pray. We walked into the room and the stench was just overwhelming. I don't think he had gotten out of bed. I don't think he had showered. And he was under the sheets. And all you could see was his eyes. And all he could say is, I don't have enough money to pay the bills. What do I got to do to pay this mortgage?
[00:06:37] And it was just money, money, money, money, money. And what happens is, is whatever we idolize will begin to somewhat demonize us. And what I mean by that is this.
[00:06:47] Everything is spiritual. And so when we idolize money, it can terrorize us to the point that we live in severe anxiety. God does not want that for you. And I know what some of you are thinking.
[00:07:04] You're going, well, if I have more, I wouldn't have anxiety. Yes, you would. Because what you do with what you have now is what you'll do when you have more. Money problems can lead to depression. God doesn't want that for you. Money problems can lead to poor decision making.
[00:07:27] So hear your pastor's heart. God doesn't want something from you. God wants something for you.
[00:07:34] Right at the beginning of this teaching, I shared with you, download the Transformation Church app.
[00:07:39] We have a financial faithfulness curriculum to help you flourish and thrive.
[00:07:48] Managing the money God has given you to earn. So how do we thrive financially? How do we go from panic to peace? How do we walk with God's wisdom? Number one, how to thrive financially.
[00:08:05] Number one, teenagers and young adults is out of appreciation, live like you belong to God because you do. Just at a basic level, when was the last time you woke up, and said, all's I have is right now, and it's a gift? When was the last time you woke up, and you took a deep breath and said, wow, God, thank you for breath in my lungs?
[00:08:30] The more beautiful the cross comes in your life, the more appreciative you will be about all of life. The blood of Jesus begins to color us in such a way that we begin to see beauty in the little things and entitlement gets moved out by gratitude. Gratitude flows from the grace of God and the ultimate grace of God as Jesus comes to wrap his arms around us as he hung on the cross to purify us, to cleanse us, to forgive us, to show us the saving, gracious love of God.
[00:09:11] As that vision of reality captivates us, we begin to develop an appreciation.
[00:09:17] So I want to anchor us in Acts 20, verse 28. And here's the backstory. The apostle Paul has been traveling around the Greco-Roman world doing two things. He was planting multi-ethnic churches because of the gospel and fulfillment to God's covenant with Abraham, and he was raising money for the primarily Jewish church in Jerusalem. And right now, in Acts 20, he's in Ephesus, and he had been there for three years. He was there for three years. He was there for three years.
[00:09:47] Doing ministry, incredible things happening, but he's recognizing that he's not going to see those church leaders and those congregations in Ephesus again, because he can feel that the end is near. And this is what he says. The last words of a person to people are very important.
[00:10:07] Here's some of his last words. He says, be on guard for yourself. So let's pause here.
[00:10:12] The first part of this message for me as an overseer and elder bishop, pastor, let me explain. I'll explain what that means. But the first part, he says, guard yourselves, guard yourself. So in the context, we're talking about stewarding God's resources well. It's important that Vicki and I guard ourselves well, and that begins with generosity. So this isn't to impress you, but this is just to let you know that we're walking with you. We give over 20% to Transformation Church, not because we have to, but because we have to.
[00:10:47] Because we want to, and we believe in what God is doing. We drive vehicles that are about $30,000 each. We're grateful. We live in the same house we've lived in since 1999. We are grateful. We are appreciative. And so we want to guard ourselves. So as leaders, one of the most important things I can give you is this, that I am walking in the grace of God, the holiness of God, and that I love my wife, I love my children, and then you guys are third.
[00:11:17] By the way, that's the way you want it. You don't want me loving you more than Jesus, my wife, and my kids. You want it flowing in a proper order, Jesus, my wife, my kids, and you.
[00:11:29] So guarding ourselves, and my job is to encourage and teach the not only executive leadership team, but our directors and our entire staff, and ultimately our entire congregation. But let me continue to walk through the text. Be on guard for yourselves, and for the sake of all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as an overseer.
[00:11:53] So one of the metaphors for God's people is flock. God is the ultimate shepherd, and those who shepherd his sheep are under shepherds. And so notice it says appointed.
[00:12:05] The Holy Spirit appoints. That is a serious calling that I take with the utmost seriousness, honor, and respect.
[00:12:17] God is saying, I'm entrusting to you to shepherd my people.
[00:12:23] And this is a part of shepherding you, teaching you God's faithfulness for the resources he's given you the capacity to earn.
[00:12:33] Now the word overseers, we don't use that much.
[00:12:36] We don't use that word that much, but check this out.
[00:12:38] In Paul's day, overseer and bishop were leaders of Greek city-states.
[00:12:45] They are equivalent to the word elder in Hebrew.
[00:12:50] In essence, within God's church, there are servant leaders who lead not by domineering, but by serving, loving, wisdom, and humility.
[00:13:01] They're under shepherds.
[00:13:02] In the New Testament, they're called overseer, they're called bishop, they're called elder.
[00:13:09] And the other word is pastor, shepherd, okay?
[00:13:14] So he's appointed you.
[00:13:15] So part of my, my role is to equip and to teach us these things to protect the flock.
[00:13:22] This message is to protect you from what?
[00:13:25] Materialism, consumerism, greed.
[00:13:30] Once again, God doesn't want something from you.
[00:13:32] He wants something for you.
[00:13:34] And what he wants for you is for you to flourish in your finances.
[00:13:42] To shepherd the church of God.
[00:13:45] And so the word shepherd is where we get the word pastor, and notice this term here.
[00:13:49] Shepherd is shepherd is with the sheep.
[00:13:51] A shepherd is guiding his people.
[00:13:53] And primarily I do that here through the pulpit.
[00:13:57] I do that through the exec team.
[00:13:58] I do that through the staff.
[00:14:00] I do that in various ways.
[00:14:01] And other shepherd leaders do it the same way.
[00:14:04] But ultimately this text is about all of us as God's sheep, listening to His voice so that we can thrive in our finances.
[00:14:14] The word church is the word pastor.
[00:14:15] the word ekklesia. It just means called out one. We've been called out of darkness into light.
[00:14:21] How is that? Because Jesus entered darkness on the cross, died and rose again to live the light of life in us and through us, which he purchased with his own blood. Let's pause here. Here's where the appreciation comes from. Let me give you a statement first. The greater you appreciate the grace of God, the more generous you will be. The less you appreciate the grace of God, the less generous you will be. The more you appreciate the grace of God, the more generous you will be and the more joy you will have. The less you appreciate the grace of God, the less generous you will be and the less joy you will have. God is not broke. We are broken and he wants to fix us. How did he fix us? He came to earth and he lived a sinless life that we could never ever live and said dad my life is their life and on the cross he said dad their sin is my sin my sinlessness is their sinlessness my death is their death and when I raise again they raised to new life with me now and forever it is by grace through faith alone in Christ alone we don't earn it we receive it it is a gift and when we understand it's a gift there's a level of appreciation but here's the thing though you only appreciate that which you think about let me say it another way what you behold takes hold of you set your mind on the one who purchased you who bled for you our generosity flows out of God's generosity to us number two how to thrive spiritually financially God gave his first and best to purchase us on the cross so we give our first and our best to God as an act of worship 1 John 4 9 through 10 it's a wonderful short book it's action-packed it says this God's love was revealed among us this way no matter what happens in life in a world that has fallen in a world that is broken in a world that is not yet the new heavens new earth and there's chaos remember the cross God revealed his love among us this way God sent his one and only son into the world so that we might live through him God sent his first and his best into the world so that we might live through him remember Jesus gave his life for us to give his life to us to live his life through us the God who gave his life for you is the God who gives his life to you he's the God who lives his life through you what God requires God does himself your job and my job is simply to trust him and he is patient he is so patient all you need is faith of a mustard seed you take that little mustard seed of faith and he'll do an incredible and beautiful thing trust him John goes on and says love consists in this not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins and so notice we don't wake up going God I love you I love you I love you it's God who even put that song in our heart to sing it is God who pursued us when we weren't thinking about him when we were running from him we didn't know his existence he has always been pursuing always loving God sent his first and his best to forgive us of our sins so that we can thrive in every aspect of life and specifically to thrive in our finances he doesn't want something from you he wants something for you and his first and his best gift Jesus is the atoning sacrifice if you have ethnically Jewish friends who are Orthodox or or or maybe they have Echoes of Orthodox this goes all the way back to the Jewish Temple where the presence of God dwells and in the holies of holies there was a room called uh the holies of holies with the Ark of the Covenant Ark of the Covenant had the Ten Commandments and the mercy seat and two beautiful angels on the side and smoke above called the Shekinah Glory and it represented God's love for us and we're going to enter God's presence and the priests will take the blood of the Lamb and pour it over the Tenth Commandment sprinkling it smearing it over that's called Atonement God purifies us so we can be with him God cleanses us so we can be with them God declares us righteous so we can be with them God reconciles us unto himself so we can be with them God comes to indwell us so we can be with him notice God does it God does it God leads them the way he gave his first he gave his best why because he loves you it's like a little kid why does God love me because he does why does he love me because that's who he is why does he love me because he can't help but love you because God is love he gave his first and his best and so what we do is we give our first and best and here's the response we're going to go to Proverbs chapter 3 verse 9 this is in the wisdom literature of the Tanakh the Old Testament Proverbs is God's wisdom we know from John 1 1 Jesus is the Logos God's intelligence or wisdom we know from 1 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 30 Jesus is God's wisdom and we know that all of scripture testifies to Jesus and so listen to the wisdom of God to steward God's finance as well notice what it says here honor the the the Lord with your possessions and with the first prudel produce of your entire harvest now most of us are not farmers so so so we don't bring our harvest that way but it is the harvest of our work so bring your first then it says then your barns will be completely filled and your vats will overflow with new wine now let's pause here this does not just mean that you're going to bring everything we have and we're going to give it more than that what you're actually going to bring and that is the sweet thing about our harvest which is that we're not using it to offer to käma because it says in it's not to use it on your children you're going to anyway Lord know of the gift and boat we're very lucky to not utilize this coming wrong though you know the Lord and we can't take that the fight of training to policy ratio against your family cannot go to so because this is what Jesus calls our fortunes whatever practices we use our fortunes our fortunes just to see the whole picture out of thing just be born with a lot ofride with our wonderful mind because we're all heart broken in God God prayer life it doesn't mean oh I was truly sincere this is 100% accurate which is a great be part of the reason I'm on my first date of pregnancy I'm on Monday on Saturdays at 5 am The blessing isn't getting stuff.
[00:20:56] The blessing is more of him.
[00:20:58] And sometimes he gives us more stuff so we can give that stuff away to bless other people.
[00:21:04] So please don't think this is a transaction like a stock market.
[00:21:09] God, I give you this, I expect 8% dividend back.
[00:21:12] No, no, the blessing is God himself.
[00:21:15] The blessing is being able to honor and trust God.
[00:21:18] Let me put it to you this way.
[00:21:19] If the only thing that God did was save you from hell, that's enough.
[00:21:23] If the only thing God did is save me from eternal death, that's enough.
[00:21:28] Oh, but he does so much more.
[00:21:32] And your vats will be completely full.
[00:21:36] So wanna give you just a simple outline and a strategy.
[00:21:43] What we talk about here at Transformation Church is 10-10-80.
[00:21:47] This is a starting place.
[00:21:49] Here at Transformation Church, we teach grace giving or generosity.
[00:21:55] Some of you are like, whew, that's good.
[00:21:57] Well, it is good because 10% is like the floor.
[00:22:00] That's kind of the training wheels of getting going.
[00:22:04] If the law says give 10%, how much should grace motivate our hearts?
[00:22:09] And so we just use 10% as a way to start.
[00:22:13] So your first of your harvest, your paycheck, automatically 10% goes.
[00:22:18] For my wife and I, boom, automatically a certain percentage comes, and it is directed in why?
[00:22:24] Because we wanna honor God.
[00:22:26] We wanna worship God.
[00:22:27] We wanna thank him for giving us his first and his best, and we trust him.
[00:22:32] He's been so good to us.
[00:22:33] And then we wanna move 10% to self.
[00:22:37] This includes investments.
[00:22:39] This includes retirement.
[00:22:40] This includes paying off debt, all types of stuff.
[00:22:43] And then next is living expenses.
[00:22:46] You know what?
[00:22:47] Let me give you this illustration.
[00:22:50] Perhaps this right here will help us.
[00:22:53] So we got $10.
[00:22:54] One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10.
[00:23:01] So let's say you get your paycheck.
[00:23:02] You're like, woo, thank you, Jesus.
[00:23:04] It's good, it's good.
[00:23:06] So typically what we do is we go to our living expenses because we typically buy things we can't afford to impress people who are too far in debt to be impressed anyway.
[00:23:17] And so we kind of go, yay, let's just put it here.
[00:23:22] Then we go.
[00:23:23] Yep, I'm not saving none for myself.
[00:23:27] And God, ah, sorry, I'll catch you next time.
[00:23:31] But by the way, I need you to bless me.
[00:23:33] Friends, that's not a thriving life.
[00:23:38] My heart breaks for you if you're not learning to trust him.
[00:23:42] Matthew 6, 21 says, for where your treasure is, your heart will be there also.
[00:23:48] I pray that the greatest treasure we have is Jesus because he treasures us.
[00:23:53] And so at the beginning of the month, we reverse the order.
[00:23:58] We go, Lord, you are so good to me.
[00:24:04] The cross forgave my sin.
[00:24:06] The cross saved my family.
[00:24:08] The cross is the hope of the world, the resurrection power of Jesus.
[00:24:11] You purchased me.
[00:24:13] So it is my honor.
[00:24:14] It is my privilege to give back to you.
[00:24:18] Lord, use this powerfully.
[00:24:20] And then next you go, Lord, 401k, IRA, savings for kids, paying off debt.
[00:24:34] Here you go.
[00:24:36] All right.
[00:24:38] And then we go living expenses.
[00:24:42] Look at this.
[00:24:43] One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.
[00:24:48] Lord, thank you so much.
[00:24:57] Ten, 10, 80.
[00:24:59] Now here's what will happen.
[00:25:03] When the beauty of God's grace begins to captivate your heart and how he purchased you and how he rose again, you go, you know what?
[00:25:13] I want to move that 10 up some, and I want to move my account to 10 up some, so.
[00:25:18] expenses down some and god will begin to reshape your desires and begin to reshape your heart so vicky's dad every birthday christmas will send a 40 check he's been doing this since like 1992 since we've been married and um you know in my nfl days getting that 45 check wasn't that really a big deal but something changed in about the year 90 1999 2000 we were out of the nfl wasn't sure what we were going to do birthdays christmas came around that 45 check came vicky and i looked at each other and we said oh man we're going to i hope that we're going to out back it's amazing that 45 dollars meant so much and we enjoyed those aussie cheese fries oh my goodness god just removed all the stuff that we were going to do we were going to go to the nfl we were going to go to the nfl we were going to go to the nfl we were going to go to the nfl we were going to go to the saturated fat and all the calories he okay he didn't do that but anyway but but here's my point we were making less money but we had more of god what we used to take for granted we began to have gratitude so the less became more because we had more of god here's what will take place as you begin to respond to god in generosity because of his first and his best you will begin to appreciate how he meets your needs in a way because honestly for some of us we're so entitled and god wants us to be alive to him to this moment right here right now every breath we take is a gift it's pure gift and we'll respond back and give and he shapes and he's and he moves our desires in such a way that less actually becomes more and then more becomes more and he changes our standard of living so our standard of giving can go up to make a difference in this world.
[00:27:33] God doesn't want something from you.
[00:27:35] God wants something for you.
[00:27:40] Now here comes faith.
[00:27:42] Faith is trust.
[00:27:44] Faith is like a muscle.
[00:27:44] The more you exercise it.
[00:27:46] Matthew 6, 33, but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.
[00:27:51] Jesus is the king of the kingdom.
[00:27:53] He's the righteousness.
[00:27:54] In other words, seek Jesus.
[00:27:55] And as you seek Jesus, you realize you're only seeking him because he's calling your name.
[00:27:59] But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be provided for you.
[00:28:05] The context of Matthew 6 is our physical needs, physical needs, financial needs, materialistic needs.
[00:28:14] God, God is gonna meet our needs, not our greeds.
[00:28:19] He meets our needs, not our greeds.
[00:28:21] Remember, your overabundance and my overabundance is someone else's blessing.
[00:28:27] The God who is generous created us to be generous, but there are forces within us and forces around us that want us to be greedy and stingy.
[00:28:37] And you know what faith does?
[00:28:39] Faith kicks it in the face and says, God gave his first and his best.
[00:28:43] God wants me to flourish.
[00:28:44] And I'm gonna flourish and I'm gonna trust him.
[00:28:48] Now, when you give the Transformation Church, you're not giving to us, you're giving through us.
[00:28:54] You need to know this.
[00:28:56] Transformation Church practices generosity.
[00:28:58] The first 15 that comes in from our offering and our giving is out the door to make an impact, not only locally, but nationally and internationally.
[00:29:10] Let me give you just an example.
[00:29:12] This is from 2024.
[00:29:14] This is the first three lanes of transformation.
[00:29:16] The first three lanes is where the 15% goes.
[00:29:20] You're gonna be blown away when I show you 2025, but this is just 2024.
[00:29:25] So locally, nearly $700,000 to make an impact.
[00:29:30] You guys know that we canceled $34.9 million of debt for people in the care line is what $150,000 gift.
[00:29:38] That's what God did through you.
[00:29:40] That is you gave, you made an impact.
[00:29:42] You alleviated the burden.
[00:29:43] You made an impact.
[00:29:44] You made the stress in someone's life.
[00:29:47] Medical debt is crushing.
[00:29:49] It is suffocating.
[00:29:51] And you release the burden for someone.
[00:29:54] That's kingdom work.
[00:29:55] That's gospel work.
[00:29:57] And it is a picture of God alleviating our sin debt.
[00:30:03] And our sin debt was worth way more than $34.9 million.
[00:30:06] It was a gazillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, and Jesus paid it all.
[00:30:11] The Women's Enrichment Center, they're on the front lines to help men and women bring beautiful little kids into the world.
[00:30:19] So you don't give to us, you give through us.
[00:30:21] You're making an impact.
[00:30:23] And there are many other things that we're doing that probably connects with you.
[00:30:28] Get on our Give page in the app and also on our website and see.
[00:30:32] Let's pool our resources together and collectively make an impact.
[00:30:36] Let's look at local.
[00:30:38] Local, we're doing disaster relief all around the nation.
[00:30:44] I'm sorry, this is national.
[00:30:46] All around the nation, hurricane relief.
[00:30:49] Our Edovo tablets are in 1,400 correctional facilities.
[00:30:54] Over 600,000 downloads.
[00:30:56] Our congregation outside of T.C. is multiple times larger.
[00:31:02] And the letters that I get from these men and these women are phenomenal.
[00:31:06] So when you give, that's the impact you are making.
[00:31:09] Remember, God doesn't want something from you.
[00:31:11] God wants something for you.
[00:31:13] And so if you're not participating this way, you are missing a blessing.
[00:31:17] The blessing ain't just what you get.
[00:31:20] The blessing is what you give.
[00:31:23] I know a really wise man who claimed to be the son of God and it was true.
[00:31:28] He said this in Acts 20, verse 35.
[00:31:31] He said this.
[00:31:35] It is better to give than receive.
[00:31:40] And Jesus knows all about that because he's the Father's first and best.
[00:31:46] It is blessed to give than receive.
[00:31:51] We serve a generous and good God and so we want to be a generous and good people.
[00:31:56] How many lives are going to be changed as a result of us managing God's resources financially wisely?
[00:32:04] And then we have international.
[00:32:07] We're doing things all over the world.
[00:32:10] And various ways from India to Africa and other parts of the world.
[00:32:15] And then one that's near and dear to my heart is A21 that deals with human trafficking.
[00:32:22] I'm not sure if you know this, but there are more people in human trafficking today than any time in the world.
[00:32:28] Little boys, little girls.
[00:32:31] It is heinous and it is evil.
[00:32:33] And we're standing with Christine Kane and Nick Kane and A21 and how to make an impact.
[00:32:39] Now friends, listen, I have been to Europe.
[00:32:42] I have seen with my own eyes the devastation, the ugliness of human trafficking.
[00:32:49] You need to understand this, that the Charlotte area is one of the top hubs of human trafficking in the United States of America.
[00:32:57] And often they get vulnerable kids and vulnerable children who've already experienced so much heinous evil and trauma and then they re-traumatize them.
[00:33:08] When we give, when we pray, we are making an impact.
[00:33:12] You need to understand this, God ain't broke.
[00:33:15] We're the ones who are broken.
[00:33:19] Would you trust him?
[00:33:23] Trust him.
[00:33:25] He is good.
[00:33:27] Manage his resources wisely so that you can make an impact in this world in a deep and beautiful and profound way.
[00:33:38] And of course, locations.
[00:33:42] Our 15% doesn't go towards locations.
[00:33:45] But because of our generosity overall, we were able to launch Transformation Church Lake Wylie.
[00:33:53] And God is continuing to do a wonderful and great work.
[00:33:57] And we are believing that Transformation Church Wylie is going to be filled with people who don't know Jesus, who are coming to faith.
[00:34:05] And that area is going to be lit up with the love of God.
[00:34:09] We are believing great things for T.C. Lake Wylie and then other locations that we're going to have as well.
[00:34:15] Why?
[00:34:16] For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only begotten son to whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.
[00:34:22] In other words, God gave his first and his best because he wants human beings to thrive in his forgiveness, to thrive in his wisdom, to thrive in his mercy.
[00:34:34] Number three.
[00:34:36] Thrive financially.
[00:34:38] Remember, God loves a cheerful giver.
[00:34:40] God loves a cheerful giver.
[00:34:41] I'm going to say it one more time.
[00:34:43] God loves a cheerful giver.
[00:34:45] Oftentimes, we'll say this, God loves me, God loves me.
[00:34:48] And it's true because he gave his first and his best.
[00:34:50] He does love you.
[00:34:52] But when was the last time you and I asked, what does God love?
[00:34:57] Now, if you're not yet a follower of Jesus, just marinate for a minute.
[00:35:01] But if you are, one of the questions we should ask is, what makes God smile?
[00:35:07] What makes him happy?
[00:35:09] What makes him hilarious?
[00:35:12] 2 Corinthians 9, 6-8.
[00:35:15] The apostle Paul is talking to the multi-ethnic churches in Corinth.
[00:35:20] And he's raising money for the mother church in Jerusalem, which is primarily Jewish.
[00:35:26] And this Jew-Gentile church is raising money to keep this church going.
[00:35:30] And he says this, the point is this.
[00:35:32] I love that.
[00:35:33] The point is this.
[00:35:34] The person who sows sparingly, he's talking about financial generosity to the things of God.
[00:35:39] The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly.
[00:35:43] And the person who sows generously will also reap generously.
[00:35:49] Each person should do as he has decided or she in his heart, not reluctantly or out of compulsion.
[00:35:58] So for the Jewish people, they understood 10% was the floor.
[00:36:02] And Paul is going, listen, we shouldn't have to control you.
[00:36:06] Let's just remind you of God's grace.
[00:36:09] And we give generously.
[00:36:11] And we're free to give generously when we understand financial faithfulness, when we understand financial freedom.
[00:36:18] Remember, God doesn't want something from you.
[00:36:20] He wants something for you.
[00:36:23] Not reluctantly or out of compulsion since God loves a cheerful giver.
[00:36:30] What does God love?
[00:36:31] A cheerful giver.
[00:36:32] That word cheerful is where we get the English word hilarious.
[00:36:36] Have you ever met someone that's hilarious and they're just laughing?
[00:36:39] Well, when we give generously, God smiles.
[00:36:42] God laughs.
[00:36:44] I have to think, and I think I got good theological basis here, that God smiles because he understands the power that money has over us, especially as Americans.
[00:36:56] Jesus said in Matthew 6, 24, you cannot love God and mammon money equally.
[00:37:01] You despise one and love the other.
[00:37:05] Check it out.
[00:37:06] Money's not evil.
[00:37:07] Money's a good gift.
[00:37:09] But it becomes evil if we worship money instead of God.
[00:37:13] I believe God smiles because he's going, oh, my children get it.
[00:37:19] They get it.
[00:37:20] They see that I started the generosity train.
[00:37:24] I gave my first and my best.
[00:37:28] And I see them responding and likewise, becoming more and more like me.
[00:37:34] You have a father that loves you.
[00:37:38] And he loves.
[00:37:39] He gets giddy.
[00:37:40] It is hilarious to him when his people give back in response.
[00:37:45] And then look what God does.
[00:37:46] He doubles down.
[00:37:47] And God is able to make every grace overflow to you.
[00:37:51] Every grace overflow.
[00:37:52] We're not talking about drip, drip, drip.
[00:37:54] We're talking about Niagara Falls overflow.
[00:37:56] We're talking about overflow.
[00:37:58] And once again, overflow just isn't money.
[00:38:00] Overflow in peace.
[00:38:01] Overflow in kindness.
[00:38:02] Overflow in seeing God.
[00:38:04] Overflow in faith.
[00:38:05] Overflow in impacting people's lives.
[00:38:09] So that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work.
[00:38:20] That's awesome.
[00:38:22] Last one.
[00:38:23] So as I was preparing this message, my granddad began to just come to mind.
[00:38:29] So this is my grandpa, William Gillum from Coltsville, PA.
[00:38:35] He was in the military.
[00:38:36] Got down to San Antonio.
[00:38:38] Met my grandma.
[00:38:39] When he met my grandma, she had three kids of her own.
[00:38:43] And her brother on a weekend said, hey, I want you to watch my three kids.
[00:38:48] Well, that weekend turned into 20-something years.
[00:38:50] And so this young man finds himself married with like six kids.
[00:38:56] So by the time I come on the scene in 19, in 1971, born at Robert B. Green Hospital downtown San Antonio, Texas, by the time I come on the scene, this man is working.
[00:39:07] And so as I grow up, I never remember my grandfather missing a day of work.
[00:39:16] Never.
[00:39:17] Now, let me pause here.
[00:39:19] I'm not talking about workaholism.
[00:39:21] I'm not talking about that.
[00:39:23] What I'm talking about is honoring the gift of being able to work.
[00:39:27] Being able to work hard.
[00:39:30] I never heard my granddad complain about working hard.
[00:39:38] When I was getting ready to go to school, he was up, getting ready to go to his little convenience store.
[00:39:43] When I was a little boy, my fruited loon underwear, he'd get home about 9, 30, 9, 15.
[00:39:48] I'd run outside and say, hey, grandpa, and I'd run back in.
[00:39:51] The man worked and worked.
[00:39:53] Then when I was in elementary and middle school, I would go to the store and I would work.
[00:39:57] Work the cash register.
[00:39:58] All this time I was watching him work.
[00:40:00] Then at night before he went to bed, he got his little calculator and he would reckon all the books.
[00:40:05] That man taught me how to work hard.
[00:40:08] He did not complain.
[00:40:11] And I honor that in him and I appreciate that in him and I love that in him that he tattooed me with that.
[00:40:19] My question, how hard do you work at your job?
[00:40:22] Man, there's some places I show up to a job and there are people on their phones.
[00:40:26] And I'm like, I don't think you have a social media job.
[00:40:29] There are times as an older man I go, dude, get off the phone, you're going to get fired.
[00:40:33] They're not paying you to be on social media.
[00:40:37] How hard do you work?
[00:40:39] What is your work ethic like?
[00:40:42] Check this out.
[00:40:44] With the job you have, work hard for the glory of God at your job.
[00:40:48] Be the best that you can be.
[00:40:51] Look what Proverbs 10 verse 4 says.
[00:40:54] Lazy hands make for poverty but diligent hands bring wealth.
[00:40:57] Now, wealth is contingent upon the gifting of certain people.
[00:41:01] So don't get into how much or how little.
[00:41:04] Get into this.
[00:41:05] How hard do I work for the glory of God?
[00:41:07] How much benefit do you bring to people where you work?
[00:41:12] The excellence you bring to the table.
[00:41:14] You go above and beyond because you're not working for the man.
[00:41:18] You are working for the living God of the universe.
[00:41:24] Friends, God doesn't want something from you.
[00:41:30] God wants something for you.
[00:41:33] He wants to take you from panic to peace because his wisdom will teach you how to be financially faithful.
[00:41:42] Let us help you.
[00:41:45] Help me help you.
[00:41:50] Let's pray.
[00:41:52] Father, in Jesus' name.
[00:41:53] Amen.
[00:41:54] Through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, by faith, would you teach us to live out of appreciation that we belong to you?
[00:42:05] Would you teach us to give our first and our best as an act of worship?
[00:42:09] Would you teach us to be cheerful givers?
[00:42:11] Would you teach us to work hard at the jobs we have, whether if it's school or whatever it may be?
[00:42:17] Would you teach us and empower us?
[00:42:20] And right now in this moment, maybe you're saying, hey, Pastor, this first and this best thing and God giving his life for me, it's rocked something in my world.
[00:42:31] And I want to follow Jesus.
[00:42:33] I want to know him.
[00:42:34] I want to be forgiven.
[00:42:35] I want to be cleansed.
[00:42:36] I want to be pure.
[00:42:37] I want a new start.
[00:42:38] I want a clean slate.
[00:42:40] Hey, if that's you, the Bible is very clear.
[00:42:42] It says this, that if you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus died for your sins and was raised on the third day, you will be saved from sin and death.
[00:42:51] You will be.
[00:42:52] He will rescue you.
[00:42:53] Do you want him to rescue you from sin and death to forgive you, to make you a part of his family?
[00:42:58] If that's you right now in the silence of your heart, wherever you are, say this to him.
[00:43:02] He is listening.
[00:43:03] He is present.
[00:43:04] Today, King Jesus, I confess with my mouth and I believe in my heart that upon that bloody cross, it should have been me, but it was you.
[00:43:11] Your blood cleanses me and purifies me and makes me righteous and I'm forgiven.
[00:43:16] I believe in that tomb.
[00:43:17] You were dead for three days and I was there with you.
[00:43:20] But when you rose again, I rose to new life.
[00:43:21] I rose to new life as well.
[00:43:23] And I give you my allegiance and faith for every single day that I live.
[00:43:28] Thank you, God, for saving me.
[00:43:30] In Jesus' name, amen, amen, and amen.
[00:43:36] Listen, if you prayed with me, would you please let us know you prayed to receive Christ?
[00:43:44] Let us know.
[00:43:47] God doesn't want something from you.
[00:43:49] God wants something for you.
[00:43:51] Well, here's our soul tattoo.
[00:43:54] What do we think about throughout the week?
[00:43:56] Here it is.
[00:43:57] Live in and from the generosity of God.
[00:44:00] Live in and from the generosity of God.
[00:44:03] Listen to this sermon over.
[00:44:04] Marinate in it.
[00:44:05] Soak in it the way I soak in an Epsom salt bath.
[00:44:08] Action step.
[00:44:10] Sign up for Growth Track and Financial Faithfulness.
[00:44:15] If you need financial faithfulness, please sign up for Growth Track.
[00:44:19] Please sign up for Financial Faithfulness.
[00:44:20] Growth Track is our systematic process to help you grow.
[00:44:23] All right?
[00:44:24] Well, guys, we love you.
[00:44:26] And we believe that God has called us not merely to survive but to thrive.