June 24th 2024

Dear ReChurch family,

Wow! What a very special day of worship, thanksgiving, fellowship and decision-making we all participated in on Vision Sunday. This was a very important day in our journey thus far, and the decision we all made to adopt the new budget – our largest so far – has, in fact, opened a new season to us as we serve the Lord here.

The vote by all of you to approve the budget was unanimous. Praise the Lord!

On behalf of the elders and pastors, I want to thank all our members and friends who call ReChurch home, and who faithfully tithe each pay cycle, for the best year of giving we have ever had here - and for the very positive affirmation to get behind the elders as was demonstrated in yesterday’s positive budget decision.

The worship atmosphere on the day was amazing and it lingered long afterwards and right through our lunch time together.

With the new budget (Tier 1 - $369,000) now approved and the new financial year about to start next week, we’re calling on all who voted and affirmed the financial plan to now quickly help lift our giving to that extra $1335 per week. Last year we voted to lift our giving to $5800 per week – and we averaged, $5745. Amazing! Thank you everyone. This year we are a bigger church and we need to lift to $7100, as soon as we can, as our new loan repayments have increased and have already kicked in.

The weekly lift of $1335 to $7100, in practical terms, means an increase of between $13 and $28 per giver, per week, depending on income levels, of course. Some will be able to exceed this. Yesterday, I had a pensioner delightedly approach me and commit to giving an extra $30 per fortnight! Amazing #2! The lift has started. If everyone tithed as the Lord commands, that is, honouring that He is first in all things and is entitled to the first things, (which is what the tithe is all about), we would far, far exceed this weekly increase. Many now tithe as the minimum level of giving - more tithers than ever before – and many give more than the tithe (the first 10%), but not everyone is tithing just yet. And so, I encourage you all to review your giving and commit to an increase that will do your bit to get us to $7100 per week – we need to, and quickly. Please don’t put this off.

The practice of tithing (giving God the first 10% of our income) is an act of worship that honours God who provides for us in thousands of ways – and it ensures that we place Him first in our finances. He is the first and the last – no one else is. When we honour God in this way we give Him glory, and when anyone glorifies God, He responds with blessing on His people which proves to the world that He really does exist. No one looking at the short journey of ReChurch thus far, can provide any logical, rational explanation for the way God has blessed us so abundantly over these last three years. The maths, by themselves, just don’t add up. But then, they don’t have to when God pours out blessing on His faithful …

Malachi 3:10-11 (NIV)
[God said] 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe," says the LORD Almighty.

And there it is! God asking us to test Him in the area of our finances, which is about honouring and glorifying Him. He is waiting to pour out blessing on you and the mission and ministry of ReChurch. He wants to open the floodgates of heaven’s provision for us. He asks that we honour Him, because He is the first. The new financial year awaits. The new season of mission awaits.

Let’s get to it!

I love this church family with all my heart! I love what God has created it to be. I love what it can now do in fulfilling the Great Commission to make fully functioning disciples, and I am so excited about what He has in store for us in this new season. Please pray for the elders and pastors as they lead us into it.

As far as the ReChurch story is concerned, the best is yet to come, because God’s power is at work in us – and He has not finished yet.

Ephesians 3:20-21 (NIV)
“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, 21 to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

Thank you so much for your unwavering support for me as Senior Pastor. Even though you may see my feet of clay, you know my heart for Jesus, and for you. Thank you for the kind and gracious way you have loved me and my family. You make it a joy to serve the Lord through ReChurch.

May God bless you as you honour Him in all things!

Ps Milton