Bulgaria - Feb '09

The aim of our recent trip to Bulgaria was two fold. Firstly we were meeting with pastors to finalise arrangements for the missions we are holding around the country which comprise three of a number of missions planned for the Balkan region during May to June of this year.

 

Secondly we met to speak with a group of gypsy leaders from around the Plovdiv area. This small seminar attracted seventy plus people and was entitled ‘Money with a Mission’. Speaking and teaching about financial matters has historically been a taboo subject amongst the gypsy people as there has been a lot of mistrust and jealously ~ so the fact that anyone turned up at all was no small miracle in itself!

During the two day conference three gypsy pastors spoke plus Craig Sibthorpe and myself. All of us were encouraging those present of the importance of having a right attitude towards money. Some of the principles we were teaching were difficult for those attending to grasp because of their hand to mouth existence.  But we were all convinced of the importance of teaching Biblical principles to enable them to break free from the bondage of poverty and to prosper in the way God intended them to. It is quite clear from Scripture that it is God’s intention that His people prosper in whatever they do, where ever they find themselves (Josh 1:8, Gen39:2, Gen 39:23). There has been a lot of extreme teaching in this area and the fact that, relatively speaking, we have so much in the West it can make us reticent in bringing teaching but failure to do so only condemns people groups such as the gypsies to poverty.

 

In these recessionary times we all need to look again at our attitude towards money. We cannot afford to respond to the recession by shrinking back and reducing our giving. For if we don’t sow we will have nothing to reap in the future. If we look at the life of Joseph we can see that God had plans to prosper His people even in the most difficult of times and for them in turn to bless the people of this world by fulfilling His plans. Jesus encouraged us to give, ‘and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.’  (LK6:38) So let’s not be found reacting to the recession in the same way the world does, but let’s take action and demonstrate our trust in our God by giving. Because it is ‘He who gives us seed to sow and bread to eat’ (2 Cor 9:10). We cannot afford to eat our seed or we will have no future harvest to come.

by Tim Grant

Article Date: 14th December 2008

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