Recently, have you been moved to thank God with heartfelt gratitude by the sharing or the life story of a brother or sister, a community or a missionary?

Once at the end of a Thursday prayer meeting, a sister asked me to pray for her heavy financial burden. She shared how, by the grace of God, she managed to give according to the pledge of offering by faith she made when she was more financially abundant. During this time, she was met with one after another difficulty in her business. Yet, God is faithful and His timely provision further strengthened her faith. Earlier, a couple who went to serve in an area affected by earthquakes had shared a similar testimony. After listening to their sharing, I was reminded of Paul’s wonderment in 1 Thessalonians 3:9: “How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?”

The seven “spiritual legacies” of the NPAC family are not “human traditions” which Jesus condemned, which were retained by the Scribes and Pharisees, and which became a burden to the children of God at the time. Rather, they are the traditions Paul exhorted believers to hold fast to after receiving God’s saving grace: “So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter” (2 Thessalonians 2:15). Such teachings and heritage help us stand firm and hold fast to the word in which we profess. They give us a firm grasp of the will of Christ to live out the abundant life that He gladly gives to us.

The sixth “spiritual legacy” of the NPAC family is “Offering by Faith.” The most direct way to put it into practice is to make a pledge to offer by faith for the budget for mission for the following year at the Mission Conference every year. To offer by faith means at a time when one is still unsure whether he will be financially abundant, he earnestly prays and seeks the guidance of the Holy Spirit to set a target for giving and, by faith, promise to give a certain amount of financial offering within a specific timeframe in the future. Such faith does not arise from a scrutiny of the times and circumstances, nor does it come from confidence in one’s ability to achieve a target. Instead, it is based on the Triune God we trust, God who blesses abundantly, who is pleased by our sacrifice of praise, good works and sharing with others, and who will bring to fruition our every desire for goodness and every deed prompted by faith by His power (2 Corinthians 9:8; Hebrews 13:15-16; 2 Thessalonians 1:11)!

According to A.B. Simpson, “Offering by Faith” is a promise by faith made before God for the financial needs of world mission. It is an act of a deeper spiritual life. Indeed, funding is needed for sending missionaries or supporting local or overseas gospel organizations and ministries. In 2022, our expenditure on mission made up 39.3% of the total expenditure. In 2023, it was 33.7%. In this Mission Month, I invite you all to take part in mission work through offering by faith. In doing so, you will be responding to the western missionaries of the past who, having received the Great Commission, traveled far and through all the difficulties, and at all costs, brought us the salvation of Christ. You will also be experiencing the truth about the NPAC family’s third “spiritual legacy,” which is “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”