Events/Gatherings

All things in Common Offerings

Background - Acts 4:32-37

Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet.

Revelation - The Kingdom Costs

The story moves forward...Jesus said it would. During the month of June 2007, the A218 Community spent a great deal of time discussing the season of Kingdomtide...the movement of God's kingdom out into the world and also the report coming back to the church. Many of us are very aware of the need to take the good news that God has not abandoned humanity out into the world. In fact, if you've been a Christ-follower for even a little while, you've probably participated in a mission trip of some sort. However, there is more to this movement that Jesus started and a role that each of us are called to play if we are serious about the story of God.

The tide comes in...the report comes back to the community of faith. And often the report is that moving the kingdom forward will come with costs. The costs are often people's lives, whether it means more laborers in the field or even martyrs for the cause. But there are also financial costs to the story moving forward. It's a sore subject for many and a turn off for some. Regardless of how you feel about it, there are financial costs to the kingdom moving forward. There are costs to the restoration of the whole creation in Christ. Who will accept the challenge?

We often hear about the early church and their authentic approach to following Jesus and loving each other. We hear the phrase 'they had all things in common' and immediately think of a vibrant, compassionate community that made sure everyone had food, shelter and the necessities. While this is all true, one of the points that many miss about the early church is that when it came to having 'all things in common', this was not only true of their communal lifestyle. It was also their approach to the costs of moving the story of God along. This is why "many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles' feet". The first Christ-followers did not believe that it was simply on Peter, John, and the rest of the apostles to figure out how the kingdom would be advanced. They all shared in the costs of the kingdom just as much as the benefits of spirit-filled community.

The Challenge - Poor Twentysomethings...

So what does this mean for us...college students and young adults who don't have much money. Let me calm your fears - the kingdom is not asking you to sell your house (or maybe...LOL). Being in the movement of Jesus is always about what you do have and how you can share it. God has given each of us resources, some for our enjoyment and some for investing in the cause of the only story worth living for. For some post-college folks, they'll hear the spirit say 'give $30'. Another UNF junior will hear Jesus say, 'trust me, give $75'. Still, another young professional will feel like 'it's cool, you can spare $15 this month.' The point is NOT the dollar amount, the point is sharing in the costs of the kingdom...even as young adults. We have the opportunity to do more than just talk about the kingdom and bringing hope to the world. We have the chance to invest in the movement of Jesus and watch the story move forward.

All things in Common - A218 Offering

The A218 Community will take on this challenge to share the costs of moving the story forward by raising funds that will go towards projects and organizations that are sponsored, supported or connected to ACCESS218. We encourage you to think about how you can be a part of the story moving forward. Again, the issue is not simply a dollar amount. The point is that our community would attempt to have ALL THINGS IN COMMON with other communities throughout the world. The kingdom costs, but the costs always outweigh the rewards. We hope that you would join us.

If you have questions, please contact us info@access218.com.

ACCESS218 is the college aged and young adult ministry at CrossRoad Church.