Looking for Nolans

The text popped up on my cell phone just as the sun was rising and I was doing my morning devotions.

It was a video. I clicked “play” and there was Nolan, a five-year-old boy in my church. “Hi Pastor Brian! It’s me, Nolan!” he said with a toothy smile and a jar full of coins and crumpled dollar bills in his hands. “This is for the church!” he said excitedly. “When should I bring it?”

His mom sent a message with the video: “Nolan is so excited for the capital campaign! He is wondering when he can bring some of the money he’s been saving. Thanks for giving us this opportunity to talk about money and stewardship with our kids.”

Nolan was one of the first givers toward a capital campaign we did this past fall to retire our church building debt. I’ve kept that video, and I still watch it whenever I need a smile. Nolan’s enthusiasm is contagious and it reminds me of the joy of giving. There would be others like Nolan. A middle school girl who gave $200 from baking and selling cookies. A family that decided to forgo eating out once a month and give that money to the campaign. An elderly woman who gave a modest but sacrificial gift, and wept after she placed it in the offering plate because the gift carried precious memories of her deceased husband who loved this church deeply.

I’ve been a part of other capital campaigns in the past, but this one was different. I think it has something to do with the fact that there were only a few really large gifts and an overwhelming amount of smaller and more modest gifts given by so many different people. (Our goal was 100% participation. I don’t think we got it, but we got close.) There truly was a sense that every gift mattered, and that we were striving, all together, toward a goal. No matter who you are or what your resources, there was a part for you to play. And something beautiful happened for our entire church through this process.

I bring this up as we continue our annual fund drive for the Reformed Journal because I wonder if something similar can happen here. No matter who you are or what your resources, you can play a part in helping support the good thing happening with RJ.

If you value what we’re trying to do here, consider today making a one-time donation or setting up a recurring gift. Some of you may have capacity to give a larger gift or take advantage of our special “But wait. . .There’s more!” offer (With a gift of $300 or more, you’ll get three books from RJ authors).

But if you aren’t able to give that much, I want to urge you to give what you can. I guess I’m looking for the Nolans out there. Ultimately, it’s not about the amount. It’s about the joy and the sacrifice with which we give. And I want you to be a part of this.

Thank you for being such a faithful reader and supporter of RJ.

I really mean this when I say we can’t do what we do at RJ without you.

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