How can you contribute to God's plans for the church?

Answer 1

As a member of a church there are many ways in which one can contribute. However, these can be split primarily into three.

Spiritually - help in the spiritual side of church is vital and the most important contribution anyone can make. Praying for others, taking part in services (eg reading scripture, leading intercessions), regularly attending services, helping in mission, teaching, playing a full role in Bible Study groups and so on does not only build up the congregation and the spirituality of the whole church, but also helps grow the individual as a Christian.

Pragmatically - as the Christian church is a family there are very practical ways in which to contribute also, once spiritual contribution is given priority. These include contributing to groups set up for a particular function (eg cleaning, fundraising, visiting, offering lifts and so on) which help in the smooth running of a Christian family. As one simple example, offering an elderly person a regular lift to church is not simply an act of kindness, but also helps him or her to divert their energies into the reason why they are in church in the first place rather than worrying unnecessarily how they are to get there.

Financially - this has to be said - as churches do not run on thin air. Clergy stipends have to be paid as does all the normal domestic bills (heat, light etc) that any organisation faces. churches rely solely on voluntary contributions and therefore sacrificial giving is a necessity too. However, question any church that also does not take seriously sacrificially giving itself. As an example, a church cannot suggest that you give a percentage of your disposable income (say, a tenth or a twentieth) unless it too is willing to give the same amount, or more, to other charitable causes.

Answer 2

A person who is an official member of a parish community is a person who is registered with that parish, contributes financially to the good of the parish through the use of envelops, and attends Mass consistently on Sunday's and Holy Days of obligation. If such a person has children, such a person ensures that the children come to Mass as well, and receives formation in the Faith by either enrolling them in a Catholic School or CCD.

When one joins with a parish, that person becomes part of the community. The above represents the absolute minimum that a member of a Catholic Church "does." The priests of the parish have an obligation to see to the spiritual good of the parishioner's. Therefore they will visit them when they are sick, in the hospital, or can't get to Mass due to illness. (Provided the person alerts the priest to the need) They will spiritually counsel them when requested. Aside from the minimum which is stated in the first paragraph a person can be as involved or as not involved in their parish as they see fit. They can choose to volunteer as a "Lector" or "Extra-Ordinary Minister of Holy Communion." They can volunteer to teach CCD or help out at the parish fundraisers, etc.

I like to say that a healthy attitude to approach a parish with is "Ask not what your parish can do for you, but what you can do for your parish." I think good pastors try to approach their parishioners with the same attitude.

Answer 3

To answer this question of how can you contribute to God's plan for his Church, you must make sure you understand what the plan is for the Church.

However, here we go; the definition of Church is a group of religious believers gather together in the belief (Christianity) in this answer, (or other denomination) that the Father Son and Holy Spirit are their Lord and Saviors.

The word Church did not appear in The Bible until the New Testament. As some believe this reason was because the word did not belong until after the Ascension of Jesus. (Act 1:1-4) The Church began on the day of Pentecost, when after Jesus had given his life so that we that have faith in Jesus may all become the children of God. (Gal 4:26-29) Ephesians 1:19-23 tells us Jesus paid for the Church with his blood and Ephesians 1:22 says and hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church.

So when you read about the day of Pentecost you will learn that the group of people the had gathered to worship with one another and praise Our Father, Son and Holy Spirit where all touch and filled with the Holy Spirit. When two or more gather in my name, the Bible book tells us He shall be there. They where all filled and touch by the Holy Ghost because they were all on one accord.

Therefore, the Church was a place for us to worship the trinity and fellowship together among many other things.

Now your question, how can you contribute to God's plan? Several steps are required to accomplish this to your full potential. The first thing is to be strong in Christ; you do this by reading and living by his instruction manual! If you are asking where you get a manual, it is your Bible. Just as you tithe 10% of your earnings, you need to tithe 10% of your day everyday. (If you need to know how to do that it is another question.) By doing this, you are growing spiritually and this will strengthen your impact in the Church. Your next step is to live everyday, as Christ would have to the best of your ability. Attend church as often as you can and make sure ever time before you enter into the Church to clear your mind and pray asking for forgiveness and to be cleansed of all evils and distraction. This is one of the most important things that everyone forget to do and can be one of the BIGGEST contributions to God's plan for the Church. (I will get to why in a minute) Next, being saved and baptized are your next two major goals. Do not get baptized until you know you are saved and ready to live everyday to the best of your ability for God!!

Now back to cleansing yourself before you enter the temple. Look at it like this God and the Trinity are perfect and we want to try to be perfect for them right. If you where about to have surgery would you want your Doctor operating on you without washing his hands or having him thinking about the argument him and his wife had right before he entered the room. The same thing goes when you enter Church waiting to come and praise the best thing that has ever happen in your life.

Here is the Contribution part when we thing of Pentecost the Bible tells us they were all on one accord or atonement. This is why it is one of the BIGGEST Contributions because with out all of use being as one under God and giving him all our glory to our saviour. We will never be able to receive all his glory and this weakens the purpose of the Church and the people of the Church. Without us being on one Accord, we will never be able to receive the spiritual gifts God has meant for his children of the Church to have in every faithful Church. They are mentioned in first Corinthians 12:6-10, we will never be able to heal the sick, cure the blind, or raise the lame.

Answer 4

Figure out how much you want to tithe weekly, multiply it by 52 and write the church a check.