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WHAT’S INSIDE Who is our consultant, Bruce Strom?

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7 practical ideas forsacrificialgiving

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RSVP your response to the Banquet atThe Grand Tradition.

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ISSUE NO. THREE

7Life Christian Church1602 S. El Camino Real Oceanside, CA 92056

“Not Equal Gifts, but Equal Commitment.”

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Our Consultantcomes to us highly recommended by Dr. Mark T. Barclay. In fact, Dr. Bar-clay’s church, Living Word International used him for their own capital campaign back in 1987. We are privileged to have Dr. Strom of Strom Inc., (located in Sun City, Ari-zona) working with us as our consultant during our“Running with the Vision” capital campaign.

Dr. Strom is a professional at assisting churches in capital campaign stewardship programs. His expertise has been developed through training and experience. He works closely with his professional staff at Strom, Inc.

With over 25 years experience of aiding church financial resources, he has worked with hundreds of churches throughout the years and has his program down to a very detailed and effective formula. Not only that, but Dr. Strom has shown to be a very wise and prayerful man whose Godly advise we trust. Offered frequently as encouragement to our own capital campaign leadership team, we have heard Dr. Strom say over and over again, “We’ve never missed a goal yet!” And with the help of God in whom we trust, Life Christian Church is sure to be no different.

Our consultant sincerely wants to assist us in leading our church to a God-honoring

By now our membersshould have received aPrayer Tent to aid prayertime concerning this campaign.If not, please contact Kerri Lang for a replacement.

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PRAYER TENT For Our Program

Available Now!

Are We Average? Statistical studies prove that in the average church, less than 20% of the members give 80% of the money for the ministry and work of the church.

This means that only 20% of the members are receiving the majority of the blessings of Christian stewardship and yet giving is the very means by which the windows of heaven are opened to us.

What is My Part? Actually, this is a question only you can decide. No effort will be made in this campaign to tell you what he/she should give.

Frankly, there is only one way for each of us to determine our commitment. It should be large enough to represent a real sacrifice, showing a willing-ness to do without something this next year that we had otherwise planned to have.

see back page for the true stories of how people in other churches arrived at their commitment.

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ideas

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“We’ve Never

missed a Goal Yet!”

- Dr. Bruce Strom

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giving an annual percentage aside from your tithe and offerings.

received through inheritanceor sold by the owner with significant

tax savings.

personal property such as gold or silver coins, jewelry, precious stones, antiques, stamps, boats, RVs, autos,

cameras, sports memorabilia and the like with marketable value.

often unforeseen savings for many; giving more can often reduce your

income tax - talk to your CPA.

the church receives the market value

of the securities, and the giver does not have to pay income tax on the capital

gain from the purchase price.

reinvested: a gift of this stock relieves one of calculating the different gains for tax purposes and a beneficial tax

savings results.

a time-honored manner of giving with long term help: cash or a property are willed to the church or made part of

a trust before death.?

HAVE YOUEVER THOUGHT?► That if someone had not sacrificed and given their money, time and talent, we would not be in the beautiful church building in which you now worship and enjoy fellowship with other Christians?

► That if people, in the past, would have said, “I don’t see why we need a bigger church, what we have now is plenty for us,” thousands of people would never have been ministered to?

► If you don’t catch the dream and give sacrificially to “Running with the Vision” and help us reach the throngs who need Christ - who will?

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victory. He will consult, advise, sup-port, confer, and train to that end, but we must do the work ourselves.

As part of our team, Bruce wants to work with us to lead our people individually and collectively to an encounter with the will of God for our lives. As we seek God’s will in our stewardship, the ultimate victory will not only be financial but spiritual as well.

It is hoped that each person is praying, “Lord, what will you have me do, over and above my regular tithe and offerings for the next 156 weeks so that our church can enlarge its ministry?” Dr. Strom is emphatic, that every commitment made in this campaign is a spiritual response to the leader-ship of the Holy Spirit.

Equally important, is the message of our theme, “Running with the Vision”, which is in harmony with the scriptures as found in Habbukkuk 2:2:

“Write the vision; clearly inscribe it on tablets,so that the one who reads it may run.”

This theme does not call for the same amount to be given by everyone. It does, however; encourage everyone to make the same depth of com-mitment. Dr. Strom is quick to point out that, “No one can define what sacrifice means for someone else. However, we do know that sacrifice calls for more than token giving. A sacrificial gift will have real meaning and value to the giver. It will involve gratitude, worship, and faith in the Lord who makes all gifts possible.”

The Goals of our “Running with the Vision” capital campaign can be reached though prayer, services, and a will to follow the plan as lead by Dr. Strom. We are pleased to have such an excellent consultant working with us as we look forward to our miraculous results.

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TESTIMONIES OF SACRIFICEDr. Bruce Strom, the consultant of our “Running with the Vision” campaign re-ports the following true story.

A Fellowship Team member visiting for his church visited in the home of an elderly widow. He found that she has assumed the responsibility of rearing three grandchil-dren. The house was poorly furnished, and it was obvious that she was living on a very meager income.

However, to the amazement of the Fellow-ship Team member, she indicated that she wanted to give $5 a week to her church campaign. Knowing what a stretch this had to be for the woman, his immediate response was, “But you can’t afford to do that.” Her answer was, “The children and I have discussed it and prayed about what we feel the Lord wants us to do. We will do it.”

A Church in San Antonio was in deep finan-

HAVE YOU CONFIRMED?

The “Running with the Vision” Banquet is at 6:00 pm, Sunday, September 20th at the Grand Tradition.A reservation is necessary. Our semi-formal preferred banquet will be outstanding, with hostesses there to greetand assist us. Refreshments will be served and the dinner will begin at 6pm at TheGrand Tradition Estate in Fallbrook. Pastor Johnson will share with us the visionGod has given us as a church for His kingdom. It will be a wonderful evening ofcelebrating God in our past, present and future with a special videopresentation.

At the church will be a special Children’s Party beginning at 5pm fortoddlers (toilet-trained) up to youth. Our sister churchin Chula Vista is graciously lending ahand to allow our membersto attend.

RSVP BY SEPT. 10TH

INSIDE NEXT ISSUE

MORE Q&A WITH PASTOR INVESTMENTS THAT LIVE

SAVINGS GALORE

cial trouble. With a prayerful decision a man in the church decided not to go through with his retirement as planned, but rather to work an extra three years for the duration of the campaign. He was then able to pledge $5,000 a year to the church over and above his tithe and offerings.

Over and over again, those who have built and pioneered churches have experienced spiritual awakenings, renewed dedication among their members, a dramatic outbreak of miracles, and a “growing to-gether” as they have purposed to reach their campaign goals.

Life Christian Church is no different. God will not forget His laborers, as He will not forget those who are faithful to His calling. We know that the “Running with the Vision” campaignwill reap more than the beautifulbuilding we now reside in as a“Lighthouse to the Nations.”We believe that through our efforts, we will receivemiraculous blessings andsouls for His kingdom, both in Oceanside, oursurrounding counties,and all over the world.