Dear EFBC Family,
The formulation of the 2018 church budget has been exciting, as there are many new things to consider surrounding our beautiful new building. It is exciting to think about how the Lord will use EFBC as we seek to connect others to Christ, His Church, His Word and His Mission, for His glory! The proposed budget is faithful to that vision and my prayer is that you are faithful to pray about how God would lead you to give to support our budget.
The 2018 proposed budget is a result of diligent prayer, research, and hard work by many people. I believe it is a balance of what we believe we can do financially with what we know God can do! The proposed budget for 2018 is 4.9% higher than 2017. It maintains Cooperative Program giving of 8.5% of undesignated receipts, it accounts for increased costs to support the new building, and it supports our commitment to 6 church planters and other local and national mission causes.
We must express our appreciation to the committees and staff members who have invested prayer, time, and diligent effort in the development of the 2018 proposed budget (They are listed below) . They demonstrated great service and dedication to EFBC through the way they carried out their responsibilities.
The 2018 proposed budget does not feature a debt retirement line item for the new building. We are in a capital campaign through 2020; therefore, all building fund gifts and expenditures will be received and disbursed though the building fund designated account.
This proposed budget presents a challenge and a responsibility to every member of the EFBC family. I pray that each of you will respond in obedience and faith to tithe and grow in a spirit of generosity as you experience the joy of giving.
“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.”
(Malachi 3.10 – NIV)
Pray Passionately, Serve Passionately, Give Passionately!
For His Glory,
Paul Blankenship