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But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:6-7)

An old friend recently offered some advice about how to further grow the ministry of FOCUS. Rather than explore new ways to engage Orthodox Christians to support this critical ministry, he suggested we look outside the Church.

“You should focus on government grants,” he told me in no uncertain terms.

I strongly disagreed.

I’ve been reflecting on the conversation a lot over the past few weeks. There’s an important lesson here about the purpose of ministry and the place of ministries like FOCUS in the Church.

At FOCUS, our mission is to serve the poor by providing lifesaving resources like food, shelter, and other support. But we are a ministry, not merely a nonprofit. As the domestic service arm of the Church, we are called to mobilize Orthodox Christians to make this service happen: to contribute time and talent, certainly, but also treasure.

In the early Church, for example, we read about how everyone, even the widows and orphans who had no one else, were cared for. But this didn’t happen because Caesar or some wealthy pagans funded these efforts. Rather, it’s because “all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need” (Acts 2:44-45). 

A ministry can become massive thanks to government grants; in fact, many do. A religious body can build homeless shelters and run extensive feeding programs thanks to millions in aid. But does that really grow the ministry?

There are many Orthodox communities, for example, which rely on outside revenue (facilities rentals, parish festivals, etc) rather than the tithing of their members. And I know many clergy who are trying to change this culture because they understand that the Church isn’t really being the Church if our good works are accomplished thanks to external funding. 

At FOCUS, our mission is to serve the poor by providing lifesaving resources like food, shelter, and other support. But we would betray that mission if we didn’t mobilize Orthodox Christians into that service: to cook meals and eat with the unhoused, to visit schools and spend time with children experiencing poverty, to build community with expectant mothers who have nowhere else to go. 

We would betray that mission if we didn’t work to create a culture of generosity in the Church, where all contribute to the ministries of the Church: not grudgingly or of necessity but cheerfully because, as Saint Paul reminds us, “God loves a cheerful giver.”

We dream of a time when FOCUS operates a hundred Centers in a hundred cities across the country. We dream of a time when the Orthodox Church makes a promise to millions of our neighbors in need: if you are hungry or homeless or hurting, you can come to us. Because this is the Lord’s call: to make His Kingdom manifest, to help all experience and share the transformative love of Jesus Christ. 

But when we reach this point, it must be because of the generosity of Orthodox Christians. It must be because we all love God and neighbor to the point that we give freely of our abundance. It must be because we are a people whose first instinct is to give rather than receive, to share rather than gather. 

May the Lord open our hands and hearts, instilling in us a spirit of cheerful generosity that will ensure all experience a taste of His Kingdom.