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Faith promise giving encourages believers to donate more than they believe they can contribute to support global missions. Many churches and parachurch organizations utilize this approach to promote generous giving. Faith promise donations differ from regular offerings in that they require the donor to pledge to give what they currently do not possess—a commitment that demands faith in God’s provision.
The concept of faith promise giving is often attributed to A.B. Simpson, a 19th-century Canadian preacher and the founder of the Christian and Missionary Alliance. Simpson developed this model based on 2 Corinthians 10:15–16: “We do not boast beyond limit in the labors of others. But our hope is that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you may be greatly enlarged, so that we may preach the gospel in lands beyond you, without boasting of work already done in another’s area.” Some churches draw inspiration for their faith promise giving from 2 Corinthians 8–9 and the generosity displayed by early churches in the New Testament.
While faith promise models may vary, they typically include the following components:
• Members are encouraged to prayerfully determine their promised amount.
• Contributions are expected to be in addition to regular offerings or tithes.
• The promise represents a commitment of faith, often spanning one year. For instance, a church member might pledge to donate a specific amount weekly to support the church’s missions endeavors. Frequently, the church’s missionary support is determined by the commitments made by its members.
• Trust is to be placed in God rather than in the donor’s own resources. Members are urged to pledge as generously as possible while relying on God to meet their needs. The entire process is to be conducted in faith, with a reliance on God’s provision.
The faith promise approach is designed to stretch believers’ faith and demonstrate reliance on God’s faithfulness in providing for their giving.The faith promise model is commonly utilized to assist missionaries and various parachurch organizations globally and to cultivate a missions mindset within the church.
However, the faith promise approach can pose issues if misapplied. It should never be portrayed as a guilt-inducing, coercion-laden pledge to God. The Scriptures urge believers to give joyfully, not begrudgingly. Elevating any human-devised method to the status of a divine directive is inappropriate.
While many churches employing the faith promise model are not affiliated with the erroneous Word of Faith movement, the language used to advocate for faith promises may bear resemblance to that used for seed faith offerings. It is crucial not to conflate the two concepts. A seed faith offering involves giving money in faith, believing that God will multiply and return it to the giver. The more money and faith one invests, the greater the return. In contrast to the misleading seed faith doctrine, the faith-promise model does not pledge to enrich the giver; rather, it encourages trust in God and anticipates His blessing on a specific ministry through the giver.
If your church employs the faith promise giving model and you sense God prompting you to contribute to the fund, give faithfully, joyfully, and sacrificially. If you are hesitant about making a faith promise, you can still contribute faithfully to support missions. When we give generously and willingly, God assures us that He will protect and provide for us (Isaiah 58:9;Psalm 41:1-3;Proverbs 22:9;2 Corinthians 9:8,11).
