Grace Giving

We are Obligated to the Gospel

Bayou Drive Baptist Church believes in reaching outside her walls to the community and to the world to spread the gospel that the Lord Jesus Christ saves from sin. We personally apply the words Paul wrote in Romans 1, "I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also." As Christians, we are obligated to spread the gospel at home and around the world.

While there are opportunities for members to fulfill their obligation to spread the gospel individually and locally, our church recognizes that we can accomplish our highest potential to preach the gospel to the world by working collectively. That is why our church exercises "Grace Giving" for world-wide missions.

God Loves Grace Giving

We believe that Grace Giving is God's method taught by the Apostle Paul to the Corinthian church in 2 Corinthians 8-9. Paul said that he was reminded of the grace of God bestowed upon the "churches of Macedonia; How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality." While financial giving doesn't necessarily make the Child of God closer to the Lord, giving is a good indicator of where a Christian is in his or her walk with the Lord. Again in 2 Corinthians 9, Paul reminds the Corinthian church that, "He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully." We know he is speaking specifically of financial giving because in the very next verse he concludes that statement by saying, "Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver."

Grace Giving is simply Christians giving out of the abundance of how the Lord has blessed in order to meet a need outside of their local assembly. In other words, the giving doesn't necessarily provide a direct benefit to them. That's the principle in 2 Corinthians. Our Church exercises Grace Giving to meet the needs of people around the world to hear the gospel.  At Bayou Drive Baptist Church, our members are challenged to give above their tithe specifically to domestic and foreign missions.

Does it Really Make a Difference?

This principle of giving has enabled a church of around a few hundred people to see annual funds of $50,000 put directly in the hands of missionaries and mission organizations here in the United States and around the world.

Annually, around the month of May, we sponsor a Missions Revival. We realize that when our hearts are near the Lord, everything else in our lives will be surrendered to Him as well, including our finances. We have missionaries from around the world attend the Revival meetings and preach biblical principles related to giving ourselves for the purpose of the gospel. Our members are encouraged to anonymously identify their family's Grace Giving monthly goal which, when annualized, helps us budget our commitments as a church to various missionaries and missions organizations.

Does it make a difference? There are many in our church that have seen the compounded effects of collective giving to meet a particular need. What better selfless need can be met than in spreading the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ around the world that others can come to a saving knowledge of Him? Our halls are littered with pictures and letters from more than 50 missionaries who are partially supported from the missions giving of Bayou Drive Baptist Church.

How can I make a Difference?

A Christian's first responsibility is to support his own local Bible-preaching church. However, we recognize that there are many who would like to support a world-wide missions program but don't have opportunity to do so. That is why we have provided this portal for people to contribute donations directly to our Bayou Drive Baptist Church Missions account. You can take added pleasure in knowing that every donation is tax deductible and that your privacy is of utmost important to us. You are giving missions dollars to real faces and names of men that have a significant relationship with our church. You're not just giving to a program or a group. All of the funds reach the missions field. No administrative costs are removed. Be a part of God's gospel plan by giving by grace today.