LEXINGTON, Ky. -- A practical lesson in making wise investments is paying off for a Lexington, Ky., congregation.
Ushers at Southland Christian Church distributed 500 envelopes in September that contained a total of $20,000 donated by an unnamed church member. The recipients were encouraged to be good stewards and invest the money wisely, according to The Lexington Herald-Leader.
So far church members have used their gifts to raise more than $140,000 through such things as raffles, pancake breakfasts and sales at a lemonade stand. The money will be used to help oppressed Christians in China and poor people in Central Kentucky, senior minister Mike Breaux said.
The effort was inspired by the New Testament tale of a master who gave money to his three servants, telling them to invest it while he was gone. Two of the servants made wise investments, but the third buried the money instead.
"It's not about what we drive and what we wear," said Steve Gay, the church's groundskeeper. "It's the treasures we lay up in heaven that really have significant value."
