Our Annual Conference (AC) has a lot of money, why do we still need to give to AC? Why do we need to do 4 pledges, 10 items, missions and evangelism offerings? Maybe these questions are questions in your mind. Please allow me to answer as below:

AC has a lot of money?
Does our AC have a lot of money? 
Judging from outward appearances, our AC does appear to have plenty of money. But most of the money belongs to others, not money that the AC can use for themselves. This includes money entrusted by various organizations, fellowships, and pastors. Of course there is also money leftover from offerings accumulated over the past over 100 years. In recent years, offerings have increased from churches and church members, so we do have some savings. But as for these savings, we have already made plans a year or two ago, to use them wisely. Hopefully in these 4 years, we will use this money on ministries that are meaningful and needy, because people offer money not for AC to accumulate and set aside. This would be like burying money in the ground and waiting for Jesus to return. By then, Jesus would call us wicked and lazy servants (Matthew 25:26).

We have already planned to use this accumulated money to build the headquarters (will finish end of this year); renovate Wei Kuo Hall (completed), build Victory Home (completed); support operations and building costs of Methodist Theological School and Pilley Institute; build and support kindergartens; raise salaries and benefits for pastors, missionaries, and employees; support many indigenous churches and other churches including the Sabah Annual Conference, West Malaysia Wesley Methodist School, Malaysia Theological Seminary, Methodist Church of Cambodia etc. These ministries are able to be completed quickly because of your offerings in the past, not because the AC has a lot of money. Your offerings allow AC to have money to do something for God. Now this leads to the answer for the second question below.

Why give money to AC?
Churches and church members give money to the annual conference because of our church’s tradition of the pooling system. The pooling system means: You and churches give money to AC. The AC in turn distributes the money as the salaries and benefits of almost 200 pastors. These pastors, whether they are in the countryside or in the city, have the same salary and benefits, so that no one has cause for concerns nor worries for tomorrow. It also allows all churches and preaching centers, big or small, to have pastors.

In other words, if you do not want to give money to AC, you are telling the pastors: “I do not support your salary. Go in peace; keep warm and well fed.” James said that is a dead faith, a faith without actions (James 2:14-17). If you do not give AC money, you are also telling the smaller churches: “I do not support you. As long as my church has a pastor, it doesn’t matter whether you have a pastor!”

Besides salaries for pastors, your offerings also support the salaries of about 60 overseas and local missionaries. Because of your offerings, our missionaries are not like missionaries from other organizations around the world who need to go around fundraising before they can even go into the missions fields. Our missionaries can immediately go into the missions fields, thanks to your offerings! Many people who are perishing are able to hear the gospel more quickly, thanks to the important role your offerings to AC plays!

Besides salaries for pastors and missionaries, the salaries of over a hundred employees of the annual conference also depend on your offerings. These workers bring great help and efficiency to every level of ministry in the annual conference. Without their ministry, the church cannot function. Without your offering, they cannot serve.

Why still do not give?
Besides supporting human resources, the money you give to AC also has many other effects and results. For example, AC can use your money to fully support gospel work among the indigenous peoples; help upgrade salaries of Iban pastors in the Iban Annual Conference; expand church planting ministries; develop youth ministries; improve and build kindergartens; support social concerns ministries, mass media ministries, theological school training etc. There are so many others. In a word, your offering and every cent you give to AC is invested in so many meaningful ministries. Do you still need to ask why give money to AC? Perhaps allow me to ask you: So many brothers and sisters and churches have given money to AC in order to distribute in this pooling system, all in one heart and one mind, to accomplish great things for the Lord, why do you still not give money to AC?

Dear brothers and sisters, the money you give to AC, no matter how much, is an offering to God. In God’s hands, the money has become the five loaves and two fish to bless multitudes. Let us give joyfully!