Services for Churches - Stewardship

Special Lenten Offering

The Lenten Season is one of the most important seasons in the Christian faith. It is a period of 40 Days, starting Ash Wednesday and ending at Easter. During this period, Christians around the world participate in a season of penitence, prayers, fasting and self-denial, just as Jesus did when he spent 40 days in the wilderness. (Matthew 4:1-25 and Luke 4:1-13)

Many believers pray and fast during the 40 days of Lent. Lenten fasts normally do not include Sundays. Prayer and fasting cleanses and prepares us for a spiritual awakening. Others pray, meditate and give up daily rituals, such as soda, candy or coffee.

The 40 days of Lent can be one of the most powerful and awesome times in the Christian year. Imagine a congregation of believers united for a season of spiritual enrichment. Practicing the spiritual disciplines of prayer and fasting strengthen a believer’s spiritual walk. Consider challenging your congregation to a season of prayer and fasting. Create a special prayer list of concerns and issues for the Church, community, nation and world, along with personal concerns.

This type of prayer list may include:

Encourage members to give up their lunchtime, and substitute it for a time of prayer, meditation or study. Further, encourage them to place the funds they would have normally spent on lunch in a weekly offering. This will serve as a symbolic sacrificial gift, as a reminder of Christ’s sacrifice for us.

This season of the year has unlimited possibilities for a group of committed believers praying, fasting and presenting weekly sacrificial offerings. James 5:16, states “The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.”

Prayerfully consider this church-wide spiritual exercise in remembrance of Jesus spending 40 days in the wilderness. This exercise will strengthen and empower. Believers will be blessed individually and collectively as members of the body of Christ.