And they had all things in common (Acts 2:44-45)...

Among many other purposes, the express purpose of the church in the New Testament was to encourage Christians who were financially blessed to share with those who were not. Every month, we automatically take 10% from our tithes and give it to those in need. From the last 4 months, 10% of our tithe has averaged $50 a month, giving us a total of $200. The unique element to this "common fund" is that it is up to all the members to decide how to spend it. With the $200, we decided to split it, using $100 for our outside general community by creating care packages for the homeless, and $100 for those in need within the church. For the person in need, we decided to challenge one another again. Using the $100 as "seed money", we challenged one another to give above and beyond. The result was incredible. We were able to give nearly $500 to a person within the church who has felt the brunt of our economic downtown more than others.

It was a blessing to be a part of it all. If you ever get a chance to band together with other believers to help someone in need, do so. There is nothing greater than being a conduit of God's blessing.