A dinner for five at a family restaurant averages about $35. Giving a customary 15 percent tip would add $5.25 to the cost of the meal. If the family ate out once a month the tip would amount to $63 over the course of a year.

Although we, in the Lake Union, gave the highest mission offerings per capita in 2003, they only amounted to an average of $29.07, less than half of the tips given by our once-a-month dining family.

Giving to world mission offerings has remained flat for decades, while tithe and local giving have increased with inflation. In 1930, members gave 65 percent to missions as compared to tithe. That percentage has plunged to a surprising four percent in the past three quarters of a century. And last year's mission offering total was the lowest since 1985.1 During the Great Depression, per capita giving to world mission offerings was 17 times what it is today in the Lake Union.

According to Juan Prestol, treasurer of the North American Division, "Adventist baby boomers and other younger members support the church in different ways than their parents." He goes on to say, "As world mission offerings have declined, there's been a rapid growth in direct giving, in which contributions are channeled directly to ministries for specific projects with measurable objectives."2

Although giving directly to specific projects has increased, it has not made up for the loss in giving to missions in general. The sobering questions need to be asked, "Do my Sabbath school offerings for world missions look like cheap tips?" "Am I unwilling to give unless I can maintain control over offering disbursement?"

The life of Jesus is our best example of giving with disinterested benevolence (giving with no strings attached). Giving was a part of who He was. And His giving was not dependent on how the gift would be treated, nor did He give any consideration to how He may personally benefit. David modeled that kind of giving when he gave toward the construction of the temple. He never witnessed the construction, participated in a worship service, or heard music at the temple. He just gave and gave and gave — with no personal benefit in return. Giving to the temple was a gift to God, an act of worship.

And that's how we should give to world missions. We may never see the results of our sacrifice. Our systematic support of world missions ought to be in proportion to the great resources the Lord has entrusted to us. Our giving should reflect the fact that we are privileged, and have the responsibility to include all of God's family around the world in the blessings that come to us from Him.

Paul Pellandini is the Michigan Conference Stewardship director.

1 Carlos Medley, "A Message in Numbers," Adventist Review, (2004:6), 5.

2 Carlos Medley, "How Do Adventists Give?" Adventist Review, (2004:1), 5.