A MYSTERIOUS BLESSING

A very mysterious thing continues to happen at Brighton Assembly of God,  the church my wife Rhonda and I pastor. Approximately every 12 months, a particular individual shows up at the church.  Nobody knows who this person is…nobody ever sees their arrival or departure… he or she never appears during office hours or at a time when someone  may recognize them.  This secretive person never waits to see a pastor or phones ahead of time to say they are visiting the church campus. They just show up and leave an envelope. As quickly as they arrive, they depart equally as fast.  This has happened three times over the past three years. The most recent visit was this morning amidst a big snow storm in the Detroit area.

This morning our church receptionist attached a note on the secretive envelope stating… “Pastor this was on my desk when I came in this morning.”  The 8.5 x 11 envelope just said, “Brighton Assembly of God.”  Inside the envelope were the simliar contents to the previous two “drops.” The envelope was filled with cash…$20′s, $50′s & 100′s.  The total amount of cash in the envelope this morning was very comparable to the previous episodes… $4800.  Why this individual chooses to give this way and how long this giving pattern will continue  is completely unknown to me.  I am blown away each time our church is blessed in this manner. I would really like to meet this unknown person and thank them for the gifts they present to the church.  

As I have reflected on the giving patterns of this secretive person and other extraordinary gifts our church has received over the years I do find a definite correlation that I cannot ignore as it relates to Brighton Assembly and its giving pattern.  The correlation is this… over the last several years when our church has made a sacrificial gift to another ministry beyond the scope of BAG, such as City of Refuge in Jamaica, Power Company Kids Club in Pontiac, Michigan or Convoy of Hope‘s Haiti relief we as a church almost immediately have been blessed financially.  Blessed far beyond our initial investment. It is absolutely amazing to see how this pasttern continues. For example, last night we had an incredible service with missionary Steve Puffpaff from the City of Refuge Children’s Home.  We received an offering for this amazing ministry. God’s people were generous, many giving very sacrificially. Then this morning’s envelope!!!

Coincidence? I don’t think so! Just the Lord providing for His church in a reciprocal manner… even if He uses mystery givers!