"However weak we are, however poor, however little our faith, or however small our grace may be, our names are still written on His heart; nor shall we lose our share in Jesus' love" - Charles Spurgeon
Flatiron Church looks to the Bible as the recorded word of God and the sole infallible authoritative text to base the church’s theological beliefs upon. We view the London Baptist Confession of Faith 1689 as instructive and informative for the church to be held accountable to, especially in the interpretation of the Bible.
The foundational basis of our belief is the Bible, composed of the 39 books of the Old Testament and 27 books of the New Testament. We believe that Scripture in its entirety originated with God and that it was given through the instrumentality of chosen men.
The Bible, like Jesus, is incarnational, simultaneously speaking with the authority of God and reflecting the backgrounds, styles, and vocabularies of the human authors. We hold that the Bible is infallible in regard to God’s purposes and inerrant in the original manuscripts. They are the unique, full, and final authority on all matters of faith and practice, and there are no other writings similarly inspired by God.
Biblical Support
2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; 2 Timothy 1:13; Psalm 12:6, 119:105, 160; Proverbs 30:5
We believe that there is one true, holy God, eternally existing in three persons-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit-each of whom possess co-equal divinity, glory, and majesty as the Holy Trinity. We worship one God in trinity and the trinity in unity, neither blending their persons nor dividing their essence.
Just as Christian truth compels us to confess each person individually as both God and Lord, so our religion forbids us to say that there are three gods or lords. In the beginning God created out of nothing the world and all the things therein, thus manifesting the glory of His power, wisdom, and goodness. By His sovereign power He continues to sustain His creation. By His providence He is operating throughout history to fulfill His redemptive purposes.
Biblical Support
Genesis 1:1, 26-27, 3:22; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:14
We believe that God the Father holds all the attributes of God while exercising a unique role in the Godhead. He is the father of Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, and yet still is God. God the Father adopts believers in Jesus Christ into a relationship with Him as their Father.
Biblical Support
John 15:1-4; Deuteronomy 32:6; Isaiah 9:6, 63:16; John 20:17; Romans 8:14-17; Galatians 4:6
Jesus Christ is the co-eternal second person of the Trinity through whose work and person God has achieved His redemptive purpose of reconciling all creation with Himself. Eternally God, Jesus was later united forever with a true human nature by a miraculous conception and virgin birth in his consubstantial nature.
He lived a life of perfect obedience to the Father and voluntarily atoned for human sin by dying on the cross as a substitute. Thus, Jesus satisfied divine justice and accomplished salvation for all who trust in Him alone. He rose from the dead in the same body, though glorified, in which He lived and died. He ascended into Heaven and sat down at the right hand of the Father, where He, the only Mediator between God and man, continually makes intercession for His own people. He shall come again to earth, personally and visibly, to consummate history and the eternal plan of God.
Biblical Support
Matthew 1:22, 23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5, 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14-15; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Romans 1:3-4; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Timothy 6:14-15; Titus 2:13
The essential accompaniment of a genuine saving relationship with Jesus Christ is a life of holiness and obedience, attained by believers as they submit to the Holy Spirit, the co-eternal third Person of the Trinity. He was sent into the world by the Father and the Son to apply to mankind the saving work of Christ.
At the point of salvation, He permanently indwells every believer to become the source of assurance, strength and wisdom, and uniquely endows each believer with gifts for the building up of the body of Christ, the Church. The Holy Spirit guides believers in understanding and applying the Bible. His power and control are appropriated by faith, making it possible for the believer to lead a life of Christ-like character and to bear fruit to the glory of the Father. He enlightens the minds of sinners, awakens in them the recognition of their need for a Savior and regenerates them.
Biblical Support
2 Corinthians 3:17; John 16:7-13, 14:16-17; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 2:12, 3:16; Ephesians 1:13; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 5:18; 2 Corinthians 5:17
We believe fallen man’s hope of redemption is only possible through the shed blood of Jesus Christ and his work on the cross. The central purpose of God’s revelation to man in the Bible is to call all people into fellowship with himself. Originally created to have fellowship with God, mankind sinned against God, choosing to go his independent way, and thus was alienated from God and seared the corruption of his nature, rendering him unable to please God.
The fall took place at the beginning of human history, and all individuals since have suffered these consequences and are thus in need of the saving grace of God. The salvation and justification of mankind is wholly a work of God’s free grace, not the result, in whole or in part of human works or goodness and must be personally appropriated by repentance and faith. When God has begun a saving work in the heart of any person, he gives assurance in his Word that he will continue performing it until the day Jesus returns.
All who confess their just payment for sin is death and have faith in Jesus as their Savior and Lord are saved. Those who look to Jesus’ Great Exchange for their sin on his cross in exchange for his righteousness are forgiven for their sin. Their repentance, or turning 180 degrees away from sin, and belief in Jesus’ Great Exchange are marks of their salvation.
Biblical Support
Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 14:6, 1:12; Titus 3:5; Galatians 3:26; Isaiah 59:1-2; Philippians 1:6
We believe people are made in the image of God, male and female. God’s Creation was created from nothing (ex nihilo), especially Adam and Eve. They were not created from an evolutionary process. We are designed to be His representatives, pointing the rest of creation back to God. As such, people are the pinnacle of God’s creation. Although every person has tremendous potential for good, we are marred and cursed by sin which separates people from God and causes many problems in life. (Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:23; Isaiah 59:1-2). Death seals the eternal destiny of each person. For all mankind, there will be a resurrection of the body into the spiritual world and a judgment that will determine the fate of each individual. Unbelievers will be separated from God into condemnation. God’s judgment will reveal His justice by consigning them to perpetuate in eternal retribution their own rejection of God. Believers will be received into eternal communion with God and will be rewarded for works done in this life. Because God gives us eternal life through Jesus Christ, the true believer is secure in that salvation for eternity. If you have been genuinely saved, you cannot “lose” it. Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian. It is the grace and keeping power of God that gives us this security.
Biblical Support
John 10:29; 2 Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 7:25; 10:10,14; 1 Peter 1:3-5; John 3:16, 2:25, 5:11-13; Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:15
We believe the church is the body and bride of Christ and also serves as the household of faith. It is a living temple where God dwells in each of His people. We believe that everyone that has been saved by Christ is a member of His church and called to be a connected and beneficial part of His body. We believe that the church is commanded to love God and others, thus relationship is the primary vehicle through which we share the gospel, and through which the church will grow to maturity. We believe that His church exists throughout the world, and is witnessed and experienced in local autonomous gatherings of believers that are overseen by Elders. We believe submission to God’s authority and the authority of the appointed Elders in the local church is essential for unity and reveals our spiritual maturity.
Biblical Support
Ephesians 4:16; Romans 12:4-5; Ephesians 5:24-32; Galatians 6:1O; 1 Peter 2:4-5; 1 Corinthians 3:16; Acts 14:23; Matthew 16:16-18; Acts 2:42-47; Romans 12:5; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Ephesians 1:20-23; 4:3-1O; Colossians 3:14-15. Romans 13, Hebrews 13
We believe prayer is a vital way we experience that the living God is living still. We believe in the power of prayer, both individually and communally. Prayer is an essential part of a Christian life and is used not merely as a ritualistic practice, but a means to a relationship with God. Prayer gives us strength to experience God’s grace daily and walk closer with Him. We believe we are called to pray for blessings on all of Christ’s churches everywhere. Our government leaders and public officials need our prayers so we can live peaceful lives as the Bible teaches. No matter what, when we pray, we open our hearts to God, trusting He will respond in His perfect way and timing.
Biblical Support
Philippians 4:6-7; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; James 5:16; Mark 11:24; 1 Timothy 2:2
We believe baptism is a symbol of a spiritual reality. As such, any view of baptism that would make it the cause or seal of regeneration is counter to the gospel. We believe baptism, by immersion, was both modeled and commanded by Christ. We believe baptism is only for those who believe in Christ Jesus as their Lord and Savior. We believe one who has believed, confessed and repented should be baptized, in a timely act of obedience. Likewise, we believe that no one needs to be rebaptized. We believe that anyone who has been baptized as an infant should be ready to be baptized at Flatiron Church.
Biblical Support
Matthew 28:18-21; Acts 2:37-38; Acts 8:35-39; Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:12; 1 Corinthians 12:13
We believe singleness is a status of dignity, value, and worth with its own ways to serve the kingdom of God and contribute to the life of the world. Whether a temporary or permanent calling, singleness courageously engages the fears withholding a person from getting married and submits those fears to God.
We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. The term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. As a result, the staff of Flatiron Church will only participate in weddings and the solemnization of marriages between one man and one woman. God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other. God has commanded that no sexual activity, of any kind, be engaged in outside of marriage. Cohabitating, living with the opposite sex outside of marriage, is highly discouraged since it is outside the bounds of biblical relationship.
We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking his mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. Likewise, every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect and dignity.
Biblical Support
Genesis 1:26-27; Genesis 2:18-25; Matthew 19:4-6; 1 Corinthians 6:18, 7:2-5; Hebrews 13:4; Matthew 15:18-20, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Matthew 5:16; Philippians 2:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 5:22; Acts 3:19-21, Romans 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31
We believe that from the beginning God created two separate and distinct biological sexes: male and female. Moreover, we believe that Scripture does not permit any difference between biological sex and gender identity or expression. Man has been created by God and any attempt to misconstrue the difference between male/female and/or biological sex/gender identity is an attempt to self-create and is a result of sin and the fall. We also acknowledge that there are rare instances where people are born with an indiscriminate biological sex. Yet, these cases do not involve an attempt to self-create nor deny the dignity of how they were born.
We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of Flatiron Church as the local Body of Christ, and to provide a biblical role model to Flatiron Church members and the community, it is imperative that all persons employed by Flatiron Church in any capacity, or who serve as volunteers, agree to and abide by the Nashville Statement on Gender and Sexuality from the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood.
Biblical Support
Genesis 1:26-27; Matthew 19:4; Mark 10:6-7; Psalm 139:14
We believe there will be a literal return of Christ and a judgment day. We also believe there will be a literal rapture (a catching up of the saints).
Some in our church believe in historical premillennialism, others believe in an amillennialist view, while others believe in the postmillennialist view, and others in a dispensational view. We believe you can hold any of the views and still be a Christian.
Some from the premillennialism view believe:
Some from the postmillennialist view believe:
Some from the amillennialist view believe:
Some from the dispensational view believe:
Whatever your view on The End, no one knows the day and the hour of Christ’s return, only God knows.
Biblical Support
Matthew 12:36; Matthew 24:36; John 5:22, 16:8; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; 2 Peter 3:7; Jude 6
We believe men and women are absolutely equal in essence, dignity and value but are distinct by divine design. While followers of Jesus hold different theological views on women in ministry, Flatiron Church holds to a “complementarian” position: we believe God created two distinct yet complementary genders for our good, His glory, and to reflect His nature and character to the world. As part of God’s created order, men and women are to have different yet complementary roles and responsibilities in marriage and church leadership.
We believe that husbands and wives are to uphold the distinctives the Bible calls them to, while honoring and exercising their roles as described in the Bible. We believe that the ultimate authority in Biblical Headship, as modeled by Christ loving the church, applies only to husbands in the home. Also in the home, wives, who are created equal, exercise unique submission and they demonstrate respect to their husbands (Ephesians 5). This submission is different from the mutual submission Christians experience with one another.
As it relates to the church, men and women are both expected to serve, teach and lead; however, the office of Elder/Pastor is reserved for qualified men (1 Tim. 3; Titus 1). Mixed-gender teaching environments are overseen by Elders/Pastors and will be led by qualified men. Gender-specific teaching environments are taught by a leader of the same gender. We hold this view with deep conviction, humility, and a commitment to see both men and women flourish as they use their gifts for the good of the Church and the glory of God. For more on this doctrine, read the Danvers Statement online produced by the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood.
Biblical Support
Genesis 2:18-25; 1 Corinthians 12:4-31; Galatians 3:28-29; 1 Timothy 2:8-15; Titus 2:3-5; 1 Peter 3:1-7
We believe generosity is more than an act. It’s a core part of following Jesus. From the beginning, God created us to steward what He’s given, and the Bible calls our time, talents and treasures be given obediently and generously in response to God’s grace, mercy and love for us. Jesus showed us the greatest example of sacrificial giving through His life, death, and resurrection. For us, generosity is discipleship in action: we give to worship God, fuel His mission, and store up eternal treasure.
It’s not about a number, it’s about a surrendered heart, trained to trust Him more and bless others. Historically, giving 10% of one’s income was defined as a “tithe”. We believe that God invites us to take steps toward tithing by first giving any amount, then prayerfully giving a chosen percentage, and then prayerfully giving 10% of our gross income. We believe that any giving over 10% is an “offering of generosity” for the great things God does for us daily and can be directed at the givers’ discretion to any worthwhile ministry, church or organization. We believe every gift given is an eternal investment, shaping our lives all while displaying the greater love of Jesus to the world.
Biblical Support
Leviticus 27:30; Malachi 3:7-12; Acts 4:32-5:11; 2 Corinthians 8:1-9:15; 2 Corinthians 9:6-15; Mark 12:43; 2 Samuel 24:24; Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42
Throughout history, men women have been a vital part of God’s Church. God has used women to dispense His grace to others, advance the gospel, and serve His people and the world. Flatiron Church values the gifting, voice, influence, and contributions of women in our church and in our communities. With awareness of the potential for any theological position to be weaponized, this document exists to lay out our position with sound theological reasoning, a posture of charity, and a deep commitment for both women and men to flourish and use their spiritual gifts in the context of the local church.
TWO GENERAL VIEWS ON WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP
The theological views of egalitarianism and complementarianism agree that men and women are equal in worth, dignity, and essence because both are created in God’s image and are charged with responsibility to rule over His creation (Gen 1:26-27). The two views are also in agreement that gender is absolutely irrelevant regarding who may or may not be saved, that we are justified because of His grace regardless of gender (Gal 3:28). And the two views further agree that God gifts women and uses women in ministry to His people and the world. The views differ, however, on the God-given roles assigned to men and women, specifically in marriage and ministry.
1. Egalitarianism
Also known as “Biblical Equality,” this view believes women and men are given equal authority, opportunity, and responsibility in service and leadership in the home and the Church. This view would affirm the complementarity of the genders as being distinctly male and female, but as equals, who, “when in a relationship of mutual submission, function as equal to the task of co-dominion over creation and coworkers in the church.” Those who hold this view believe men and women are equal in function, including in marriage and ministry. Eve’s description as “helper” means she who comes to complement and join in equal partnership, not in a subordinate relationship to the man (Gen 2:18, 22-24). Proponents view biblical examples of females in partnership with males in the Old and New Testament as evidence that God intends to establish equality in function and that any hierarchical disposition is a result of sin and this fallen world. The implication of this view for local church ministry is that men and women called and gifted by God can occupy any role in the Church.
2. Complementarianism
This view believes men and women hold distinct, though equally important, roles in marriage and ministry. God’s design at creation has implications for marriage and ministry, calling men and women to exercise complementary roles and responsibilities (1 Cor 11:3, 8), and therefore forbidding women from certain practices, such as “regularly teaching men and exercising authority over them.” Complementarians often assert that God assigned a primary headship role to men of exercising loving and sacrificial authority over women (Eph 5:21-33). Some interpret Eve being created from Adam’s side and being named by Adam as a sign of headship showing this was God’s intent before sin entered the world.
Complementarians affirm that while God calls men and women to the work of service in the Church, He set guidelines for order in worship and leadership (1 Tim 3:2, Tit 1:6). They cite the Apostle Paul’s letter to Timothy calling women not to assume authority over men (1 Tim 2:11-13, Tit 2:3-5). The implication of this view for local church ministry is that some roles in the church are specifically reserved for men.
Complementarians differ on which roles are reserved for men. Some complementarians believe the title of elder, overseer, and pastor refer to the same office and are reserved for men. Some complementarians believe that only men in the role of elder/overseer/pastor should teach and preach. Other complementarians believe that “pastoring” and “teaching” is a gift given to both genders, and only the position of elder/overseer is reserved for men, differentiating gifts from office. These complementarians are often called “soft complementarians” by the broader evangelical world.
SO WHERE IS FLATIRON?
Flatiron Church has adopted and operates from the complementarian position. The position of Flatiron is what is commonly recognized as “Standard Complementarianism.” This position is adopted with a spirit of conviction and charity recognizing that every believer is a minister with a ministry, which is ultimately maximized under God’s gracious design for the Church’s flourishing and for both women and men who have been equally created in His image.
Spiritual headship is expressed at Flatiron with an elder body consisting of men and a male senior pastor who also serves as an elder. While women are encouraged in the full usage of their gifting, the role/title of Pastor and mix-gendered preaching/teaching is reserved for those who are Elders / or who may become Elders according to the qualifications enumerated in 1 Timothy 3:1-7.
THEOLOGICAL CONTEXT FOR COMPLEMENTARY ROLES
1. Headship in marriage is in the Creation Account
In the creation account, the woman is called “helper” (Heb: ezer) to the man, Adam (Gen 2:18). This term is not meant to be derogatory or diminishing since God uses ezer (Ps 54:4) for both male and female who are created in the image of God (Gen 1:27). God’s expectation for the man is to love and serve his wife sacrificially by stewarding his role rather than lording it over (Eph 5:25).10 A wife is to intelligently, voluntarily, and actively submit to her husband as the Church submits to Christ (Eph 5:24). These roles were not restructured after the Fall and thus remain God’s primary design for male and female functions and unity in marriage.
2. Church Headship was patterned after God’s design
While the previous example is rooted in events prior to the Fall in Genesis 3, the shaping of church leadership according to the writings of the New Testament are written after the Fall. However, Paul roots his reasoning in the original Edenic design of headship (1 Tim 2:13) and the timeless example of the triune God (1 Cor 11:3), rather than the changing cultural narratives of his day. This is also harmonious with the historical pattern of God in choosing men to fulfill the primary role of spiritual headship from Old Testament priests to the twelve Apostles of Jesus.
3. Headship is in the role of Elder/Overseer/Pastor
The terms “elders, overseers, and pastors” are interchangeable and designate the primary spiritual leaders of the Church (Tit 1:5, 7; Acts 20:17, 28). God has designated men as elders/overseers/pastors.
In the first-century church, male elders were selected by the original church planters (Acts 14:23) or by other elders (Tit 1:5), with recognition from the congregation for its leaders (Acts 6:3; 15:22-23). The designated title and office of elders comes with great responsibility. While the term “elder” emphasizes maturity, the “overseer/pastor” term emphasizes leadership responsibility. They have final responsibility before God for prayer ministry ( Jas 5:14), ministry of the Word (Acts 6:4) including teaching and guarding the church’s doctrine (Acts 20:27-31; 1 Tim 5:17; Tit 1:9), the administration of the Church (1 Tim 3:5), and shepherding the flock (1 Pet 5:2).
Furthermore, the office of Elder comes with high standards. Elders must be blameless in character (1 Tim 3:1-7; Tit 1:5-9), able to teach Scripture (1 Tim 3:2; 5:17), and answer those who contradict it (Tit 1:9). An elder must be the “husband of one wife” (1 Tim 3:2; 3:12). This qualification does not exclude an unmarried person, someone remarried after the death of a spouse, nor necessarily one who has divorced and remarried. The phrase describes a reputation as a “faithful” husband or a “one-wife kind of man” describing character, not circumstance. Elders are also public leaders. Therefore, a valid accusation of blame should only be accepted by two or three witnesses and result in public rebuke (1 Tim 5:19-20).
Ideally, the local church has a plurality of elders (Acts 14:23; 20:17; Phil 1:1; 1 Tim 4:14; 5:17; Tit 1:5; Jas 5:14). Their authority is to be expressed in loving leadership and not lording over the flock (1 Pet 5:3; Heb 13:17). Apart from this, Scripture does not describe how elders should organize themselves, and so should be determined by church size, cultural context, and specific needs of the body.
WHAT THIS MEANS (AND DOESN’T MEAN) FOR FLATIRON CHURCH
1. This does not mean Flatiron views men as more important than women in the life of the Church, because women are just as indispensable and invaluable to God’s Church.
This also means that qualified and selected men (elders/overseers/pastors) are instructed to carry the spiritual responsibility and burden of sacrificial oversight for the flourishing of the Church (1 Tim 2:12-15; 1 Cor 11:2-12) in accordance with God’s design of headship.
2. This does not mean only men can exercise their gifts in the life of the Church. Both men and women are invited to orderly participation and expression of spiritual gifts under the leadership of the elders.
Christ’s gifts are given to both men and women to advance the Kingdom of Heaven (Eph 4:12; 1 Cor 12:1-11; Rom 12:3-8). They’re given to different people, in different measure, according to God’s wisdom through His Spirit. The New Testament invites the entire body of Christ, as the priesthood of God, to utilize their gifts to build up one another. The ordering of these gifts, however, is to be maximized for the wellbeing of the Church under the leadership of the elders.
A WORD TO THOSE WHO DISAGREE
We acknowledge that some complementarians and egalitarians disagree with the position of Flatiron Church.
For complementarians who hold to a “soft complementarian” view, I ask you to consider the novelty of such a view. This camp usually makes explicit the role of headship within the home. These convictions find their grounding in “standard complementarian” theological argumentation and proof-text. Yet when the conversation moves to church leadership, many in this camp align their argumentation and proof-texts with those from an Egalitarian point of view. My question, which will win in the end? You will not find lasting peace within such an arrangement. One will win out in time…and if history is to be believed, cultural winds prove hard to resist. As such, I would encourage your heart to examine the historic position of the church (Standard Complementarism), to see the goodness of God’s plan, and to find peace therein.
For egalitarians who find this position wanting, this position is held with confidence that God’s design is intended to maximize both the gifts of the Body and the flourishing of men and women alike. God’s order and structure are not designed to stifle humanity but to release humanity into the fullness of Spirit-empowered potential.
1. The Foundation: We Were Stewards Before We Were Sinners
From the beginning of creation, generosity has been part of God’s design for humanity. Before sin entered the world, Adam was placed in the garden “to work it and take care of it” (Genesis 2:15). Stewardship is not a post-sin response—it’s part of our original calling.
Everything we have belongs to God. “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.” (Psalm 24:1) We are not owners—we are stewards, entrusted with time, talents, and resources to use for His glory and the flourishing of others.
When we truly grasp how generous God has been to us—through creation, daily provision, and ultimately in Jesus—gratitude wells up. We’re not pressured to give, we’re compelled to. Generosity becomes our joyful response to God’s grace.
Jesus modeled this open-handed life. He washed His disciples’ feet in John 13—an act of humble service—and then gave His life on the cross for our salvation. He held nothing back. That’s the kind of life we’re called to follow.
2. The Journey: Generosity is How We Grow
Generosity isn’t just a one-time gift; it’s a way of life. It’s how we train our hearts to trust God more and love people better. Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21)
Paul said, “On the first day of the week, set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income.” (1 Corinthians 16:2)
Giving reflects what we value—and it also shapes our values. Over time, generosity changes us. It softens our grip, strengthens our faith, and reminds us that we serve a generous God who never runs out.
Training Your Generosity Muscles:
We often talk about the tithe—giving 10%—and it’s a meaningful benchmark. In the Old Testament, it was a standard of obedience (Leviticus 27:30; Malachi 3:10). But under the New Covenant, Jesus shifts the focus from obligation to overflow.
“Each of you should give what you’ve decided in your heart to give—not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7)
At Flatiron, we’re less concerned with the percentage and more concerned with the posture. The tithe is a starting line, not a finish line. It’s not about a number—it’s about a heart fully surrendered to God’s mission.
3. The Test: Belief Gets You In, But Behavior Shapes Your Eternity
We believe generosity is more than just an act of obedience—it’s an act of eternal investment.
Belief in Jesus opens the door to salvation.
“Whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
But Scripture is also clear: our behavior shapes our experience in heaven. Jesus spoke often of rewards, faithfulness, and accountability:
And in one of His most powerful promises, Jesus said:
“I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, will receive now in return a hundred times… and in the world to come, that person will have eternal life.” (Mark 10:29–30)
Jesus sees every sacrifice—and He repays with eternal rewards. Nothing surrendered for His name is ever lost.
That’s why Paul told the Philippians: “Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account.” (Philippians 4:17)
That’s our prayer for you too. We don’t want something from you—we want something for you: the blessing of being used by God now and rewarded by Him forever.
4. The Blessing: Following in Jesus’ Footsteps
Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)
When we give, we are participating in something far bigger than ourselves:
The woman in Mark 14 poured expensive perfume on Jesus—an extravagant, deeply personal act of worship. Others criticized her, but Jesus called it “a beautiful thing.”
That’s what true generosity looks like. It’s not about the size of the gift—it’s about the love and surrender behind it.
As 1 Chronicles 29:14 reminds us: “Everything comes from You, and we have given You only what comes from Your hand.”
When we give—whether finances, time, or service—we reflect the very nature of Christ. We become the kind of people who mirror Jesus wherever we go.
Final Thought:
Generosity is discipleship.
It’s not just something we do. It’s who we’re becoming.
It starts with giving something.
It grows with giving consistently.
It flourishes when we stretch to give sacrificially. Let’s be a church marked by open-handed living—reflecting Jesus and fueling His mission with joy, faith, and purpose.
