Traditions
Tradition One – The Dollar Offering.
This is the first tradition of the Merimnao ministry, and it was started at the very first official meeting on January 10th, 2010. The tradition is this:
At each meeting of any type, such as a group meeting, leadership meeting, fellowship time, prayer meeting, conference, retreat or any other gathering under the Merimnao ministry name we have an offering. In this offering we ask that every participant gives a dollar no matter what their circumstances.
The Purpose of the Offering.
The primary purpose of this small offering is to demonstrate an attitude of thankfulness in all things. This verse reminds us of why we choose to give thanks at all times:
Col 3:17 – Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. (NASB)
Some Background for this Tradition.
It is a common practice. Volunteer led groups all over the globe take up collections or offerings during their meetings. Mostly, this is done to fund the operation of the group, and as a way of giving back to the group in a spirit of gratitude. 12-Step programs are probably the best example of this in action. Since this practice is so prevalent, and is a part of what makes a group successful, we believe it is wise to adopt a similar approach within Merimnao.
Attitude of Gratitude. Merimnao is a ministry to the brokenhearted, and no matter if we are emotionally shattered, or jubilantly victorious, we are to be thankful in all things according to the Scriptures. Giving anything in thanks at any time in our brokenheartedness is appropriate. The grateful giving of a small amount of money is an outward sign of love for, and obedience to, Christ.
It is a sacrificial gift. Any gift or financial offering made to provide funds for the operation of Merimnao is to be made after a person’s voluntary obligation to the church. This is also true for the dollar offering. Merimnao is wholly supportive of the perspective that one must give to the church in obedience to the Scriptures prior to any other form of gifting for special reasons. This means that one ought not to give the dollar offering unless they are fulfilling their personal giving covenant with the local church. The dollar offering is to be made over and above such a covenanted amount.
Every Participant Contributes. No matter what a person’s circumstances, they are likely to be able to contribute a dollar in each meeting they attend. This means that we all contribute financially on a continuous basis. The point of this is that all the participants will have emotional ownership of the ministry.
It Helps Fund the Operation. The money collected from the one dollar offering is kept separate within the church financial system and is wholly reserved for use by the ministry of Merimnao. This is also true for any special donations given by individuals who support the ministry through extra giving. The money given through the offering is allocated this way. Eighty percent is placed into the Merimnao operational fund, ten percent into the Merimnao counseling assistance program and ten percent into a long term capital fund.
The Offerings are Pooled. Each group and each participant will be contributing to the general operation of the ministry. The money raised within one group is likely to be needed in another group, and so each participant can be assured that their dollars are being used to help others who are brokenhearted.
Tradition Two – The Testimonies.
Tradition Two for Merimnao began on February 28th, 2010 at the first open meeting of the ministry. Tradition Two says this:
Each ministry designated or appointed leader will give their in-depth personal testimony at an open meeting of the ministry.
The Basis for This Tradition
The first aspect of this tradition to look at is the scriptural basis for it. This verse speaks to that:
Matt 10:32 – “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven.” NASU
These are the words of Jesus, who clearly states that we are to confess Him before men. In a personal testimony, we speak publicly about what Jesus has done in our lives; this is confessing Him before men.
The second aspect to consider is that when we hide our secrets and the negative emotional conditions that go with them, such as shame, we are then operating under a condition of fear. It is as if our secrets hold a power over us, when in actuality we are scared of revealing something about ourselves.
John 3:20-21 – “Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.” NIV
Speaking of our past and all its secrets, is living in the truth, and as Jesus puts it in this scripture, living in the light. It is part of our personal healing to speak the truth out loud about ourselves, and all the things we have done, so that we can remove this unnecessary fear from our lives. Scripture also reminds us of this:
2 Tim 1:7 – For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. NASU
The third aspect of giving a personal testimony is our personal witness as broken individuals who have been healed to the point that they are helping to guide others. We are going to ask other people to share their emotional pain, and be open and honest about it. We must be able to ask that of others out of the fact that we have open and honest about our own lives.
John 4:24 – “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” NASU
These are the words of Jesus again. As we worship God through working with brokenhearted people, we must work through the Holy Spirit and in the truth. This is not a reference to other people’s truth; it is us, those who minister, who must be living in truth. If we keep something hidden by not sharing it, we are not living in the truth, and we cannot expect God to bless our work.
In short, there are three very sound reasons for all those who will be working on the front line to give a personal testimony.
If you would like to see our guidelines for writing a testimony, open up this pdf file.
