I think one of my favorite stories in the Gospels is Jesus feeding the five thousand. There is so much in this story that stands out to me, but one thing in particular is the boy who gave his lunch for the cause.
The disciples of Jesus were faced with a dilemma. They knew the hour was getting late and the people needed to have something to eat before making the journey home. The only thing they had was a few small fish and a couple loaves of bread. This was all the boy had and this is what he gave the disciples.
After receiving the fish and the bread from the little boy, the disciples took the food to Jesus. As He often did, Jesus took something that was seemingly small and insignificant and made it into something useful. He turned it into something that had an enormous impact. Jesus took the fish and the two loaves of bread and fed five thousand men (this did not count the women and children that were present).
The people went away satisfied, and the disciples were left in astonishment at what just took place.
Jesus took something small and used it to have an enormous impact on the people that were present.
Each year at the Vertical Three Conference, Free Will Baptist young people bring what seems like something insignificant that collectively makes an eternal impact.
The Buck-a-Week program challenges Free Will Baptist students to save one dollar a week for fifty-two weeks, bring that money to the Vertical Three Conference and contribute it to the offering on Tuesday evening of the conference.
The total amount of the offering at the conference is then divided between two different missionary families (one international missionary and one North American missionary). During the 2021 conference, Free Will Baptist students raised just over $6,000.
On an individual level, $52 might seem like to a few small fish and a couple loaves of bread. However, when it is blessed by God there is no limits to what that $52 might accomplish for the Kingdom.
Due to the heroic giving of Free Will Baptist students, men and women will hear the name of Jesus for the first time, lives will be impacted with the Gospel, and churches will be planted.
Here is the question: Will you sacrifice a small amount of money so others might be impacted with the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
All it takes is one dollar a week. All it takes is something that seems very insignificant. All it takes is a few small fish and a couple of loaves of bread.
The 2022 Buck-a-Week missionaries are Doug and Miriam Bishop (Japan) and Alfredo and Ruth Botello (Oklahoma). More information about these ministries will be coming in the future. Stay tuned to verticalthree.com.