Barry,
We just completed the ABC's of Financial Freedom. We conducted the series in the smack dab middle of spring break. In spite of that we have experienced revival. People are hungry for the Word and for the forth right preaching about Biblical principles for finances and freedom from debt. We challenged our people to make tithing the center piece for their financial future. We have had over 400 people/families make commitments...many of them "first time tithers." We have a huge budget for a church of 1,000, needing $40,000 every week in offerings. First Sunday after ABC's our offering hit $54,000!! IN ADDITION we baptized a 40 year old man who had been attending for four years. He read the ABC's book and on page 77 it talks about giving your heart to Jesus and being baptized...and he did it!! Our elders have also decided to place the Chest of Joash in the lobby at NorthEast to collect "love offerings" to pay down our $10,000,000 debt! Barry, we could not be more pleased. Many people said, including Wayne B. Smith, that the concluding sermon you preached at NorthEast was one of the greatest they had ever heard! Thanks for letting God use you in a powerful way. Lives, homes, marriages, businesses and churches are being changed!!
Wally Rendel, Interim Minister, NorthEast CC, Lexington,KY
I've been meaning to tell you about our offerings since the first of the year: we have seen a 71% increase in giving this year compared to last year! We have been setting aside over 10,000 a week in savings and have more money in reserve than at any time here in recent history. God continues to amaze week after week with generous giving. Truthfully, I'm blown away by it! I agree with another pastor who said, "The ABC's of Financial Freedom is blessed by God in a special way." Thanks friend for all you have done to make yourself available to the Lord for this special ministry.
John Hampton, Pastor, Journey Christian Church
Apopka, FL
Barry,
I must tell you that nothing we’ve done in my time here has impacted our people quite like The ABC’s to Financial Freedom. I don’t know of anything in my ministry experience that helps people jump out in faith and begin trusting God like the challenge of ABC’s. Our people are seeking God and looking for his activity in their lives like never before – and they’re experiencing his faithfulness. It is truly life changing and as a pastor it is a joy to watch. The ABC’s experience has fundamentally changed our church – and not just financially. It has changed the heart of our church and has deepened the faith of our people. And by the way, we had a record attendance on a three-day weekend the Sunday we launched the ABC’s series – and those record attendances continued throughout the series. People are hungry for Biblical teaching on personal finances. Thank you for your encouragement and support along the way and for your friendship going forward.
Sincerely,
James Brummett
Lead Pastor
Journey Christian Church
Midlothian, Virginia
“Barry, Thanks for making time to come see beautiful Southern California! We really enjoyed your visit and these past 5 weeks have been incredible for RLC. Our leadership continues to say how this series (The ABC’s) has truly been one of the greatest series in the history of Real Life Church. We have such a young church here in Santa Clarita, our people are not well educated on Biblical perspectives of money as much as they are educated on worldly perspectives. We hope and pray God continues to work in our families lives through what you have taught and what we will continue to re-enforce over the months/years to come. Thanks for making “The Storehouse” (our local church) the focus, and not your materials or books. We really appreciate you doing what God has so clearly called you to do!”
Jeremy Vanderlinden
Executive Pastor
Real Life Church, Santa Clarita, CA
Pastor Barry:
Thank you for allowing Matt to come and do an ABC’s weekend with us. He is a wonderful man of God, and it was a blessing to spend time with him.
I also want to thank you for what God is doing through the ABC’s. I am so glad we did it. God really moved in a powerful way. We are a different church because of it.
Thanks again for all you do.
God bless,
Mark Weigt, Lead Pastor
Ridge Community Church, New Berlin, Wisconsin
Barry,
I can’t tell you thanks enough for all that you have done for RLC! The book, the workbook, the handouts, and of course this past weekend have all played such a vital key into the success of Real Life.
And thanks for the heart in which you lead this weekend. You were so helpful and pastoral while being very straightforward. Our people are still buzzing about it.
The ABC’s of Financial Freedom has been a high water mark for our church in not just giving, but in spiritual maturity. Your book and teachings taught our church how to give generously to God without without crossing over the line into prosperity gospel or retreating into partial obedience. You will not regret using this program...we plan on using it every year!
Let me know if there is anything we can do to further support or champion the ABC’s!
God bless,
Rusty George, Pastor
Real Life Christian Church, Santa Clarita, CA
Lakeshore Christian Church in Antioch(Nashville), TN, recently finished the series "The ABC's of Financial Freedom." The results have been amazing. Our giving increased 40% with a 60% increase in the number of people giving. Many of those new givers made the commitment to begin tithing for the first time while others made the commitment to begin giving above the tithe. With the downturn in the economy affecting so many in our church family, those statistics are amazing. The thing that is even more impressive to me is the number of people who have decided to get out of debt and stay out of debt. The decisions to tithe and to get out of debt will bless our people and our church for generations to come.
I highly recommend the ABC's to every church in America and around the world. This is the time the church needs to step up to the challenge of teaching our people God's plan for their finances and this program is the best I have seen.
Blessings,
Randy Cordell, Senior Pastor
"Things have been going really well here at First Christian. We have 523 family units who have committed to tithe or give above their tithe. Our giving has increased by over 50%. What is really interesting is that even though we're seeing a down-turn in the economy, we're seeing an upturn in our giving.
It was a pleasure to have you. We hope to see you again"
Pete Kunkle (Senior Pastor, First Christian Church, Kernersville, NC)
"The ABC's works because it goes to the heart of the problem.. It deals with the matter of the heart, as one preacher put it. The ABC's begins on the solid foundation that God is large & in charge. He is in control, everything belongs to him. Our relationship with the heavenly Father has almost everything to do with how we give. These lessons have impacted our fellowship in ways I never imagined. Our people can't stop talking about. They're excited about obeying God, getting out of debt & being a blessing to others!"
David Rutherford (Senior Pastor, Northside Christian Church, Fresno, CA)
On behalf of Christ’s Church, I would like to express our delight with The ABC’s of Financial Freedom. As you know, we provided a copy of the book to each of our families during our stewardship teaching month. Our Life Groups read through and studied the book during the same period.
We have seen God work through the lives of our families as they learned His principals for handling finances and have had great feedback about what He has done. In addition, we have experienced a sustained increase in offerings of about 25%, even in the absence of a senior minister.
We wish to thank College Press and Barry Cameron for producing such an excellent resource. We highly recommend the use of The ABC’s of Financial Freedom to any church seeking financial freedom for its members.
Best Regards,
Alan Stanley
Since the last printing of "The ABC's of Financial Freedom" we have used the book at Crossroads. I can speak with authority and in the first person about the dynamic impact it can have on the stewardship of a body of believers. After reading the text and a series of messages on the Biblical perspectives of giving, saving and spending money, a full third [1031 individuals/families] of our regular weekend worship attendance made commitments to give at the level of a tithe or above. 372 of these were first time commitments to tithe. Our offerings have doubled from what they were a year ago at this time. And, amazingly, this stewardship emphasis took place in the middle of the worst economic downturn in our nation's history!"
Ken Idleman (Senior Pastor, Crossroads Christian Church, Newburgh, IN)
"Our church recently completed a financial series using Barry Cameron's book entitled, "The ABC's of Financial Freedom". We gave out 5,000 copies to our members and also used the book as a basis for small group discussion as well as our sermon series. The result exceeded by far anything we have ever done in trying to raise the level of giving in our church. We had over 1,300 people sign up to tithe for the first time. Our giving increased by 45% in the first month. The most important thing that happened was the way it challenged our people to trust God with their finances and move to a deeper level of commitment. Barry's message wrapping up the series was icing on the cake and tied the whole series together. The extra resources we are receiving will enable our church to get out of debt quicker and expand our ministry around the world. I would highly recommend this to your church. If you have any concerns or questions, please feel free to give me a call."
Don Wilson (Senior Pastor, Christ's Church of the Valley, Peoria, AZ)
"When I first heard about "The ABC's of Financial Freedom" I had a pretty skeptical spirit. I distinctly remember saying to myself, "That's what we all need is one more book about money that nobody is really going to read or follow." Of course, after I read it I not only lost the skepticism, but I (personally) found a desire to live differently. My wife and I made the commitment to get out of debt once and for all not just because of how much of a difference it could make for us but even more because of what it would free us to do for the Kingdom of God. Nine months later when we announced to our congregation we were going to be taking a 6 week journey through "The ABC's of Financial Freedom" I was prepared for a small onslaught of criticism and cynicism. After all, I didn't expect the congregation to react any differently than I initially had; however, what we experienced through the entire process was a unity of spirit and a chorus of families who started to say, "We're really going to do this! We're going to commit to tithing. We're going to get out of debt." Through it all we didn't get one criticism or complaint. Instead, on this side of the experience we have hundreds of people (young, old, singles and couples) who have a new enthusiasm for generosity and getting out of debt. I could literally fill pages with the names of families from FCC who are now living and giving differently and joyfully as a family - our name would be on one of those pages, too! Even in the midst of a national financial crisis the giving at FCC is multiplying. Yes, you read that right! Barry thanks for writing and teaching in such a way that our hearts and our church are now longing for freedom."
JP Jones (Pastor, First Christian Church, Champaign, IL)
"Westbrook has just recently completed the teaching phase of the ABC's series and enjoyed an exciting weekend with Barry. To say that we are thrilled with the results would be an understatement. Our Small Groups are now doing the follow up workbook and not only are our people being blessed but Westbrook has seen our weekly offerings increase 23%. Even in these very harsh and concerning economic times our people are putting their faith in the one who holds this world together. It's difficult to put into words, but I just sensed a special anointing on this series and on this book. I feel confident that we will look back on this season in the life of our church as a season that was God ordained and blessed. Thanks Barry for the ABC's and sharing your heart with Westbrook."
Mont Mitchell, Senior Pastor, Westbrook Christian Church, Bolingbrook, IL)
"Seven weeks after our ABC's commitment Sunday, our offerings are averaging 47% above where they were before the ABC's!! Barry, this has been absolutely huge for us! Thank you...thank you!"
Scott Eynon (Pastor of Community Christian Church, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida)
Prior to the ABC's at Kingsway Christian Church:
From the Kingsway Christian Church newsletter . . .
"The response to The ABC's of Financial Freedom has also been tremendous. Literally dozens of people have affirmed how valuable this study has been to them; and for many, it has already been life-changing. I believe we will see families delivered from the bondage of debt, marriages healed because of the removal of financial stress, and God's work prospered by the increased giving of God's people. I'm also pleased to tell you the author of The ABC's of Financial Freedom will be our special speaker on May 3 and 4. Barry Cameron is the Senior Pastor of Crossroads Christian Church in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area. He is a graduate of Ozark Christian College and has been a friend of mine and of our ministry for many years. Jan and I were present when they dedicated their beautiful 145-campus and church building. More than 4,000 people call Crossroads their church home. He is an outstanding preacher; and you will be challenged."
After the ABC's at Kingsway Christian Church:
From the Kingsway Christian Church newsletter . . .
"There have been few instances when the response to the teaching of the Word has been more dramatic than your response as a congregation to The ABC's of Financial Freedom. I've received testimony after testimony of dramatic changes in lifestyle and family finances. Many of those testimonies made mention of decisions to practice Biblical stewardship by faith rather than sight. The results of those decisions have been obvious to all who follow our offering totals reported in The Podium each week. Previous to The ABC's we had averaged approximately $78,000 per week for the fiscal year (beginning July of 2007). Since The ABC's, giving has risen dramatically to approximately $100,000 per week with some weeks well over that amount. As your Pastor I have always been quick to point out where we as a congregation have fallen short. I must take this opportunity to praise you for a marvelous, positive, Christ-honoring response in this area of stewardship."
John Caldwell (Sr. Pastor, Kingsway Christian Church, Indianapolis, IN)
Barry,
I just wanted to write to thank you once again for allowing God to use you in the writing and the development of "The ABC's of Financial Freedom." The month before we began the series our average weekly giving was $59,489. This was a problem because our weekly budgeted need was $63,000. In the first three weeks since "Decision" weekend our average weekly giving has been $114,534. This is a 93% increase over where we were before the ABC's series begam. One of the biggest blessings to me has been the opportunity to hear the many personal stories and testimonies of how God has used the book and the series to literally change lives. The straightforward biblical principles along with the practical instruction and your personal testimony has been very inspiring to our entire church family. Thanks for not only being a friend to me and my family but a friend to the kingdom. God is using you to help individual churches change the world.
I hope this will be useful for you. Our first three offerings have been $101,413.24, $135,465.52, and $110,723.00. I remember you telling me before you left that we would begin to see some offerings over $100,000. Who knew it would happen as quickly as week one. It just goes to show you what resources are available to God's people if they will just begin to trust and obey God in the area of their finances.
Chris Philbeck (Senior Pastor, Mount Pleasant Christian Church, Greenwood, IN)
Barry,
Just got the numbers from Sunday. Unified offering was $125,000!!!!! Our budget for the year calls for $71,000 per week to meet budget. This is amazing! We usually have good numbers in the spring, but this is great. ABCs definitely made the difference. This is not isolated. We have been seeing offerings since ABCs in the $85,000 to $100,000 range before this week.
Have a great conference.
Joe
"It always amazes me that after challenging our people constantly to trust and depend upon God, they so quickly place blame for a lack of giving in the church on leadership. Barry Cameron's ABCs of Financial Freedom material was an answer to many of my late night prayers. The material reinforced the fact that the church today is not struggling with a lack of resources. It is struggling with a lack of obedience and faithfulness. We were amazed at both the immediate jump in our giving, as well as how the high level of giving was sustained."
Tim Winters, (Executive Pastor, Shepherd of the Hills Christian Church, Porter Ranch, CA)
Hello Barry,
I did receive your email but I was in Atlanta this past week. Lisa and I greatly enjoyed spending time with you and your wife. I appreciate you more than you know.
Hey... I found out that our offering this past week went up to 164,000! That's about 80% above a year ago! Our offerings the past three weeks have been 142,000, 161,000, 164,000. Wow! It's exciting to hear our people "getting it!"
Thanks for the ABC's and thanks for being you!
Your bro,
Cal Jernigan (Pastor, Central Christian Church, Mesa, AZ)
Barry --- hey it is Sunday evening and I am sitting in my back yard by the fire just finishing up this great ABC weekend ---
I know I mentioned to you as you left how thankful I am for you but I just wanted to say again --- thank you.
I am so grateful for your partnership and friendship.
I want you to know that I am one of your biggest fans and supportive of you both publicly and privately --- I am so glad God has placed you in my life.
This series has really grown our church and it has grown me in many unique and unexpected ways.
Barry I hope you feel good about the weekend and what God spoke through you --- I had many great conversations and MANY hundreds of our people have been challenged and infected by this series and this ABC weekend.
I look forward to many more years of us partnering together for Christ's sake!
Discovery is a new church with a VERY old story and we are fired up to tell it in the most creative --- God honoring --- infectious way we can.
Thanks for being part of our journey --- and thanks for believing in the staff and people at Discovery who chase hard after God!
Have a safe trip home and where ever your travels might lead you this week
Love your family and keep your vision vertical,
Todd Clark, (Pastor, Discovery Church, Simi Valley, CA)
Guys: (a note to the executive pastors of the largest churches in America)
I probably have more knowledge on this program except for Barry himself. I personally recommended Barry write the book and also had the privilege to write the foreword. I have personally been involved in over 30 of these and have seen some major trends. I also have seen and talked to those churches who have done it without Barry.
Here is my take on it all.
1. This program WILL change your church immediately in reference to tithing and getting your financial house in order. My church, Mission Viejo Christian Church, was the first one to be done outside of Crossroads (Barry's church). Today four years later our giving is still higher than when we did the program. Before the program our giving was rarely over $20k per week. Today the budget is $28k per week and the church is within $50k of budget for the first six months of the FY.
2. Doing it without Barry is NOT as effective, in fact the percentage change in giving is about 20%. His personal testimony and church testimony cannot be duplicated. Also his son Matt has done some and he is just as effective as he lived it as a young teenager and it has made a lasting impression him and his wife.
3. The average growth in giving is usually 40% immediately after Barry speaks. It does build up the four weeks prior with the senior pastor sermon series. It usually levels in at 20% to 40%. For growing churches in a building program this makes a huge difference!!
4. Barry can only do about 7 to 9 per year and I believe Matt may begin doing them in the future. If you are interested he is booked over a year in advance. You should go to his website www.theabcs.org < HYPERLINK "http://www.theabcs.org" http://www.theabcs.org> . Also if you want a copy of the ABC's which is in its fourth or fifth print you can do so through the Crossroads Christian Church bookstore on their website www.crossroadschristian.net < HYPERLINK "http://www.crossroadschristian.net" http://www.crossroadschristian.net> .
I could write more but this will give you all the perspective of my seat which has been very close to the overall program since the early days. I do not know of another financial series that has been as successful as this one!!
Hope this is helpful and the website is a tremendous resource for you all.
Blessings
Doug Crozier (President, Church Development Fund, Irvine, CA)
Barry, I wanted to be the first to say "thank you". People are still talking to me about how much they appreciated your preaching. As I experienced it personally, I kept saying to myself, "This is masterful!" I praise God for you, your ministry and your tremendous impact on the Kingdom through the ABC's. Again, I feel so honored to have you as a friend. I have learned so much from you. I am in your debt for how you've helped my ministry here. You are directly responsible for whatever good results come our way via stewardship.
You're awesome,
David Clark (Pastor of Central Christian Church, Beloit, WI)
Hi Barry,
What a great job you did today at West Side for our ABCs series finale. From our leaders to our newest people, we needed and benefited from the challenges in your book and your message. Great stories are emerging from our small groups. Your personal story is inspiring to those of us who haven't yet buried the debt monster. Sharon and I are talking about how we can speed that day for our family. In my small group this evening, people who have given little thought to storehouse tithing were expressing conviction about it. It is very encouraging to see this.
The more I am able to know you, the more I am glad for the opportunity, Barry. I look forward to the years of co-ministry we have together. I'll let you know when yesterday's numbers are tallied.
God's best to you and Janis, your family, and Crossroads. You are doing great Kingdom work on several fronts.
Eddie Lowen (Pastor of Westside Christian Church, Springfield, IL)
Barry,
I wanted to share with you that we had our highest offering of the year this last weekend. $47,600. Considering our weekly need is $21,500, 121% over budget is pretty good. To top it all off, we received $25,000 today from a family who appreciates the ministry this church has had to their family. (They also indicated that they will give an additional $25,000 each December for the next three years.)
Thank you for your ministry and the great work you do through the ABC's. And thank all who have prayed for us this fall. God is good!
Talk to you soon.
Todd Parmenter (Executive Minister, Lincoln Christian Church, Lincoln, IL)
We have a couple here at FCC that went to Crossroads Christian here in Newburgh on a Saturday night because they couldn’t make our services one Sunday morning and Ken Idleman was kicking off their ABC’s series. So…they went each Saturday night after that until you concluded the series. We are good friends with them and about a month after you had concluded the series here they told us how that series was going to change their life, that they committed to tithe here at FCC (through the series they experienced at Crossroads) and they were going to get out of debt. I just visited with that family about the ABC’s again a few weeks ago and they informed me they were about 3 months from being debt free and in the 16 months since you did ABC’s at Crossroads here his salary has more than doubled, he is more involved here at FCC, and they have not missed a tithe since they made the commitment. So…we are going to do a video testimony of them and show it, I believe, on Easter Sunday to close our services. We’ll still have ABC books available on Easter Sunday and we are also going to pass out a card highlighting the series and when it kicks off. This family is very active in our church and I think their testimony to having been through ABC’s and what it has done for them will speak volumes to our people. Thanks again for your ministry to our churches in this way, and thanks for your timely response to my email.
Brad Ferris
Executive Pastor
First Christian Church of Newburgh