RH First Fruits

“First fruits” are the first portion of anything we receive. The Bible gives several examples of people choosing to give God this first portion, trusting that he will provide the rest to meet their needs.

Following this biblical model, ROCKHARBOR established First Fruits, a ministry through which we give 12 percent of our annual budget to outside organizations or individuals. First Fruits dollars are used to support para-church organizations, churches, local and global outreach organizations, and people who need financial assistance.

What this means is that $0.12 of every dollar given to our church is immediately directed toward efforts beyond ROCKHARBOR. Together, we celebrate how each person’s individual giving at RH helps fuel some significant God stories in the greater Kingdom. Here’s a couple highlights of First Fruits giving from the 2011/2012 ministry year so far:

• Through Feb 2012, more than $500,000 has already been given beyond RH’s walls.
• $780,000 total will be given by this ministry year’s end in June 2012 [provided we hit our current budget]
• Church plants we’ve partnered with financially: Redemption Church [Costa Mesa], Basileia [Hollywood], The Garden [Long Beach]
• Schools we’ve partnered with financially: Killybrooke Elementary [Costa Mesa], Linda Vista Elementary [Mission Viejo]
• Friends & Neighboring Organizations we’ve partnered with financially: Free Wheelchair Mission, AIDS Services Foundation, Rewrite Beautiful
• Strategic Partners we’ve partnered with financially: Harvest India, MIKA
• Missional Investments we’ve partnered with financially: Supporting RH missionaries in Uganda, India, South Africa, and Turkey

There’s a couple important things to hear in all of this:

• First and foremost, First Fruits doesn’t exist because we have extra. First Fruits exists because God calls each of us to sacrificial, generous, and regular giving. In fact, despite this being a ministry year where we have had to cut back almost $400,000 from our operating budget, we have been able to give away over $500,000 in First Fruits so far.
• First Fruits only exists because individuals and families in our church are following Jesus by giving their first and best to their local church. In that regard, these stories that we celebrate don’t belong to First Fruits. If you give to RH, these are your stories.
• We believe we are each meant to give the best and the first of what we have away. If you have not yet stepped into regular financial giving at RH, we invite you to do that. Find out more about why and how we give at RH.

While first fruits may be a “low-profile” ministry of ROCKHARBOR, its impact is significant. Every month we receive letters from first fruit recipients that tell stories of God’s provision and faithfulness; we’d love to share a few of those with you below.

STORIES AND QUOTES FROM FIRST FRUITS RECIPIENTS

Thank you once again and especially for the letter as well.  It is great to see Rock Harbor reaching out even to missionaries and projects that are beyond their personal touch.  Well, I am sure you have people in your church that have been in YWAM, but to donate towards us who you don’t know is a step of faith and trust and we appreciate it.

We will use the funds to go directly towards the ministry house we are purchasing in a very unreached section of Georgia, the major people group is Muslim Azerbaijanis. There is no evangelical church among these approximately 3 to 5 hundred thousand people.  Also it will be available for training and outreaches for our Azerbaijani base as it has become more difficult for them to do training and outreach in Azerbaijan, due to governmental persecution.

Blessings on you and the Rock Harbor church and know that you are always welcome here!

YWAM Tbilisi.
———————–

Thank you for your recent gift. We are so grateful for your ongoing partnership in serving local foster and adoptive families.  We look forward to working with your volunteer team.  As we equip and encourage moms and dads who have opened their homes to hurting children and teens.  Thank you for believing in the need to provide practical tools and resources to these heroic families.

Sincerely,
Director | Finally Home Foundation
———————–

In these challenging times when so many are hurting, we thank you for showing your support for My Broken Palace.  Your generous contribution helps us to move forward with the changes and impact we hope to make in this generation.  “No one lonely, or alone”  is our goal and with the help of people like you we will truly make a difference.  Your financial support is wonderful and we thank you but just as important is the knowledge that you will spread the word about My Broken Palace vision and mission.  There are so many teens and young adults who would benefit from the emotional and practical support we offer.

Co-Founder My Broken Palace
———————–

Thank you so much for supporting the OC Rescue Mission through purchasing Chick-fil-A meals to be given to the homeless.  Because of generous donors like you, many hungry men and women and children across Orange County were given a nutritious meal this Christmas season, giving them hope for a New Year and new future.

God Bless,
President, OCRM
———————–

Discover the Journey captured unheard stories of people affected by the Lord’s Resistance Army in Southern Sudan.  The stories will be used to lobby Capitol Hill for intervention by the advocacy organization, Resolve.  DTJ completed a three-year production on the flagship feature documentary following the lives of two child soldiers in Congo.  In the process of filming, DTJ freed and rescued a child soldier in the DRC and continues to invest in the rehabilitation and futures of four other former child soldiers in Congo. DTJ shot and created films in Mexico, South Africa, Angola, Sudan and DRC. DTJ was able to meet a year end matching donation by creating a 2010 year in review short film comprised of images captured from in the EOS 5D Mark II.  (FF was able to purchase this camera for DTJ.)

We would like to thank ROCKHARBOR Church for you donation for the Tohoku relief effort through CRASH Japan.  Your gift is being used to share the hope and love of Christ with the survivors of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, and to bring restoration to the devastated communities of Japan’s northwest region.

CRASH Director
———————–

Your very significant gift to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes last month is contributing greatly to the increased number of proper role models for our nations’ youth.  Every day we learn of FCA student-athletics who are making a difference in our world.  Thank you again very much for your generous and thoughtful financial gift to FCA.  It was received with much joy and deep appreciation.  May God bless you for your faithful giving.

President FCA
———————–

ROCKHARBOR has been so incredible generous in so many ways with our little foster care agency over the past 5 years and we are so grateful for all your support.  Our foster parents, their natural kids and all the foster kids really love that RH opens their doors and generously give so that we can throw them a Christmas party that they look forward to every December.  In addition, every year we have a couple of families that have been reunited with their kids that continue to keep in touch with us and they are so excited to come show us how well they are doing. This party is the perfect situation for that to happen.  Thanks for all your support. It really means a lot to us.

Gratefully,
Advantage FFA
———————–

Find Out More

For more information about the history First Fruits read here.
Read here about our last First Fruits meeting and where these monies were given in November 2011.
Email Chad Coltman or call 714.437.0914 x123 for any other questions.