Just when you think you’ve got this youth ministry thing down — students are worshiping, small groups are flourishing, missions trips are maxing — something comes along that makes you say, “Oh, yeah, I should be doing that, too.”

The apostle Paul gave us one such thing. But relax. It won’t make your agenda bigger; it will make your agenda better.

Paul highlighted this one thing when talking about a group called the Macedonians (we’ll call them the “Macs.”) To help you notice the detail, grab a pen and underline everything you learn about the Macs as you read the verses below.

Scripture Text
1And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. 5And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will. 6So we urged Titus, since he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. 7But just as you excel in everything — in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us — see that you also excel in this grace of giving. 8I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. — 2 Corinthians 8:1-8 (NIV)

1 Now, friends, I want to report on the surprising and generous ways in which God is working in the churches in Macedonia province. 2 Fierce troubles came down on the people of those churches, pushing them to the very limit. The trial exposed their true colors: They were incredibly happy, though desperately poor. The pressure triggered something totally unexpected: an outpouring of pure and generous gifts. 3 I was there and saw it for myself. They gave offerings of whatever they could — far more than they could afford! — 4 pleading for the privilege of helping out in the relief of poor Christians. 5 This was totally spontaneous, entirely their own idea, and caught us completely off guard. What explains it was that they had first given themselves unreservedly to God and to us. The other giving simply flowed out of the purposes of God working in their lives. 6 That’s what prompted us to ask Titus to bring the relief offering to your attention, so that what was so well begun could be finished up. 7 You do so well in so many things — you trust God, you’re articulate, you’re insightful, you’re passionate, you love us — now, do your best in this, too. — 2 Corinthians 8:1–7 (The Message)

Think About It
Take a minute to write a brief profile on the Macs. Looking at what you underlined, list below everything you can discover about them. How are they described? How did they give?

Talk about overachievers! Out of severe trials and extreme poverty, they still mustered up enough generosity to give beyond their abilities. So, how did they do it?

They did it in a way that caught even Paul off guard: First they gave to the Lord; then they gave to others.

First to the Lord
We often treat giving to the Lord and giving to others as one and the same. The distinction is subtle. Giving to God is made manifest in our giving to others. So perhaps the distinction lies in the motivation for giving. For instance, it’s possible to give to others and actually be giving to ourselves first, instead of to the Lord. By way of confession, I’m reminded of the times I’ve given — time, money, energy — with the backhanded thought of what I might get in return. But when our desire for giving springs from a desire to give to the Lord, our motives have a way of being purified.

Giving first to God and then to others lays the groundwork for a level of giving that’s miraculous, as was true with the Macs, who gave beyond their abilities. How can you give someone $12 when you only have $10 in your pocket? (Especially in the pre-credit-card era!) Somehow the Macs pulled it off, and the way they did it is found in Paul’s original statement in verse 1: “We want you to know about the grace that God has given” (NIV). Giving beyond our abilities is how we exercise the grace that God has given us.

Apply It
How can this make our student ministry agendas better, not bigger?

Think about all the initiatives that are happening in your ministry right now: worship, small groups, outreach and so forth. Write these down on a sheet of paper. Then run each of them through the Macedonian-Giving-Priority Filter.

In each of these situations, how can you give first to God and then to others? Write down a specific response to that question for each initiative. Your responses will create a “filter” that can help you evaluate your motivation and energize the reasons behind why you do what you do. Are you implementing a program out of heartfelt obedience to God — or out of some other agenda?

At this point, you may be hung up on the phrase “beyond their ability,” knowing that your plates are already spinning at full velocity and you’ve detected a guilt trip lurking around the corner.

This is where the agenda gets better, not bigger. The subject at hand is the grace of giving. What enabled the Macs to give beyond their natural abilities was an infusion of God’s grace. In fact, Paul refers to giving as an “act of grace” (2 Corinthians 8:6) — and it’s a description that’s true of anything that can be given, whether finances or intangible gifts such as patience, kindness and forgiveness. Thanks to God’s infusion of grace in our lives, each of these virtues can be given beyond our natural abilities.

What Does It Look Like?
So then what does it look like to give beyond our abilities in student ministry?

Most youth ministry vets would agree that after interacting with students over months or years, we start to get a feel for our natural breaking points — the triggers most likely to unleash our frustration, disappointment, anxiety and anger. And, of course, the reason we know these natural breaking points is because they’ve broken us more times than we’d like to admit. But the key word here is “natural” — because God wants us to interact in the rarified air of the supernatural.

Think about the atmosphere of a student ministry when its leaders (volunteer and paid staff) are giving to others beyond their abilities — overflowing with patience, kindness and forgiveness. Picture your worship times, missions experiences and small groups led by a ministry team that’s giving beyond its natural breaking points.

The story of the Macs has a final exclamation point. Paul reminded the Corinthians that they were doing a lot of things right — in their faith, speech, knowledge and love. But comparing them to the Macs, he encouraged them to do one more thing: excel in this grace of giving.

The Lord urges us to do the same — first to the Him and then to others — and taste the fruit of an agenda that’s better, not bigger.

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A 20-year youth ministry veteran, Barry Shafer is the founder and director of InWord Resources (www.inword.org), a ministry that encourages depth in youth ministry by enabling students and youth workers to become better equipped with God’s Word. Shafer is the author of numerous student devotionals and small-group studies, including ‘James: 12 Inductive Sessions on Practical Christianity‘ (YS).