A Time to Dream

Amy and I are excited to celebrate Special Contribution this weekend! Our theme for this year’s Special Contribution fundraiser is “A Time to Dream,” and we can’t wait to see how God is going to move through each of us and his church to bring hope to the world.

God ignites dreams in each of us

Throughout the Bible, God ignited dreams in the hearts of ordinary people, propelling them to pursue something beyond their own imagination. This stirring of their hearts led to the building of God’s Temple, entire cities, and so much more.

And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him, and brought the LORD’s contribution to be used for the tent of meeting, and for all its service, and for the holy garments.  So they came, both men and women. All who were of a willing heart …

Exodus 35:21-22 ESV

Similarly, Special Contribution gives each of us the opportunity to build God’s Kingdom. We have been so inspired by the way God has been stirring hearts to dream through Special Contribution this year, and here are just a few highlights from the West Bay:

San Francisco single parents serve up inspiration

Our incredible single parents’ house church led the way in giving their hearts to Special Contribution by hosting a series of fundraisers all summer, from Father’s Day gourmet cupcakes to weekly baked goods and silent auctions. They involved their families and friends in each fundraiser, inspiring them to believe that God has dreams for them and their kids.

Santa Clara teens create an “in-your-face” fundraiser

Our Santa Clara service hosted their annual Cook-off and Bake-off last week as a Special Contribution fundraiser, and their teen ministry got involved with a bake sale—and a twist. For every $100 raised through their baked goods sales, the teen ministry leaders agreed that one of them would get pied in the face!

By the end of service the teens had already raised $500, but knew they could get more. They decided on a new goal: if they could raise $1,000, their sector leader, Brian Nitta, would get pied in the face. The teens reached their goal and were able to raise over $1000 that day. Everyone was involved and had a sweet time—even Brian!

Silicon Valley single professionals invest in their neighborhoods

Last weekend, one of the Silicon Valley single professionals’ house churches decided to host a yard sale for Special Contribution. Not only did they raise much more money than expected, they also got to connect with many neighbors who came by. One of those neighbors came to church service the following day. She was so moved to tears by the fellowship, message, and new friends she met, that she asked to study the Bible for herself.

What we’re dreaming for this year

As God’s partners, we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it. For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.

2 Corinthians 6:1-2 NLT

These Special Contribution efforts are fueled by our belief that the “right time” to dream is now! Our goal this year is to exceed 9x our regular Weekly Contribution, and here is how we are dreaming it can change the world around us.

1. We dream of building a life-changing church.

The church in the Bible was inspiring, intimate, and innovative, yet Christianity in the U.S. is declining at a rapid pace. Special Contribution allows us to keep building a church that is both innovative and intimate. We want to continue spreading God’s life-changing message to the world around us.

2. We dream of inspiring the 8 million residents of our Bay Area community and beyond.

Through Special Contribution, we’re able to continue creating campuses in every Bay Area neighborhood that shine a bright light (Matthew 5:14). As we pursue God’s dream of spreading the Gospel, we hope to build a Northern California connection of churches that will help serve the northern part of our state outside the Bay Area.

3. We dream of a world where everyone is included.

Because of Special Contribution, the BACC is able to support programs like E-Life and E-Sports to partner with other organizations like Hope Technology School, San Jose Earthquakes, Golden State Warriors, and more for decades so that inclusive education and sports can be offered to the community. God’s love is inclusive, and these programs ensure that families with special needs can experience comprehensive inclusion in all aspects of life.

4. We dream of helping everyone, everywhere learn to walk with God. 

Special Contribution allows us to create an online presence that spreads God’s message to people around the world. Deep Spirituality creates spiritual tools anyone can use to build a personal relationship with God. In addition, the digital content of the BACC has helped countless people find God when they are ready to search for him.

5. We dream of inspiring generations to come to believe in God and his Word. 

Year after year, we invest in leadership training programs for high school and college students through Special Contribution. These young men and women go on to serve their communities, mentor others, and build a personal faith that spreads to people around them.

We saw firsthand the impact of our young leaders when Catherine Daguman, an incoming college freshman, got baptized recently in San Francisco.

Hope deferred makes the heart sick; but when dreams come true at last, there is life and joy.

Proverbs 13:12 TLB

Hope was something Catherine and her family were always in great need of, as she grew up with a brother who has special needs. Catherine had been coming to church since she was six, but this year’s teen camp was a turning point. She decided to learn more about God and study the Bible herself. She had many doubts about God; she felt like he gave her a life that wasn’t easy and she didn’t understand why. But as she studied the Bible, she discovered that God had always had a dream for her and her family, and was determined to make it come true, despite what her circumstances were.

After the recent Shoreline Service, she realized she needed to take seriously seeking God, and gave her whole heart to pursue him. Through the Bible, she finally understood how much God loved her, and wanted to do whatever it took to reconcile with her family, taking responsibility for how she had affected them. She was baptized on August 15th, and she and her entire family were filled with joy!

Stories like Catherine’s remind us how important it is that we keep investing in the training of spiritual leaders who keep spreading God’s message of hope to the generations to come.

6. We dream of inspiring ALL people to do good…just for the sake of doing good! 

One multiple of our Special Contribution every year supports our Doing Good efforts. In addition to supporting our E-Life/Sports programs, our BACC Doing Good makes a difference in the lives of countless people in the Bay Area as well as abroad, supporting:

• Benevolent needs locally
• Catastrophic relief both locally and abroad (e.g., fire relief in Maui, typhoon and hurricane relief, etc.)
• Support for homegrown projects – members finding their passion to do good in their local community

How to give to special contribution

You can join us in our Special Contribution efforts by donating online today!

Here are the “5 Ways to Give” your Special Contribution:

1. PayPal Giving Fund (bacc.cc/paypal) – If you plan to give this way, please check the box on the PayPal Giving Fund site where it says “Share my name and email with this charity” to help us know which sector to apply your Special Contribution.
2. Credit Card: To give by credit card, go to bacc.cc/give.
3. Mail a Check:  Please write your sector and “2023 Special Contribution” in the memo section. Ushers are available to collect your envelope on Sunday or you can mail it yourself.
4. Online Bill Pay:  Send to the following address and please write your sector and “2023 Special Contribution” in the memo/comment section: 2479 E. Bayshore Rd, Suite 185, Palo Alto, CA 94303
5. Stock:  Please email stockdonations@bacc.cc to get instructions on donating stock, or to let us know what stock and how many shares you’ve already donated.

Thank you so much for your generosity in advance!

Until next time.