Stories of Redemption

One of the churches that I am doing work with in NC is having what they call a Mina Project.  It is Hope Community Church in Cary.  They give away around 30,000 and the members figure out ways to invest the money so that it is multiplies.  (Parable of the talents)

14Matthew 25:14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15 To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17 So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18 But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.20 The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’22 “The man with the two talents also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.’23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 24 “Then the man who had received the one talent came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ 26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed?27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. 28 ” ‘Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29 For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.

This year they are hoping to see over 200,000 raised that will be used to build/refurbish both a hospital and a dorm/hotel in the Haiti.  The dorm will be for the people who volunteer to utilize their medical specialties in this clinic.

You can go to the link below to learn more about the Mina project.  I’d encourage all of you to try this in your own churches.  It is really teaching my whole family a lot about being entrusted with money/talent from God.

To learn more about the ministry this years funds will benefit, you can go to Hope for Haiti, where you can get all the information and also donate via paypal.  There are some powerful videos and detailed information on exactly how the funds will be used.

Hope for Haiti is an amazing story of redemption.

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What is The Mina Project?

In simplest terms, it is Hope’s radical gesture of generosity to our local community and beyond. It is built on the

precept of Jesus’ parable of the minas (pronounced my-na), calling us to multiply and invest in God’s kingdom. What

better way to do that than to invest in and partner with local organizations and ministries which would benefit from

additional funding to better continue the benevolent works they have already begun.

How did this project get its name?
From Jesus’ parable of the minas as told in Luke 19:11-27, particularly verse 13 as the nobleman charges his

servants, “…‘Put this money to work, ‘he said, ‘until I come back.” The servants were given the money to invest and

work with to see by how much they could increase the amount given them. Since each was given a relatively small

sum, the nobleman’s purpose was not to increase his worth, but to see which of his servants would be worthy of

greater responsibility in his kingdom when he returned. We understand that Jesus is the nobleman inferred by the

parable and we are the servants to whom much has been entrusted on his behalf.

What exactly is a mina?
A varying weight or value of money used in ancient Greece and Asia. In Biblical times, five minas were worth about

three months wages.

How does Hope’s Mina Project work?
During the weekend services of August 23 & 24, 2008, each Hope attendee received an envelope bearing cash, with

various amounts of cash placed in each one ranging in increments from $10 to $500. In total, $50,000 was

distributed throughout all four services. The congregation has now been asked to go out and “multiply their minas”

however they choose; they can use the money to invest in a project or work or some other such means—they are

simply encouraged to be creative and faithful. Then at the conclusion of their project or work, all profits will be

returned as donations to benefit a pre-selected list of charitable organizations.