The CharestCorp Blog

As a Pastor and a CEO, I continue to hear the desperate cries of families and businesses saying, “I could sure use a bailout!” What if financial relief was as close as your garage? In a recent survey CharestCorp Church Design Builders discovered that that is exactly the case. Just in the greater Fresno area people have over 40 million dollars stored in their garages and mini-storage’s. Now we just need a way to convert it into dollars!

Enter the Fresno Indoor Flea Market!This nonprofit community flea market concept will allow individuals and churches from all over the valley to help their community help themselves. Opening on April 17th from 7am to 3pm every Saturday and Sunday. Over 100 vendors and dozens of churches are preparing to be involved so the problem (which is a good one to have), will be scheduling when booths are available. If your interested call Alejandra Charest at (559)392-7671 Enjoy food, friends, and fantastic deals.

Money from Heaven?

Wouldn’t it be nice during these winter months to have a little change in the weather? I mean real change, like Gold coins and silver dollars? Per the latest statistics, The Economic Development Department has recorded unemployment rates in some Central Valley California Cities at around 29%!

Many churches simply have no more money to give to those in need. In addition there is a pervasive feeling of uneasiness about what looms ahead and the possibilities of the unemployed even getting a job, anywhere, at any wage! So what is a Christian who cares about their community to do? I think one answer is found in 2 Corinthians 9:6-8!

  
⁶ But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. ⁷ So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸ And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. ⁹ NKJV

Why this “Cheerful Giver” scripture? Because there is a river of despair that is dragging business men and woman downstream with an attitude of failure and hopelessness and leaving a pool of dead and dying dreams at its end. But this should not be the case for those who name Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. The promise and action of the Cheerful Giver should be considered at a time like this.

First, this Divine exhortation warns about sowing sparingly and reaping sparingly. However, the implication is not about the quantity of what you sow but the percentage of what you have that you sow. If you are only willing to give 50% of your efforts then that’s all you’ll get in return. But give 100% even of the little that you have with all of your heart then it shall reap bountifully!

Second, give with a heart of thankfulness not grudging annoyance. Have you ever noticed that thankful people always seem to have more to be thankful for? It’s no coincidence it’s just a fact proven by the promise above. There is a capacity for a vessel of thankfulness to hold more than a stingy tiny vessel of selfishness.

Third, notice the liberal usage of the words of plenty; God states that you shall have, “All Sufficiency”, in “all things”, have an “abundance”, and have “All Sufficiency” in all things for “every” good work. I don’t see any shortage or recession with Gods promises…do you?

All that is left is our priorities to hear and do what Gods word says. Will we walk with a thankful heart? Will we believe for Gods complete provision? Will we do what God has inspired us to do to make that happen? Do we believe Gods Revelation will lead us to new Inovations?

This is why I believe our Community Outreach Idea of having the Fresno Indoor Flea Market every weekend starting on April 17^th will give people a chance to bring items for sale that they no longer need and use the proceeds to pay the bills they currently have.  Who knows? Maybe someone will create a new product that people will love and find a new way to support their families and in return bless the community with these fresh new ideas!

April 17^th every Saturday and Sunday until the economy changes for the better. What a wonderful way to see Gods provision play out in a practical and powerful way. See you there!

Today is a time for aggressive Community outreach. and for the Church some of the worst off are in our own Congregations. Churches who normally could dip into their own resources to help congregants in need, are in desperate need themselves.

In a recent work shop with church leaders in Central California we found that 95% of all of the churches present had made cut backs including, layoffs, salary cuts and ministry cuts. Tithes and offerings have been so severly reduced that there is barely enough money to cover salaries, never mind the outreach ministries that were once done by these churches. This leaves financially hurting members one less place to go in times of great financial need.

What is the solution? How do Churches, the very ones people look towards in a time of need, help them without any financial resources? The answer is to help the community help itself as the book of Acts implies.

Acts 2:45 states: “and sold thier possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need”.

This is where the Flea Market Concept becomes an interesting option. For instance, CharestCorp recently completed research estimating that homeowners in the Central Valley, (specifically the City of Fresno) have over 25 million dollars worth of stored goods in their garages and storage areas that could be sold to help support their families. So how do we get them to leverage those good to put food on the table and gas in their cars? The answer is a good old fashioned Flea Market.

There was a time in our country where due to a global war and a severe depression that trading ones goods, second hand items and ones labor services provided a co-op of sorts that insured survival for hundreds of thousands of families. It is time we embrace this concept again.

To that end CharestCorp is using one of our vacant 40,000 square foot buildings to house an ongoing Indoor Flea Market and partnering with local churches to invite members to brings goods that they no longer need for sale. This allows families to, “sell and simplify” their lives and to remove the clutter in their garages and storage spaces and use the money to pay bills as they have need.

Now is the time to be creative and embrace our new motto: “Revelation to Innovation.” Which is to say that we believe as followers of Jesus Christ through the guidance of the Holy Spirit will discover new ways to serve our community by helping them learn to serve themselves.

For more information of how to partner with CharestCorp in making this Flea Market concept a success for your church email us at renem@charestcorp.com  and “Happy Yard Sailing!”