Stewarding Your Finances

“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 4:19 (NIV)

I know this may be hard to believe, but it’s the truth: I’ve made mistakes—many, in fact. To be fully transparent, I’ve even willfully sinned. Surprising? It shouldn’t be, because this is true for all of us. What’s more, I fell into the trap of thinking that every good thing in my life was the result of my hard work alone. This misguided belief filled me with anxiety, convincing me that I had to handle everything by myself. I stopped seeking God’s guidance, particularly in my finances, and became less generous with my family. This, of course, led me even further off course.

One of the greatest comforts in life is the knowledge that God is our ultimate provider. In Philippians 4:19, the Apostle Paul offers this profound promise to the church at Philippi—a reassurance that God will meet all their needs, not according to earthly resources, but “according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus.”

This verse speaks directly to the nature of God’s provision. It is limitless, abundant, and rooted in His eternal glory. When we consider our needs, they often include things like finances, health, relationships, and direction for the future. While these are valid concerns, Paul’s message invites us to view our needs from a deeper perspective:  our spiritual, emotional, and eternal needs are just as significant, if not more. God’s riches are not merely material. His provision includes peace in the midst of anxiety, hope when all seems lost, and strength in moments of weakness. Christ Himself embodies this wealth—through His sacrifice, we are given the fullness of life, salvation, and a relationship with our Creator.

It’s easy to become overwhelmed by what we lack or what we think we need, but Philippians 4:19 urges us to shift our focus to God’s sufficiency. Just as He provided for the early church, He promises to care for us today. Our job is to trust in His timing, rely on His wisdom, and remain faithful, knowing that He will provide exactly what is needed when it’s needed.

Reflection:  Are there areas of your life where you’re anxious or uncertain about provision? Take time today to bring those concerns to God in prayer, remembering that He knows your needs even before you ask. Trust in His abundant riches and allow His peace to guard your heart and mind.

Prayer:  Father, thank You for Your promise to meet all my needs. Help me to trust in Your provision and not be consumed by worry. Teach me to rely on You daily and to find peace in Your presence. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Let’s be friends for the rest of our lives,

Pastor Tim White 

You Just Can't Go It Alone

“Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all.” — Ephesians 4:3-6 (NLT)

Living life as a team is more powerful than most of us realize. The Bible makes it clear: to be an inspiring Christian, you need to be involved in a local group of believers. In the post-COVID era, many have come to believe they can go it alone, but this shift in thinking can leave us vulnerable.

I’m reminded of a story about two mafia hitmen walking through the woods at night. The forest was full of eerie sounds, and one of the men started to get anxious. He said, "I'm really starting to get scared walking through these woods." The other hitman, just as shaken, replied, “You’re scared? I’m the one who has to walk back alone!”

Ok, that might be a bad “dad joke”, but the sentiment is real, life can feel scary when you're going it alone, but when you’re part of a Christ-centered team, everything changes.

Together, we can:

1. Hear God’s voice more clearly.

2. Experience the power of effective prayer.

3. Find our confidence renewed.

4. Draw strength from constant encouragement.

5. Discover and develop our unique gifts.

6. Benefit from the gifts of others.

7. Share our burdens and lighten the load.

8. Stand strong, knowing that even the gates of hell cannot prevail against us.

If we could refocus on living life in community, it would transform our lives in ways we can hardly imagine.

We hope to see you this Sunday at 10:30!

Honored to be on your team,

Pastor Tim White

Solid Foundation

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matthew 7:24-27

One of my favorite activities when we visit the ocean is building sandcastles. I’m no expert, but over the years, my family and I have managed to create some impressive castles. We spend hours crafting them, all the while knowing the tide is creeping closer. As the waves edge nearer, we frantically try to defend our creation, constructing makeshift walls, rock-and-wood fortifications, and moats to divert the water. At times, we even lie down in front of our beloved sandcastle, hoping to shield it with our bodies. But, as you might guess, nothing can hold back the relentless tide. Before long, we watch as the sea claims our fragile kingdom, and no matter how much effort we put into it, the castle falls, leaving us with a sense of bittersweet defeat.

This image, familiar to anyone who’s ever played at the shoreline, is much like the metaphor Jesus uses in His Sermon on the Mount. He speaks to the very heart of what we wrestle with throughout our lives: Will we build our lives on shifting sand, or will we build them on the solid Rock?

Pastor Mark Nsimbi’s upcoming sermon on Kingdom Investments invites us to reflect on where we spend our time and how we choose to invest in what truly matters. It sounds like worship this weekend could be a wise investment of time.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

Relationships: The Essence of Life

"Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed." - Ecclesiastes 4:9 (NLT)

This week, our message focuses on relationships, which are the very essence of real living. We believe this one message has the power to drastically change someone's life for the better and that someone could be you!  We invite you to join us this Sunday at 10:30AM to hear about how relationships change lives. You can watch our live stream on our YouTube channel. You will find us at @WashingtonCathedralRedmond (be sure to subscribe so you can easily find us). Or, come in person to the Cathedral at the Falls at 10:30AM and bring a friend!

Today, a wealth of research shows that relationships are not just important they are essential to our wellbeing. While withdrawing from social connections after the pandemic is understandable, it is also proving to be conclusively harmful: to society, our economy, and, most of all, to ourselves.

A powerful example of the struggle many face post-COVID comes from Dr. David Rush and Dr. Walker, who have seen numerous patients struggle to reintegrate socially. The pandemic created a sense of safety in isolation, but this has unfortunately led to an increase in loneliness and depression. Prolonged isolation has only deepened these emotional challenges.

For instance, those who feel lonely, stressed, or sad often withdraw even further, leading to a vicious cycle of increased loneliness, heightened anxiety, and the risk of depression.

Researchers from numerous organizations have highlighted the alarming rise in:

1. Mental health issues worldwide

2. Cognitive decline

3. Physical health deterioration

4. Social disconnection and community fragmentation

Why not come this Sunday to hear Pastor Tim White share how Jesus' message offers a solution to these challenges and helps us rebuild meaningful, life-giving relationships.

Giving is Living!

"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." —Luke 6:38

This Sunday, Pastor Mark begins a new series you won’t want to miss.

Life is not a zero-sum game. In game theory, there’s a well-known concept: zero-sum theory.

A zero-sum situation refers to one person’s gain being exactly balanced by another person’s loss. Think of poker: the money on the table doesn’t change; one player’s win means another player’s loss. But in non-zero-sum situations, everyone can benefit—a win-win instead of a win-lose.

While this theory is intriguing and even popular, it doesn’t hold up when applied to a life of faith.

Economic theorists tell us that capitalism—our nation's economic system—cannot thrive unless it’s expanding. New ideas, businesses, and markets are essential for growth. A poker game, with its limited chips, doesn’t accurately reflect how our economy works, even though it’s become a popular worldview.

The Bible teaches us something very different: giving is living.

Can a parent live without giving? No. None of us can. Life itself demands we give—whether it's to the IRS or in our relationships. Can you love without giving? Can you truly live without it?

I’m not suggesting we give everything away and leave ourselves with nothing. What I am proposing is a profound truth: giving refreshes us. It motivates and unites us in ways nothing else can. It pushes us beyond the zero-sum mentality. In God's economy, He’s always adding more chips to the table—new dreams, new life, new ideas, fresh energy for the weary, and a deep peace that enables us to do what we couldn't on our own.

In this new series by Pastor Mark, we hope to discover something life-changing, something that will bless our families, communities, and nation for generations. We pray to embrace the truth that giving is living.

Your friend for life,

Pastor Tim

The Joy of Going Forward

“Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” Mark 16:16

Baptism was one of the greatest moments of my life and it can be that way for you also. When I was in the third grade, I surprised myself by going forward at a church camp in the Cascade Mountains.  The preacher finished explaining that if we wanted to be certain we were going to heaven we needed to individually choose to let Jesus Christ come into our lives. They had a musician singing about 45 verses of “Just as I Am” and after every verse, they asked people to come to the altar and kneel to confess our sins, ask for forgiveness, and start a new life. No one was coming forward, that is why they kept singing “Just as I Am” so many times. Finally, the young man sitting next to me was bored with the whole thing, so he whispered out loud, come on somebody if you don’t go forward, we are never going to be able to leave. So, I went. It was a long embarrassing walk up there as many exclaimed out loud, oh good, look Timmy White is going forward-he really needs it.

When I finally got up there, I was the only one. The preacher came down to me kneeling at the front. There is a lot more to this story that I will share sometime with you but suffice it to say, I was ready for this moment. The preacher used the microphone to ask me if I was a sinner. I answered yes as the crowd affirmed Amen. He asked me “What are your sins, Timmy?” I was so nervous that I could not think of a thing. My mind went blank. That was when members of the crowd helped me out by sharing a few with everyone. There was plenty to choose from. Then he asked me if I would pledge to God that I would never smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs as long as I lived. (This was not necessary as you probably know and a lot of this was off as to how we understand salvation; but this was my honest experience). I prayed the sinner’s prayer with him as people yelled hallelujah at parts of my prayer. When I stood up, I looked at the teenager who had been sitting next to me. He winked at me as if he was saying good job buddy, and this crowd is a bunch of suckers. But I did not wink back at him because something profound had really happened to me, something so powerful that I would spend the rest of my life trying to understand. I went to school for 26 years trying to understand it. I have gone 69 years without smoking, drinking alcohol or using illegal drugs.

When we went back home, they had a baptism for adults. When I went forward, they told me I was too young. So, I went back to sit by my mom; she took my hand and walked me to the front telling the usher that if I wanted to be baptized, they had better let me or else. I was baptized that day at the Kennewick Evangelical church. 

When I was 21, after I had graduated from college and was a youth Pastor, I baptized a lot of high-school and college people in the Columbia River. One day after I had baptized the last one, I asked my dad to baptize me by emersion.  And practically every time someone asks people to come to the altar, I lead the way. I did this one time at seminary and the Dean asked me if I had ever accepted Christ before and I said it seems like a million times but I really, really want to follow Christ. He looked at me with a tear in his eye and said that’s good son.

A lot of what happened to me was not necessary but for me they have been the greatest moments of my life. You can be baptized by Pastor Mark this Sunday and make it one of the greatest moments of your life too. If want to participate, just reach out to Pastor Mark or Pastor Jackie to be a part of this amazing celebration.

Your friend for the rest of my life,
Pastor Tim White

The Unexpected Hospitality

Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? - Isaiah 58:7

Last week one of our staff members had her car break down. When some of the staff looked at it, they all said oh this is the ball bearings, it will probably cost over a thousand dollars and take a couple of days. She headed to a small mechanic shop and found a very honest mechanic. They stayed late and completed the job and only charged her 300 dollars.

When I heard this, it brought back so many memories of my car breaking down in some remote location only to have some tough old mechanic save me. They might swear, have alcohol on their breath and have a picture of a lady in a bikini on their wall but inside that rough exterior was a heart of gold.  Perhaps we have all been rescued at some point by a hardworking mechanic with a good heart. Something in their life has taught them the Jewish, Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist and Christian ideal of hospitality. I think it is an ideal that God planted in every heart, if we would only listen to him.

This week we are concluding a great series of messages by Pastor Mark and his friends on hospitality. Each message has challenged us individually to grow in this all-important area. Our world needs more hospitality.  And next Sunday our special quest preacher, Nam Anh Johnson is going to close out this series with a wonderful message from John 4:1- 42 .

I’m looking forward to it. I hope you can join us. 

Your friend for life,

Pastor Tim

We Can All Be A Pillar

…and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the Lord’s people, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds. 1 Timothy 5:10

Pastor Mark Nsimbi and friends have been preaching on hospitality and it is an inspiring series. My hope for you is that as we learn and apply God’s principals of hospitality, they will become generational in your family. For so many families in our church you are naturally hospitable because that is in your blood and every act of generosity is honoring your family that came before you. During this transition time in our church, we have been sustained by the generosity of such families. People who have remembered the dream of Washington Cathedral: “to build the greatest caring network the world has ever seen”, They are like the Iron pillared people in the book of Jeremiah:  Behold, I have made you this day a fortified city, an open pillar. And bronze walls against the whole land - against the kings of Judah, against its princes, against its priests, against the whole land.

When I was living in Israel, we had a day off from school so a friend of mine and myself were running a wadi through the desert on inner-tubes. A great fun experience except for the sunburn of a lifetime we received.  I can’t tell you how hot and tired we were and feeling like we were going to die of thirst. So, we pulled over to use some survival techniques to purify the wadi water that we were floating on.  As we were trying to “MacGyver” a remedy we were discovered by a group of Bedouins on their camels with rifles. They took us to their beautiful tents which were not far away. They asked us to sit on the rug with hand motions. They did not speak English, and we did not speak whatever dialect they were speaking.  They had a family member come to entertain us with some version of a sitting guitar. They brought us an extravagant dinner of (well we didn’t know what it was), but we were too afraid not to eat it and they brought us hot tea served in some sort of China dishware. They even gave us Coca Cola Arab style. Same coloring and symbol but with writing in Arabic. It was even kind of cool because they had cooled it in sheep manure. When we tried to pay them, they were insulted. We tried to take a picture of us inside their tent, but they pushed us out. So, we took one in front of the desert with our cool Palestinian Keffiyeh that they gave us to protect us from sunburn.  We tried to pay them again for the covering, but they refused again. When we finally made it back to Jerusalem the Israeli soldiers, who had become our buddies, teased us by calling us Lawrence of Arabia. 

The Israelis explain that in the Middle East all people from all religions believe in hospitality especially when someone is caught in the desert. They said it goes all the way back to Father Abraham.

Somewhere in storage I have a framed picture of my buddy and I with our Keffiyehs in the desert. Below is a picture of myself and a Maasai warrior who also showed great hospitality to Jackie and me when we were guests in his home made from cattle dung and straw in the African desert.

How exciting it is to be building our own traditions of kingdom hospitality here at Washington Cathedral.

Your friend for life,

Pastor Tim

On Your Mark.... Get Set... and TRUST!

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.  They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31 New Living Translation.

What a transformative experience this week’s VBS Steam camp has been. Picture the moment of chaos: Pastor Jackie, standing before a sea of children, trying to make an announcement as her voice is swallowed by the din.

Yet amidst this chaos, the children’s hearts were focused. Every child trying their best to memorize Isaiah 40:31. The theme was trust—trust in the Lord to renew one’s strength. Children, in their innocence, grasp the essence of trust more naturally than adults. Trust is their lifeline. Without it, they falter; they can't rest, they can’t face school. Trust in their parents and grandparents opens their lives to the fundamental joy of living.

This verse inspired the great Christian Olympian, Eric Liddell, known as the “Flying Scotsman.” Expected to win the 100 meters at the 1924 Summer Paris Olympics, he faced a choice when the race was scheduled on a Sunday, the same day he was to preach at a French church. To the world’s astonishment, he chose to preach, sacrificing his chance at a gold medal. His sermon centered on Isaiah 40:31. Admired for his conviction, a fellow British runner offered Liddell his spot in the 400 meters. Liddell accepted and set a new world record with a time of 49.1 seconds. This story resonates with me, having run the 400 in high school, never breaking 51 seconds. Liddell’s faith led him to China, where he served children. When Japan invaded, he chose internment with the children he loved, running with them on Sundays, always letting them win. He died in that camp, his faith and love enduring through the verse he cherished.

Fast forward to a boy from our church, a participant in our Vacation Bible School, who went on to run for Juanita High School. He won the Washington State high school 400 meters in 49 seconds, surpassing Liddell’s Olympic record. The world record now stands at 43.03, set in Brazil. Yet this young man’s strength, like Liddell’s, came from his faith. He ran for the Huskies, was named the most inspirational athlete at the University of Washington, and today, Phil McCary and his wife are dedicated physicians in Canada.

This is the strength that comes from trusting in the Lord. Let us live out this Vacation Bible School passage today.

Your friend for life,

Pastor Tim

Open Your Eyes to God's Hospitality

Hebrews 13:1-5
“Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

In the heart of August, nature offers a remarkable display of God's hospitality: the ripening of wild huckleberries in the mountains. There are fifteen varieties of these berries in the Pacific Northwest, which I simply divided into two categories: blue and red. They are a bit tart compared to domestic blueberries but make the finest pies and desserts in the world. These wild huckleberries, part of the blueberry family, are considered a superfood, known to be 111 times better for you than blueberries.

Hebrews 13:1-5 encourages us to embrace hospitality, particularly verse two: "Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing so some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it." This is a profound concept that warrants deeper exploration.

Hospitality is about being generous with your space, and let's face it, it often comes at a cost. We cherish our privacy, our routines, and our sense of security. It's natural to guard our personal spaces fiercely. Yet, faith challenges us to open our doors to others. Each of us has a space we call our own, whether it's a rented room, a shared house, or a place we own. Scripture invites us to be generous with these spaces, extending a welcome to those we might not know well. This is about so much more then inviting close friends for dinner; it's about embracing the unknown, much like the people in the Bible who entertained angels unknowingly.

Christian tradition places a strong emphasis on hospitality. It's seen as a divine responsibility, entrusted to us by God. Opening our homes, our sacred spaces, requires faith and reflects the boundless generosity of the Christian spirit.

The gospel itself is a message of hospitality: God, in His ultimate generosity, welcomes us into a relationship with Him. He offers us His family, His love, and an eternal future in His presence. If anyone had the right to guard His space, it was God. Yet, He invites us in, offering us a place in His divine presence through the sacrifice of His Son.

So, as you savor a wild huckleberry, remember and experience God's hospitality. Be a huckleberry to your neighbors, allowing them to experience God's hospitality through your unique acts of kindness and generosity.

See you this Sunday at 10:30AM.

Your friend for life,

Pastor Tim