“Since we have such a huge crowd of men of faith watching us from the grandstands, let us strip off anything that slows us down or holds us back [start now!], and especially those sins that wrap themselves so tightly around our feet and trip us up: and let us run with patience the particular race God has set before us” (Hebrews 12:1 TLB).

In planned giving, it is always better to start sooner rather than later. Get the plan in action now. According to Albert Einstein, compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. And why is that? Here is an example of compound interest at work. Imagine a 19-year-old who saves $2,000 yearly for eight years at 12% compound interest (a total of $16,000 in savings). She never puts another dime into the account but leaves it alone, earning 12% each year until she is 65. Her friend of the same age sees this commitment and decides to start saving at age 27 (eight years later). He commits the same initial amount ($2,000) and then deposits $2,000 yearly until he is 65. Here is where the wonder of compound interest comes to life. At age 65, the 19-year-old, having invested only $16,000, has amassed $2,200,000, while her friend investing $76,000, amassed only $1,500,000, i.e., $700,000 less.

The only difference was that one started sooner, putting time on their side.

Could we experience the benefits of compound interest in missions? Could we lay up treasure in heaven? How might we do that? “Strip off anything that slows you down or holds you back [START NOW !]” (Hebrews 12:1 TLB). Do not let your hurts, habits or worries keep you from running the race. Partner with God by serving as a student missionary or by supporting front-line missions.

Now let us apply the effect of compounding to just one student missionary (maybe you). If you — as a student missionary — were to reach two people each year and each of those converts reached two additional souls each year, we could reach the world in approximately 32 years. Too long? Fear not, if we apply the same compounding effect to the over 21.5 million baptized Seventh-day Adventists, we could present the gospel to the world in eight short years. Your early investment in heaven would compound into a life of exponential gospel growth — reaching the unreached in even less than one generation.

Whether in planned giving or front-line mission service, the greatest compounding effect can only be achieved by starting now. For more information, please contact James Petty by phone at 269-929-7840 or email at Jpetty@afmonline.org.

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