More than Meat: Our Mission to Give Back

I used to think running a business meant spreadsheets, signage, and maybe a few sleepless nights over inventory. I didn’t expect it to feel like ministry. But here we are, my husband and I, handing out what we can in tithe monthly to community organizations.

Our sign on the front of the building

We aren't using BrickHouse Country Market to just sell food; we're using it for a higher purpose. Something that could nourish bodies and souls. Something that could remind people that generosity isn’t just a seasonal campaign, it’s a lifestyle. A calling. A command.

And yes, we give 10%. Personally, and then we give an additional 10% through our business.

Now, before you roll your eyes, mutter and click away, “Oh great, another tithe talk,” hear me out because this isn’t about guilt. It’s about why. Why do we give? Why did God ask us to? And why does it feel so good when we do?

Let’s rewind.

Picture it: Bluffton, Indiana—a small-town storefront with big dreams and even bigger heart. We wanted to create a place where the community felt seen, families felt fed, and ministries felt supported. So when we took over BrickHouse, we started with one rule: 10% of every sale goes back into the community. No exceptions. No loopholes. Just obedience.

Because when God says “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse” (Malachi 3:10), He’s not just talking about money. He’s talking about trust. About surrender. About believing that what we give away will somehow multiply in ways we can’t measure.

And let me tell you, it does.

We’ve seen it in the faces of nonprofit leaders when we hand them a check. We’ve seen it in the quiet dignity of families who receive fresh meat without judgment. We’ve seen it in our own hearts, stretched and softened by the act of giving.

But here’s the part that might sting a little: Are you giving? Really giving?

Not just the spare change in your purse or the leftovers in your pantry. I mean the giving that requires a cost. The kind that makes you pause and pray. The kind that says, “God, I trust You more than I trust my budget.”

Because giving isn’t about what we have, it’s about who we are.

We’re not perfect. We mess up. We worry. We wonder if we’re doing enough. But we keep giving because we believe that generosity is contagious. That it’s holy. That it’s the heartbeat of a business built on faith.

So the next time you walk into BrickHouse, know this: You’re not just buying dinner. You’re joining a movement. A mission. And remember that more than one mustard seed can be planted in the soil of Bluffton, and once you plant it, watch it spread.

And maybe—just maybe—you’ll walk out wondering what your own 10% could do, and then ask your pastor what you could do with it.

Reflection:

Giving isn’t just about generosity—it’s about trust. What does it look like to bring your “whole tithe” today? Is there a place in your life where God is asking you to give more freely, more faithfully, more joyfully?