Church offers $100 bills for acts of kindness

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Imagine showing up for worship one weekend and, instead of putting money in the collection plate, taking home a crisp $100 bill.

Spend it however you want. There's just one catch: The preacher tells you that this money, like all your earthly possessions, is a gift from God.

Such was the scenario Sunday as 15 Nashville churches randomly distributed $50,000 given by a donor for acts of kindness.

In all, 500 people received $100 bills, each with the same instruction: Use the money in the name of Jesus. Oh, and don't take anything in return or accept credit.

"It's one of those ambitious projects that's designed to encourage humans not to worry so much about getting credit ... as simply trying to make a positive difference in someone's life," said Rubel Shelly, minister of the Woodmont Hills Church of Christ.

Sunday's giveaway marked the second year of the interdenominational Seeds of Kindness program in Nashville. The same anonymous donor gave $50,000 last year, and Shelly said others have joined in the giving.

"One person whose name I don't know came by our office and gave my secretary 10 $100 bills," Shelly said. "A local company is sending $1,000. It's sort of growing as people become aware of it."

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