Members at Preston Meadow Lutheran Church in Texas were given envelopes containing $250, $500 or $1,000 by Pastor Paul Mussachio.
He told Fox News: "I didn't tell them that until they sat back down. I didn't tell them that because I wanted to create that anticipation and really let this hit home with them of just how big of a deal this was going to be.
"It's kind of like watching your kids on Christmas morning."
The cheques' 'pay to' line was left blank so recipients would have the option or filling it out with the person or organisation of their choice.
The only request the pastor had concerning the gift was to cash it in within 30 days, not to give it back to the church and for it to be used where it's needed the most.
A total of $125,000 was donated by a few members of the church to be given to members after seeing the results of a similar experiment with young pupils who used much smaller amounts of money.
Stay up to date with the latest news stories from a Christian perspective. Sign up to our daily newsletter and receive more stories like this straight to your inbox every morning.
