CONNECTING THROUGH GENEROSITY
Jesus gave his life FOR US. We are also invited to give our lives for others. One of the ways we do this is by our financial giving. Because God first gave to us, we respond by giving generously, consistently and sacrificially. But this doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a process. That’s why we’ve identified common steps on the journey. It’s part of how we encourage people to grow spiritually and it’s one part of our spiritual development pathway. For more information, you can check out how we do church. For more information on how to grow in generosity, check out the links below:
Common Steps Along the Generosity Pathway | Giving Generously | Giving Consistently | Giving Sacrificially
For other specific ways we encourage people to grow spiritually check out the other areas of our pathway:
Connecting with God | Connecting with Others | Connecting with a Purpose
GIVE GENEROUSLY
Our generosity changes over time. We start by exploring generosity for the first time. This looks a lot like giving a first gift. A person who is still exploring generosity may give occasionally, or when we are asked, but it’s not consistent. A person connecting with generosity starts to give a consistent planned amount. This often begins with a prayer to God, what would you have me give regularly? A person who is following Jesus in their generosity journey begins to move to giving a percentage of their income, seeking to increase that over time. Finally, a person who is beginning to disciple others in generosity begins to look for opportunities to give above and beyond their regular giving percentage. They also begin to mentor others in giving. Sometimes that happens through sharing their own story, sometimes by inviting others to consider why they give and how they choose what to give to.
What would it look like to take your next step?
GIVE GENEROUSLY
What does it look like to give generously?
2 Corinthians 9:6 says “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.”
We don’t want to be a church or a people that lives with a scarcity mindset. We serve a God of abundance. We want to be known as a church that is generous, trusting God will provide.
As a church, we also give money to other organizations that fulfill parts of the great mission God has given us. None of us can do this on our own.
GIVE CONSISTENTLY
What does it look like to give consistently?
Deuteronomy 26:2 says “take some of the first fruits of all that you produce from the soil of the land the Lord your God is giving you and put them in a basket.”
The idea here is that we give our first and best. It is one way we put our trust in God as our provider. Developing patterns of giving consistently can be a way to remind us that our money is not our own. We give back to God what has been given to us.
GIVE SACRIFICIALLY
What does it look like to give sacrificially?
Just as Jesus sacrificed himself for us, God invites us to become a living sacrifice. In 2 Corinthians 8, the Macedonian church shows what it looks like to give sacrificially. Paul says, “For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability.”
What could happen in our world or even our community if we were to give sacrificially, above and beyond our ability?