Category Archives: Purposeful Generosity

Best Generosity Resources According to Givers

Looking for ways to learn more about generosity, but need some ideas about where to start? In The Generosity Bet, many of the people featured in the book shared the books, media, conferences, and more that inspired their own generosity journeys.

Here’s the list:

Books

The Bible

Mover of Men and Mountains by R. G. LaTourneau – a generous businessman with over 300 patents and the founder of LeTourneau University

The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn – Jesus intended His followers to discover that joyful giving brings God maximum glory and His children maximum pleasure.

The Eternity Portfolio by Alan Gotthardt – Investing in God’s Kingdom is the ultimate financial opportunity.

How Much Land Does a Man Need by Leo Tolstoy – In this short story, a peasant believes owning land will solve all his problems. The Devil decides to take him up on his boast.

Business by the Book by Larry Burkett – What would happen if you made your business decisions by The Book, that is the Bible? A step-by-step presentation on everything from hiring and firing to management selection, and to tithing.

Experiences

Crown Financial Ministries Biblical Financial Study – 10-week study that combines God’s wisdom with practical application related to managing all of one’s resources

Crown Financial Ministries Biblical Financial Study – Special Edition - This financial study is designed specifically for those entrusted with wealth. Many Christians have only been taught to give, but not what Scripture says about handling all of your resources.

Generous Giving – provides generosity retreats, an annual event, and giver stories to encourage others in their generosity journeys

Super Service Challenge – a nationwide initiative that encourages and rewards volunteers from the workplace who come together to serve charities and make a difference in their communities. Winning teams receive a share of more than $1 million for their charities.

Organizations

National Christian Foundation – NCF is the largest Christian grant-making foundation in the world. They work with givers, ministries, and churches to create a culture of generosity.  Individuals and families can set up private funds for their own giving.

One Hundred Shares – This Atlanta-based nonprofit supports local ministries. They also provide support and tools to women seeking to start their own giving circles.

GenerosityMovement.org – The Global Generosity Network collaborates with Christian churches, networks, business leaders, and generosity ministries to encourage giving and stewardship.

Kingdom Advisors – This is a community of Christian financial professionals integrating faith and practice for Kingdom impact.

Helping Hands Ministries – This ministry provides direct financial assistance to deserving and qualified individuals, ministries, and charities. They also help donors give anonymously to individuals.

Halftime – This ministry works with mid-life marketplace leaders who desire to live the second half of their life rich in eternal significance.

What about you? Which two resources look the most interesting? Or, what resources have influenced your own generosity journey?

6 Ways to Teach Children Generosity

“As far as their family goes, John and Sherri are still figuring out how to pass on a legacy of generosity and to more fully invite their children and grandchildren into it. ‘Maybe we weren’t ready to,’ [John said], ‘but if I look back at it, maybe we could have started [teaching generosity] earlier with our kids and done better. We did service projects together, gave them money to give away, and did some training on finances, but we certainly could have done more.’” 

-Excerpt from The Generosity Bet

As 71-year-old John Kasdorf reflects on his generosity journey, the above statement is what he said about his family’s experience with teaching generosity to his children. His thoughts carry a tone familiar to many parents—a bit of wistfulness as they wonder if there was something more they could have done to train their children. It just goes to show that passing on a legacy of generosity is hard; it doesn’t have a clear path.

As children leave the home, virtually all parents wonder if they did enough. However, there are some practical things parents can do to encourage generosity in their children:

1) Giving Piggy Banks

When children are young and receiving allowances and/or special monetary gifts for birthdays and holidays, they can be taught early budgeting. They can use three piggy banks to divide their money into spending, saving, and giving categories. This teaches them to begin having a “giving” category for their possessions.

2) Family Giving Fund

Families can establish a giving fund, which is like a charitable bank account, with a local community foundation. Not only does this provide a central location for all the family’s giving, but it also provides an immediate tax deduction and one year-end receipt for all giving done. (One such community foundation is the National Christian Foundation). But most of all, it is a vehicle that allows families to make giving decisions together.

Many families have meetings to discuss what donation requests they have received or what needs they are aware of. The meeting frequency depends on the family—some meet once a year, others quarterly, and others monthly. Based on feedback from the meeting, families give away money from their fund. Some families even have formalized giving guidelines that direct what type of causes they fund. These guidelines may be especially important for multi-generational families.

3) Christmastime Money

Some families have opted to give their children and/or grandchildren a certain amount of money at Christmastime. This money is to be given to a ministry or individual of the child’s choice. Not only does the child get to experience the joy of giving, but he also begins to identify the causes and issues he cares about as he researches the ministries he wants to support.

4) Mission Trips

Some families not only support ministries, but also visit those same ministries. Many givers will tell you that it is important to see ministry work at the ground level. Seeing real life change and real life struggles within a ministry challenges one to get involved and engaged at a heart level.

These trips could be to the local homeless shelter or to a school in Africa. Jim Blankemeyer, a business owner in Ohio, has “grandkid trips” where they take their grandchildren overseas. Not only do they visit the seminaries and pastors they support, but they also go to jails and garbage dumps to understand how much of the world lives.

5) Stuff in Closets

Giving does not have to be money. (In fact, only about 9% of the world’s wealth is in checkbooks and bank accounts—the rest of our wealth is in our possessions.) Go through closets and your garage to find items to give away to Salvation Army or other donation pickup services. Consider donating cars or business interest. Encourage your children to also go through their possessions as they de-clutter and live simpler.

6) Model Generosity

Of course, one of the most important ways to teach generosity is to model it. Even if you choose not to disclose exactly how much you’re giving away, kids need to see how you live generosity daily. And many times, this generous lifestyle does not include money—it’s about taking international students to doctors’ appointments, shoveling neighbors’ sidewalks, visiting grandparents, sharing donuts, serving at church, etc.

Your Story

These are just some ideas to get you started. Your family situation and story will look different from the next person. And there is nothing wrong with that. This post isn’t to make you feel guilty for the way you have or have not done things. You get to delight in and wrestle with your own unique story.

You do not need to be wealthy or even have any extra change in order to be generous. Generosity is a lifestyle, a frame of mind. It is about living and doing well with everything God has entrusted you—with your time, your talents, and your treasure.

The point of this is to challenge you to think about the values you want to leave to your children. And if indeed generosity is one of them, how will you pass that value on? It has to start somewhere. Where will you start?

In the end, we’re just called to be faithful to the task and path God has set before us. Even if we did a perfect job teaching and modeling generosity, children still have to choose for themselves how they are going to live. At some point, we have to trust that we did the best we could, but God ultimately has the power to shape and capture our children’s hearts.

For more ideas and encouragement for your own generosity journey, order “The Generosity Bet” today!

The Right Way To Be Generous?

Is there a right way to be generous? Often times, it seems like there are only one or two “good” ways to practice generosity. However, the more generosity journey stories you hear, like those featured in The Generosity Bet, you’ll find that everyone’s journey is God-designed to be different.

For Craig Chapman, his family’s giving capacity greatly increased after he sold half of his equity in the successful traffic and navigation company he helped build. However, even he said that sometimes he hears other stories of generous givers that make him feel like the rich man in the Bible who walked away.

“Too many people look at generosity stories and think, ‘I can’t do that,’” Craig said. “But God doesn’t necessarily want ‘that’ from me. Maybe that’s not what God is calling me to. But I do have to be asking, ‘What is God calling me to?”

His wife, April, added, “One thing we’re finding is that everyone’s journey is unique. It’s not prescriptive. What God has shown us, or what He has done in our lives, is not exactly what He’s going to do in others. The opportunities He’s given us are unique to the skills He’s given us. If there’s any common thread, it’s that we have to be available, be seeking Him, and be asking Him to show us opportunities. Then, we have to obey.”

Starting Somewhere.

The beginnings of generosity will look different for everyone. Dr. John Koehler was freed to be joyful generous after God convicted him to write a $10,000 check. John & Sherri Kasdorf experienced a gradual journey that began with writing $25 checks for Thanksgiving and tithing maybe 2 percent. For Dayton Moore, generosity was sparked by his father’s example of working hard and caring for his neighbors.

Your Personality. 

Everyone is wired a different way and your personality will affect how you practice generosity. Jim Blankemeyer, an engineer and business owner, enjoys thoughtful, logical giving to a very specific cause. He feels that since his business excels in training employees, he ought to be doing the same for the Kingdom—supporting ministries that equip Christian leaders in their jobs. For this reason, the majority of his giving is for Christian leadership and development.

For others, like Bob Hodgdon, his family foundation focuses on small and start-up ministries and ministries that someone in their family is passionate about and involved in. Thus, they give to a wider variety of causes.

You may also be wired toward a specific kind of giving. Some people like being very intentional and strategic. They give after carefully researching a cause or ministry. Others enjoy spontaneous giving. They give as soon as they hear about a need. Still others enjoy giving their time or skills to practically help others.

Your Background.

You’ll also find that your background—your parents, your childhood, your struggles—affect the way you think about giving. If your parents were very openly generous with their money, you’re probably more inclined to give that way (or conversely, you may be careful about giving what seems like too much). If your parents emphasized helping others, you may be more inclined to get involved in other’s lives. If your parents emphasized professional success, it may be harder to give up your valuable time, resources, or money.

Regardless of your background, anyone can learn to be generous. It’s just important that you realize how your background shapes your giving decisions.

——-   ——-

Overall, your generosity journey is just that—a journey, and uniquely yours. Your story, your background, your personality, and so much more, all play into the way God has been shaping and directing your story. There is no one right way to give. Instead, it is a matter of always seeking where God is asking you to take that next step.

Learn more about the Chapmans’ generosity journey and discover inspiration for your own at The Generosity Bet.

What if my gift isn’t used wisely?

Many times when people consider giving, one of their biggest fears is that their money won’t be used wisely, whether it’s given to a homeless person, a struggling neighbor, or even to their local church. Since this is a common struggle, and at times, a legitimate concern, it’s an important issue to address.

What is God asking me to do?

First and foremost, we should always be asking where God is calling us to give. Be sensitive to those “God nudges” that ask you to notice someone, to give. An older gentleman, one of the most generous people I know, said that when he’s in a position for spontaneous generosity, he’s found he needs to obey those God nudges within 10 seconds, otherwise his more logical brain will talk himself out of it. Of course, this doesn’t mean to give to everything that pulls your emotional strings—instead, it’s about very intentionally and carefully listening for God’s voice.  Continue reading

5 Verses that will change the way you think about generosity

The paths that everyone’s generosity journey takes is always different. However, during the interview process for The Generosity Bet, some of the story contributors shared unique and even unfamiliar Scripture verses that radically altered their understanding of generosity:

Pastor Rick Warren, cropped1. Pastor Rick Warren, Saddleback Church

“Two things I asked of You. Do not refuse me before I die: keep deception and lies far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is my portion, that I not be full and deny You and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ or that I not be in want and steal, and profane the name of my God.” – Proverbs 30:7-9

“Everybody talks about the Prayer of Jabez, but you ought to learn to pray the Prayer of Agur where he says, ‘Lord don’t let me become too poor or too rich, but just give me what I need.’

“…I believe there’s a direct connection between maturity and money, between spiritual power and possession, between how much God is able to bless me and how good a money manager I am. And if God cannot trust you with material blessing, He’s not going to give you spiritual power. And I’m far more interested in the power and the anointing and the blessing of God.”

2. Craig & April Chapman, INRIX Chapman, CraigApril

“‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.’” – Malachi 3:10

“Our goal in life–and our security–was all about financial independence and worldly success. But things changed when April and I [Craig] were married in 1994. We had both been previously married, and both brought significant debt into our marriage. But, in spite of our difficult financial situation, our opinion of biblical giving changed very quickly. April was introduced to Malachi 3:10 and shared with me that it is the only place in the Bible where God asks us to test Him. We both knew in our hearts that if we truly loved God, it was only right that we obey His command to give.”

Barnhart, Alan3. Alan Barnhart, Barnhart Crane & Rigging

“But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction.” – I Timothy 6:9

“I had a natural tendency, maybe everyone does, to want more stuff, to want nice stuff. I wanted to counteract that, not only for myself, but also for my family. When my family and I looked at going into business, we saw as a dangerous thing if we succeeded. So we decided, ‘Let’s not do this unless we put some safeguards in our lives to make this business a positive thing rather than a negative.’ We set out not to get rich. We set out to avoid becoming rich.”

4. Henry Kaestner, Sovereign’s Capital Kaestner, Henry

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.” – II Corinthians 8:9

“A friend challenged me to answer why I gave. I said something about God giving us a lot so we wanted to give back. However, in the back of my mind, I was thinking that my wife and I were probably giving 20% now—double tithing. There’s probably a place in Heaven for the double-tithers. And I was thinking that God would be happy with our giving because He needed our money to fund things that weren’t being funded. Ultimately, it was bad theology.

“That question brought me back to passages like 2 Corinthians 8:9 where it explains the difference between wealth and poverty. God took two loaves and five fish and fed two thousand. He doesn’t need our money. He wants our hearts.”

Elliott, Vince5. Vince Elliott, Fortiter Wealth Management

“Otherwise you may say in your heart, ‘My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth.’ But you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.” – Deuteronomy 8:18

“I’m a financial advisor who thinks money isn’t very important. In fact, I think wealth may be more dangerous to your family than a blessing. My role in client’s lives is to help them keep money in its proper place and help clients pursue their true roles. I know the man you claim to be, and I’m going to walk alongside you to help you remain that man because money will change who you are. The only way to keep that from happening is to hold wealth with an open hand.”

What verses have shaped your understanding of generosity?

Risk, Reward, and Real Joy discovered through The Generosity Bet

Destiny Image Publishers announces the release of William F. High’s new book, “The Generosity Bet,” featuring the stories of twenty-one entrepreneurs, risk-takers, and everyday dreamers who have taken the risks, realized the rewards and received the real joy that comes from living a generous life.

Ever considered the cost of generosity? It seems risky. It doesn’t always make sense. It’s like making a bet with God, and many people wonder if it is worth it.

Author William F. High and co-author Ashley B. McCauley have compiled the stories of the twenty-one entrepreneurs, risk-takers, and everyday dreamers featured in this book—and hope for readers to discover that these stories can easily become their own.

Within the pages of “The Generosity Bet,” readers will find the stories of:

  • A man who started giving even though his company was on the verge of bankruptcy
  • A professional baseball player who lived a generous life even when he was ready to quit the game
  • A software developer who quit his job at the peak of his career to go into ministry,
  • A homemaker whose husband died in a plane crash and learned to trust again through giving.

Contributors include Rich Warren, Saddleback Church; Craig Groeschel, LifeChurch; David Green, Hobby Lobby; Jeremy Affeldt, San Francisco Giants; and more.

Discover the rewards and joy that come through the journey of a generous life. The risk is high, but the payoff is extraordinary. These stories will not only entice, but also prepare, those who are ready and willing to take “The Generosity Bet.”

“Bill High’s recent book leads to discovering the true power of generosity.”— Governor Mike Huckabee, Host – “Huckabee”

 “This book shows you the way to a joy-filled life as you give your heart and life to the Giver of all givers.” — Mike Sweeney, Kansas City Royals

“Bill High’s message isn’t just about being generous; it’s about the very real process of becoming generous.” — Robert Morris, Founding Senior Pastor – Gateway Church

“…a collection of fascinating accounts from people who have wrestled with the “whys and hows,” and discovered God’s blessings in the process of living generously.” — Jim Daly, President – Focus on the Family

Interviews, review copies and giveaway copies are available upon request.

To download a press kit, click here.

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