Tag Archives: generosity

Career Generosity, Family Generosity, Persistent Generosity, Purposeful Generosity

Best Generosity Resources According to Givers

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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?

Irrational Generosity, Uncomfortable Generosity

The Secret of a Happy Life

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In a recent article on The High Calling, devotional writer Dave Peterson discusses the secret to a happy life:

Matthew 5:42
“Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.”

In writing these daily reflections, I am very fortunate to work with an excellent editor, Marcus Goodyear, who helps point out where certain changes in content and structure will improve the message. In reading this latest verse from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, I’m wondering if Jesus would mind if I served as his editor, just for this one troublesome verse. Perhaps something like this,

Dear Jesus,

I am in receipt of your latest draft of the Sermon on the Mount. Nice work. Opening with the blessings is very strong, and I like the way you’ve updated several of Moses’ commandments. However, I would like to propose just one tiny change to your comments on giving and lending. I found myself wishing for a bit more clarity. The way you’ve written it seems a trifle ambiguous. So I was thinking of something like this:

Give as you are able to trusted family and friends and lend to those with good references and FICO credit ratings above 740.

I think you’ll agree that these edits will be appreciated by your audience.

Sincerely,
Dave Peterson, Editor

Most of us would happily put an X in the generosity box as long as we could be selective about who we give and lend to. Unfortunately, Jesus includes these two words everyone and anyone, and he leaves out the clauses and conditions that we’d hope to see.

In fairness to Jesus, I need to tell you that just a little later on, he will also say, “Do not give what is holy to dogs; and do not throw your pearls before swine.” Jesus does expect some discretion when we consider giving valuable things to others. But even so, as Matthew Henry, the insightful eighteenth century Bible commentator summarizes, “Always be ready to give, and always be ready to lend.“

I’m writing today with my tongue in my cheek, but I do believe that generosity is the secret of a happy life. And I believe that Jesus is very serious about his call to a radically generous lifestyle that is more willing to give and lend than human reason would ever expect. And the exhilarating truth of this can only be known when we “give to everyone who begs from us, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from us.”

Stay generous, my friend.

QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION: In what ways is generosity easy for you? In what ways is it more difficult? Do you see evidence of many undeserved blessings in your life, or do you sense that you’ve had to fight and claw your way for everything you’ve got? Where do you sense God is nudging you to an expanded form of generosity?

PRAYER: Gracious and generous Lord, if generosity is the secret of life, then why do I find it hard to give? Why do I hold tightly to what I possess? Why am I so cautious about others in need? If generosity really is the secret of life, then I give you permission today to help me live in accordance with your word. I will give and lend to those you send my way. Amen.

© 2001 – 2015 H. E. Butt Foundation. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission from Laity Lodge and TheHighCalling.org. Article by Dave Peterson.

Irrational Generosity, Uncomfortable Generosity, Unexpected Generosity

How to Not Be Afraid

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Ever wanted to jump out of an airplane, give a major speech to a sold-out crowd, pet an anaconda, or fight back the zombie apocalypse…or at least, not be afraid to do any of the following?

One of the biggest ways to conquer fear is to be generous. Okay…maybe generosity won’t conquer your fear of snakes or heights, but it does have an amazing propensity to fight fears of inadequacy, not having enough, not keeping up, and so much more.

In The Generosity Bet (and its predecessor, Stories of the Generous Life), we interviewed 42 people about their life stories and what they have learned about giving along the way. These people ranged from janitors to billionaires, college students to retirees, farmers to Wall Street traders. But one theme common to all of them? They are some of the most fearless people you’ll ever meet.

Generosity does that to you. It weasels out all the little things you hold onto, the things you’re afraid to let go, the fears and little pleasures you’ve nestled away in quiet dark places where you think no one else will find them, so no one else can want them or take them. It makes you confront your heart and realize how often you’ve doubted that God is good and that God will provide when He’s asked you to give.

Generosity pulls your heart into the light. Wide-eyed and blinking and maybe stumbling a little, you begin to uncurl your fingers around the things that once seemed so important—that time, those resources, that influence, that security in your stuff, that appearance of being better than the Joneses, that control.

And as you begin to give away, you begin to discover something else. You begin to see, to truly see people and needs and what it means to be alive and human. And you begin to see God, to see that He’s still vibrantly alive and working and light is spreading and the darkness is fading away.

You find that the more you give away, the more your hands come back full—come back full of joy. And the more you soak your heart in joy, the more your hands can give away, because you don’t need stuff to make you feel good or look okay. Most of all, the more you give away, the less you fear because you don’t have the need to hold on so tight anymore.

So take a step toward fearlessness and toward joy. Be generous.

For more ideas on how to start your generosity journey, pick up a copy of The Generosity Bet today!

Family Generosity, Persistent Generosity, Purposeful Generosity

6 Ways to Teach Children Generosity

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“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!

Career Generosity, Family Generosity, Purposeful Generosity, Reading the Book

The Right Way To Be Generous?

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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.

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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.

Career Generosity, Unexpected Generosity

3 Reasons We’re Afraid of Generosity

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Generosity can be one of those touchy subjects. Aside from the fact that many pastors are reluctant to preach on it, and those who are givers are often hesitant to discuss it for fear of seeming boastful, the subject of generosity has a way of striking at sensitive core issues like none other.

There are three main reasons that generosity exposes so many raw nerves.

  • Fear. Many times we are afraid of generosity because we fear what we might be asked to give up or give away. And there are so many forms that fear can take—fear of not having enough, fear of loss of security, fear of loss of standard of living, fear of loss of financial freedom, fear of giving up something we desire, etc.
  • Guilt. Some of it has to do with our own consciences. We’re secretly afraid that we should be doing more or that God won’t be pleased with us until we reach a certain place of generosity.
  • Control. Sometimes we don’t like being told what to do. We don’t want to be told what we can do with our resources. Or, we want to ensure that our money is only spent in ways that we know are worthwhile.

Some of these objections to generosity have roots in good desires. For example, if we fear generosity means we won’t have enough on a rainy day, that fear ultimately comes from the good desire to provide for our families. However, the issue is our fallen nature has twisted those good desires into bonds that control us and tempt us to take matters into our own hands.

When God asks us to be generous, it’s not because He needs our money or resources. He already owns them all. It’s not because if we don’t give, then a ministry won’t be supported. God asks us to give because He loves us and He wants our hearts. Generosity is one of the tools God uses to help our hearts let go. It frees us to love God with a whole and unafraid heart.

In the new The Generosity Bet book, Henry Kaestner shared about how he and his wife felt like they were being generous. At the time, they were “double-tithing,” or giving about 20 percent. However, when a friend challenged him about why he gave, Henry realized how his giving stemmed from thinking that now God must be pleased with him.

Or, in the case of Anne Irwin, a mother and a business owner, when God asked her to start a giving circle to bring other women into generosity, she kept using the excuse that she was just too busy.

However, as both Anne and Henry looked at their motivations and just chose to take the next step into generosity, they began understanding the joy of giving. And through giving their time, resources, and passions, God began freeing their hearts to love Him more.

So, what is your heart holding onto? What next step of generosity might God be calling you to take so you can live free and live without fear?

For more stories like these, and for practical ideas for taking the next step in your generosity journey, order your copy of The Generosity Bet today.

Unexpected Generosity

What Is This Gift?

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by William F. High

What is one of the most underappreciated jobs? I travel enough, and the big thing these days is for hotels to offer you a “free” breakfast. Well, that free breakfast means that someone has to get up by 4:30 a.m., arrive at the hotel and begin setting up—mainly a lot of pre-made stuff to which no pride of chefdom is accompanied. There’s a lot of cleaning up of dishes, picking up oatmeal goo still left in bowls, surrounded by still sleepy guests too busy to notice.

But magic happened to me recently. In one of the hotels I stay, I came across Diana, the breakfast hostess. She’s short, with raven hair, flashing eyes, and a strong accent. She hustles around the little breakfast area and in her broken English busts in on conversations of business-focused guests. Somehow, she makes them smile and she laughs—heartily.

I noticed, and I asked Diana: “What makes you so happy?” She told me, “I just happy.” And I asked what brought her to this country, and at that her eyes darkened, “My sister…she is sick.” A debilitating disease. So Diana picked up, left her homeland to serve her sister and her family.

I had to leave, and Diana was off to another customer anyhow. But on my next visit in town, I needed breakfast and there was Diana again. Still moving fast, still smiling, still laughing—so I caught up to her and asked her, “How is your sister?” It had been a couple of months since I’d seen her and she didn’t remember that I knew her secret. “How do you know about my sister?”

And then she remembered, “Ah yes, you asked the last time.” She brightened again and told me she was doing well, and skipped off. As I gulped down my breakfast, I couldn’t help sense the nudge, and I pulled out a bigger bill for a tip—bigger than the pre-made buffet breakfast meal deserved. I called Diana out of the kitchen and pressed the bill in her hand. “God bless you for taking care of your sister. Thank you for giving,” I said.

Her breath shortened, and her eyes moistened as she fanned her face and choked, “I’m going to cry.”

As I left there, I couldn’t help but think the gift deserves the gift. Diana’s sacrifice, her energy in serving, the smile, the laughter deserved a response.

And as I write now, here at Christmas, I cannot help but think of Jesus. He left a home, left his Father, left what was comfortable to serve in a place among bleary-eyed, inattentive travelers. But even still, He served, He touched, He healed and He brought joy to a darkened world. Oh today, even today, the gift, His gift, deserves our devotion, our attention, our gift. Christmas.

Irrational Generosity, Purposeful Generosity, Uncomfortable Generosity

What if my gift isn’t used wisely?

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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 →

Career Generosity, Irrational Generosity, Purposeful Generosity, Reading the Book, Uncomfortable Generosity

5 Verses that will change the way you think about generosity

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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?