The generosity movement is on, and it's moving with increasing speed! The Holy Spirit is at work by touching the hearts of many, transforming people like you into catalysts for the movement.
This movement doesn’t need a leader. We have the only one we’ll ever need – God. And He is looking for those who are willing to stand up and share their giving stories.
Did you know that the subject of generosity and other related topics – such as giving, money, possessions, greed, treasures, talents, and mammon – are the most talked about in Scripture.
In fact, did you know how often the word "give" is mentioned in the Bible?
- 921 times in the Bible, almost as many times as "faith" (270), "hope" (165), and "love" (541) added together
- More than any other subject in the Bible
- 2 times more than Heaven and Hell combined
- 3 times more than love
- 7 times more than prayer
- 8 times more than belief
- 17 of 38 parables
- 15% of God’s Word
- In 2,350 verses
In Matthew 6:21 Jesus tells us, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” We need to put our treasure (actually His treasure) to work for those we are called to love – our neighbors. When we give, God then gives us a feeling of intense joy that we’ll never find by growing our own net worth.
So what does it take to be a catalyst for the Generosity Movement? You don’t need to commit to becoming a full-time volunteer. You just have to be willing to share your story with others by telling them:
- Why you give
- How you might have struggled with giving
- How faith has played a role in your giving
- How you reached a decision to tithe
- How you’ve learned to let go and trust God with your finances
- What impact gifts have had on specific ministries
- How individuals lives have been changed as a result of your gifts or the gifts of others
- How you’re working to establish a legacy of giving with your children (and grandchildren)
- Most importantly, how your heart has been transformed on your giving journey
You can be a highly effective catalyst by sharing your stories one on one. Or, if you enjoy public speaking, consider offering to speak to groups through your church or ministries outside of your church. Encourage others to do the same.
Whenever you get a chance, after you have some experience "preaching to the choir," start sharing stories of generosity with others outside of your church and ministry communities.
This post was written by Jim Cotterill.
