We frequently see churches consign the topic of generosity to the realm of financial administration. As long as enough money is coming in, the pastor doesn’t have to preach about giving or encourage a special offering. But we must not forget that culture is shaped by what we value. And when church leaders don’t value generosity, it’s unlikely that the people in the church will either.

In our interviews with hundreds of church staff members—from children’s ministry leaders to senior adult leaders—we’ve found that when we begin asking questions about the topics of financial stewardship and generosity, confidence wanes and people have difficulty articulating what their church believes. Thankfully, a growing trend in churches—particularly generous churches—is to include words like stewardship, generosity, and giving as part of their core values. But what does this really look like?

“By not talking about God’s perspective of money and possessions, we conditioned people to become consumers instead of givers.”

Brian Tome, senior pastor of Crossroads Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, regrets not talking about money with his congregation sooner: “By not talking about God’s perspective of money and possessions, we conditioned people to become consumers instead of givers.” Brian believes that it’s necessary to clearly communicate that the goal of giving is not just funding local church ministry; it’s participating in a revolution that God is orchestrating through believers around the world.

That shift in thinking about the purpose of giving was instrumental in cultivating a culture of generosity at Crossroads. About five years ago Brian sat in the atrium of their new church building. The church had doubled in attendance in three months, and that day God helped Brian to think clearly about the future of the church if it continued to grow. Brian realized that they would soon outgrow the building they’d just built, so they’d have to build a bigger facility, and then a larger one, and later a still larger one. “It looked like an endless treadmill,” he remembers. Instead of simply thinking about bigger buildings, he and his leadership team met to develop a larger vision, one with a focus on the Kingdom instead of merely the future of their church. “We realized we’re not just here to fund our local church ministry,” Brian relates. “We’re part of a revolution God initiated to change the world. That revolution starts with every person at our church being a blessing to people around them—and eventually being a blessing to people around the world. That’s what God promised Abraham in Genesis 12.”

The church now operates with three guiding principles when they plan and talk about their financial future:

1. Bless people.
2. Base the budget on what we believe God wants, not on what we think we’ll get.
3. Spend it; don’t save it.

People in the church give because they know that the money will be spent to meet needs, not just saved for the future.

People in the church give because they know that the money will be spent to meet needs, not just saved for the future. The church developed a brochure that outlines their vision and the specifics of how they choose to handle money. It reads, “We strive to seek God, not money. We seek to surrender to God’s will, listen to him and his direction, and then do what he says. Sometimes he tells us to do some pretty crazy things. And frankly, we don’t always know from where the resources will come. And that leads us to another topic, called ‘faith.’ As we continue to understand God’s views on money, we find we continue to learn more about obedience and faith. And the result continues to be celebration.”

Churches must learn to communicate what they believe about money and generosity, explicitly letting others know that generosity is one of their core values.

Clear statements like this guide church leaders in making decisions, but they also helpfully communicate the core values of the church. Until a thought, idea, or opinion is articulated, it’s nothing more than a good idea. It can’t be defended or changed. Churches must learn to communicate what they believe about money and generosity, explicitly letting others know that generosity is one of their core values. This also opens up opportunities for conversation and sets the expectations for new members who are just entering the community. It serves as an invitation to them, saying, “If you want to identify with us, then we invite you to share in this commitment with us.”

— Excerpted from Contagious Generosity: Creating a Culture of Giving in Your Church by Chris Willard and Jim Sheppard

 

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Faith & Finance Perspective:

Do your church’s core values mention anything about stewardship, giving, or generosity? Would people in your congregation have difficulty articulating what your church believes in these areas?

You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. —2 Corinthians 9:11-12