Does your church have a reputation for being generous? As a leader in your church, the buck (no pun intended) stops with you.
Generosity is such a powerful virtue, so winsome, so easy for anyone to understand. Generosity is a spiritual force that affects people at a spiritual level, simply because it reflects the generous heart of the Father. Jesus constantly hammered His disciples on this. Listen to Matthew 5:16 from the Message translation: “Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a lightstand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.” I’m convinced this is the lost power of the Church. In the second century there was a popular satirist named Lucian. He disliked all religions and called Christians “wretches”. But one thing caught him off-guard. Regarding Christianity, he wrote: “It is incredible to see the ardor with which the people of that religion help each other in their wants. They spare nothing. Their first legislator has put into their hearts that they are all brethren.” Just think of that: over 100 years after Jesus was crucified, we have historical evidence that the words of Jesus were still ringing true— “They will know you are my disciples by your love.” There is power in a generous community...a power to live above the scratching and clawing of this world. Generosity is the ultimate evidence of people who are really free. It’s both the fruit of a free person and the pathway to freedom itself. Try an experiment this week: With each leadership decision your church makes, stop and ask this simple question: Jesus, are we being generous or stingy? And don’t forget: we can be stingy with more than our money—we dole out our time, our abilities, our forgiveness, our love. Would a new person looking at your website or Facebook page or watching you online recognize a generous spirit…the Spirit of Jesus?
Question of the Day: On a scale of 1-to-10, how well-known is your church for generosity?
Dave Workman | ELEMENTAL CHURCHES
