Developing Generosity in Givers

This morning my friend, Gary Hoag ( Generosity Monk ) gave me a pointed reminder from Peter Marshall: How much should I give?

“Give according to your income lest God make your income according to your giving.”
Peter Marshall (1940-2010), cf. 2 Corinthians 8:11-12. Quoted in Handbook for Christian Living by Charles F. Stanley (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2008), p. 551.”

As a stewardship officer I am asking people to respond to God's love through Christ's death by returning to him in proportion.

How do we give back to the One who gives Eternal Life? What does that mean in terms of giving the tithe and offerings?

On one hand I don't know where to begin; God owns it all and I owe Him everything. On the other hand, he only requires the tithe. So, we've narrowed down giving to somewhere between ten and a hundred percent.

So, how do we do define generosity? I have suggested giving past the point of pain and to the point of joy. Still kind of nebulous, right?

I know of a local person who increased his giving by five percent each year until he gave seventy five percent and used twenty five for himself.

Then there is R.G. LeTourneau, a famous manufacturer of earth-moving equipment who gave much more that he took in and established an excellent technical university in Texas.

How much is generous? I can't say, but you'll know it when you see it.

Malachi 3:10

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.

Stewardship and Catching Vision

As I have been growing up in the development and stewardship world, I have heard some timeless sayings:

"People don't give to organizations; people give to people" "That's why development folk need to be winsome"

"People need to see the big picture and how their gift fits into the larger whole"

"People need a rational case in the mind to justify what their heart is urging them towards"

While these truisms are valuable, they don't fully take into consideration the passions of donors, nor do they make us allow for the work of the Holy Spirit in our efforts to advance or grow the school.

Last week I was meeting with a school parent and sharing with him a new three-to-five year initiative for the school. Throughout the presentation, which proposed funding for various parts of the school's strategic plan, I reminded him that these all subordinate to the Lord's plans for us.

I explained that we are not simply asking donors to agree with our plans to fund the school. We want to hear from God's people as to what He is putting on their hearts. So, as to timing and priority, we trust the Lord to tell us where He wants us and when.

This is not to say that we don't need any plans; we should and they should be well-thought out. We also need to be about catching the Lord's vision for our institution.

Some of that wisdom comes from hearing the hearts of the people who we are partnering with.

Knowing What We Don't Know

Proverbs 1:1-7


The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair; for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young-- let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance-- for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.


Throughout the scriptures we are taught to seek wisdom. Wisdom is a precursor and companion of knowledge and understanding, all of which is critical for life.

From Proverbs 2


My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.


The wisest people I know are the ones who are keenly aware of the fact that they have not "arrived" at wisdom. In fact, the more they learn and grow, the more they realize how much there is left to learn.


This attitude is so critical for us in leadership. We must have a healthy respect for what we do not know and then to seek wisdom and knowledge from those who will came alongside us.


This week I met such an individual, one who is well thought of and accomplished. However, he will not accept mediocrity and he fully acknowledges that other perspectives can and will help him improve his school in a way that he cannot by himself.


Praise the Lord for humility. If we can all realize that we do not have all of the answers and can agree that this declaration is not a sign of weakness, then our schools are poised to become premier institutions of redemptive grace.

The Generous Fundraiser

In the world of fundraising, it is presumed that we ourselves are generous with the blessings we have from God. After all, doesn't it make sense that we cannot ask for what we are not giving?

So, what does generosity look like in our lives? Here is a quick test that you get to grade and score yourself.

1. How am I doing with my financial giving? Am I giving in the same proportions of my income that I ask our donors to do?
2. How am doing in giving my talent? Have I offered to help another development or stewardship person any assistance, encouragement, or prayer?
3. What am doing with my time? Is my schedule so full that I cannot be "interrupted" with the needs or concerns of another? Do I take my precious time and think about who might need a good word?
4. Would others describe me as a generous person? Would they say I am effective and efficient, but not particularly loving?
5. Am I sharing my journey of becoming a generous giving in a way that invites others to join or does it come across like I have "arrived" and my donors just need to catch up?

I write this as I come under conviction for holding back. The Lord is gracious to forgive, but He also puts generous saints in my path who remind me that I have far to go.

Thank you Lord for your patience with me.

Fundraising and Donor Conversations

Much of our fundraising work takes the form of broad communications like appeal letters and email blasts; the authors of The Sower call crop dusting. These forms have their place in providing basic information and a compelling story or "case" for supporting the school, but they do not engage donors at a personal level.

When we get (better yet, make) the opportunity to speak with donors in person we can approach them with intentionality as we share the work of the school.

Gary Hoag uses 5 P's to remember the purpose of the visit:

1. Person - Learn about who they are, not just what they do.

2. Passion - Find out what facet of God's work they are passionate about.

3. Permission - Seek permission to share about our ministry in the school.

4. Participation - Share how stewards participate in Kingdom work.

5. Pray - Encourage them to pray about their response.

I would add that we, too, should pray that the donor has the courage to earnestly seek God's plan for their time, talent, and treasure. We could even ask permission to follow up with them to see how they are doing in their communion with the Lord about these important issues.

During these discussions we must be on guard to check our own motives to be sure we do not slip into manipulation. There is plenty of residual sin in me that this is a constant battle, "Am I really and truly interested in the spiritual well-being of the donor?"

Practicing these conversations helps us to see that growing generous stewards is a long process, and it must begin with each of us. Would others characterize us as generous or thankful as demonstrated by how we return to the Lord the blessings with which He blesses us?

Lastly, while we can and should be winsome and articulate, we cannot do the heart work of convicting; that is the Holy Spirit's alone.