Giving is Good

Pastoral

Sep 11

Written By SBC | Scottsdale Bible Church

Pastoral | September 12, 2024 | By: Ryan Goble

When I was an intern in Chicago during seminary, I had to personally raise funds for my salary. It was more money than I had ever needed to raise before, and I had no choice but to rely on God to provide for my family. Just when I was feeling the weight of it all, a close friend reached out to us. Without any prompting, they had just heard about our need and generously offered to give us $10,000—exactly what we needed to complete our fundraising. It was a powerful reminder of how God provides and how He uses His people to advance His kingdom.

Giving is a sensitive topic in churches, but Jesus never apologized for addressing it. He told us that where our treasure is, our heart will be also (Matthew 6:10-21). This means that where we place our treasure is fundamentally a heart issue. Do we consider our money as ours, or do we see it as God’s money that He allows us to steward?

I recently read an article outlining giving trends in America and was startled by the findings. One key statistic stood out: Over the past 40 years, giving to religious organizations has declined from 63% of total charitable giving to a new historic low of just 24%. Even more concerning is the acceleration of this decline in recent years. Additionally, only 5-10% of households provide two-thirds of ministry funding, with older givers contributing the most. Ultimately, many churchgoers no longer prioritize giving to the church; instead, they view resourcing their church as just one of several giving options.

Biblical Perspective

When I was a young boy, I remember hearing a wise businessman teach on his view of money, possessions, and generosity. His central point was that we need to shift our thinking from “How much does God want from me?” to “How much will God allow me to keep of His money?” This paradigm shift changed everything about how I approach money, possessions, and generosity.

Jesus taught extensively about money because He understood its powerful influence on our hearts. He emphasized that our relationship with money reflects our relationship with God. If we believe that our money is truly God's, our approach to giving changes radically. Our generosity becomes an act of worship and trust in God's provision.

Challenge to the Church

We need to consider what it would look like if we, as a church, decided to be radically generous with our money. What could our church accomplish if everyone gave generously and sacrificially?

Jesus said, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.' This statement remains true today. We can each participate in God’s redemptive plan in a meaningful way when we seek His guidance about our giving and trust Him to provide as we give generously. For some, this might be a small portion; for others, it might be a large portion. The important thing is that we trust God to meet our needs as we live a generous life.

I encourage you to pray and reflect on your giving. Ask God how He wants you to use the resources He has entrusted to you, and then consider taking these practical steps:

Start giving if you aren’t, and if you are already giving, evaluate if you could increase your giving.
Set up regular, automated giving to ensure consistency.
Get involved in church ministries and see firsthand the impact of your contributions.
Share stories of how giving has blessed you and others to inspire those around you.

By taking these steps, we can build a culture of generosity that reflects our trust in God and our commitment to His kingdom work.

Generosity is a vital part of our discipleship. It’s not just about funding the church; it’s about growing our faith and trust in God. Let’s be a church known for our radical generosity, trusting that God will provide for our needs as we invest in His kingdom. Will you join me in this journey of generous living?