Faith & Giving Part 1 – Pursuing Generosity Series

Faith & Giving Part 1 – Pursuing Generosity

2 Corinthians 9:6, 7

6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 1

Verses on giving that are rarely used – Deuteronomy 14:22-29

The Bible certainly has a lot to say about the believer and his money. While Scripture offers about 500 verses on prayer, and fewer than 500 on faith, there are more than 2,000 verses on money!

1. Give Generously

2. Be Disciplined

1 Corinthians 16:1, 2 - Now about the collection for God’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. 2 On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. 2

A. Giving is to be Consistent – “On the first day of every week”

It is to be regular, systematic, and persistent, week after week after week -- a continual, holy habit of giving.

B. Giving is to be Intentional - " each one of you should set aside a sum of money "

Giving is to be premeditated or intentional.

C. Giving is to be Proportionate - " in keeping with his income "

Then the last thing: Giving is not only to be persistent and personal and premeditated, but it is to be proportionate,

If the Old Testament foundational level of giving was the tithe (10%), then the New Testament level certainly isn’t less. – Jack Hayford

E. Calvin Beisner has pointed out that if every American who attends church on Sunday morning gave 10% of their income, enough money would be generated to fully fund every federal, state and local welfare program, and the church would still have four times as much money left over as it currently has!

3. Don’t Be Manipulated

4. Give Cheerfully

A Presbyterian missionary in Ghana told an interesting thing about the Presbyterian Church in Ghana. The Presbyterians are the largest Christian group in that country. The church was established over a hundred years ago by Scottish Presbyterians, and their worship service is very much like a Scottish Presbyterian service. Recently they have allowed the African traditional experience into the worship service at the offering.

At the offering, they let the people dance. That’s a part of African culture in religious, spiritual worship. They let the people dance as they bring their offerings forward. They really get down. The music is going, and they individually turn it into a production as they bring that offering to the offering plate. They take their time, too. The offering could go on for a long time because they are dancing all the way down the aisle. It’s the only time in the service when they smile. I thought, How interesting. The only time in the service when they smile is when they’re giving their money.3

1The New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House) 1984.

2The New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House) 1984.

3 Citation: "Whom Do You Serve?" Preaching Today, Tape No. 110.