No matter the circumstances going on around us, creating a culture of generosity in the local church is incredibly important. In fact, the key words in the preceding sentence are ingredients for the “secret sauce” to a great church:
CREATING – to be intentional
CULTURE – shared values and knowledge (attitudes and behavior)
GENEROSITY – being plentiful or large (not necessarily monetary)
CHURCH – the assembly of citizens (in our case, of God’s people)
NO MATTER – in spite of, despite
No matter how big or small your act of giving, your generosity truly is the gift that keeps on giving, a light that shines in the darkness.
I once heard someone say: “If you want others to be happy, practice generosity. If you want to be happy, practice generosity.” Countless research findings suggest that giving of yourself, your time or your energy can decrease depression, improve your life satisfaction and provide clarity to your purpose in life.
The wonderful feelings of giving are so powerful and fulfilling. When we spend our time giving to others, there is no room in our lives for isolation, negative self-talk and selfishness. Instead, when we reach our hands out to others, we allow ourselves more opportunities to connect, re-connect and become one with our families, our communities and the world in which we live.
Giving in many churches is down due to the challenges we’ve faced this past year. Pastors, I encourage you to lead by example, be a giver, and lead a giving church. No matter how big or small your act of giving, your generosity truly is the gift that keeps on giving, a light that shines in the darkness. So, give yourself today, and feed your soul.
