In this season where the church is challenged in so many areas, we can’t lose our passion for generosity. Biblically rooted generosity and stewardship are an integral parts of making disciples and focusing on the mission God calls us to accomplish. Jim Shepperd of Generis offers some good advice.
Earning just 24 cents per hour as incarcerated persons, a group of inmates saved their money to provide Christmas baskets for less fortunate inmates. We can learn much from their generosity and embodiment of a pure spirit of Christmas.
Equip the saints of your church with a daily Advent devotional: “Generosity in Hope, Peace, Joy and Love.” Produced by the Delaware-Maryland Synod of the ELCA, the free, downloadable booklet offers ways to explore, serve and pray over Scripture passages. Organized by weekly Advent themes of hope, peace, joy and love.
SOLI’S Stewardship Toolkit offers a free monthly newsletter article, plus weekly RCL-based “snippets” for your Sunday bulletin. October’s toolkit focuses on how God calls us to examine our “harvest” and find sufficiency, contentment, and generosity.
The Bible is clear that God desires us to live lives of giving and generosity. It’s certainly evident that when we give to others they benefit enormously, but the Bible tells us how we are enriched when we give our stuff away. From World Vision. (Photo © momius – Fotolia.com)
Lectionary Reflection for the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
June 27, 2021
This week’s epistle lesson offers an excellent chance to talk about stewardship and generosity. After all, every sermon should be a stewardship sermon. Read on for ideas for preaching and teaching, worship, and time with youth and children.
Among the character traits that any good disciple should exhibit, generosity ranks pretty high. Not surprisingly, the Bible has a lot to say about the benefits of developing a heart that is inclined to share, to give and to love. Check out these four short devotionals on generosity, from biblelessonstuff.com. (Photo: Alvanman, Creative Commons)
We want God’s people to be generous hearted and give to God’s ministry — not just money, but their hearts and minds as well. But how can we help people to become more generous-hearted? Chris Willard this issue in an insightful three-part resource in LeaderNet. (Photo: Gayle Nicholson, Creative Commons)
Generosity names not merely something we do but also an admirable quality of character, something we are. Undergirding the character of truly generous people is a special awareness of themselves, others, and God’s gracious provision for the world. From Baylor University’s Institute for Faith and Learning. (Photo © laurent hamels – Fotolia.com)
“It is more blessed to give than to receive,” Jesus is quoted as saying in Acts 20:35, but why is that? There is tremendous power in the act of giving. Peter Marty explores this issue in The Christian Century. (Photo: Irish, Creative Commons)
