CULTIVATING GENEROSITY

What does it mean to live a generous life? How can we encourage our fellow Canadian Baptists and ourselves to live more generously? Beyond tithing our 10%, true generosity leads us to give our time, talent and treasure in the service of Jesus. We encourage you to share the following resources with your church to help your congregation understand and practice generosity in your church.

Below you will find resources for the five-week Generosity campaign in your church. This includes four short videos (approximately two minutes each) that walk you through the four steps in Whole Life Generosity. Although they can be used in any setting, we suggest using them during the offering time (one each week for four weeks) or along with the sermon series and small group resources following the same themes.

The next steps might be to take a Generosity Survey or rethink how you can make the most of the offering moment in your church for maximum impact.

Online Giving for CBOQ Churches

Partnering with Tithe.ly

CBOQ has partnered with Tithe.ly, an online giving platform designed to help churches increase giving and engagement with tools built for ministries. As giving trends change, and fewer people give by cash or cheque, having online giving options can make a substantial difference for churches.

THE GENEROSITY CAMPAIGN

Generosity is a five-week campaign prepared to help your congregation (re)discover the joy of generosity. The campaign includes this leadership guide as well as a five-week sermon series, a corresponding small group study and plenty of resources.

THE HEART OF WHOLE LIFE GENEROSITY IS JESUS.

The core of Whole Life Generosity starts with Jesus as our model. Jesus gave up everything for our sake so that we might become like him—rich in generosity.

You are familiar with the generosity of our Master, Jesus Christ. Rich as he was, he gave it all away for us—in one stroke he became poor and we became rich.

2 Corinthians 8:9, The Message

In addition to the videos below, download the printable bulletin inserts to share with your church!

VIDEO 1: ALL OF LIFE LIVED IN RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

We start by living all of life in relationship with God so that our hearts start to beat in tune with his.

That you love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence  

Luke 10:27, The Message

Video 1: All of Life Lived with God

VIDEO 2: ALL WE HAVE RECEIVED WITH GRATITUDE FROM GOD

We move deeper in that relationship to accept who we are in Christ and receive all that life brings us with a heart of gratitude to God.

Sing songs from your heart to Christ. Sing praises over everything, any excuse for a song to God the Father in the name of our Master, Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 5:20, The Message

Video 2: All We Have Received with Gratitude from God

VIDEO 3: SURRENDER AND TRUST OUR ALL TO GOD

To truly discover the freedom of generosity, we must first surrender to God’s invitation to trust that God will always provide and that we will be OK.

If it’s all given to us by a God of Generosity and Love, then can we choose in all circumstances to trust this God?

What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving…  Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

Matthew 6:31-33, The Message

Video 3: Surrender and Trust our All to God

VIDEO 4:  RELEASE ALL WE ARE TO GOD FOR THE BLESSING OF OTHERS

The final step is to release all you are to God for the blessing of others through generosity and good works.

God loves it when the giver delights in the giving…. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God.

2 Cor. 9:7, 11, The Message

Video 4: Release All We Are to God for the Blessing of Others

WHOLE LIFE GENEROSITY

All of life. All we have. All we are. All God wants us to be.

Generosity is the overflow of a grateful heart. When we live generously, we give our praises to God. The giver praises God for the joy of partnering with him; the receiver praises God for his provision… through you.

Relationships deepen with God and others.

Gratitude clears the way to focus on the right thing.

Surrender ends the fight to hold on to everything.

Releasing everything to his purpose bears fruit and joy in all circumstances.

A circle of grace.

And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work… You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

2 Corinthians 9:8, 11

CBOQ wishes to acknowledge and thank The Free Methodist Church in Canada for allowing us to use this resource and share with you, our family of churches.

We are grateful for their generosity!