Generosity Challenge | Overview
And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity - all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved. - Acts 2:44-47
In Acts, the early church modeled what it looked like to live life together two feet in. Of course, all of this was perfectly modeled by Jesus’s abundant life and ministry on earth. Generous living was the invitation to lean into a deeply-formed and devoted community, rich in love and unity, and expectantly dependent on God’s promise, power, and presence.
This summer, we hope to offer God more of our hearts by taking a step forward in our giving. Jesus made it clear that how we think about and where we put our money will shape our hearts. Generous giving and living make an impact in 3 distinct ways: giving to the local church, to our faces & places, and in our discipleship so that people everywhere can encounter God in both spiritual and tangible ways! Let’s follow the example of Jesus’ first followers in being generous, inviting everyone in our church to take a step:
From not giving…to giving for the first time.
From giving once in a while…to giving regularly.
From giving regularly…to giving the first percentage of income.
From giving a percentage…to giving 10% and more.
For the next week, this guide will challenge you daily to grow in your generosity of time, resources, and money to name a few. God is always inviting his people’s partnership in the gospel, living lives of both tangible and spiritual hospitality to make way for the gospel to come alive to all people along the way. Sometimes we need help, and challenges, to think creatively, push us beyond, and invite us to more!Generosity, while in some aspects individual, has a great communal impact. So, throughout these challenges, rally together as a family or find an accountability partner to grow in generosity together!