Generosity is a Journey…
Real transformation grows out of a life submitted to and built upon God’s Word. One area of our lives in which this pattern is most essential and impactful is our generosity. There is a lot of misinformation and many stereotypes when it comes to the Bible, the Church and money.
We are on a mission to change that perception; to not only set the record straight on biblical generosity, but also to teach God’s people how to remain faithful in a crucial area of our faith about which the Scriptures speak clearly and frequently.
We believe biblical generosity is a journey that begins before you ever give to the Church. We’re here to help you on that journey because NO ONE experiences more joy from your generosity than you do!
The Generosity Journey
Get Started
(click to learn more…)
Giving for the first time.
Generosity is a journey and lifestyle. Time and practice are required to get it right, but we have to start somewhere. We invite you to take a step of faith and trust God with your first gift. Click here to start that journey.
⇓
Become a Steward
(click to learn more…)
Managing all that God has blessed us with.
Generosity is fundamentally rooted in recognizing that God owns everything (Psalm 24:1-2). This mindset is called stewardship. A steward manages resources on behalf of an owner, functioning in a position of trust where the manager’s decisions directly affect the owner’s interests.
Click here to watch a message on stewardship from Pastor Paul.
Go here to learn more about and sign up for Rooted. We teach on stewardship during week 8 this 10-week discipleship journey.
⇓
Give to God First
(click to learn more…)
Giving regularly and proportionally for God’s glory and the work of His Kingdom.
The concepts of first fruits and the tithe were established long before the Law, wherein they were meant to provide for the work of the house of the Lord and the needs of the poor.
Abraham gave a tenth to Melchizedek, king of Salem, who gave him bread and wine along with his blessing as “priest of the most high God” (Genesis 14:18–20). Jacob vowed to give God a tenth of all He would provide (Genesis 28:20–22).
By the end of the Old Testament, we see that Israel had failed to remain faithful to God in these forms of stewardship and generosity of their resources (Malachi 3:8–10). But God did not see their unfaithfulness as a reason to become unfaithful. God is always faithful to us, and as we move into the New Covenant through the blood of Christ, we see Him call His people back to faithfulness to Him in their generosity which reflects His faithfulness and generosity to us.
We give regularly and proportionally to God’s Church in order to support the ministry of His Kingdom and those who are in need.
If you’d like to join the many faithful givers at Central Church of Christ who give regularly and proportionally, you can click here and be sure to select the option for a recurring gift.
Or, contact our church office at (815) 673-1581 or office@centrallive.net to request offering envelopes.
⇓
Faithful & Joyful Generosity
(click to learn more…)
Experience the joy of generosity beyond tradition or duty.
We see God’s faithfulness to us (Deuteronomy 31:8), and when it comes to our financial lives, we respond in faithfulness to Him with what has been entrusted to us.
Those given a trust must prove faithful (1 Corinthians 4:2), as illustrated in the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14–30) where servants who invested their master’s money and gained returns received praise, while the servant who buried his master’s money and failed to gain a return for it was condemned as lazy and wicked.
This Kingdom parable illustrates again for us that the application of a stewardship mindset leads to growth in every area of our lives for God’s glory. As we grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18), and trust that God, who began a good work in us, will carry it to completion (Philippians 1:6), we find joy in the journey and in supporting the growth of God’s Kingdom along the way.
Our Faith & Financial Freedom class taught by Pastor Paul and elder Kyle Decker will help you rediscover the joy of faithful stewardship and generosity. To learn more contact our office at (815) 673-1581 or email us at connect@centrallive.net.
⇓
Give Our Very Best to God
(like to learn more…)
Generosity without hindrance.
Giving to God from a heart set on Kingdom growth acknowledges that we can’t outgive God. We serve a Lord and Savior who gave His all for us, and as we seek to give our all to Him by giving Him our very best. The Apostle Paul speaks in Romans 12:1-2 of presenting your body as a living sacrifice that is holy and pleasing to God, describing this as your authentic worship.
The deepest expression of this sacrifice is dying to your own agenda so that Christ lives through you.
Jesus modeled this as did His disciples in the early Church. They gave their very best to God by giving extravagantly to those in need among them (Acts 2:42-47, Acts 4:32-37, 2 Corinthians 8:1-5).
When we deny ourselves gladly through regular, self-giving discipline in generosity it reflects God’s faithfulness to us.
If you’re looking for deeper, unhindered ways to partner with Central Church of Christ in your generosity, contact Pastor Paul at connect@centrallive.net or (815) 673-1581 today to schedule a 1-on-1 meetup.
⇓
The THRIVE generosity initiative is here! Learn more…
Tools to help you GROW in Generosity
Thrive in Influence, Community, Generosity, and Legacy…
we believe that if you devote yourself to the lord He will
grow your faith and you will find joy in leaving a legacy for His glory!
Our THRIVE reflection guide is a tool to help you think through God’s
gracious plan and purpose for which you were created!
Click here to download the guide.
How to use the Reflection Guide…
Our THRIVE Reflection Guide is designed to help reflect on the thriving life in Christ God is calling you to live. We hope you will spend time in prayerful reflection on the impact you can make through your generosity!
The four devotions can be used daily on your own or with your small group or family.
Be sure to write down your thoughts on the reflection questions and share with someone close to you. Look back on your thoughts over time and see how you’ve grown in your generosity and legacy.
Barnabas: a shining example from the Bible
Barnabas (whose name means “Son of Encouragement”) is a wonderful and compelling biblical example who we can follow as we consider how we can grow in our legacy and generosity. Check out this short video about his life. Read the Scripture references below, and then take time to discuss with your small group or household using the questions provided.
Scripture References
Acts 4:36-37 ‘Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), 37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.’
Acts 9:27 ‘But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.’
Acts 11:22-24 ‘News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. 24 He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.’
Learn more about our two-year THRIVE initiative.