Living Generously

Jim Leffel

2 Corinthians 8:7-21

God's grace revealed through Jesus Christ provides a basis for being generous. Some keys to be living generously include: 1) being intentional about giving generously; 2) being faithful to what you've decided to give; 3) be proportional with your giving to a sacrificial degree; and 4) be zealous. Since we are accountable to God with His resources, we should be excited to be a part of God's eternal purposes and should aim to be above reproach in our handling of His money.

Challenge of Wealth

Jim Leffel

2 Corinthians 8:1-5

Paul expresses his desire for the Corinthians to give generously, giving principles about generosity and wealth. God desires a spiritual mindset concerning how we value wealth, to understand principles of stewardship and financial freedom and to understand affluence as it pertains to poverty. God-centered generosity is an extension of entrusting our lives to God.

The New Worship & Our Money

Gary DeLashmutt

Hebrews 13:5-6

The new worship involves having a new perspective on money. Believers need to reject materialism's empty promises that lead to disastrous decisions. Believers also need to embrace and pursue God's purpose for life and cultivate enjoyment of the good things God gives, whether physical, intellectual, aesthetic, or relational. Finally, believers need to practice consistent and spontaneous generosity, which protects us and gives us excitement for eternity.

Leading the Church in Stewardship/Generosity

Jeff Gordon

Titus 3:14

God calls us to be generous with our resources, and leaders must often help develop the burden for financial generosity in the people they lead. This is done in love through prayer, helping people develop their own convictions based on what the Bible says, and allowing the Holy Spirit to work. By looking at several past campaigns at Xenos, Jeff Gordon offers practical insight into what has made some successful and some unsuccessful.

Radical Servitude or Selfish Mediocrity?

Dennis McCallum

Luke 15:4-10

Paul lived a life dedicated to serving God and other people. People often choose to live a life that is self focused and care more about their own riches than the needs of others. As servants of the Lord we set our aim at leaving an eternal impact, and serving those around us.

Christians and Generosity (Part 2)

Dennis McCallum

Proverbs 20:4

Paul calls us to be good stewards of the money God has blessed us with. We are called to give voluntarily of own volition; God loves a cheerful giver. The best thing we can do with our temporary resources is invest in things that are eternal.

Christians and Generosity (Part 1)

Dennis McCallum

Isaiah 44:13-16

Paul preached to the early church that they should give their money as a stewardship of the things God has blessed them with. Giving is an important way to invest in God's work, and He wants us to give out of what we have. God wants us to be open, honest with our finances, and to view our possessions as the things that He has given us.

Becoming a Cheerful Giver: Why I Give

Jeff Gordon

Luke 16:10-11

Teacher Jeff Gordon gives his personal testimony as a way to persuade church members to give to the building campaign. He recounts seeing his fellow professionals be in misery over their finances and life. God began showing him that you cannot buy happiness and that God offered a different life: a life of giving instead of taking. He explains how he transformed as he began to give and enjoyed more of what God has given him. Ends with an essay selection by A. W. Tozer called ?Miracles Follow the Plow? and uses the essay to encourage church members to take a step of faith towards radical giving.

Motivations for Generosity

Gary DeLashmutt

Acts 4:32-33

This teaching is part of a funding campaign for Xenos Christian Fellowship. What is generosity and what motivates is highlighted throughout this teaching. There are 6 motivations for generosity. First, God has given generously to you through his son Jesus; grace is God's riches at Christ's expense. A second motivation is because God has made you a steward of His resources. A comparison of stewardship and ownership mentalities is included. Thirdly, you can be generous even if you are not wealthy; it is an attitude of giving that God is looking for, not a specific or large financial amount. Fourthly, God wants all of his people to have enough and does so through His people's generosity. Fifth, your financial gift will be handled with integrity among church leadership. Lastly, God will richly bless you for your generosity. You cannot out-give God! Refers to Craig Bloomberg's book Neither Poverty Nor Riches: A Biblical Theology of Possessions as a valuable resource on generosity topic.