The Finish Line Podcast Patrick Johnson, Founder of Generous Church, on What it Takes to Start a Generosity Revolution (Ep. 57)
Patrick Johnson is the founder of Generous Church, which catalizes biblical generosity through global church and ministry networks. Patrick started his career in the finance industry for 10 years before God got his attention through Randy Alcorn’s book, the Treasure Principle. From there, he spent time on staff with Generous Giving during it’s formational early years as well as the National Christian Foundation, where he developed an extensive network of generosity-minded leaders.
In 2011, Patrick left NCF to launch Generous Church with the goal of empowering church leaders to catalyze movements of gospel-centered generosity in their congregations. During those years, he surveyed over 40,000 Christians about their giving beliefs and practices with some absolutely fascinating conclusions.
Armed with the knowledge from his extensive experience and research, in 2019 Patrick brought Generous Church to the rest of the world. Through GC’s Generosity Design Lab, Patrick’s team empowers leaders of church and ministry networks all over the world to design generosity training that is completely customized and contexualized to best reach their own country and culture.
What’s the result? In just 3 years, Generous Church has helped networks in over 74 countries start generosity movements that have spread like wildfire.
Few people have a better bird’s eye perspective on what it takes to communicate the power of generosity. Listen now to hear Patrick’s thoughts on topics like the core motivations of the most generous people, why money is so dangerous for our faith, and why the U.S. in particular struggles so much with creating a culture of generosity.
QUOTES TO REMEMBER- “What really drives me with the message of generosity is the gospel.”
- “I am a wanderer by heart, and God never let’s me go. He always brings me back.”
- “Money can be dangerous.”
- “Money has a particular power to it, which is dangerous.”
- “Money is a particularly effective idol because you can count it, you can store it, and it keeps its power when you keep it in the dark.”
- “The narrative of scripture is not about investing, it’s not about saving, it’s not about debt – though those are in there. It’s about generous giving.”
- “Why don’t you take scripture face up for what it is and sit with God and ask Him what He would have you do with it.”
- “Generosity is about discipleship.”
- “We were created in the image of a generous God to be generous.”
- “Don’t think you can be a disciple of Jesus and leave generosity off the table.”
- “One of the common characteristics of the most generous people I’ve met is that they all set a spending finish line.”
- “I see in every generous person I know that they have a deep, abiding relationship with Christ that’s real and tangible.”
- “By far, the people who are motivated by the gospel and by grace are the most generous people from a financial perspective.”
- “You have to have margin, and you have to be intentional about margin early on.”
- “The two biggest leverage points are what house you live in and what car you drive.”
- Generous Church
- Generous Church's Generosity Design Lab
- The Treasure Principle (see our interview with author Randy Alcorn)
- Generous Giving (see our interviews with cofounders Todd Harper and David Wills and CEO, April Chapman)
- National Christian Foundation (see our interview with President Emeritus, David Wills)
- LeaderSource
- The Finish Line Community Facebook Group
- The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group
Matt 10:17-23 | The Rich Young Ruler
17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” 20 And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” 21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. 23 And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!”
Matt. 6:24 | You Cannot Serve God and Money
No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
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