Aligning Your Giving with God's Heart with David Wills

Feb 20, 2025

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You’re generous; you love to give. But how do you know that your giving is having a real impact?

It’s great that you have a heart for giving. The next step is to make sure your giving really counts…and that’s by aligning it with God’s heart. David Wills is here today to help us do that.

David Wills is President Emeritus of The National Christian Foundation (NCF). He is also the co-author of Investing in God’s Business (The “How To” of Smart Christian Giving) and numerous articles and lectures nationwide.

The Three Big Questions of Generosity

When it comes to giving, most Christians wrestle with three fundamental questions:

Why should I be generous?
How do I give?
Where should I give?

The first two questions deal with the heart and the head—our motivations for generosity and the practical ways to implement it. But the third question—where should I give?—often receives less attention. Instead of starting with our passions, we should begin with God's priorities.

God asks us to be generous on every occasion so that it brings Him glory and joy to our hearts. But instead of asking, “What am I passionate about?” We should ask, “What is God passionate about?”

A Framework for Giving: The Three-by-Three Grid

To help believers align their giving with God’s priorities, David introduced a three-by-three framework that incorporates both geography and biblical causes.

1. The Geography of Giving

A great biblical guide for the where of giving comes from Acts 1:8:

“You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

This verse provides a three-tiered approach to geographic giving:

Local (Jerusalem)—Giving within our immediate communities, such as supporting our local church and meeting local needs.
National (Judea and Samaria)—Supporting broader efforts within our country, including church planting, evangelism, and charitable organizations.
International (Ends of the Earth)—Expanding generosity to global missions, Bible translation, and aid to those who have never heard the Gospel.

Most people focus on what’s right in front of them—their local church or nearby needs. However, a biblical giving strategy challenges us to think beyond our immediate surroundings.

2. The Biblical Priorities of Giving

Scripture reveals three overarching themes that reflect God's heart for giving:

The Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20)—Supporting efforts that spread the Gospel, such as evangelism, church planting, missions, and discipleship.
The Greatest Commandment (Matthew 22:37-38)—Giving to ministries that help people grow in their love for God, including churches, theological education, and discipleship initiatives.
The Great Compassion (Matthew 22:39)—Caring for our neighbors by giving to those in need—orphans, widows, the poor, and the vulnerable.

These three biblical priorities form the vertical axis of the giving framework, while geography forms the horizontal axis.

By overlaying these two dimensions—geography and biblical priorities—believers can develop a well-rounded and God-centered giving plan. This framework helps us see the gaps in our giving. Many believers focus on what’s nearby, but God calls us to care for those who have never heard the Gospel or are in extreme need.

Making Giving a Family Practice

One of the most powerful aspects of this framework is its ability to teach children about generosity. Parents can use this model to discuss giving priorities as a family and even create a family giving plan that reflects God’s heart.

We encourage families to:

Sit down together and map out their giving on the three-by-three framework
Discuss where they are giving too much or too little.
Involve children in researching and selecting ministries that align with biblical priorities.
Regularly review and adjust their giving strategy as a family.

For those who want to track their giving over time, organizations like the National Christian Foundation (NCF) provide tools to help families and individuals monitor their generosity.

Aligning Your Giving with God's Heart

Ultimately, giving isn’t about following personal passions—it’s about reflecting God’s heart. By using a biblical framework for giving, we can be more intentional and experience greater joy in generosity.

Take Action Today:

Assess your current giving. Does it align with God’s heart?
Use the three-by-three framework to create a more balanced, intentional plan.
Involve your family in discussions about generosity.
Consider using a giving platform like NCF to track and refine your generosity over time.

To read David’s full article on this topic, explore Faithful Steward, FaithFi’s new quarterly magazine. You can access it by becoming a FaithFi Partner for $35 per month or $400 per year at FaithFi.com/give.

On Today’s Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:

My daughter is turning 16 today, and I'd like to help her become more responsible with her money. Can you recommend any debit cards or apps that are good options for teens? I'm looking for something faith-oriented.
I'm working and married, and we'll be at full retirement age by the end of this year. Should I take my Social Security at 62, save and invest that money, and do charitable things? Or should I just keep working and wait for a higher income from Social Security later on?

Resources Mentioned:

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every workday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God’s resources.

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