The Red Letter Disciple

083: Chris Willard on the The Best Question to Ask to Increase Generosity, The Difference Between Stewardship and Generosity, and How to Grow a Fabulous Mustache

Sep 24, 2024

Chris Willard, co-author of Contagious Generosity, provides insightful commentary on generosity and stewardship within the church. He discusses how to inspire financial engagement among congregants while promoting personal and community growth. Humorously, Willard touches on the mustache trend, linking grooming to broader life lessons. Listeners will learn about transforming the narrative around giving, biblical perspectives on financial stewardship, and practical strategies for instilling generosity across generations in church communities.

01:01:55

Episode guests

Chris Willard

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Generosity should be seen as an essential part of discipleship, fostering spiritual growth rather than simply a fundraising effort.

A personalized approach, termed the 'ministry of asking', encourages church leaders to connect with members in meaningful ways, promoting personal engagement.

Educating younger generations about biblical principles of generosity is crucial, especially amid a significant wealth transfer that presents new giving opportunities for churches.

Deep dives

The Importance of Generosity in Discipleship

Generosity is a vital aspect of discipleship that church leaders must not shy away from discussing. It is emphasized that talking about giving should be approached as a means of engaging members in their spiritual growth rather than a burdensome task of fundraising. Generosity cultivates a culture of giving that impacts the church community, encouraging members to support each other and grow in their faith. Ultimately, embracing the topic of generosity can lead to a deeper understanding of stewardship and the role it plays in discipleship.

Intro

5min

The Trendy Revival of Mustaches and Life Lessons

2min

Exploring Generosity and Stewardship in Ministry

5min

Embracing Generosity in Faith

21min

Teaching Generosity and Stewardship

10min

Cultivating Generosity in Church Communities

6min

Transforming Financial Stewardship and Generosity

4min

Exploring Generosity vs. Saving in Biblical Teachings

2min

Mustache Mania: A Fun Quiz!

7min

Chris Willard, co-author of Contagious Generosity, is a connector, consultant, and communicator with over 30 years of ministry leadership experience. As Co-Founder and CEO of Elevate Group, he helps churches increase engagement and multiply results by partnering with major faith-based organizations globally. To learn more about the podcast or access the show notes, visit www.redletterpodcast.com.

Today’s episode partner is FiveTwo. The FiveTwo team has grown healthy churches for over thirty years. They understand how to grow churches in a rapidly changing culture without burning out staff and lay leaders.

Every major church denomination in the U.S. has experienced a decline since the 1960s, a trend the pandemic didn't initiate but rather accelerated. What are we, as people who love the local church, to do about this reality?

FiveTwo has spent the last four years identifying the four key cultural trends thriving churches address. They’ve helped countless churches address these trends and thrive. They’ve put all their learnings, along with case studies, into a free resource that you can download at fivetwo.com today. Discover how well your congregation is managing these forces and what you can do to grow.

Also, check out my webinar this past June with Founder of FiveTwo Bill Woolsey.

Let’s include some FiveTwo graphics, links, and webinar material here for when we post it on our website.

Resources mentioned in the episode:

Campus Crusade for Christ

Contagious Generosity by Chris Willard

Elevate Group

Overflow.co

True Riches by Greg Baumer and John Cortines

Key insights from the episode:

The sermon of the mount could also be called “the sermon of the amount.” - Chris Willard

We have been conditioned that giving is graduate-level discipleship stuff. - Chris Willard

If you really believe it’s more blessed to give than receive, you will tell me early. - Chris Willard

Giving is a 5,000-year-old idea. - Chris Willard

Make the offering moment a meaningful moment. - Chris Willard

Jesus does not do “soft asks.” - Zach Zehnder

Giving should be personal, but not private and secret. - Chris Willard

We do the ministry of asking for money not because of what we want from them, but what we want for them. Chris Willard

Stewardship and generosity are two sides of the same coin. - Chris Willard

The wealth that God has given you in your lifetime could be the death of your family. - Chris Willard

Chris Willard’s Challenge: Ask how much of God’s money does he want me to keep?

Are you following Jesus?

Many want to be greater followers of Jesus but don’t know how. We extensively studied everything Jesus commanded of us and located five key targets to which Jesus invited His followers. The five targets are Being, Forgiving, Serving, Giving, and Going.

In partnership with LifeWay Research, we created a Red Letter Challenge Assessment that will measure you according to these five targets. And the best news of all: it’s free! You will receive your results immediately and be presented with the next steps to help you become an even greater follower of Jesus.

You can take the FREE Red Letter Challenge Assessment here.

This is another Hurrdat Media Production. Hurrdat Media is a podcast network and digital media production company based in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat Media Network by going to HurrdatMedia.com or Hurrdat Media YouTube channel!

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