The Generosity Project: Joyful Giving for the Sake of the Gospel

Speaking about giving, generosity, and money can often feel awkward, forced, or embarrassing when brought up in church contexts. Yet the Bible is not afraid of teaching about it. Why is this, and what can we do about it?

Enter The Generosity Project.

“The conviction underlying The Generosity Project is that the culture of generosity is weak in British, Australian and even North American churches. We don’t talk about it, we aren’t excited by it,” said Briana Glenn, UK Manager for The Generosity Project.

“We hear about being a joyful giver, but how do we get to that point where we gladly part with our resources for the sake of the gospel?”

There is a bigger picture to be grasped when it comes to giving, one that goes beyond the bottom line of church budgets.

“Generosity is a glad and joyful response to the grace of God in the gospel. If generosity is weak, then something is weak in the spiritual heart of God’s people,” Briana said.

The Generosity Project explores what ‘generosity’ is: what hinders or blocks generosity; what facilitates and grows it; and what it means practically for God’s people to reflect his generosity.

It models what a culture of generous, joyful giving could mean within churches and Christian organisations, as well as nurturing individual convictions about the joy to be had in giving.

Including video sessions, real world stories, and guides for leaders and pastors, The Generosity Project provides churches and organisations with free supporting resources to easily implement the course in small groups.

Authored by Tony Payne and Geoff Robson, The Generosity Project is a new six-part teaching resource for use in small groups. It stands at the centre of a larger strategy to shift the culture of generosity in church congregations and parachurch ministries.

The resource also includes contributions from leading Bible teachers including Vaughan Roberts (St Ebbe’s, Oxford), Jason Roach (The Bridge, a Co-Mission church), and FIEC’s National Director John Stevens.

“As a local church pastor, National Director of the FIEC, and trustee of a number of mission organisations, I am very aware that the work of the gospel is utterly dependent upon the generous giving of God’s people. Over the years I witnessed the extraordinary generosity of many individuals, whether rich or poor, and the amazing impact their giving has had,” John said.

“It has been a privilege to be involved in The Generosity Project, which is an excellent tool to encourage us to be cheerful and generous givers, investing our material wealth in the cause of the kingdom. I pray that it will be widely used and challenge us to emulate the generosity and grace of Christ who, though he was rich, willingly gave everything for us.”

Experiencing the Generosity Project

The small groups at The Globe Church in London have gone through The Generosity Course together. Here is what they had to say about it.