God has MORE for your life, and God has MORE for our church. But the heartbeat of MORE is one more person meeting Jesus.
Our church began 126 years ago with 38 members who believed God for more than they could see. Today, we are praying about launching campuses, adopting churches, fostering congregations, and equipping leaders. All of it is about helping more people hear the gospel and follow Jesus.
That takes faith. It takes obedience. And it takes generosity.
Why do we talk about giving as part of a discipleship journey? Because what we do with our resources reveals what is happening in our hearts. God wants us to grow in every area of our lives, including this one.
1. MORE Grace
“And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.”
— 2 Corinthians 8:1–2
Generosity begins with the grace of God. Only God can take a selfish heart and make it generous.
We all came into this world thinking about ourselves. A hungry baby cries because the baby wants food. That baby never cries because its mother needs something to eat! We do not have to teach selfishness. It comes naturally. But when Jesus changes our hearts, He changes how we see what we have.
Notice the circumstances of the Macedonian churches. Paul describes a very severe trial and extreme poverty. Yet those same people experienced overflowing joy and rich generosity. They did not wait until life was easy to become generous. They trusted God with what they had.
Maybe your household has gone from two incomes to one. Maybe you have children in college or several little ones in diapers. Your circumstances may change what you can give, but you can still be faithful.
The question is, “Lord, what would You have me do with what You have entrusted to me?”
God has been good to us. His grace gives us a reason to open our hands.
2. MORE Growth
“But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.”
— 2 Corinthians 8:7
Paul puts giving alongside faith, speech, knowledge, earnestness, and love. Generosity is a spiritual discipline. Just as we grow in prayer and our understanding of Scripture, we should grow in giving. As your pastor, I want something for you. I want you to experience the joy of trusting God and seeing Him work through your life.
Our Generosity Pathway identifies five steps to help you consider where you are and what your next step might be.
The Starter Giver
Maybe you have never given to the work of the kingdom. Your next step is to begin.
We make commitments in so many areas of life: a mortgage, a car payment, a phone plan, and streaming services. Giving deserves prayerful intention, too. Ask God what He would have you give, decide in your heart, and take that first step.
The Steady Giver
The next step is consistency. Move from giving occasionally to making generosity a regular part of your life. We plan for the things that matter to us. Put God first in your planning. Give Him your first and best instead of whatever happens to be left over.
The Scriptural Giver
The tithe means ten percent. Scripture teaches us to honor the Lord with what He has given us. We give under grace and out of love for Him. Think about what grace does throughout the Christian life. It teaches us to go the second mile, turn the other cheek, and forgive again. As we grow in grace, we should also grow in generosity.
The Sacrificial Giver
Sacrifice asks us to consider what we are willing to surrender so someone else can be reached. We all enjoy getting our way. Tammy and I only have a problem when I do not get my way! Following Jesus means learning to deny ourselves and put others first.
Sacrificial generosity may mean changing a plan, delaying a purchase, or releasing something we have been holding tightly. We do it because we believe people hearing the gospel is worth the sacrifice.
The Supernatural Giver
There are moments when obedience requires a level of trust that stretches beyond what makes sense to us. We pray, listen, and respond to the Lord. Our confidence rests in His faithfulness.
Where are you on that pathway? What keeps you from taking your next step? Is your life being shaped by comfort, accumulation, or generosity?
Those questions reach deeper than a dollar amount. They help us examine who we are becoming.
3. MORE Glory
Ultimately, we want our lives and our giving to bring glory to God. Paul told the Corinthians that he wanted to test the sincerity of their love. Our willingness to give reveals something about what we treasure.
One couple prayed and settled on their commitment to MORE. Then a realtor called about the vacation home they had always wanted. The price was exactly the amount they had committed to give. They faced a real decision. Their flesh struggled, but they chose to follow through with what they believed God had asked them to do. There was joy in their obedience.
Let me take the pressure off: God asks you to be faithful with what you have.
“For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.”
— 2 Corinthians 8:12
You do not have to give someone else’s gift. You are responsible for your response to the Lord.
The reason we give is found at the cross.
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”
— 2 Corinthians 8:9
Jesus gave Himself for us. Our generosity is a response to His love.
The Macedonians gave themselves first to the Lord. That is where this journey begins for us, too. If you do not know Jesus, begin by giving yourself to Him. He loves you and wants a relationship with you.
For those of us who follow Him, let’s pray honestly: “Lord, everything I have comes from You. What would You have me do?” Talk and pray with your family. Consider your next step. Then respond in faith.
God is able to do far MORE than we ask or think. Let’s believe Him together.
If you’re ready to take your next step, whether that’s baptism, or something else, fill out a Connection Card or visit one of our campus locations. We would love to pray with you, baptize you, or help you get connected.