Cultivating a Culture of Generosity - 2 Cor 8:1-15

1. Prayer
Companion in life and death,
your love is steadfast and never ends;
our weeping may linger with night,
but you give joy in the morning.
Touch us with your healing grace
that, restored to wholeness,
we may live out our calling
as your resurrection people.
Amen.

2. The Church Calendar
June 27

3. 2 Corinthians 8:1-15
CULTIVATING a CULTURE of GENEROSITY

5. “Televangelist claims Jesus
told him he needs 4th private jet,
valued at $54 million.” (2018)

6. “God will
bless you,
but only
if you give
your money
to us…” “God will
curse you
if you don’t
give your
money
to us…”

8. “Cajoling and guilting are not the ways
of wisdom, but neither is it wise to avoid
speaking of discipleship and stewardship
in the same breath…If Christ is Lord over
all of life, if money and resources and
possessions form one of the most important
dimensions of life, and if pastors are called
to nurture Christoformity in all ways,
then the pastor is called to nurture
economic Christoformity.”
SCOT McKNIGHT

10. 2 Corinthians 8:1-15
CULTIVATING a CULTURE of GENEROSITY

11. I’m not trying to order you around against
your will. But by bringing in the
Macedonians’ enthusiasm as a stimulus to
your love,
I am hoping to bring the best out of you.
You are familiar with the generosity of
our Master, Jesus Christ. Rich as he was,
he gave it all away for us—in one stroke
he became poor and we became rich.
2 CORINTHIANS 8:8-9

12. This isn’t so others can take it easy
while you sweat it out. No, you’re
shoulder-to-shoulder with them
all the way, your surplus matching
their deficit, their surplus matching
your deficit. In the end you come out even.
As it is written,
“Nothing left over to the one with the
most,
Nothing lacking to the one with the
2 CORINTHIANS 8:13-15 (MSG)

13. Our desire is not that others might be
relieved while you are hard pressed,
but that there might be equality.
At the present time your plenty will
supply what they need, so that in turn
their plenty will supply what you need.
The goal is equality, as it is written:
“The one who gathered much did not
have too much, and the one who
gathered little did not have too little.”
2 CORINTHIANS 8:13-15 (NIV)

14. 2 Corinthians 8:1-15
CULTIVATING a CULTURE of GENEROSITY

15. 1. Care for the poor Economic relief
2.Wise use of money/resources Spending/Saving
3. Unity in the body of Christ Social bonds in faith
4. Generosity as worship Voluntary/habitual
5. Equality/sufficiency Availability/Accountability
ECONOMIC CHRISTOFORMITY

16. - Think PERCENTAGES + DOLLARS
o Examine your income/giving
o Adjust as needed
THINGS to CONSIDER

17. - Think PERCENTAGES + DOLLARS
- Think PLANNED + SPONTANEOUS
o Set up regular giving
o Have margin for extra giving
THINGS to CONSIDER

18. - Think PERCENTAGES + DOLLARS
- Think PLANNED + SPONTANEOUS
- Think MERCY + JUSTICE
o Mercy for immediate needs
o Justice for systemic issues
THINGS to CONSIDER

19. - Think PERCENTAGES + DOLLARS
- Think PLANNED + SPONTANEOUS
- Think MERCY + JUSTICE
- Think RESOURCES + RELATIONSHIPS
o Wholistic generosity
o Give along lines of relationship
THINGS to CONSIDER

20. - Think PERCENTAGES + DOLLARS
- Think PLANNED + SPONTANEOUS
- Think MERCY + JUSTICE
- Think RESOURCES + RELATIONSHIPS
- Think PRESENT + FUTURE
THINGS to CONSIDER

21. “The simple reality is: we need money
in order to function as a church family.
If we’re going to grow UP in our relationship
with God, dive IN to our relationships with
one another, and reach OUT to the world
around us, our collective finances must play
a role in that process. If you think the life
and ministry ofVintage is a trusted partner
in helping you do that, please consider
giving on a regular basis, both now
and into the future.”

22. “The other simple truth is: you need to live
a life of generosity because you were made
in the image of the eternally other-oriented,
self-giving love of God.When you’re generous
you’re living in line with the center and ground
of all reality. Living a life of generosity is an
expression of God’s design for you as an
image-bearing human being. Like worship,
you were made to be generous, and you’re
going to do it in one way or another: either
towards your own self interests, hobbies, etc.,
or to those + the interests/needs of others.”

23. - If you don’t already give, think/pray
about how/when you can start
- If you already give, but you know you
have room to increase your giving,
think/pray about how/when you can
- If you’re in the position to make plans
for some kind of “legacy gift” toVintage,
think/pray about what that might look like

24. Abundant God, you made us in your image
and breathed in us a spirit of generosity
that is both gift and response.
Move us, we pray, to give as we have received:
abundantly, generously, and joyfully,
that our common ministry may ever
bear witness to your unfailing grace.
In the name of the Three in One,
in whom we are One, Amen.
Benediction