financially generous
3.
What were your thoughts when you found that money was the topic for Sunday morning’s message?
Into the Bible 4.
What scripture passages regarding giving influence your thoughts and actions?
week 3 5.
6.
Read Acts 20:35. In your life what have you seen support Christ’s words that it is “better to give than receive”? What in your life makes you question this statement?
Read Luke 12:13-26. Discuss what this passage means. What point was Jesus trying to make?
January 22, 2017
Scott Simmerok
lead pastor
FINANCIALLY GENEROUS GENEROSITY MYTHS
Application
1. Generosity is spontaneous. Truth: Generosity is not natural, so it must be _______________.
7.
How do you decide how much to give and to whom or what to give?
8.
How do you define who is generous and who is not? Do you consider yourself to be generous? Is your response to that question based on the amount or percent you give, or on something else?
9.
We frequently hear Christians say, “All I have is not actually mine. It is God’s, and He is letting me manage it.” What does that mean? Do you agree? What difference does it make?
In the Old Testament times, Israelites gave _____% of their income. Today Christians on average give _____% of their income. 2. Tithing is legalistic. Truth: “Grace Givers” usually give __________.
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.” Matthew 23:23 3. For generosity, it’s the amount that counts. Truth: Generosity has more to do with percentage than amount.
500 sands drive, san jose ca 95125 | www.churchonthehill.com
“He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. ‘Truly I tell you,’ he said, ‘this poor widow has put in more than all the others.’” Luke 21:2-3
4. ___________ people are generous.
HOW CAN YOU BECOME FINANCIALLY GENEROUS? Generosity is “the premeditated, calculated, designated emancipation of personal financial assets.” ~ Andy Stanley, podcast Your Move: Crazy Like Us
Truth: __________________ people are generous. “In 2011, (the) wealthiest Americans, with earnings in the top 20 percent, gave an average 1.3 percent of their income to charity. The bottom 20 percent gave 3.2 percent.” ~ The Atlantic, Ken Stern, April 2013
1. “Premeditated” means you have a ___________. A plan doesn’t remove all _______________________.
“About 70% of all charitable giving in the U.S. is given by the wealthy in this country. If we didn’t have the rich giving the way they are giving, between 70% and 80% of all charitable giving in the U.S. would disappear overnight.” ~ Ken Berger, President and CEO of Charity Navigator, a nonprofit evaluator
2. “Calculated” means you determine how much (____________________) and how often you give. 3.
“Designated” means you decide where donation will go. Give to what you are __________________ for and what your
5. We will be more generous when we have more margin.
__________________________ for.
Truth: We have an _______________________________________. 4.
“The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and BUILD BIGGER ONES.’” Luke 12:16-18
____________ your generosity. Generous people don’t feel ________________ for saying “no” to opportunities.
6. Rich people are happy.
COMMUNITY GROUP QUESTIONS
Truth: ___________________ people are happy.
“It is more blessed to give than to receive.” ~ Jesus. Acts 20:35
Getting to Know You 1.
If you could live in a movie, TV show, or book, what would it be?
2.
Are you naturally more of a saver or a spender? What is the craziest or dumbest thing you’ve ever spent money on? What is the best giveaway story you have?
What were your thoughts when you found that money was the topic for Sunday morning’s message?
Into the Bible 4.
What scripture passages regarding giving influence your thoughts and actions?
week 3 5.
6.
Read Acts 20:35. In your life what have you seen support Christ’s words that it is “better to give than receive”? What in your life makes you question this statement?
Read Luke 12:13-26. Discuss what this passage means. What point was Jesus trying to make?
January 22, 2017
Scott Simmerok
lead pastor
FINANCIALLY GENEROUS GENEROSITY MYTHS
Application
1. Generosity is spontaneous. Truth: Generosity is not natural, so it must be _______________.
7.
How do you decide how much to give and to whom or what to give?
8.
How do you define who is generous and who is not? Do you consider yourself to be generous? Is your response to that question based on the amount or percent you give, or on something else?
9.
We frequently hear Christians say, “All I have is not actually mine. It is God’s, and He is letting me manage it.” What does that mean? Do you agree? What difference does it make?
In the Old Testament times, Israelites gave _____% of their income. Today Christians on average give _____% of their income. 2. Tithing is legalistic. Truth: “Grace Givers” usually give __________.
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.” Matthew 23:23 3. For generosity, it’s the amount that counts. Truth: Generosity has more to do with percentage than amount.
500 sands drive, san jose ca 95125 | www.churchonthehill.com
“He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. ‘Truly I tell you,’ he said, ‘this poor widow has put in more than all the others.’” Luke 21:2-3
4. ___________ people are generous.
HOW CAN YOU BECOME FINANCIALLY GENEROUS? Generosity is “the premeditated, calculated, designated emancipation of personal financial assets.” ~ Andy Stanley, podcast Your Move: Crazy Like Us
Truth: __________________ people are generous. “In 2011, (the) wealthiest Americans, with earnings in the top 20 percent, gave an average 1.3 percent of their income to charity. The bottom 20 percent gave 3.2 percent.” ~ The Atlantic, Ken Stern, April 2013
1. “Premeditated” means you have a ___________. A plan doesn’t remove all _______________________.
“About 70% of all charitable giving in the U.S. is given by the wealthy in this country. If we didn’t have the rich giving the way they are giving, between 70% and 80% of all charitable giving in the U.S. would disappear overnight.” ~ Ken Berger, President and CEO of Charity Navigator, a nonprofit evaluator
2. “Calculated” means you determine how much (____________________) and how often you give. 3.
“Designated” means you decide where donation will go. Give to what you are __________________ for and what your
5. We will be more generous when we have more margin.
__________________________ for.
Truth: We have an _______________________________________. 4.
“The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and BUILD BIGGER ONES.’” Luke 12:16-18
____________ your generosity. Generous people don’t feel ________________ for saying “no” to opportunities.
6. Rich people are happy.
COMMUNITY GROUP QUESTIONS
Truth: ___________________ people are happy.
“It is more blessed to give than to receive.” ~ Jesus. Acts 20:35
Getting to Know You 1.
If you could live in a movie, TV show, or book, what would it be?
2.
Are you naturally more of a saver or a spender? What is the craziest or dumbest thing you’ve ever spent money on? What is the best giveaway story you have?
