Simply Generous

My Friend's Christmas messed up?

2006-02-13T15:01:00.000-05:00

I shared a book recently with a friend in SC. The book was called "The Treasure Principle" by Randy Alcorn. Its a simple little book describing new motivation for giving to God. Randy Alcorn avoids the whole "tithe" issue altogether and simply lets scripture speak for itself - why should we give?"

Well, my friend's wife read the book one day (literally takes about 2 hours) and came to him with concern written all over her face - "We are not being generous to God. In fact I think we should skip giving Christmas gifts this year!" My friend has four lovely little girls. He responded, "Whoa, now. Hold on. Lets take it easy here. How about this - I will match whatever I had planned to give to the girls and you this year, about $800. You can give away that much."

That night my friend's wife prayed and asked God to show her who she should give it to. The next day while talking to a friend, she got her answer. Her friend's car (only car in the family) was just towed to the shop. They were broke. You can guess what happened next. After paying the bill and returning home, my friend was faced with another challenge. "Honey, that was awesome! I want to give more! Can we give away our stock portfolio?"

My friend called me up to thank me and then chew me out for "ruining his Christmas."

Funny thing, generosity, it seems to grow the more you use it.

Barna's new book - Revolution

2005-12-30T14:13:00.000-05:00

George Barna, a well known statistics collector, has published a book that seems to buck the system. It is reported that it has hit the best sellers list (the top of it) in the Christian book market.

But not everyone is happy about it. Why the controversy? What is he saying in this book and who is he talking to?

If you have read this book - I would love to discuss your opinions. If what Barna is saying is true and in our future, then what are the implications?

Whether you are a fan of the traditiona or non-traditional church I want to hear from you.

What do you think?

C.S. Lewis has an idea

2005-10-26T15:36:00.000-04:00

“I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. In other words, if our expenditure on comforts, luxuries, amusements, etc., is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving away too little. If our charities do not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say they are too small. There ought to be things we should like to do and cannot do because our charitable expenditures excludes them.” — C.S. Lewis (1898-1963), English author and scholar

For more quotes see www.generousgiving.org

Simply Generous

2005-10-26T15:20:00.000-04:00

What does it mean to be generous?

Do you know of anyone who is simply generous?

Tell me their story.