If you want to know where someone’s heart is, look at where their money goes. Jesus said it plainly: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). And the truth is, a culture of generosity doesn’t just happen. It’s built over time — with intentionality, consistency, and prayer.
If you want your church to grow in this area, it’s not about one emotional giving push or a catchy campaign. It’s about creating a culture where generosity becomes part of who your church is. A generous church isn’t defined by a single offering or one-time act of giving. It’s marked by people whose hearts are consistently aligned with God’s mission and whose wallets follow suit.
So, how do you create that kind of culture? Here are five steps to build a culture of generosity in your church.
1. Teach Generosity as a Spiritual Discipline
Generosity isn’t just a good idea — it’s a spiritual discipline. Just like prayer, reading Scripture, and worship, giving is a way we align our hearts with God’s heart. It’s not about what God wants from us — it’s about what God wants for us.
But let’s be honest: many pastors avoid talking about money because they’re afraid people will think the church is only after their wallets. Here’s the reality — avoiding the conversation won’t help your congregation grow. If Jesus talked about money more than any other topic, we can’t afford to shy away from it.
When you teach generosity as a spiritual discipline:
- People grow spiritually because giving loosens the grip of materialism on their hearts.
- They experience joy as they discover that it’s more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35).
- Their trust in God deepens because giving requires faith that He will provide.
Application: Preach about giving regularly, not just during stewardship campaigns. Teach what the Bible says about money and generosity, and help people see that giving is part of discipleship.
2. Celebrate Stories of Life Change
People don’t give to needs. They give to vision. If all they ever hear is “we need more money,” they’ll eventually tune out. But if they see how their giving is changing lives, they’ll be inspired to participate.
Celebrate stories of transformation in your church. Whether it’s someone finding freedom through a recovery group, a student encountering Jesus at summer camp, or a family’s life being impacted by outreach, share those stories boldly and often.
Here’s the key: Don’t just tell people what their giving supports. Show them who their giving impacts.
Application:
- Share testimonies during weekend services.
- Post stories of life change on social media.
- Send email updates that highlight how giving is making a difference.
When people see that their generosity is fueling life change, they’ll be more motivated to give — not out of obligation, but out of excitement for what God is doing.
3. Model Generosity from the Top
If you want to build a culture of generosity, it has to start with leadership. Your staff, elders, and key leaders should be the most generous people in the church.
Why? Because culture is caught, not taught. People don’t just listen to what you say — they watch how you live. If your leaders aren’t modeling generosity, it’s going to be tough to inspire your congregation to give.
As leaders, we set the tone. If we want people to trust God with their finances, we need to be the first ones demonstrating that trust.
Application:
- Be transparent about your personal giving journey.
- Share stories about how God has worked in your life through generosity.
- Encourage your leadership team to be fully bought into the vision, not just with their time but also with their resources.
When generosity is modeled from the top, it trickles down to the rest of the church.
4. Make Giving Easy and Accessible
Let’s be honest — people today live in a digital world. They shop online, pay their bills online, and interact with the world through their devices. If you want to create a culture of generosity, you have to meet people where they are.
Make giving easy and accessible. If the only way people can give is by writing a check on Sunday morning, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity to engage givers who prefer to give digitally.
Application:
- Set up online giving through your church’s website.
- Offer text-to-give options for spontaneous giving.
- Create recurring giving options so people can automate their generosity.
When you remove barriers and make giving simple, you allow people to be consistent and intentional with their generosity.
5. Cast Vision, Not Guilt
No one wants to give out of guilt. And they shouldn’t. The Bible says, “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).
Vision inspires generosity. Guilt may get a one-time offering, but vision creates sustained generosity. People want to be part of something bigger than themselves — something that’s making an eternal impact.
As a leader, your job is to paint a compelling picture of what God is doing and invite people to be part of that vision. When people catch the vision, they’ll want to invest in it.
Application:
- Regularly share the vision of where the church is going.
- Connect giving to mission and life change.
- Remind people that their generosity is fueling something bigger than themselves.
Bonus: Normalize Generosity Through Small Wins
Building a culture of generosity isn’t about hitting a home run every Sunday. It’s about creating small, consistent wins that develop a generous mindset over time. Celebrate even the small steps of faith people take in their giving journey.
Encourage people to start somewhere. Whether it’s their first-time gift, moving toward tithing, or giving above and beyond, small wins lead to lasting momentum.
Building a Culture That Lasts
If you want to build a culture of generosity in your church, it won’t happen overnight. It takes time, intentionality, and consistent teaching. But the payoff is worth it.
Here’s a quick recap:
✅ Teach generosity as a spiritual discipline.
✅ Celebrate stories of life change.
✅ Model generosity from the top.
✅ Make giving easy and accessible.
✅ Cast vision, not guilt.
When generosity becomes part of your church’s DNA, people will begin to give not because they have to, but because they want to. And that’s where the real transformation happens.Remember: A generous church isn’t about big offerings. It’s about hearts that are fully surrendered to Jesus, trusting Him with everything — including their finances. And when that happens? Watch out. Because a church with a culture of generosity can change the world.
