Your Giving Strategy: A game plan for true abundance
It’s a tie game with four minutes left on the clock. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes steps onto the field, takes his place in formation four yards behind the center, digs his cleats into the thick grass, and …
He runs the play.
Mahomes doesn’t just run a play–he runs the play. The play that he, his coach, and his teammates have prepared for this very situation. Even a Super Bowl Champion, MVP, record-shattering quarterback relies on a strategy to propel his team toward greatness many Chiefs fans never thought possible.
Maybe you’re not running game-winning plays, but you have a business strategy, an investment strategy, and a health strategy. What about a Giving Strategy? If you desire a more faithful, generous, and fully alive life, we believe it includes a Giving Strategy.
New year, fresh Giving Strategy
The start of a new year is when many of us set strategies and SMART(ER) goals for our business, financial, and personal lives. This year, consider applying those same strategies to generosity-or revisiting old ones. A Giving Strategy could mean the difference between your family being challenged over money or growing closer together through a shared, purpose-driven vision; the difference between providing your local nonprofit with new soccer balls or a new playground; and the difference between teaching your children to donate here and there haphazardly or making kingdom impact an enduring trait of your legacy. By exploring your unique Giving Strategy, you’ll uncover opportunities to connect your giving to God’s story and experience more joy as you pursue a life of generosity and true abundance.
A strategy for giving can profoundly affect your faith, your family, your legacy, and the way you steward all that God has given you. When you create a Giving Strategy that encompasses these areas of your life, the benefits can be numerous.
10 principles of biblical generosity
“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” John 10:10 (ESV)
The most life-changing Giving Strategy is one based on biblical principles. As Christians, we believe God is exceedingly good and that He owns it all. Because of this, we can trust that He has good plans for the resources He has entrusted to us–no matter how much or how little that is. We’ve collected the following ten principles from the Bible as the foundation for a Giving Strategy:
- God is absolutely good (Genesis 1 &2 / John 3:16 / 2 Peter 1:3)
- God owns everything (Psalm 24:1-2 / Romans 12:1 / 1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
- God created us to bear His image (Genesis 1:26-27 / Romans 8:29 / 2 Corinthians 3:18)
- Giving brings transformation (Romans 12:2 / 2 Corinthians 10:5 / 1 Timothy 6:19)
- Jesus is enough (Psalm 23:1 / Matthew 19:16-30 / 1 Timothy 6:6-10)
- God is our never-ending supply (Deuteronomy 8:11-20 / Malachi 3:10 / 2 Corinthians 9:6-11)
- Giving is a form of worship (1 Chronicles 29:1-20 / Matthew 26:6-13 / Acts 17:25)
- Motives matter more than money (1 Samuel 16:7 / Micah 6:6-8 / Acts 20:35)
- What we do now is of eternal importance (Matthew 6:19-21 / Matthew 25:14-30 / Philippians 3:20)
- Time is of the essence (Psalm 90:12 / 1 Timothy 6:17 / James 4:13-15)
Want a deeper dive? Download our 10 Days of Biblical Generosity devotional!
A biblical foundation for giving
From this biblical foundation, you can explore four areas of generosity – your Legacy, Family, Passions, and Wealth & Resources. Giving is a spiritual transaction that can transform every aspect of your life. Each individual and family is unique, and we encourage you to explore where God may be calling you to be generous. Your Giving Strategy might focus exclusively on one of the four areas or a combination of several.
- Legacy: What will I pass on to future generations?
- Family: How do I foster a spirit of generosity?
- Passions: Where is God calling me to give, and why?
- Wealth & Resources: How do I make the greatest impact what I’ve been given?
Start your generosity journey
So, what’s next? Start a conversation with us to explore your unique giving opportunities. Explore opportunities to reflect and connect with what God wants for your generosity journey and browse our collection of generosity resources featuring hundreds of books, podcasts, videos, and other materials from top Christian generosity leaders in our NCF’s new Generosity Library.
Each season, Mahomes and the Chiefs create new strategies to be even more victorious than the one before. A plan makes all the difference—in football and, more importantly, in God’s purpose for your life. Our heart is to help givers like you create—or refresh—a Giving Strategy that empowers you to be radically generous and live a life of true abundance. We’re here to prayerfully support you as you seek God’s guidance for your generosity journey.