Advisors

3 ways advisors can share generosity in their practice

Advisors have an opportunity to impact the lives of their Christian clients – an opportunity with eternal implications. Guiding your clients toward greater generosity can be a path toward more joy, and it often starts with families.

So what’s the best way to be a good influence for giving? It’s helpful to consider the other influences that shape your clients’ approach to financial decision making. Here are three primary financial influencers that you may want to explore with your clients:

  1. Family: A person’s attitude about money is often deeply influenced by his or her parents’ financial beliefs and practices. As an advisor, you can help your clients consider how their family has influenced their thinking, and what type of legacy they want to pass on to their own children and grandchildren.
  2. Peers: The influence of peers does not necessarily wane as people grow older. Peers and culture can have a strong influence on people’s thoughts about giving. Most people use their peers as points of reference for their financial decisions, whether intentionally or unintentionally. So, you can encourage your clients to become part of a generous community. Your local NCF office will have resources, which can help your clients start making connections to other like-minded givers in your area.
  3. Scripture: Your clients may not be very familiar with what the Bible says about money and giving. In addition to encouraging them to study Scripture, there are many books that can help. Below are some of the most widely read generosity classics, as well as a few that are newer. And keep an eye on our site for new articles every week that you can share to inspire your clients!
Peers and family can influence your clients’ giving decisions. You can guide them to think strategically and biblically.

Here are a few ideas for helping your clients develop their own generosity:

 To ask:

  • What did your parents teach you about money – good or bad?
  • What would you do differently or the same?
  • How do you want to shape your children’s attitudes about money?

To do:

Make plans to attend a local Journey of Generosity (JOG) event with your clients. A JOG event is a unique retreat experience through which your clients can explore God’s calling for their giving among a group of like-minded peers. You can contact your local NCF office to learn more.

To recommend:

Visit NCF’s Generosity Library, a curated collection of resources about giving and stewardship. Our team at NCF has pulled some of the best books, articles, videos, studies, podcasts, and experiences to encourage your clients on their journey of biblical generosity. Many are completely free and available for immediate access.

As Henri Nouwen writes in The Selfless Way of Christ, our ultimate mission as Christians is to reveal Jesus to the world.

As a professional advisor, you have a very real opportunity to reveal Christ in your work with clients as you shepherd them along their journeys of generosity.

Photos: iStock

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