About

The Global Generosity Network:

  • Is a joint initiative of the Lausanne Movement and the World Evangelical Alliance
  • Collaborates with churches, Evangelical and other Christian Alliances, Christian networks, Christian business leaders, Christian professional networks, Christian workplace fellowships and generosity ministries to encourage Christian giving and stewardship
  • Has a vision of the whole Church living out and taking the whole gospel to the whole world as effective and generous stewards
  • Challenges the whole Church towards whole-life discipleship that includes radical generosity and wise stewardship
  • Intends to result in a dramatic increase in giving to global mission, especially for ministry in areas and groups with few if any Christians

The Global Generosity Network affirms that:

1. God is the creator, the source and the sustainer of all things. God is the owner of everything (Psalm 24:1). At no point in Scripture do we read of God relinquishing ownership of anything he created.

2. All people, Christians and non-Christians alike, are stewards of God’s resources and therefore, accountable for their stewardship of all things (Genesis 1:16-30). Although God does not need the money and resources entrusted to our care, he nonetheless most often chooses to work through us, his stewards, and the resources he has entrusted to us. In his divine plan, he accomplishes his purposes on this earth while growing our faith in reliance on his supply, rather than our own.

3. God has already supplied all the resources necessary to accomplish all that he desires
on this earth. God’s infinite resources are made available to mankind to steward his work for his purposes. Mankind has the duty and privilege to generate more resources through effective stewardship. It is up to us to collaborate effectively without inefficiencies or overlap. (2 Peter 1:3)

4. Effective stewardship requires attentive obedience to God (Luke 19:12-26). His guidance and instruction is revealed to us in his word and through the common grace that he extends to all those he created (Romans 1:20).

5. Generosity is a primary indicator of our understanding of our role as stewards of God’s creation (Matthew 6:21).

6. Generosity is not limited to tangible resources and money but is best understood as an extension of all God has entrusted to our care – that is life, breath,relationships, roles, skills, time, grace, etc. (1 Corinthians 4:1)

7. Generosity is fundamental in the definition of being a disciple of Christ and in fully reflecting the image of our creator (2 Corinthians 8:7). All believers – rich, poor, young, old, male, female – regardless of position, culture, occupation or nationality, are called to excel in the grace of giving. As such, there are no preconditions to generosity or to encouraging generosity, even financial and material generosity (2 Corinthians 8:7)

8. Generosity is not synonymous with tithing. The practice of tithing can assist people toward a mindset and lifestyle of generosity.

9. Generosity is both a God-given privilege and a learned grace to be modeled and taught by all pastors, ministry leaders and those that teach and equip believers (2 Corinthians 8:1-7, 1 Timothy 6:17-19). The local Christian church in its various expressions has a primary call to disciple believers on the biblical message of stewardship and generosity (Romans 12:5).

10. Stewardship and generosity can and should be primary focal points and themes in discipleship for a vibrant and holistic church. The impact of generosity is enhanced as each Christ-follower is educated and equipped as a good financial steward of all God’s resources.

11. The transformative message of biblical stewardship and generosity stands firmly against the evil mindsets and practices brought on by the love of money and should be taught to our children (1 Timothy 6:10).

12. The calling to create, manage and invest wealth and resources is a gifting in God’s economy; working in and through the lives of those he created.

13. Personal motivations for giving ought to reflect sound biblical precepts and God- centred concerns (2 Corinthians 9:7).

14. Efforts to encourage giving and generosity and all efforts to raise funds ought to foster those same biblical motivations for giving.

15. The result of generosity can produce positive and negative consequences in the lives of givers and receivers. Therefore, it is incumbent upon every Christian to exercise generosity toward individuals and efforts in ways that foster dignity and promote personal responsibility.

16. God is indescribably generous in his creation and in his redemption plan through the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ (John 3:16). God’s generosity is the sole source of the generosity that we are able to extend to others. Therefore, we embrace this privilege. Further, we endeavor to responsibly encourage generosity within our sphere of influence through modeling, teaching and equipping biblical stewardship in generous giving to the completion of God’s plan for our world.