Wise Year-End Giving

Show Notes

“Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” Hebrews 13:16 God’s Word has a lot to say about being generous but it also repeatedly cautions us to be wise in our affairs. We’ll talk about how you can be both wise and generous

• Despite uncertainties about the economy, let’s look at how we can be generous at year-end. It’s a time to be thankful for God’s provision and to show our gratitude.
• Psalm 106:1 tells us, “Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.”
• We want to show our gratitude with our giving. But this isn’t just about writing checks to various ministries with funds we have left over when all the December bills are paid.
• We must also be wise about our giving. Proverbs 3:13 teaches, “Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding.”
• The first step in becoming a wise giver is taking some time to think and pray about where to give.
• Your local church
• Ministries you are passionate about
• Distributing Bibles
• Crisis pregnancy centers that offer alternatives to abortion
• How do you find ministries that are doing the work you’re passionate about? Make sure that the ministries you support are, first, efficient, meaning that administrative costs are kept to a minimum and, second, that they’re effective and actually making a difference.
• The National Christian Foundation can guide you through the process and make excellent recommendations.
• Also Another at ministries through the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.
• ECFA provides accreditation to Christian businesses and ministries that adhere to standards of responsible stewardship, including doctrinal issues, governance, financial oversight, transparency, staff salaries and truthfulness.
• There are organizations claiming to be Christian ministries that are fraudulent, so be careful. Another good place to check for potential fraudsters is at MinistryWatch.org.
• MinistryWatch creates profiles for church and parachurch ministries. It identifies organizations and their leadership that may be engaged in misleading behavior, or wasteful spending practices. MinistryWatch also identifies ministries that operate in good faith and are run efficiently.
• You may want to do some giving outside of Christian ministries. Check out potential charities at Give.org. It’s an arm of the Better Business Bureau that evaluates and accredits charities based on various standards including: complaints, donor privacy and conflicts of interest. Give.org also lets you file a complaint against a charity, read and write reviews, and get tips on giving.

On this program, Rob also answers listener questions:

• I’m going to send a large sum of money to a relative. What is the safest way to do this?
• I have 5 rental properties and am looking into an LLC, but my insurance company suggested an umbrella policy. What’s your advice?
• We’re living with the in-laws until we can afford a house. We’re close to affording a townhome, but now in-laws are in a financial deficit. How do I care for my immediate family and now extended family?

Resources mentioned

• National Christian Foundation
• ECFA
• Ministry Watch
• Give.org
• Eventide Investments

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000 or email them to Questions@MoneyWise.org. Also, visit our website at MoneyWise.org where you can connect with a MoneyWise Coach, join the MoneyWise Community, and even download the free MoneyWise app.