### Over the last 15 years, study after study has revealed the importance of sharing generosity at home. Research shows that children of generous people are more generous. But that doesn’t often happen by accident.

Many generous families intentionally invest in their children or grandchildren by involving them in their giving journeys.

We’ve searched out some of the best research-based tips for you and broken them down by the age of the people in your family. Here are a few strategic ways you can shape generosity and cultivate unity in your family around giving.

### The littles

It’s never too early to start sharing with your children or grandchildren about your giving. Make conversations about kindness and generosity part of your regular routine with them. Not only may it impact their lives, but starting early can help you feel more comfortable in conversations about giving when they’re older.

Once they’re old enough to understand what you’re saying, here are four great things you can do with younger kids in your family:

__Explain__ – Young kids love to ask “Why?” They love to know the reasons behind what’s happening in their world. If you’re serving at church, tell them why. If you give help to a family in need, share the reasons you decided to do it. If you’re at your computer recommending grants from your Giving Fund ([donor-advised fund](https://www.ncfgiving.com/solutions/giving-fund/)), invite them to sit with you, and show them how it works. They don’t have to understand everything. Just involving them is enough.

__Show your feelings__ – Research tells us that [generosity makes people feel good](https://time.com/4857777/generosity-happiness-brain/). It leads to [better mood](https://time.com/4857777/generosity-happiness-brain/#:~:text=But%20now%2C%20researchers%20say%20they,boosting%20benefits%20in%20the%20brain.&text=They%20also%20had%20more%20interaction,after%20the%20experiment%20was%20over), [better physical and mental health](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/why-giving-is-good-for-your-health/), and [stronger social connections](https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201308/pro-social-generosity-turns-good-deeds-good-feelings#:~:text=The%20team%20of%20researchers%20conducted,“pro%2Dsocial”%20spending). Though your kids or grandkids may be too young to understand an explanation of this, they certainly aren’t too young to see a smile. If they’re around you when you’ve made a gift, let them know how it makes you feel. Dance in celebration of how God made you able to give. Pray a happy prayer of thanks. Let it show on your face how thankful you are that God has made you able to share.

__Choose a charity your child can relate to__ – Recent research from Canterbury Christ Church University in England found that children [even as young as four to eight years old](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/332277261_OUR_CHARITABLE_CHILDREN_ENGAGING_CHILDREN_IN_CHARITIES_AND_CHARITABLE_GIVING) can benefit from actively engaging in charity. Teaching your children how to support a charity at such a young age can be fun, especially if it’s a charity that does work they can understand. Even if it’s only a small portion of your giving, consider supporting a charity that does something close to your child’s heart.

__Praise generous behaviors__ – When your child or grandchild shows compassion to another person, notices another person’s need, or makes a choice to share, praise the action and tell them why you think what they did was important. This will help them to make positive associations with giving.

### Teens

A [2010 study](https://www.philanthropy.com/article/parents-play-biggest-role-in-encouraging-teenagers-to-give-study-finds/) conducted by Harris Interactive for the PEARSON Foundation uncovered some interesting information about young givers. There were specific practices parents of generous teens engaged in that made a difference in how their children viewed the world:

__Foster open communication__ – The need for open, age-appropriate communication is often stressed. Research tells us that families who share resources and talk about money are [happier, closer, and even live longer](https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/01/health/wealth-transfer-longevity-wellness/index.html). And kids with parents who [model generosity and invite their teens to contribute to conversations about family money](https://scholarworks.iupui.edu/bitstream/handle/1805/6340/women_give_2013-final9-12-2013.pdf) are more likely to identify themselves as givers. For Christian families, explaining the biblical reasons for your giving decisions and showing faith in action can also be powerful.

__Seek out and support their interests__ – Once kids are old enough to care about causes themselves, one of the best things you can do to teach them generosity is let them share the causes they are passionate about with you. Listen to what they care about and find ways to support those causes. In the Harris Interactive poll mentioned above, [fewer than half (47 percent)](https://www.philanthropy.com/article/parents-play-biggest-role-in-encouraging-teenagers-to-give-study-finds/?cid=gen_sign_in) of families do this, but that 47 percent were the teens who identified themselves as givers.

__Help them see others__ – Exposure to other people’s perspectives and ways of living broadens a teen’s ability to understand the world and feel empathy. When matched with an explanation of how their actions impact others, this can be a powerful way to build a compassionate heart that leads to generosity.

> *Exposure to other people’s perspectives and ways of living broadens a teen’s ability to understand the world and feel empathy.*

__Volunteer together as a family__ – Invite teens to join you in serving at a charity you’re already involved with, or let them lead in choosing a place for your family to serve. Make it a regular practice, and encourage them if they also want to volunteer or take mission trips with school or youth groups. Note that recent research has found that y[ounger generations sometimes view volunteering as interchangeable with giving](https://www.barna.com/research/volunteering-giving/). If this is* not *your family value, be clear with your family that volunteering is only part of your strategy for giving.

### Adult children

Giving with adult children in families can be more complicated; but it can also be more rewarding. Here are a few strategies to help you approach giving with your adult kids:

__Let them practice__ – One second-generation giver with NCF said the best thing his dad ever did was let him fail. His father gave him a sum of money and let this 20-year-old young man choose how to invest his own giving dollars. He explains that many young adults begin receiving money from their parents when they’re older, missing an opportunity for them to practice strategic giving with smaller amounts. These new givers assume they will be brilliant philanthropists when they haven’t had any practice, he says. Let them practice while you’re still around to guide them.

__Involve them in your own decision-making processes__ – How are giving decisions made in your family? Who has input into how the family’s charitable dollars are distributed? If you’ve established a process, make sure your heirs are part of it now, so they will understand how to be wise givers as they grow older and more responsible for the family’s money.

__Share your values about wealth__ – This will be easier if you started with conversations like this when they were young, but it’s not too late. How do you view the purpose of your wealth? What do you hope will happen with it? How do you hope your legacy will live on? Listen to your adult children about the things they value, and be sure they know what your hopes are for your own legacy.

__Tie giving to a family celebration__ – One family who gives through NCF has a celebration of gratitude at Thanksgiving and lets each adult child know how much he or she will have for giving by the end of the year. The four children go away and strategize whether to give their own sum of money as they choose or to collaborate with their siblings and their spouses for a larger gift. Then, the week of Christmas, they bring their final decisions to the family as each one or group of siblings champions a cause.

No family is perfect. And these things sound easier to do than they sometimes are. But, no matter the ages of your children, celebrating generosity can help unify a family vision for generosity. And it may help you establish a generous family for generations to come.

NCF helps people create a giving strategy based on biblical principles, so they can be wise stewards of all they have and experience the joy of greater generosity.

National Christian Foundation

Legacy

Over the last 15 years, study after study has revealed the importance of sharing generosity at home.

Research-backed ways to share generosity with family

## As a result of the Great Wealth Transfer, wealth will shift – not only by age, but also by gender. Indeed, that shift has already begun.

Women already own one-third of U.S. household financial assets. However, over the next decade, financial experts agree that [wealth will begin to change hands rapidly](https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/financial-services/our-insights/women-as-the-next-wave-of-growth-in-us-wealth-management), not only from one generation to the next, but from men to their wives (who tend to outlive their husbands by an average of between four and seven years). The amount of money changing hands will [total an amount so large it approaches the GDP of the United States!](https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/financial-services/our-insights/women-as-the-next-wave-of-growth-in-us-wealth-management)

In addition to this transfer of wealth, women’s earnings are also on the rise. Increasingly, [young women are becoming more financially savvy](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190418005207/en/Financial-Independence-The-Ultimate-Goal-and-Biggest-Hurdle-for-Today’s-Early-Adults-Merrill-Lynch-Study-Finds), and [a growing number of women are becoming business owners and entrepreneurs](https://www.fool.com/the-ascent/small-business/articles/women-in-small-business-statistics-in-the-us/), increasing their wealth with their skills and leadership, and not just through family wealth.

By 2030, American women are expected to control 30 trillion in assets.

This isn’t speculation. In its 2020 report, [Women as the next wave of growth in wealth management](https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/financial-services/our-insights/women-as-the-next-wave-of-growth-in-us-wealth-management), McKinsey ran the numbers behind these expectations:

- Women already control more than one-third of the country’s wealth
- Two-thirds of Baby Boomer assets (about $11 trillion) are expected to be transferred from men who have been the primary decision-makers in their households to women who may not have been involved in financial decision-making
- About 70 percent of these women will seek a new wealth manager within a year of their husband’s death
But how do these upcoming wealth holders view giving differently than their spouses? And what unique wants and needs do they have when it comes to charitable giving?

### Women as collaborators and decision-makers

NCF’s research of generous Christians found that women are already more likely to be the primary decision-makers for household giving (45 percent versus 38 percent of men).

Women are twice as likely to already be participating in collaborative giving (25 percent versus 12 percent of men) and more likely to want to work with others to make a bigger impact for the causes they care about (13 percent versus 8 percent of men). This means they may not only pool resources, but also strategize together about the best ways to give.

And women are seeking more than just a transactional experience when they give. They hope their giving will transform their lives and that it might become a tool for discipleship within their families.


![](https://www.ncfgiving.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Key-characteristics-for-womens-reesearch-story-1-1536x739.jpg)


Most women believe transformation happens better in community. They seek giving collaborations for inspiration, encouragement, and to help shape them, especially when it comes to dealing with the difficult issues of wealth and legacy. This is especially true of those 44 and younger.


![](https://www.ncfgiving.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/image.jpg)


Women are also more interested than men in seeking transformational relationships to help them along their giving journeys. And they want these relationships to empower them to make a greater impact (71 percent versus 64 percent of men).

Finally, more women reported they sense a heavy burden to wisely steward what God has entrusted to them (41 percent versus 35 percent of men).


![](https://www.ncfgiving.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Women-and-giving-for-research-story-1-e1664828140863.jpg)


What does this tell us about the future of women and giving?

As we watch women gain economic influence and increasingly take on the giving decisions for their own households, we expect to see more wealth advisors [developing skills and making plans to accommodate the needs of this growing segment](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesfinancecouncil/2020/06/23/women-and-wealth-how-investment-managers-can-better-serve-women-clients/?sh=33771a1a361c). We expect they will seek out creative ways to serve women, paying special attention to the ways women feel called to steward their family’s wealth.

We expect to see new ideas in giving, including attention to [supporting women and girls as key to inspiring widespread societal change](https://philanthropy.iupui.edu/institutes/womens-philanthropy-institute/research/women-girls-giving.html). And because of the collaborative bent the research found among women, we expect we will see even more giving and greater impact from women-driven communities than ever before.

*[Image](https://www.ncfgiving.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Key-characteristics-for-womens-reesearch-story-1-1536x739.jpg) used with permission. *

*[Image](https://www.ncfgiving.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/image.jpg) used with permission.*

*[Image](https://www.ncfgiving.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Women-and-giving-for-research-story-1-e1664828140863.jpg) used with permission. *

Wealth and Resources

As a result of the Great Wealth Transfer, wealth will shift – not only by age, but also by gender.

The role of women in the greatest stewardship opportunity in history

## As believers, we are called to be transformed, to allow God to shape our minds to the mind of Christ, to accept his view of the world and make our own thoughts obedient to his purposes. Giving is a supernatural part of this transformation. It is [powered by the grace of God](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+8%3A1-7&version=ESV).

As we walk out the step-by-step process of learning to trust God’s ways over our own, we begin to take hold of the [life that is truly life](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Timothy%206:18-20&version=ESV), one that lasts for eternity in heaven, where we have set our hearts and stored up treasures, and where we await an inheritance we cannot lose.

Giving brings transformation.

It’s part of how we grow in reflecting the Father’s generous nature and glorify him, as we are increasingly conformed to the image of the Son. For some, this change happens slowly. Others are radically and rapidly transformed.

### Take, for example, Zacchaeus …

Zacchaeus’ money was dirty. Like many Jewish tax collectors of the time, he made his living overcharging people for what they owed the government. Though this was standard practice, it was both dishonorable and enslaving. Zacchaeus had become trapped in the “golden handcuffs” of the great wealth he gained by his service to the Roman Empire ([and mammon](https://www.ncfgiving.com/library/#resource-god-and-mammon)). His job encouraged deceit and required him to intimidate others. He was desperately corrupt, and everyone knew it.

That’s why the people of Jericho were horrified when Jesus invited himself to Zacchaeus’ house: *“He has gone to be the guest of a sinner,”* they said (Luke 19:7).

Zacchaeus was up in a tree when Jesus found him. What inspired him to climb up there? Why did he want to see Jesus so badly that he would risk his reputation (a wealthy, grown man up in a tree)? Neither is it mentioned why Jesus called him. The text says Jesus was only *“passing through”* Jericho. But it focuses on the time he took to make this sinful man his friend. Clearly the Holy Spirit was at work.

Jesus had just told a story about a hypothetical humble tax collector who recognized his sin and repented (Luke 18:9-14). Now, here was a live tax collector on a branch in front of him! By God’s graceful provision, this short swindler was about to become a child of God.

How do we know? Jesus says so when he gets to Zacchaeus’ house: *“Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham”* (Luke 19:9 NIV). He had taken on the righteousness of Christ in a day.

### Called to be in God’s family

As a new member of God’s family, Zacchaeus went about righting his wrongs – and blessing beyond that. He immediately committed half his possessions to the poor and promised to pay back four times what he’d extorted. Though the law did not require it, Zacchaeus promised to give 50 percent of his possessions to the poor! The law required that a man pay 120 percent to someone he’d wronged; Zacchaeus offered 400! Zacchaeus wasn’t following the letter of the law – he was exceeding it, joyfully.

This is what can happen when someone, by the light of Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit, experiences true repentance. Though not everyone’s first step, Zacchaeus gave back what he had taken, and he did so liberally. The money Zaccheus had acquired dishonestly reflected his old motivations. And his heart change was dramatically obvious … from the moment Jesus called him.

Now, money meant power back then (as it does now), especially to a Jewish tax collector. But by giving in response to what Jesus had done for him, he forced himself into a position of trust and dependence. What would he have left if he paid back more than he’d taken? How would he live? It seems the math didn’t matter to Zacchaeus.

This is a model of the kind of all-out trust in God that’s supposed to characterize all God’s children. It’s a faith like Abraham, who left his home (and a good deal of riches) to follow God into the unknown.

Salvation had come to Zacchaeus’ house. He had become a son of Abraham, a child of God. He had gone from extortion to philanthropy in one day! His heart was changed by the power of God, and his radical obedience was manifested in extravagant giving.

For Zacchaeus, knowing Jesus mattered more than anything he’d ever acquired.

> *For Zacchaeus, knowing Jesus mattered more than anything he’d ever acquired.*

### A long obedience and a discipline

Zacchaeus was transformed in an instant, and this regeneration brought with it an immediate change in how he viewed his possessions and the people around him. His mind was renewed.

For most of us, though, it doesn’t happen that way. We are taught to *“be transformed by the renewing”* of our minds (Romans 12:2 NIV) so we will come to know God’s will for our lives. But *how?* Surely, he wouldn’t have called us to transformation if it weren’t possible.

Giving isn’t the only way Christians are transformed, but it is a powerful one. The temptations of money are many. Greed is idolatry, but giving transforms our attitude about money into a response informed by relationship with the One who owns it all. In giving, we glorify God and receive the joy of partnering with him in his restorative, redemptive work. Our faith is deepened, and we can experience peace and contentment as we rely on his continued provision.

Just like other spiritual disciplines, like prayer, fasting, and Bible reading, acts of generosity shape us and lead us to think differently, to view money as God’s and ourselves as stewards. And as with the other disciplines, joy often comes with the practice of it.

You may be tempted to avoid this discipline. Maybe it’ll surface when you close a big deal, sell a piece of property, or when stock options suddenly and dramatically change your financial situation. If you hesitate to give as you know in your heart you desire to, pause. What is God asking of you? You can *“test”* and *“discern”* what God’s will is (Romans 12:2). You can take those tempting thoughts *“captive”* and make them obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).

It is God who made you able to give and God who will sustain you. There is blessing and transformation in letting go.

> *Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. – Romans 12:2*

This becomes easier when we really let the reason we give sink in: Something better than money awaits us. Paul told Timothy to *“Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be arrogant or to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but on God, who richly provides us with all things to enjoy”* (1 Timothy 6:18 CSB). Why? *“So they may take hold of that which is truly life”* (1 Timothy 6:19).

Some days, this will take serious, intentional effort. Other days, we may find it’s becoming second nature and our overwhelming love for him is making our response automatic. Zacchaeus didn’t have to be told to be generous. The text doesn’t say Jesus even asked him to give. We may be like that sometimes too.

We are heirs to promises much bigger than any wealth we could possibly acquire in this life. Understanding this should make it a little easier to follow Jesus’ prescription to give (Luke 6:38) and his own radical example of generosity for us (John 3:16, 15:13).

Because of this, we can become like him through giving. We can be supernaturally transformed by this grace of God.

### Want to learn more? Consider spending time in these passages:


![](https://www.ncfgiving.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/iStock-1369598840-copy-1536x1026.jpg)


*[Image](https://www.ncfgiving.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/iStock-1369598840-copy-1536x1026.jpg) used with permission. *

Biblical Foundation for Giving

It is God who made you able to give and God who will sustain you. There is blessing and transformation in letting go.

How giving transforms us

## I have a blast doing what I do; I work in the “generosity” space. It’s a beautiful sector to spend my time in. Dealing with peoples’ relationship to money is heavy, messy, and glorious at the same time because of the people that I come to know and that come to know me and my family. Having built 6 companies in the marketing space and 3 nonprofits, this sector and our commercial application is no different—we identify a felt need, create value, and serve well. We have found our stride in community formation through Generosity NY, representing a communal expression of heartfelt giving in and around NYC, as well as through GENEROUS.LIFE, the leading national platform for small group activation and fellowship around relevant causes.

Working in the space, I am witnessing a large gap between donor fulfillment and impact; national giving is up, but the church is feeling financially anemic. And there is a trend from impulsive charity to calculated, purposeful investing.

I am frequently asked about this nuanced aspect of money as it relates with tithing, investments, and generosity. Questions come from different angles: How do you measure giving success? What is considered a tithe? Can I direct my giving resources toward Christian led businesses? Is that stewardship? … and many more. And then there are the unspoken narratives around stewardship, tithing, giving, and philanthropy—good and bad.

The aim for stewardship is to mirror and reflect Christ as our Savior and Sustainer. As Paul says in 2 Corinthians, we carry this in our lives as a ministry striving towards that upward call and as ambassadors of His triumph over sin and death. But if generosity is what we are supposed to show and generous is what we are supposed to be, how do we properly navigate stewardship—and our giving and investing?

Before we can speak to measurement or direction we need to agree on the language.

To start, let us acknowledge that it is all God’s… all that we own, and are, belongs to God.

> Job 41:11 – Everything under heaven belongs to me.
> 
> Psalms 24:1 – The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world and all who live in it.
> 
> Haggai 2:8 (Financial assets) – The silver is mine and the gold is mine, declares the Lord Almighty.
> 
> 1 Chronicles 29 – As David watched the Israelites bring forth hundreds of tons of precious metals and gemstones for use in building the temple, he said, “Who am I, and who are my people, that we should give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.”
> 
> Deuteronomy 8:18 (Your hands created the wealth.) – Remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth.

Therefore, we are stewards of God’s resources, not owners. We literally were purchased for a price in and through Christ’s life and death.

Now let us define some terms:

### Stewardship:

A biblical world view of stewardship can be consciously defined as: “Utilizing and managing all resources God provides for the glory of God and the betterment of His creation.”[1] A steward oversees the affairs and property of another person. Being a good steward means to manage our resources well and use them to glorify God.

*“The earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein”* (24:1). God is the Author of all things, the Creator of all things, and the Owner of all things. Whatever God makes, He owns. What we own, we manage as stewards who have been given gifts from God Himself. God has the ultimate ownership of all of our “possessions.” He has loaned these things to us and expects us to manage them in a way that will honor and glorify Him.

### Giving:

The word give has been defined as “to make a present of.” One of the many ways we can give to others is to give Financially. Through giving, the early church helped one another and invested in what God was accomplishing.

Although the Apostle Paul never overemphasized the subject of giving, he never neglected its importance either. In 1 Corinthians 16:1–2, we find specific guidelines for giving: it is to be a universal practice for believers; it is to be done regularly; it is a personal act; and it is something we should be prepared to do. As we give, God will meet our needs and prosper us (see 2 Corinthians 9:6–10).

### Tithing:

At the center of the biblical concept of stewardship is the tithe, which first appears in the Old Testament. The word tithemeans “tenth.” The basic principle was that every person was to return one tenth of his increase to the Lord on an annual basis. Old Testament law required God’s people to give ten percent of their income, which could include Flocks, herds, or crops.

This ten percent was known as a tithe. In addition to the tithe, God’s people were required to give offerings to the Lord for the care of the temple and the salaries of the priests. In the days of Israel, tithing was not voluntary giving. It was demanded as a form of taxation.

## Investing

To invest is to allocate money with the expectation of a positive return in the future. In other words, to invest means owning an asset or an item with the goal of generating income from the investment or realizing the appreciation of your investment, which is an increase in the value of the asset over a period of time.

Faith-informed investing considers the investor’s financial return and aligns their investment decisions with their Christian values. This is a lens through which to view investing, which has a lot of new aspects: faith-based funds, faith-based advisors, etc.

Faith-informed investing is just like any other type of investment philosophy in that it aims to maximize investor returns. Where it does differ from traditional, secular investment plans is how individual investors choose their investment professionals and vehicles. Individuals who invest using faith-based principles often choose managers, companies, and investments that align with their own religious values. That’s why this strategy is also called values-based investing.

Historically, faith informed investing has been around for a while. Early in the 19th century, Quakers and Methodists adopted investment guidelines grounded in religious mission and values. The Vatican has taken a leadership role in Impact Investing and informed investment screening. Catholic Values Investing is guided by the Catholic Framework for Economic life, set by The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. The Catholic Church recognizes that the financial markets and economy at large are central to humanity.

There is a phrase that I came to love from honeymooning in Thailand 14 years ago—“Same same, but different.” Stewardship, giving, tithing, investing… they are same same, but different. Stewardship is the umbrella responsibility and term, but there is a distinct difference between tithing, giving, and investing and in how we are generous, faithful believers.

There is a risk of equivocation between giving and investing. Giving is a direct reaction in effect of your relationship with God. It is core to our being and spiritual communion. Giving reflects a relationship between us-God. Investing is downstream, dependent on a value exchange. Investing reflects a relationship between us-others.

Here are some other examples of key questions and the differences between various acts of stewardship:

## Do I give my 10% to my local church?

Under the new covenant, the tithe continues to support the work of building up people in the truth of God and reaching sinners with the gospel. Christ works through churches, seminaries, parachurch organizations, missionaries, and many others to build and grow His kingdom.

That brings up a controversial question with respect to financing the kingdom. Again, in Malachi 3:10, God says, *“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse that there may be food in my house.”* In the Old Testament, the tithe was brought to a central location, the storehouse, which was managed by the Levites. The whole tithe from the whole nation was brought into this single receiving place, and it was then distributed by the Levites according to the needs of the people.

Some people believe that means that, in the New Testament age, there should be a single storehouse where all the tithes go and from which they are distributed. There are two problems with that. In the first place, in the Old Testament, the people of Israel had a single, central sanctuary. When the New Testament church began, churches were established in every town and every city—in Ephesus, in Corinth, in Thessalonica, and so on. No longer was there one central sanctuary. So, the idea of bringing tithes into one central storehouse becomes challenging.

The storehouse is not donor advised. The gift is vertical, to God. Now the storehouses have arguably changed. Where the church was central and poured into the community, in modern day impact, parachurch organizations, ministries, and others are feeding the hungry and serving the poor. So, it has been argued that it’s a decentralized model for getting into the hands and feet of Christ. However, that impact is not controlled by the giver.

Dr. J. B. Gabrell made this observation: “It is unthinkable from the standpoint of the cross that anyone would give less under grace than the Jews gave under law.” God makes an incredible promise to those who give to His work. He will *“open for you the windows of Heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it”* (Malachi 3:10).

Trouble developed in the Old Testament when the people held out on their tithes. They were not obedient to God’s law. Malachi 3:8–10 tells us:

*Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, “How have we robbed you?” In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.*

We systematically rob God when we don’t tithe. Malachi’s teaching indicates that when we fail to tithe, we are not merely robbing the church, the clergy, or Christian educators—we are robbing God Himself. But note that God had words not only of condemnation for the people but also a promise of prosperity were they to change their ways. God challenged them to be faithful, giving His own promise that He would open the windows of heaven and pour out blessings upon them.

The Levites were set apart to take care of the spiritual and educational responsibilities of the nation, and their work and physical necessities were paid for by the tithe (Num. 18).

__I sold my company and gave 10% into my Donor Advised fund. This will enable me to give this out over time and have my kids give it away… Is this tithing?__

The collective answer is no, or not yet. Understand that the biblical precept of tithing is giving to God a portion of what He entrusts to you at a certain time. Israelites didn’t have a vehicle that trickled or flowed to the priests over time. They brought the season’s tithe and gave it for the ministers’ storehouse. The act of storing capital into a donor advised fund is a smart act of stewardship, but NOT giving or tithing. If we are called to tithe 10%, then 10% into the donor advised fund is not giving at all. It is merely a smart tax vehicle to be able to give more. It is storing the seed in a barn. However, until the seed goes into the ground, it is a useless grain. When the funds are contributed to a church or ministry, it is given—it is tithed.

__I have heard many families say that integrating their faith into their investment strategy is leveling-up their giving strategy. Is this true?__

We would confer that it is outstanding stewardship, but it is not giving. There is a fundamental difference between giving and investing. Giving responds to a need often without even being asked. Giving requires empathy, sacrifice, and no strings attached. Giving does not require control over the outcomes. Giving does not expect to have recognition or accolades in return. Giving happens when we remember how God and others have been generous with us, and is motivated by gratitude and joy. Giving is one step: I give. Investment has two parts: I give and after some time… I get. (Although let us not get into the altruism debate for now.)

Giving is a direct reaction in effect of your relationship with God. It is core to your being and spiritual communion. Giving reflects a relationship between you and God. Investing is downstream, dependent on a value exchange. Investing reflects a relationship between you and others.

One other key mark of giving is that it is a straight cost to us. Investments provide a return. Giving is just that—a one-way transaction. King David claimed his own sin, admitted that it had cost him much suffering, and admitted that his sin was actually also causing innocent people to suffer. And when he admitted this sin and its related suffering, he was instructed to go and offer worship to God on a particular spot. But when he arrived on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite to give God worship, Araunah tried to give David both the land and the animals and even the wood for free. But David, that most real and human being, says an amazing thing. He acknowledges Araunah’s attempt to give him the land, but he says that he will not and cannot offer to God that which cost him nothing. David had come to give, and giving means that it costs us something. His worship is not to be transactional. David came— with all of his faults—to give God worship.

__Some would argue that investing in a Christian led business creates jobs, wealth, and more giving. Thus, the investment is part of their tithe. Maybe? How much of the stewardship conversation is a conversation of the heart? And how much is measured on the scales?__

Their investment’s return is a part of their tithe. No farmer counts as harvest the downstream effects of tending his field. No parent counts the investment in their child in such a way that they are giving to God what the child does in the future. Why claim the blessings of God in the harvest, your family, or your investment outcomes as your contribution?

Here is a recent case. A leader puts aside capital into a donor advised fund. (Amazing!) Each year, she gives from that fund 10% of her annual income (accumulative salary and investments) to her church and 4 favorite parachurch organizations. (Tithing, Check.) Then she learns that she can make an equity investment into a Christian led for-profit recruiting company that creates jobs for formerly incarcerated men, using her DAF. (Stewardship, Check.) She receives quarterly dividends from her investment back into her DAF. Her DAF also grows tax free through being invested by her financial advisor. (Excellent) At the end of the year, she sees that she gave half what she did the previous year to church and ministries (5%), yet she invested significantly more into a purpose driven investment (5%), and her dividends and DAF investments provided more to be able to give long term (2.7%). Her church is struggling financially and launching a capital campaign. Is this a pass or fail for stewardship? Pass or fail for tithing?

I feel like there are some common agreements here. If it’s all God’s, and we are stewards not owners, then funding the church and parachurch organizations with at least 10% of our annual income sounds like the baseline. As a portion of the remaining 90%, we should invest with the same principles, as they too reflect our stewardship. If we do not honor or fulfill our roles in living generously, then we are robbing God, the church becomes more anemic, and we miss out on the inherent joy designed for us—a joy defined as “…such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.”

[1] Charles Bugg, “Stewardship” in Holman Bible Dictionary (Holman: Tennessee, 1991), 1303-1304


> *Article originally hosted and shared with permission by [The Christian Economic Forum](https://christianeconomicforum.com/), a global network of leaders who join together to collaborate and introduce strategic ideas for the spread of God’s economic principles and the goodness of Jesus Christ. This article was from a collection of White Papers compiled for attendees of the CEF’s Global Event.*

*[Image](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c755f8a7eb88c63adc29a19/1e3a5277-fdc5-4b8e-bc70-594f03dbadc9/FDI_Jeff+Smith_Appropriate+Generosity_resized.jpg?format=2500w) used with permission.*

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I am witnessing a large gap between donor fulfillment & impact; national giving is up, but the church is feeling anemic.

Appropriate Generosity

At the end of the year, many people do extra giving, sometimes trying to take advantage of tax deductions, and sometimes just because they’re trying “catch up” with giving they intended to do earlier. Whatever the immediate motive may be, giving — for the Christian — should have a deeper motive. Today we'll talk about that on MoneyWise. 
<ul><li>Every so often on our Monday programs, we circle back to “first principles,” to the foundational teachings of Christian stewardship that should guide our everyday lives.</li><li>We like to revisit the five basic things you can do with money. Here they are: You can earn it, live on it, give it away, owe it to someone or the government, or you can grow it for the future by saving and investing.</li><li>Those five are easy to remember: earn, live, give, owe, and grow.</li><li>In this program, we're focusing on giving money away. There’s a good deal of emphasis on giving at the end of the year. A lot of that is because of the tax deduction allowed for giving. People want to get their giving done so they claim a deduction on their 2022 taxes.</li><li>The deduction has changed since last year. For tax year 2021, you could deduct $300 in charitable giving — $600 if you were filing jointly as a married couple — even if you didn’t itemize. But that was a temporary deduction that does not apply for 2022.</li><li>To get a deduction for giving you do have to itemize. But with the standard deduction being being much higher than it used to be, only about 12% of taxpayers still itemize.</li><li>There’s nothing wrong with taking a charitable-giving deduction if you meet the requirements, but whether or not you get a tax break should not be the deciding factor in whether to give.</li><li>That’s because, for the Christian, giving is a matter of the heart. It is a sign, or a demonstration, of our love for the Lord.</li><li>Giving a gift to a friend or family member is a way of saying, “I love you, and I am so glad you’re in my life.” Money has value to us. We work hard for it. So when we use it to buy a gift for someone, we’re saying, “I treasure you more than money.</li><li>The same is true of giving to God’s work — whether through giving to a local church or a specialized ministry — we’re saying, “Lord, I treasure you more than money.</li><li>It certainly seems providential that here in the U.S., our coins and currency have on them the phrase, “In God We Trust.” Every time we see that, it would be appropriate to say, “Amen!</li><li>Our attitude as believers is that our trust is in God, and not in the money we have. When we give, we offer testimony that we really do trust him — we trust him to meet our needs, and we trust that his grace is sufficient for us in every situation.</li><li>In 1859, French tightrope walker Charles Blondin walked above Niagara Falls on a tightrope — 1,100 feet from end to end. He then did it again, blindfolded. After that, he asked the crowd, “Do you believe I can do it again?” They had already seen him do it more than once! So they called out approvingly, “Yes, we believe you can do it again!</li><li>At that point, Blondin asked for a volunteer to climb on his back and go across the Falls with him. As you probably can guess, no one in the crowd volunteered. No one believed in him that much.</li><li>Well, when we give generously, from the heart and with the right motives, it’s like saying, “Lord, I do trust you that much. I believe that although I am giving this money away, you’ll take care of me and meet all my needs.</li><li>As you do your year-end giving, remember these two things. First, giving is an affair of the heart — it’s about what we truly treasure, and second, it is a sign of our trust in the Lord.</li><li>As we give, we reflect the heart of God, who gave us his only Son — the One whose birth we just celebrated.</li></ul>On this program, Rob also answers listener questions: 
<ul><li>If you are age 66 and have a 401k through work and a Roth IRA through Betterment, what is the total amount you can contribute to these accounts?</li><li>Is a target retirement 2025 fund an appropriate allocation to be invested in if you are age 66 but not expecting to need the funds for nine more years?</li><li>Are there any faith-based financial and legal institutions?</li><li>How can your husband build up his credit score of 650 if he recently took out a personal loan to pay off credit card debt?</li></ul>RESOURCES MENTIONED:
<ul><li><a href="https://www.joinchristiancommunity.com/">Christian Community Credit Union</a></li><li><a href="https://www.christiancreditcounselors.org/">Christian Credit Counselors</a> </li></ul>Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000 or email them to <a href="mailto:Questions@MoneyWise.org">Questions@MoneyWise.org</a>. Also, visit our website at <a href="https://www.moneywise.org/">MoneyWise.org</a> where you can connect with a MoneyWise Coach, join the MoneyWise Community, and even download the free MoneyWise app.

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Faith & Finance is a daily radio ministry hosted by Rob West. The program offers a practical, biblical and good-natured approach to managing your time, talents and resources.

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At the end of the year, many people do extra giving. Whatever the immediate reason may be, giving — for the Christian — should have a deeper motive.

The Reason For Giving - Foundation Series

At the end of the year, many people do extra giving — sometimes trying to take advantage of tax deductions, and sometimes just because they’re trying “catch up” with giving they intended to do earlier. Whatever the immediate motive may be, giving, for the Christian, should have a DEEPER motive. I’ll talk about that just ahead. This is MoneyWise Live - biblical wisdom for your financial journey. 
<ul><li>From time to time on the program, we like to revisit the five basic things you can do with money. Here they are: You can earn it, live on it, give it away, owe it to someone or the government, or you can grow it for the future by saving and investing. Those five are easy to remember: earn, live, give, owe, and grow. On this episode, we're going to focus on giving money away. There’s a good deal of emphasis on giving at the end of the year. A lot of that is because of the tax deduction allowed for giving. People want to get their giving done so they claim a deduction on their 2022 taxes that they’ll be filing a few weeks or months from now.</li><li>You need to be aware that the DEDUCTION HAS CHANGED since last year. For tax year 2021, you could deduct $300 in charitable giving — $600 if you were filing jointly as a married couple even if you didn’t itemize. That was a temporary deduction that’s gone now and does not apply for 2022.</li><li>To get a deduction for giving you do HAVE TO ITEMIZE your deductions. Interesting fact - With the standard deduction being much higher than it used to be, relatively few (12%) taxpayers still itemize. That means that, for most folks, a tax deduction just doesn’t come into play when making giving decisions. </li><li>There’s nothing wrong with taking a charitable-giving deduction if you meet the requirements but whether or not you get a tax break should not be the deciding factor in WHETHER TO GIVE because, for the Christian, giving is a matter of the heart, a sign of our love for the Lord — much in the same way you probably just gave Christmas gifts to your dearest loved ones.</li><li>Giving a gift to a friend or family member is a way of saying, “I love you, and I am so glad you’re in my life.” Money has value to us; we work hard for it. So when we use it to buy a gift for someone, we’re saying, “I treasure you more than money.” The same is true of giving to God’s work — whether through giving to a local church or a specialized ministry — we’re saying, “Lord, I treasure YOU more than money.”</li><li>It certainly seems providential that, here in the US, our coins and currency have on them the phrase, “In God We Trust.” Every time we see that, it would be appropriate to say, “Amen!” Our attitude as believers is that our trust is in God, and not in the money that we have. When we give, we offer testimony that we really do trust him — we trust him to meet our needs, and we trust that his grace is sufficient for us in every situation.</li><li>A true story - in 1859, French tightrope walker Charles Blondin walked 1,100 feet from end to end above Niagara Falls on a tightrope. He, then, did it again blindfolded. After that, he asked the crowd, “Do you believe I can do it again?” They had already seen him do it more than once! So they called out approvingly, “Yes, we believe you can do it again!” At that point, Blondin asked for a volunteer to climb on his back and go across the Falls with him. As you probably can guess, no one in the crowd volunteered. No one believed in him THAT much!</li><li>Well, when we give generously, from the heart and with the right motives, it’s like saying, “Lord, I DO trust you that much. I believe that although I am giving this money away, you’ll take care of me and meet all my needs.” So, as you do your year-end giving, remember these two things:</li><li>	Giving is an affair of the heart; it’s about what we truly treasure.</li><li>	It is a sign of our trust in the Lord.</li><li>One more thing to keep in mind: As we give, we REFLECT the heart of God, who gave us his only Son — the One whose birth we just celebrated. </li></ul>Next, Rob answers these questions at 800-525-7000 or via email at Questions@MoneyWiseLive.org:
<ul><li>Since the colleges and universities are the entities that contributed to high education costs, should it be incumbent on them to help settle the student loan debt problem?</li><li>If you recently bought an I Bond but have received no paperwork indicating they have your money, should you be concerned?</li><li>Should you invest in Bitcoin as an investment?</li><li>Is there a biblical idea of retirement?</li><li>due to a change in your employer you want to roll your 401(k) over to a traditional IRA with about $250,000, what should be the cost of this?</li><li>What are Donor Advised Funds?</li><li>If you're retired from military and, including your spouse, you're making about $300,000 per year, you own a rental property and a primary residence and you're about to sell the rental to partially fund building your dream house and you plan to sell your primary half-way into building but wonder if you should sell now, how can you decide?</li><li>If your heirs are part of the rapture, how do you pass your estate on to them since there might not be a death certificate?</li><li>If you're 70 and your husband, who managed your finances, passed away 3 years ago and you're admittedly not a financial expert, you have about $300,000 in Edward Jones that you don't use for income, what is the best thing to do with this as you go forward?</li><li>Are Charitable Gift Annuities a good way to give to a ministry?</li></ul>Be sure to check out the rest of MoneyWise.org to connect with a MoneyWise Coach or access our books and our many free helpful resources. You can also find us on Facebook (MoneyWise Media) and join the conversation. Thanks for your prayerful and financial support that helps keep MoneyWise on the air. And if you'd like to help, just click the Donate tab at the top of the page.

Listen to MoneyWise Live each weekday at 4pm EST on Moody Radio.

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At the end of the year, many people give extra sometimes trying to take advantage of tax deductions, and sometimes just because they’re trying “catch up” with giving they intended to do. Whatever the case, Christian giving should have a deeper motive.

Are you afraid of giving? Rob West assures us that as believers we really do want to give back to God, but somewhere along the line we do not believe He will provide. Rob shares how to break out of this cycle of fear.

The Faith & Finance Minute is a great way to be reminded of God's financial principles with actionable items you can easily apply to your daily life.

Faith & Finance Minute

Are you afraid of giving? Rob West assures us that as believers we really do want to give back to God, but somewhere along the line we do not believe He will provide. Rob shares how to break out of this cycle of fear.

Fear vs. Giving

“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 
<ul><li>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.</li><li>Psalm 106:1 tells us, “Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.”</li><li>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. </li><li>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.”</li><li>The first step in becoming a wise giver is taking some time to think and pray about where to give. </li><li>Your local church</li><li>Ministries you are passionate about</li><li>Distributing Bibles</li><li>Crisis pregnancy centers that offer alternatives to abortion </li><li>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. </li><li>The National Christian Foundation can guide you through the process and make excellent recommendations. </li><li>Also Another at ministries through the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.</li><li>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. </li><li>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. </li><li>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.</li><li>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.</li></ul>On this program, Rob also answers listener questions:
<ul><li>I’m going to send a large sum of money to a relative. What is the safest way to do this?</li><li>I have 5 rental properties and am looking into an LLC, but my insurance company suggested an umbrella policy. What’s your advice?</li><li>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?</li></ul>Resources mentioned 
<ul><li><a href="https://www.ncfgiving.com/">National Christian Foundation</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ecfa.org/">ECFA</a></li><li><a href="https://ministrywatch.com/">Ministry Watch</a></li><li><a href="https://www.give.org/">Give.org</a></li><li><a href="https://www.eventideinvestments.com/">Eventide Investments</a></li></ul>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 <a href="http://moneywise.org/">MoneyWise.org</a> where you can connect with a MoneyWise Coach, join the MoneyWise Community, and even download the free MoneyWise app.

“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.

Wise Year-End Giving

It can be challenging to decide when to give to others, so God shared an example in the Bible to give us wisdom.

Equipping people worldwide to faithfully apply God’s financial principles so they may know Christ more intimately.

Compass Financial

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In my experience, this is the most valuable gift that you can give your children.

The Best Gift Given to Kids at Christmas

If you follow these six wise steps, you'll have assurance that your desires are met by your heirs. Ron Blue shares his personal experience.

The Ron Blue Institute seeks to be a thought leader with great influence committed to changing the way Christians think, act, and communicate about financial stewardship, empowering the church, and changing the world.

Ron Blue Institute

If you follow these six wise steps, you'll have assurance that your desires are met by your heirs.

Six Steps of Estate Planning and Wealth Transfer

Hear the compelling story of Cliff and Saranne Wilson, who faced a heart transplant and over $400,000 in medical bills. After large discounts, all the bills were shared through CHM’s Gold schedule and Prayer Page programs for pre-existing conditions. In Saranne’s words: “We received financial support from the Prayer Page, and it was just such a relief to know that financial burden was going to be taken care of. And it was.”

Christian Healthcare Ministries (CHM) is a budget-friendly, biblical, and compassionate healthcare cost solution for Christians in all 50 states and around the world.

Christian Healthcare Ministries

Hear the compelling story of Cliff and Saranne Wilson, who faced a heart transplant and over $400,000 in medical bills.

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The role of women in the greatest stewardship opportunity in history

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The Reason For Giving - Foundation Series

The Reason For Giving - Foundation Series

Fear vs. Giving

Wise Year-End Giving

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The Best Gift Given to Kids at Christmas

Six Steps of Estate Planning and Wealth Transfer

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