the free methodist church in canada
Generosity by Design
Five Generous Truths to live life generously with all you have, with all you do, and with all you are:
We are created in the image of a generous God and as His children, He calls us to live counter to the world’s culture of fear, scarcity, false securities, selfish ambitions, and endless consumption. We are called to open our hearts and hands and live generously. Just like Jesus.
There are five Foundational Generosity Truths that if you remember and live by them, you can cultivate generosity in your own lives, but in others as well… your family, your church and even in your community. They connect our faith to our finances and everything else we own; they should influence our life choices and help shape our worldview.
We have created a series of short videos that cover the five touchstones (Truths) of Generosity & Stewardship. These are meant to be conversation starters, and as with all truth – are a lens that we use to see the world around us and help us mature into godly, generous stewards.
If you want help starting these conversations in your church, please contact Sandy Crozier, our Director of Generosity and Stewardship.
Love comes first
If God doesn’t need or money, why does He ask us to give?
You see, it is not what god wants from us, but for us.
And generosity is the only way to counter a fear and scarcity mindset, to partner with God in His Kingdom and become like Jesus.
So why do we give to the church? We come together each week because this is where God promises to meet us. We give together because this is how we care for each other and our neighbours. Our giving together is how we change the world. We give to the church because Jesus loves the church.
The church is His body. The church is His bride. He died for the church and the church is what will last forever. We give to the church because of what Jesus gave to us, and so we might be more like Him.
Free Methodists want to introduce people to Jesus, change the world one person at a time, and alleviate suffering.
Everything is a gift
The Creation Story tells us that everything is a Gift from God.
If this is true – what should our response be?
We should be grateful.
Gratitude is a choice. When we forget to give thanks, we begin to think we are the author and owner of all of we have – and we become proud and forget God.
Gratitude is also our secret weapon against the world. You see, the world needs us to be malcontent. Always comparing and competing to keep us in an endless cycle of consumption.
Being grateful also leads to contentment in all circumstances, which Paul tells us is the secret to life. (phil 4:). And Generosity is the overflow of a grateful heart.
If you want to live counter to this world – choose gratitude.
When you feel dissatisfied or envious – STOP. Breath. Look around and express thanks.
If you want the life that is truly life, Be rich in good deeds. Be generous and willing to share.
Just like Jesus.
Free Methodist want to introduce people to Jesus.
Change the world one person at a time.
And alleviate suffering.
Chosen as God's steward
From the beginning, God called us to guard and tend His creation—a calling given before the Fall and never rescinded. This responsibility shapes our identity and is a privilege, allowing us to work on God’s behalf, caring for what He cares about.
As His stewards, we are expected to bring a generous return on His investment in us. The Parable of the Talents shows it’s not about how much we have, but what we do with it. God is glorified when we excel in how He made us —even in our ability to make money.
John D. Rockefeller (1905) said, “God gave me my money…” believing wealth was a gift to be used for the good of mankind.
Hoarding resources for ourselves makes us selfish. While we are to care for our families, God calls us to do more—to be rich in good deeds, generous, and willing to share (1 Timothy 6:17-19).
Generosity and stewardship are two sides of the same coin. We must steward well to give, and we give generously because we steward well. We cannot do one without the other. By being generous, we reflect God—generous in all we have, all we do, and all we are.
A Generous Steward.
God's priorities become ours
We are created in the image of a generous God, called to live counter to the world’s culture of fear, scarcity, and selfish ambition. God designed and commands us to be generous. We have Jesus’ DNA—the greatest giver—who gave up everything so we might become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9).
Because we love God, His priorities MUST become ours. We are to seek His Kingdom first, caring for the poor (Ezekiel 6:49), the widow and orphan (James 1:27), the foreigner and oppressed (Leviticus 19:33-34), and those in need (Luke 3:11).
We are also to support those who work for the Kingdom—pastors, teachers, ministers, temple workers, and Gospel preachers (1 Timothy 5:17-18; 1 Corinthians 9:13-14).
When we are not generous, we are not embracing the Gospel. We cannot be mature disciples if we ignore those the world has cast aside and we lose sight of what is truly important. God’s priorities must be our ‘North Star,’ guiding us toward what is right and true.
The Gospel is ‘Good News’ to the poor, lost, and captive. Being generous to what matters to God is how we love Him and our neighbor—it is how we find our way home in His Kingdom.
Today matters
Psalm 90:12 asks God to “teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Living in the present, knowing any moment may be our last, helps us make the most of our time.
We cannot change the past. And we are never promised tomorrow. James reminds us, “You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14). But we can do something that matters and makes a difference today. We cannot put off being generous—there may not be another day.
In Jesus’ parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:13-34), a man with a bumper crop tears down his full barns to build bigger ones, believing he can now relax and enjoy life. But God calls him a fool, for that very night, his life would be taken. Jesus warns us not to store up earthly treasures but to live generously as God requires.
Chose to make a difference today —be generous with your time, forgiveness, and love. Like ripples on a lake, generosity impacts lives, fuels mission, and brings joy. Let your generosity change the world.
Today matters. It makes a difference now and in eternity.
Make the most of your day—be generous.
