Building a Culture of Generosity in Your Church

Over the past six years, Camarillo Community Church has embraced a mission of celebrating generosity. With a congregation of around 450 people, Camarillo (California) Community Church has given over a quarter of a million dollars to various causes, making a significant impact through its commitment to generosity. 

In this article adapted from Converge’s Church Board Development training series, Camarillo Community Church lead pastor David Hurtado shares three principles to help you inspire your church to become a more generous community, two byproducts of doing so and three questions for your team to discuss to help you get started.

Principles of Generosity

Principle 1: Scarcity Mentality vs. Mentality of Abundance

We serve a God of abundance, as reflected in Psalm 50:10-12, which tells us that He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. It's one thing to declare this belief and another to live by it. 

At our church, we've embraced a mentality of abundance over scarcity. We've asked our congregation to redirect their usual offerings towards specific initiatives, trusting God to meet our needs. This principle challenges our leadership team and congregation to have faith and trust that God will provide.

Principle 2: Understand There Are Multiple Pockets of Giving

People tend to compartmentalize their giving into different “God pockets,” such as tithes, community assistance, missions, capital improvements and social issues. It's important to understand that requesting funds from one pocket doesn’t necessarily detract from another. 

For instance, we once took a few weeks to teach the principles of 2 Corinthians chapters 8 and 9 and let the people know we would give an entire weekly offering to a struggling local church. Despite our budgeted weekly offering being around $25,000 then, we raised $62,000 that week. We gave the entire tithe to that church and trusted God to care for us because he’s a God of abundance. 

This concept of different giving pockets helps us mobilize resources without fear of diminishing other areas.

Principle 3: Vision Across the Generation Gaps

Meeting the values of every generation in a church can be challenging. For example, I have a personal value of being authentic and valuable. But when I came to this church, I learned quickly that that value scratches the itch of Gen Xers and younger people, but it is the kiss of death to some boomers, who don’t want to see their pastor in any kind of negative light. 

However, we've found that every generation values community service and impact. Initiatives like addressing homelessness or supporting foster care resonate across all age groups. Promoting community involvement can unify your congregation because people like to say, “My church helps our community by doing this.”

Byproducts of Generosity

Byproduct 1: Cheap Momentum

Generosity initiatives create momentum without the high costs associated with capital campaigns. These initiatives foster excitement and engagement without the negativity that sometimes accompanies large financial campaigns. Even those who may not give still appreciate the positive impact your church is making in the community.

Byproduct 2: Outsider Perception

In a post-Christian society, it's crucial to alter the perception of churches as solely tax-sheltering entities. Community-focused generosity changes this narrative, demonstrating that your church contributes meaningfully to society. This shift in perception can also open doors for evangelism, as members can proudly share the good their church does in the community.

Questions for Your Church Board to Discuss

How have you seen a mentality of abundance in action? 

Have you witnessed situations where a mentality of abundance positively impacted your church and community? Share examples to inspire and motivate your board.

When have you seen people give from different pockets? 

Reflect on instances where members gave from various “God pockets.” How did this approach benefit your church's initiatives?

What is your vision for stretching the faith of your church? 

Consider bold, faith-driven initiatives that require God's provision. How can your church stretch its faith to undertake impactful projects?

You can inspire your congregation

By adopting these principles and understanding the byproducts of generosity, your church can build a strong culture of giving and community impact. Encourage your board to discuss these concepts and envision how they can be applied to your church's context. Together, you can inspire your congregation to live out a mentality of abundance, support various giving initiatives and bridge generational gaps through community service.

Let's make our churches known for their generosity and positive impact on society.

This post is based on a video message from Camarillo Community Church lead pastor David Hurtado. As of July 2024 (when this article was published), the message is one of 36 video discussions included in Church Board Development training, which is free to all Converge churches and available to churches outside of Converge for a small fee. More than 200 churches actively use Church Board Development training in their board meetings. Learn more about investing in your board and strengthening your church through Church Board Development.