In Preaching Articles: "Giving Generous"

5 "On-Ramps” To Drive Giving To Your Church

By Kent Woodyard on Mar 31, 2023

The Church itself plays an important role in fostering generosity. Yes, at the end of the day, it is the responsibility of the giver to give. But it is also the responsibility of the church to create opportunities for generosity.

Tags: Money, Giving, Generosity, giving generous

Do Churches Talk About Money Too Much?

By Kent Woodyard on Mar 13, 2021

“This is just a hugely distasteful example of the American money obsession gospel which us non-Americans find nauseating.” I stared at my inbox and read the response twice. Then three times. Somewhere, in some other country, some nameless person with an @hotmail.com email address was very upset with me.

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:10, Matthew 10:17-27, Luke 21:1-4, Matthew 25:14-30, Matthew 18:21-35  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Money, Giving, giving generous, Jesus and money

5 Ways To Talk About Money

By Kent Woodyard on Dec 9, 2021

After spending the past three years working for an online and mobile giving provider, I am obviously a believer in the power of technology to increase giving to the Church. Through that time, however, I have also been confronted with the limitations of technology. Important? Certainly. Enough? Definitely not!

Tags: Money, Teaching, Generosity, Giving General, teaching  (view more)  (view less)

Secrets To Sermons On Giving

By Bob Russell on Jan 8, 2025

Stewardship preaching doesn’t have to repel people. With timing, tone, and practical teaching, pastors can address money biblically and help believers grow in generosity.

Scripture: Mark 10:21

Tags: Faith, Money, Healing, Giving, Stewardship, Power, preaching, Church Leadership, election, Tithing, Labor, Giving General, Christian Giving, church leadership, Preaching, miracles, Funeral, Generosity, Homosexuality, Tithes  (view more)  (view less)

Faith That Changed The Culture How Luther Inspired Music, Charity, And Abolition

By Michael Reeves on Oct 18, 2022

Through the Reformation, a tidal wave of social and cultural improvement was unleashed.

Tags: Music, Culture, Slavery, God's Grace, Christian Joy, Reformation, Church History, Freedom in Christ, justified by faith, give generously, Philanthropy, culture  (view more)  (view less)

Are You Raising The Next Generation Of Preachers?

By Ben Mandrell on Apr 18, 2025

If the "preacher population" is shrinking, perhaps you have a role to play that could impact generations to come.

Scripture: John 15:15

Tags: Preaching, preaching

52 Quotes For This Generation Of Church Leaders

By Brad Lomenick on Apr 15, 2020

Concise leadership insights from Brad Lomenick reveal how young leaders think, what drives vision, how decisions shape culture, and why authenticity fuels influence.

Tags: Leadership, church, Team Development, Church, leadership, Pastors, Leadership General  (view more)  (view less)

5 Tips For Leading The Commuter Generation

By Rick Ezell on Apr 8, 2020

Long work hours and long commutes drain time, energy, and family life. Churches can adapt by streamlining programs, removing guilt, offering flexible options, redeeming commute time, and modeling unhurried lives.

Scripture: Philippians 4:6

Tags: Outreach

How Much Is Enough? The Only Safe Rule For Giving

By Kent Woodyard on Jan 5, 2024

Working in business development for a church giving platform, I am asked often if there is a Biblical precedent for churches using digital technology to accept tithes and offerings. Any scriptural evidence that text-2-give is acceptable to the Lord? I’ll save you a concordance search: there isn’t.

Scripture: Mark 12:41-44, 2 Corinthians 9:6-7

Tags: Money, Giving

Instagram Generation: Four Ways Smartphone Cameras Are Changing Us

By Tony Reinke on Jun 3, 2022

A spectacular waterfall exposed me to how my smartphone habits are getting passed to my kids.

Scripture: Hebrews 6:12, 1 Thessalonians 1:6, Philippians 3:17, 1 Corinthians 4:16, Romans 12:1-2  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Technology, Bad Habits, Next Generation, social media, Cell Phone, Sharenting  (view more)  (view less)

4 Reasons Not To Give An Altar Call

By Dr. Larry Moyer on Aug 12, 2024

Altar calls can help seekers respond to Christ, but they can also distort the gospel when misused. Here are four situations in which giving an altar call becomes unwise.

Scripture: John 6:47, Luke 23:43, John 12:42, Romans 10:9-10, 1 Corinthians 4:2  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Invitation, altar call, gospel clarity, Gospel Clarity, Altar Call  (view more)  (view less)

Forget Seminaries: What Are You Doing To Train The Next Generation Of Preachers?

By Chris Surber on Aug 16, 2025

We have a lot of people genuinely called, sincerely gifted people who struggle to find their way past the gatekeepers in our churches and denominations.

Scripture: Colossians 3:1-5, Mark 5:24-34

Tags: Discipleship, Gift, Seminary, Next Generation

Can We Preach The Tithe?

By Dean Shriver on Apr 2, 2025

Scripture presents covenantal, legalistic, and worshipful tithing. Only worshipful giving reflects New Covenant generosity rooted in gratitude, allegiance, and grace.

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 8:7-13

Tags: Worship, Giving, Stewardship, Tithe, Preaching, Generosity, Tithes, Christian Giving, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

5 Mistakes Churches Make With Money

By Kent Woodyard on Mar 20, 2021

My article last week focused on a particularly negative reaction I received to a blog post about online giving. That response – and them is understanding it belied – galvanized me to talk about generosity,stewardship, and all things giving even more than I had before.

Tags: Money, Giving, mistakes, gratitude

4 Ways To Get Online Giving Right

By Kent Woodyard on Apr 12, 2023

While it is certainly encouraging to see an increasing number of churches taking advantage of online and mobile giving each year, the evidence found on thousands of church websites across the country reveals that we (as a collective body) still have a long way to go in this area.

Tags: Preaching, Generosity, donations, preaching, Money, Giving  (view more)  (view less)