Ben Stroup

I’m asked frequently if there is a “magic” list of best practices for church leaders to follow who desire to cultivate a culture of generosity among the people they lead. My immediate answer is “no.” I resist “best practice” ideas almost immediately because nothing in life is the same in every context. There are just too many variables to consider for one person to say with confidence that if you do these things then it will absolutely, positively result in a generous culture.

The good news is that there is some great information out there for churches who are looking to better understand what a generous church looks like and discover the common characteristics found in churches who presently have a culture of generosity. In fact, I’m helping a couple of leaders in this area develop their ideas and experience into a book. I think it’s a valid conversation, and there is a need to capture the conversation happening in pockets of church leadership and present a common understanding to make the journey more accessible to every leader.

In the meantime, I stumbled upon Steps to a generous culture in the archives of Church Executive Magazine. My favorites are #4, 6, 7, 8. These are relatively easy to implement and consistently produce the greatest return on invested time and energy.

Becoming a generous person, practicing generosity as a leader, and cultivating a culture of generosity in your church is intentional in every way. It doesn’t just happen. Perhaps the best of the “best practices” (if there is such a thing) is grounded in being generous personally and looking for ways to pass that desire and energy to others with whom we interact and engage with regularly.