Date: May 26, 2024
The Joy of Giving
The Point: Give generously and trust God with the outcome.
Get Into the Study
Share the following after discussing the opening question.
Results are in for the causes Americans most want to support. Food distribution to the needy, children’s cancer research, and two Christian ministries (The Salvation Army and Samaritan’s Purse) were among the top ten on Forbes’s list of U.S. charities to receive the largest amount in private donations for 2023. Feeding America, a Chicago-based organization that supplies several hundred food banks, was number one on the list. For the most recent fiscal year on record, Feeding America reported $4.3 billion in private contributions, a 5 percent increase from the previous year. Number two was Good 360, a group that redistributes to charities excess goods from other corporations. Good 360 received private donations of $2.7 billion for the most recent year on record. The last charity in the top 100, St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance, received $186 million in donations.
Cumulatively, America’s top 100 charities received more than $61 billion in private donations in their most recently reported fiscal years. That was a four percent increase from data collected in 2022. The top Christian group on the list, The Salvation Army, collected $2.04 billion.
While these totals can seem eye-popping, they represent a small fraction of Americans’ income. The good these charities do should remind us to do more. We must give generously and trust God with the outcome.
https://www.forbes.com/lists/top-charities/?sh=189773b65f50
Get Into the Study [Option from Adult Leader Guide]
Play a video clip of a great cause you could support, perhaps an organization your church already supports. Then ask Question #1.
Get Into the Study [Option from the Advanced Bible Study Teacher Guide]
Share this video of a boomerang as a part of the introduction to the session. Follow the directives in the Optional Idea (p. 64) on how to incorporate the video into your opening.
Study the Bible
As you discuss question 4 (point 3 on p. 137 of the Daily Discipleship Guide), share the following.
A group of Christian women in South Florida is giving generously and inspiring others to give. The group is called StrikeForce 421 and includes more than 100 women who each have committed to give at least $1,000 per year to a pooled fund managed by the National Christian Foundation (NCF). The women then decide together what gospel-centered ministries to support. Since the StrikeForce 421 giving circle was founded a decade ago, it has given away $1.5 million.
“The giving circle that I belong to is a beautiful picture of what collective biblical generosity can be,” said Laurie Farquhar, a member of the group and president of NCF South Florida. “It’s joyful, intentional, and it feels like family. It’s a powerful testament to what God can do when women come together with a shared kingdom purpose.”
Such giving isn’t just for the wealthy. StrikeForce 421 includes professionals, moms, and fulltime volunteers of all ages. Their gifts all go to local ministries, and members of the giving circle visit the groups they support. In all, they have given 41 different grants to 31 ministries. Perhaps best of all, StrikeForce 421 has launched two similar groups in Miami and Palm Beach. These groups underscore the principle that God is glorified when His people are generous.
https://www.ncfgiving.com/stories/laurie-farquhar-the-ripple-effect-of-a-womens-giving-circle/
The week’s writer for Extra is David Roach. David is pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church in Saraland, Alabama. He and his wife Erin have three children.
Additional Questions
Icebreaker
- When was a time in your life that you experienced great joy?
- When was there a time in your life you received something you did not expect?
- Why is generous giving to the church important in a Christian’s life?
- What charity or ministry is important to you?
- When have you been the recipient of a ridiculously generous gift?
- If you had unlimited resources, what are some causes you’d put at the top of the list to give to?
2 Corinthians 9:6-9
- How does giving generously impact us?
- What part does our heart play in giving generously?
- What does overflowing grace look like in the life of a believer?
- What characteristics of God are we imitating or drawing on when we give?
- Who do you know who models cheerful giving?
2 Corinthians 9:10-11
- In what ways has God “enriched you” when you have given generously?
- What are the benefits of giving generously?
- When have you seen a gift be multiplied in ways you didn’t expect?
- How has God “enriched” you in a way that benefits others?
- What are some ways God multiplies our gifts?
2 Corinthians 9:12-15
- In what ways is generous giving to the church evidence of a believer’s obedience to Christ?
- How does generous giving affect your personal relationship with God?
- How is God glorified through our generosity?
- How does human generosity result in glory to God?
- What does it look like to give in a way that glorifies God rather than ourselves?
For Those in Your Group
Send the following link to your group members as either a teaser before the group meets or as a follow-up thought:
Podcast
Click here for a 20-minute podcast for both the group member and the leader.
Podcast (adultsleadertraining): Play in new window | Download
We have the kings James version and you do not say some of the words that I do not know how to pronounce and you do not even say these words “ministered”. You are not helping people with King James Version You might want to think about that. Our church will only use that version. Not everybody uses your version
All the books in Bible Studies for Life are available in the KJV. https://www.lifeway.com/en/shop/bible-studies-for-life/adults/kjv