WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.000 - 00:00:05.473 --> 00:00:07.619 Welcome to the Deeper Wider group study, 00:00:07.619 --> 00:00:10.772 and thank you so much for interrupting whatever you were discussing 00:00:10.772 --> 00:00:15.099 to spend a few weeks talking about money, specifically stewardship. 00:00:15.100 --> 00:00:18.632 One reason I wanted our entire network of churches 00:00:18.633 --> 00:00:20.769 to get on the same page in their small group 00:00:20.769 --> 00:00:22.816 is because of an experience Sandra and I had 00:00:22.816 --> 00:00:24.799 early on in our marriage. 00:00:24.800 --> 00:00:27.699 You may be familiar with Crown financial study. 00:00:27.700 --> 00:00:31.392 Crown is a group curriculum that covers much of what your group 00:00:31.392 --> 00:00:34.166 is going to be discussing for the next few weeks. 00:00:34.167 --> 00:00:37.499 In year two of our marriage, a couple invited us 00:00:37.500 --> 00:00:40.272 to participate in a Crown group in their home. 00:00:41.438 --> 00:00:43.666 Sandra and I were both raised in church. 00:00:43.667 --> 00:00:46.166 We were both taught to tithe as children, 00:00:46.167 --> 00:00:49.732 so giving 10% of our income to the church was a childhood habit 00:00:49.733 --> 00:00:53.332 that carried on into adulthood and into our marriage. 00:00:53.333 --> 00:00:56.222 But neither of us had ever done a really deep dive 00:00:56.222 --> 00:00:58.102 into what the New Testament 00:00:58.102 --> 00:01:01.632 and Jesus, in particular, taught about generosity. 00:01:01.633 --> 00:01:03.679 Of course I had heard dozens of sermons 00:01:03.679 --> 00:01:06.205 related to God and money and giving. 00:01:06.205 --> 00:01:08.436 And, again, since I was a giver, 00:01:08.436 --> 00:01:12.266 those messages were more affirming than maybe challenging. 00:01:12.267 --> 00:01:13.799 But those Monday nights 00:01:13.800 --> 00:01:15.999 with that group shifted our thinking. 00:01:16.000 --> 00:01:17.932 It was so impactful that Sandra and I 00:01:17.933 --> 00:01:21.999 went on to lead three groups through that Crown curriculum. 00:01:22.000 --> 00:01:24.299 Of course there were several takeaways, 00:01:24.300 --> 00:01:29.799 but perhaps the biggest takeaway is actually the focus of this first session. 00:01:29.800 --> 00:01:32.566 It’s summarized in 1 Chronicles 29. 00:01:32.567 --> 00:01:36.699 The author writes, “Everything in heaven and earth is yours. 00:01:36.700 --> 00:01:41.232 Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. 00:01:41.233 --> 00:01:46.599 Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things.” 00:01:46.600 --> 00:01:50.599 It says, “everything” and “all things”. 00:01:50.600 --> 00:01:51.866 That was a game changer. 00:01:51.867 --> 00:01:55.059 As I said, I was raised to give a portion of my income 00:01:55.059 --> 00:01:58.499 to God’s work in the world through my local church. 00:01:58.500 --> 00:02:01.599 But, honestly, I had never really considered the fact 00:02:01.600 --> 00:02:03.599 that everything belongs to God, 00:02:03.600 --> 00:02:07.299 not just a percentage of my income that I chose to give. 00:02:07.300 --> 00:02:09.966 Another surprising takeaway from that study was this: 00:02:09.967 --> 00:02:12.932 How contagious generosity can be. 00:02:12.933 --> 00:02:14.832 There were two couples in our group 00:02:14.833 --> 00:02:18.766 whose generosity stories were challenging and inspiring. 00:02:18.767 --> 00:02:22.699 We already considered ourselves to be generous Christians, 00:02:22.700 --> 00:02:25.105 but in that group, we discovered the difference 00:02:25.105 --> 00:02:28.899 between giving and living a generous life. 00:02:28.900 --> 00:02:32.166 One of the things I hope you’ll do over the next few sessions 00:02:32.167 --> 00:02:35.366 is share your personal generosity story. 00:02:35.367 --> 00:02:37.932 If you don’t have one, my hunch is, 00:02:37.933 --> 00:02:41.599 when you hear others in your group talk about how they learned to be generous, 00:02:41.600 --> 00:02:45.699 it’s going to inspire you to become, well, more generous. 00:02:45.700 --> 00:02:48.332 And if you fear that, fear not. 00:02:48.333 --> 00:02:50.532 Generous people are happy people. 00:02:50.533 --> 00:02:51.802 In fact, some would argue 00:02:51.802 --> 00:02:54.699 that generous people are the happiest people. 00:02:54.700 --> 00:02:59.432 If you grew up attending church, you may push back on this level of transparency 00:02:59.433 --> 00:03:02.166 in light of something that Jesus said. 00:03:02.167 --> 00:03:03.866 On one occasion, Jesus said 00:03:03.867 --> 00:03:06.399 - in relationship to giving and making donations - 00:03:06.400 --> 00:03:10.356 he said, “don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing”. 00:03:10.356 --> 00:03:13.712 And many Christians, unfortunately, have taken that to mean 00:03:13.712 --> 00:03:16.632 that we should never talk about our generosity. 00:03:16.633 --> 00:03:17.932 But that was not his point. 00:03:17.933 --> 00:03:21.269 His point was that we shouldn’t brag about our generosity, 00:03:21.269 --> 00:03:23.932 which, of course, you don’t do. 00:03:23.933 --> 00:03:26.699 For the next few weeks, in the safety of your circle, 00:03:26.700 --> 00:03:28.699 I want to challenge you or encourage you 00:03:28.700 --> 00:03:31.999 to open up about your personal generosity. 00:03:32.000 --> 00:03:35.499 How did you learn to be generous? Or maybe why you’re not generous. 00:03:35.500 --> 00:03:38.099 Perhaps why the topic of generosity scares you, 00:03:38.100 --> 00:03:41.398 or why it used to scare you but it doesn’t anymore. 00:03:41.398 --> 00:03:43.644 Talk about how your childhood experiences 00:03:43.644 --> 00:03:45.475 impacted your view of money. 00:03:45.475 --> 00:03:47.932 In other words, just put it out there. 00:03:47.933 --> 00:03:50.599 That’s what small group is all about, right? 00:03:50.600 --> 00:03:54.167 The other thing is this - throughout this series, we’re going to circle back 00:03:54.167 --> 00:03:57.232 to the difference between average American generosity 00:03:57.233 --> 00:03:59.932 and generosity as taught in the New Testament. 00:03:59.933 --> 00:04:02.899 My hunch is this - you’re already a generous person 00:04:02.900 --> 00:04:06.232 the way that the average American defines generosity, 00:04:06.233 --> 00:04:08.499 but over the course of the next five weeks, 00:04:08.500 --> 00:04:12.166 you’ll be challenged to rethink your definition of generosity. 00:04:12.167 --> 00:04:14.066 And not only generosity. 00:04:14.067 --> 00:04:17.366 You’ll be challenged to adopt a different perspective on your income, 00:04:17.367 --> 00:04:19.632 your legacy, and your opportunity 00:04:19.633 --> 00:04:23.632 to participate with your Savior in expanding his kingdom. 00:04:23.633 --> 00:04:25.366 So, this is a big deal. 00:04:25.367 --> 00:04:29.432 And it’s a bit emotional because, well, of course money is emotional. 00:04:29.433 --> 00:04:32.899 Jesus knew that, and he knew that we would all be tempted 00:04:32.900 --> 00:04:37.880 to place our trust in riches rather than in the One who richly provides, 00:04:37.880 --> 00:04:40.990 which is the perfect place to begin your discussion 00:04:40.990 --> 00:04:44.666 with the question I introduced in Week 1 of the message series: 00:04:44.667 --> 00:04:46.666 Whose is it anyway? 00:04:46.667 --> 00:04:47.799 Here’s the thing - 00:04:47.800 --> 00:04:52.999 if you embrace the paradigm-shifting idea that God owns it all 00:04:53.000 --> 00:04:57.466 and that you are merely a manager, it will truly change your life. 00:04:57.467 --> 00:04:59.932 And not just the way you view and manage your money. 00:04:59.933 --> 00:05:04.766 This shift in thinking will impact just about every facet of your life. 00:05:04.767 --> 00:05:06.766 Again, thanks for participating. 00:05:06.767 --> 00:05:10.273 And now I will turn it over to your more than capable leader.