Church
Why are Church JOGs Unique?
If you are here, we know you are an excellent JOG facilitator. Thank you for your commitment to sharing this message within the church!
The church context is unique. Ministry leaders and church staff members carry spiritual responsibility, financial tension, and often unspoken wounds around money. An entire church community includes people with varying levels of income, and in all different stages of life.
Early JOGs with key leadership and staff have the potential to be the catalyst for a church-wide shift in culture toward generosity. This page is designed to equip you to facilitate the JOG in these groups with wisdom and confidence.
Types of Church JOGs & Common Nuances
- If senior leadership (pastors, elders, spouses) are in the room, we have found that the standard content of a typical JOG is both appropriate and effective. Serving in church leadership does not automatically mean that someone’s heart is fully surrendered in the area of generosity. In many cases, this experience can be just as meaningful and formative for them as it is for anyone else.
- Senior leaders are often accustomed to teaching, leading, and evaluating content. In this setting, it is important to gently but clearly help them remain in participant mode. They are not the teacher in this space. They are not there to critique the flow. They are there to receive.
- During the JOG, the focus should remain personal rather than organizational. However, there will be time at the end for reflection, strategic questions, and even some vision-setting around how this experience might continue to take root within the life of the church.
- If the entire church staff (not just senior leadership) is in the room, it is helpful to remember the unique realities many staff members carry. This group may include people serving on modest ministry salaries, people wearing multiple hats, and people who may carry wounds or tension around finances from their ministry experience. Many are tired. Some may be quietly approaching burnout. For that reason, this experience should feel like a deposit into them, a gift of encouragement, healing, and renewal rather than another demand or expectation.
- Be thoughtful about the stories you choose to share. Certain generosity stories, while inspiring in some settings, can unintentionally discourage or distract staff who feel financially stretched. Stories for this audience are curated carefully for that reason. The goal is to create space for encouragement, healing, and heart formation, not comparison or pressure.
- It is also important to remember that simply working at a church does not automatically mean someone’s heart is fully surrendered in the area of generosity. Yes, many on staff sacrifice deeply. Yes, they faithfully give their time, energy, and talents every day. But this experience still has the potential to meet them personally, to bring encouragement, restore joy, and deepen their understanding of God’s generosity in ways that can be just as transformational for them as for anyone else.
- If this JOG includes a mix of people from across the church (not just staff or senior leadership), expect a wide spectrum in the room. You may have new believers, mature believers, high-capacity givers, financially stretched families, skeptics, and deeply committed members all sitting side by side. This diversity is a strength, but it requires clarity and care in how the experience is framed.
- Assumptions cannot be made about where people are spiritually or financially. Some in the room may have significant resources, while others may be navigating debt, job uncertainty, or financial anxiety. Because of this, the invitation to generosity must remain rooted in spiritual formation, never comparison or pressure.
- During the JOG, the focus should remain personal rather than institutional. Even if church vision or future initiatives are on people’s minds, it is important to protect the space as one of reflection, surrender, and openness to what God may be doing in individual hearts.At the same time, experiences like this often become powerful momentum starters within a church. As individuals encounter the freedom and joy of generosity, it can naturally create ripple effects that influence culture, relationships, and future ministry impact.
- Organizational conversations and next steps may emerge later, but the foundation always begins here, with transformed hearts and a renewed vision for what God can do through His people.
Agendas & Story Selection
A good facilitator knows their audience! Are the elders in the room mostly business owners? Are there different cultural backgrounds represented in the room? The following story selections are our best recommendations for each Church JOG type, but we invite you to use your best judgement on what story will work in the room.
Senior/Executive Pastor & Elder JOG
You can find all the recommended videos for this group in the playlist below.
Two Day JOG
Session 1
- Welcome Attendees
- Objectives
- Guidelines
- Rachel and Mike Erkmann
- Share Group Introductions
- Tim Keller
- Discussion
Session 2
- Tom and Brie Hsieh
- Discussion
- Inductive Bible Study
- Discussion
- Handful of Rice
- Discussion
Session 3
- Renee Lockey
- Introductory Language: About halfway through the video she’s going to start lacing up her shoes. I want you to listen for what she says!
- Discussion
- Celebration of Discipline Reading
- Discussion
- Jason and Leslie White (Caveat: The subjects in this story radically give to their church)
- Alternative (If the group is majority 65+, consider showing Bill and Vonette Bright)
- Discussion
- Assign 30 Questions
Session 4
- Story of Your Choice
- Discussion
- Discuss 30 Questions
- Alan and Katherine Barnhart
- Introductory Language: This couple goes into some specifics. They are likely stewarding more money than most of us in this room, but I want you to listen for two things: notice Alan’s early orientation toward trusting God with his giving, and notice the principles they are living out in their family and in their business.
- Discuss
Session 5
- Closing: Karen and Jorge Balza
- Discussion if time allows
- Discipline of Silence/Reflection (shorten to 10-20 min in the circle)
- Discussion
- Survey
- Shift to Vision-Casting
- Introductory Language: That marks the end of our formal JOG experience. We now want to take the next half an hour to dream about how this experience could build momentum in your church. Let’s start with a story of how this played out for another church.
- First Presbyterian Church of Orlando—Cup of Rice
One Day JOG
Session 1
- Welcome Attendees
- Objectives
- Guidelines
- Rachel and Mike Erkmann (No discussion)
- Share Group Introductions
- Tim Keller
- Discussion
Session 2
- Renee Lockey
- Introductory Language: About halfway through the video she’s going to start lacing up her shoes. I want you to listen for what she says!
- Discussion
- Inductive Bible Study
- Handful of Rice
- Discussion
- Assign 30 Questions
Break/Meal
Reflect on 30 Questions
Session 3
- Discuss 30 Questions
- Celebration of Discipline Reading
- Alan and Katherine Barnhart
- Introductory Language: This couple goes into some specifics. They are likely stewarding more money than most of us in this room, but I want you to listen for two things: notice Alan’s early orientation toward trusting God with his giving, and notice the principles they are living out in their family and in their business.
- If time allows: Tom and Brie Hsieh
Session 4
- Closing: Karen and Jorge Balza
- Discussion if time allows
- Discipline of Silence/Reflection (shorten to 10-20 min in the circle)
- Discussion
- Survey
- Shift to Vision-Casting
- Introductory Language: That marks the end of our formal JOG experience. We now want to take the next half an hour to dream about how this experience could build momentum in your church. Let’s start with a story of how this played out for another church.
- First Presbyterian Church of Orlando—Cup of Rice
Church Staff JOG
You can find all the recommended videos for this group in the playlist below.
One Day JOG
Session 1
- Welcome Attendees
- Objectives
- Guidelines
- Rachel and Mike Erkmann (No discussion)
- Optional Introductory Language: I know we have established we won’t ask you for money, but we’re going to pass around a sheet and ask you if you would like to donate your organs. [Pause for laugh] Of course we’re not asking you to do that! As we encounter people’s stories throughout this time, we’re inviting you to watch for how people are listening to God’s prompting in their lives, and consider what he might have for your life.
- Share Group Introductions
- Tim Keller
- Discussion
Session 2
- Tom and Brie Hsieh
- Alternative: Jami and Clint Kaeb – Great for a church that has a ministry focus on adoption.
- Discussion
- Inductive Bible Study
- Handful of Rice – Great for a church that has a ministry focus on sending missionaries.
- Alternative: Bishop Hannington – Great for lower income church that is more outward-focused.
- Discussion
- Assign 30 Questions
- Alternative Add: Brandon and Ashley Stathes – Part 1 (Discussion if time allows)
Break/Meal
Reflect on 30 Questions
Session 3
- Optional opening: Brandon and Ashley Stathes – Part 2 or Scrapping for a Cause (Discussion if time allows)
- Celebration of Discipline Reading
- Discuss
- Discuss 30 Questions
- Alan and Katherine Barnhart
- Introductory Language: This couple goes into some specifics. They are likely stewarding more money than most of us in this room, but I want you to listen for two things: notice Alan’s early orientation toward trusting God with his giving, and notice the principles they are living out in their family and in their business.
- Discussion
Session 4
- Shoes for Prisoners (Discussion if time allows)
- Alternative: Broughton Family – Great in a suburban setting, casts vision for how to involve your family in generosity.
- Discipline of Silence/Reflection
- Survey
- Closing: I like car
Large Church JOG
For this group, many of the stories in the standard JOG can be effective with some additional context-setting when introducing the videos.
One Day JOG
Session 1
- Welcome Attendees
- Objectives
- Guidelines
- Rachel and Mike Erkmann
- Introductory Language: I know we have established we won’t ask you for money, but we’re going to pass around a sheet and ask you if you would like to donate your organs. [Pause for laugh] Of course we’re not asking you to do that! As we encounter people’s stories throughout this time, we’re inviting you to watch for how people are listening to God’s prompting in their lives, and consider what he might have for your life.
- Share Group Introductions
- Tim Keller
- Discussion
Session 2
- Tom and Brie Hsieh
- Alternative: Jami and Clint Kaeb – Great for a church that has a ministry focus on adoption.
- Discussion
- Inductive Bible Study
- Handful of Rice – Great for a church that has a ministry focus on sending missionaries.
- Alternative: Bishop Hannington – Great for lower income church that is more outward-focused.
- Discussion
- Assign 30 Questions
Meal
Reflect on 30 Questions
Session 3
- Optional Story: Scrapping for a Cause (Discussion if time allows)
- Celebration of Discipline
- Discussion
- Alan and Katherine Barnhart
- Introductory Language: This couple goes into some specifics. They are likely stewarding more money than most of us in this room, but I want you to listen for two things: notice Alan’s early orientation toward trusting God with his giving, and notice the principles they are living out in their family and in their business.
- Discussion
Session 4
- Renee Lockey (Discussion if time allows)
- Alternative: Jason and Leslie White (Caveat: The subjects in this story radically give to their church)
- Reflection
- Survey
- Closing: I like car
Large Format JOGs
Larger group JOGs often require different room set-ups, volunteer needs, and additional coordination with the church.
For groups of 20 to 30, the church and facilitator can be flexible with room setup and flow. During discussion times, we recommend splitting into smaller groups as 8-16 people is best for an open sharing setting. The facilitator can go back and forth between small groups, or if there is a church volunteer that is already trained or is interested in becoming a trained facilitator, consider involving them as a table host or an assistant facilitator during discussion times.
Table Hosts
The church should select one table host per table of 8–10 guests. Facilitators should plan for table hosts to arrive 30 minutes early, and conduct a brief orientation before the JOG begins. Each host will receive a question sheet to reference during discussion times.
What to communicate to your table hosts:
I will guide the overall JOG experience from the front. Your role is simply to facilitate small group conversation at their table during discussion times.
Here are a few guidelines:
- Set the tone early, and lead with vulnerability. Help participants understand that this is a shared conversation, not a lecture or a lesson.
- Discussion tends to flow naturally. The question sheet is there as a reference, not a script.
- Much of the JOG is video-based. Conversation will often center on what stood out to people while watching. You can use that question: “What stood out to you?” as a starting point for each discussion time.
- Encourage everyone to participate. If someone hasn’t spoken, a gentle invite goes a long way.
At this group size, a church might consider adding more live programmatic elements like worship through music, and local testimonies.
Connecting with the Host Church
Since every church context is unique, facilitating for a new church might take a little more communication before the JOG. Generous Giving sends a survey to each church that they will send to you that includes key information about the church which will help you select the most effective stories, and be aware of any nuances.
Questions to Ask
When connecting with your Host Church, ask the following questions:
- Inquire if they would be willing to share if there is any past hurt around money/finances in the church
- What is the personality type of the Senior Pastor? Does he enjoy talking about generosity and/or money?
- Suggest videos you think will be helpful from the lists above and if you aren’t sure between two of them, ask the host to watch both videos and pick the one that would be best for them.
AV Needs
- Particularly in a Large Format JOG setting, you might be working with an AV person from the church that can coordinate with you on video and sound in the room. We would recommend connecting with this person beforehand to ensure logistics run smoothly.
Closing the JOG
Closing well matters. The goal is to send people forward with momentum. A JOG isn’t a program to complete; it is the start of an ongoing, relational journey with God.
What Does a Successful Close Look Like?
Keep it simple, invitational, and forward-looking:
- Invite participants to keep listening to the Lord in the days ahead
- Remind them this is a personal journey, not a program to roll out
- Cast vision for multiplication — tailored to your group (see below)
Closing by JOG Type
- Senior/Executive Pastor & Elder JOG — Encourage leaders to extend this experience to others. Practical next steps: invite the top 10% of givers to a JOG over the next year, or convene a staff JOG to build team alignment.
- Church Congregation JOG / Church Staff JOG — Encourage participants to consider hosting JOGs in their own circles of influence. As more people host, multiplication becomes organic and a culture of generosity spreads naturally.
If the groups needs help thinking through next steps or strategy, they can visit generousgiving.org/church#next-steps or contact the Church Team (church@generousgiving.org) is available to walk alongside them,
Contact Us
Need some help leading up to your Journey of Generosity, or on-site at the event? Email our team at church@generousgiving.org.