Giving is more than an obligation for followers of Christ. Giving is an exciting opportunity to lay up treasure that will last for all eternity. “The Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’” (Acts 20:35b). Yet statistics show that U.S. Christians give proportionately less than we did during the Great Depression—2.6 percent of our incomes as opposed to 3.3 percent in 1933. Today, like no other time in history, God has positioned His people with unprecedented wealth and opportunity to glorify the risen Christ by mirroring His generosity.

No.

We will never ask you for money. Generous Giving is a privately funded nonprofit ministry that neither solicits donations nor employs fundraisers.

No.

Generous Giving does not solicit money for causes nor do we ever recommend giving to any causes. We believe your story is unique and that God will stir you to be generous as the Holy Spirit directs.

No.

Generous Giving does not award financial aid or grants of any kind.

Some Christians are very generous, but as a whole, the answer to this question is a surprising "no".

In America, the acquisition of wealth since the Second World War has far outpaced levels of giving. Christians are traditionally considered some of the most generous people on earth, and the amount of money we give to charities increases steadily each year; however, the amount given by Christians, by percentage, falls further and further behind levels of their acquired and accumulated wealth and prosperity.

Generous Giving is one of several ministries committed to teaching and promoting Christian generosity. We are blessed to work in cooperation with other stewardship ministry partners; they work within their areas of strength and we work within ours. While we have a few things in common with these other groups, there are significant differences that make our work necessary:

1. We focus on building the faith of givers themselves rather than raising funds.

2. We focus specifically on giving and generosity rather than budgeting, saving, investing, debt reduction and other aspects of stewardship.

The Maclellan Foundation, a recognized leader in Christian grant making for 60 years, launched Generous Giving in 2000 as an independent, educational organization to encourage followers of Christ toward lives of greater generosity. The Maclellan Foundation supports more than 200 ministries and charitable organizations each year, including Generous Giving. The Maclellan Foundation's purpose is to serve strategic international and national organizations committed to furthering the Kingdom of Christ, as well as select local organizations that foster the spiritual welfare of the foundation's hometown of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Although the two organizations share office space, The Maclellan Foundation and Generous Giving are separate legal entities with their own separate and independent boards of directors.

No.

Generous Giving is an independent, nonprofit ministry that acknowledges and accepts the truths of biblical and historic Christianity. The Lausanne Covenant is an excellent statement on the beliefs of evangelical Christians.

No.

Generous Giving’s objective is to be used by the Holy Spirit in transforming people’s attitudes about money. We work to encourage followers of Christ entrusted with much to give generously. Because we address the question, “Why give?” we gratefully rely on the many capable Christian advisors to counsel givers on how, what and where to give.

Celebration of Generosity: Generous Giving hosts a Celebration of Generosity once per year, usually in the spring. This two-day experience brings givers from around the country together to consider what it means to be entrusted with much and experience the joy of generosity and excel even more in the grace of giving. Usually 400 or more people attend this conference to be encouraged by teachings, stories, worship and peer-to-peer interaction.

Journey of Generosity: Journey of Generosity retreats are 24-hour gatherings hosted by an individual, couple or organization. A trained facilitator, provided by Generous Giving free of charge, leads a small group in a deeper exploration of the life changing message of generosity. The intimate setting encourages discussion around stories and scripture.

Yes.

Anonymous surveys of our event participants regularly return positive reviews greater than 90%. The vast majority of our conference attendees tell us their participation is worth their investment in time and money to attend. People who attend a Generous Giving event experience a radically fresh perspective on giving and a renewed sense of how God might use them to advance His Kingdom.

The audience primarily consists of affluent Christians (individuals and couples of all ages, sometimes accompanied by their pastors, hosts or advisors). Most are eager to learn from God's Word, reflect on their personal giving habits, and discuss them informally with their peers. This is a safe environment for those entrusted with much to dialogue openly around the topic of giving. It can be difficult for this dialogue to happen when there are professional ministry people in the room, who may eventually ask another guest for money (or be perceived as such), or when those who are struggling financially are present.

Ministry leaders are encouraged to attend with their key donors; pastors are invited to attend with their key church members; and professional advisors are welcome to attend with their clients. Ministry leaders, pastors, and professional advisors are welcome to register when they have three giving units (an individual or couple count as one giving unit). No solicitation of any kind is permitted at Generous Giving events. Ministry leaders and advisors may not collect contact information from other conference participants nor may they distribute business cards or other materials for the purposes of solicitation.

Yes!

Our events are for those who already believe in the biblical message of generosity but want to be encouraged by spending time with like-minded peers also along on that journey. No matter where you are, we believe the radical message of generosity found in the Bible will encourage you deeper in your journey.

When registering for the conference using your DAF (Donor Advised Fund) account for payment, please register directly with our financial office in Chattanooga. Our staff will be happy to hold your registration, but the registrant must initiate the payment through a community foundation, or other DAF. The registration will be held for two weeks and confirmed upon receipt of payment. The decision to allow Celebration of Generosity fees to be paid from a donor advised fund account is the sole prerogative of the donor advised fund. Generous Giving does not represent that "no goods or services are provided" as part of the Celebration of Generosity.

No. You are responsible for making your own arrangements for travel and lodging. Please contact the host hotel to make your reservations.

Cancellations received 10 business days prior to the event will receive a refund, less a $100 administrative fee. Substitutions are welcome, but must be made 5 days prior to the event. No refund will be issued for cancellations received later than 10 business days prior to the event. No refunds can be made to registration fees paid by Donor Advised Fund (DAF) accounts; however, name substitutions are permitted and must be made 5 business days prior to the event. All requests must be in writing from the community foundation or DAF.

Recommended dress for the general sessions and meals is business casual. Coats and ties are not required for the conference, yet we recommend that gentlemen wear a coat to dinner Friday evening.

Inviting others to experience a JOG allows them to share in the joy of generosity and participate in changing our world. Details about hosting a JOG can be found here . You may also contact Lindsey Johnson:

lindsey@generousgiving.org / (321) 328-1463

These retreats are invitation only events, with attendees being invited by the host. However, Generous Giving occasionally offers open JOGs. If you would be interested in attending, please contact Lindsey Johnson to discuss the possibility.

lindsey@generousgiving.org / (321) 328-1463

Generous Giving exists to spread the message of generosity. We encourage you to share the messages with your friends, family, church, colleagues, and others. There is no need to request permission to do so, assuming you are sharing the messages free of charge. Resale of any message is prohibited.

Conference audios are available here. Videos are available if they were captured and edited at the conference.