A Great Commission Generosity Strategy

“In a previous role as a church mobilizer, I had the opportunity to interact with senior pastors, missions pastors, and committee members about how they stewarded church resources to align with God’s mission. In those conversations, it wasn’t uncommon to discover how relationships in the church guided the giving priorities of the church. After all, what missions committee member doesn’t want to offer support to a fellow committee member requesting they help fund their niece’s summer missions trip? Don’t get me wrong, relational connections where trust is already established can be a great starting point and the right fit; however, a church that isn’t proactively assessing its giving priorities can drift from a focus on the heart of God’s global mission. As I coached many churches walking through scenarios like this, I decided to create some helpful tools to assess effectiveness and prioritize the church’s efforts to align with the Great Commission. 

Fast-forward to today. In my role as Director of Development at Global Gates, I now work more closely with individuals and families, helping them think through generosity strategies that reflect the values they hold dear and align with their desire to make wise kingdom investments. With each conversation, I’m discovering similar trends and patterns that I observed with churches. And it wasn’t just me observing these things in others; I had to be honest with myself and look at my generosity strategy all over again to realize that I had slowly drifted away from giving patterns that aligned with my biblical values in this area. 

Let me start by saying that my decision to support any ministry outside of my local church never overshadows my commitment to tithe to my church. I believe the church is God’s plan for this age, and I need to be faithful in the giving of my first fruits to my local church. However, I’m also a part of the big C church, and the Lord has compelled me to look for opportunities beyond the way I regularly give to my local church in my efforts to give generously to other ministry opportunities. So, how do I seek to align my giving priorities with the heart of God when there are so many great opportunities?

I look to the very words of Jesus in Acts 1:8, one of the 5 Great Commission passages in the New Testament, where we find Jesus focusing our attention on reaching people and places that go beyond cultural and geographic boundaries. Jesus says, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 

Here’s how it breaks down…

As you reflect on Acts 1:8 and consider how your giving is distributed across these categories, you may notice a healthy balance—or an imbalance. Either way, it can be a helpful tool for evaluating and adjusting your priorities. If you want to give more intentionally toward the missional need among the people and places most unreached by the gospel, seek out and support organizations focused on that work in your “Samaria” and to “the Ends of the Earth.” Access the free tool below for practical guidance on assessing your giving through the lens of Acts 1:8.

Not long ago, I realized that our giving had quietly drifted away from a focus on reaching the least reached. Over time, a few changes, like a missionary we supported returning to the States and an invitation to join a local ministry board that we also began supporting, gradually pulled us away from a more balanced approach. Because of these changes, our giving to our “Samaria” and the “Ends of the Earth” had wavered the most. I imagine I’m not out of the ordinary; in fact, the statistics would indicate that many in the Body of Christ aren’t currently giving to Unreached People Groups (UPGs), with only 1.7% of missions giving going there. Plus, the farther away the need is, the harder it is to know about it and naturally be drawn to that need. 

This is why a Great Commission Generosity Strategy like the one I’ve used is so key to maintaining my focus. For me, it was enough to get my attention again and make some changes that would realign our giving with what Jesus prioritized in Acts 1:8. This brought us back into the joy and rhythm of giving that didn’t leave the needs of the least reached out of our regular giving patterns. I hope my story can encourage and inspire you to consider making your giving strategy a Great Commission Generosity Strategy.”

We have created a free Great Commission Generosity Strategy tool using Acts 1:8 and a 2×2 matrix to help you assess and consider your giving priorities. Click below to get your free tool. 

At Global Gates, we offer opportunities to invest in reaching your Samaria and the Ends of the Earth. If you’d like to meet with John to discuss how your generosity strategy can align with the priorities Jesus outlined in Acts 1:8, please email him at development@globalgates.info.