CCOG Newsletter

Just this week, I had lunch with my pastors' group. After lunch and our meeting, one of the guys and I began to talk about certain ministry opportunities. We discussed the positives of various groups, but we both felt that there was a felt need closer to home. With raised eyebrows and only a small amount of jest, we both said that maybe we should start something new. We left the discussion there, but the thought weighed on my mind even when I returned to my office. Within a couple of hours he had texted to ask if we should explore the possibility further. Since then, he has made some connections and has a meeting lined up with someone who has ministry experience in this area.

If our ideas go any further than discussion, I will let you know about this potential opportunity. In the meantime I was reminded that we all are solutions to the needs around us! Whether you are reading this as a part of CCOG, another church, or no church at all, God has you strategically located to meet certain needs. If you feel passion for a certain ministry or the leading of the Holy Spirit to reach out, don't wait for someone else to do it. You are the hands and feet of Jesus. You are His ambassador here on the earth. Hear and obey His call to reach out!

Generosity is a pretty big deal in the Bible. When we're generous, we're not just doing something nice; we're living out a fundamental part of what it means to be a Christian.

So, let's dive in and explore what generosity looks like, check out some stories from the Bible, and see how God's generosity can inspire us to be more generous too!

First off, let’s just make sure we are all on the same page about what exactly generosity is. I like to think of it as giving freely and abundantly, without expecting anything in return.

It's a selfless act that comes from a heart full of love and kindness. Generosity can look like a lot of different things - giving money, time, or resources to help others in need.

The Bible is full of amazing stories about people who were radically generous.

One of my favorites is the widow's offering in Mark 12:41-44. Jesus is watching people put money into the temple treasury, and he sees this poor widow put in two small copper coins. Now, compared to the big sums the rich people were giving, her contribution might seem tiny. But Jesus is impressed! He says, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others."

Isn't that amazing? Her generosity wasn't about the amount she gave, but the sacrifice she made.

Another story that always gets me is the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37).

A man gets robbed, beaten up, and left for dead on the side of the road. A priest and a Levite walk by without helping, but then a Samaritan comes along and takes care of the man, bandaging his wounds and paying for his recovery. The Samaritan's generosity went beyond social and cultural barriers, showing the kind of selfless love that Jesus wants us to practice.

But, for me, the greatest example of generosity in the Bible is God's generosity toward us.

From the very beginning, God has given us so much - a beautiful creation, everything we need to thrive and flourish. But His ultimate act of generosity?

Sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for our sins (John 3:16). Through Christ's sacrifice, we can have eternal life and be one with God again.

So, generosity is a big deal in the Bible because it reflects who God is and it's a key part of living out our faith. By looking at the examples of generosity in the Bible and thinking about God's generosity towards us, we can start to grow a more generous spirit in our own lives.