On this page you’ll find all of the stories from our Generous Living series.
Passing along an inheritance that never fades
Despite the demands of running a business and a growing ministry, the Kaebs are convinced their greatest impact begins within the walls of their own home.
How one couple embraced their third act, started a school in Tanzania, and left a family legacy
Don and Joann Tolmie saw the challenges faced by the 600,000 Tanzanian children who live with disabilities.
Tips for donors who want to be faithful stewards
In the next 20 or so years, as much as $90 trillion will transfer from the current generation that holds these assets to the next generation. Transferring this money from one generation to the next requires skill if you want the money to be a blessing and not a burden.
After years of faithful giving, one woman watched her husband shift from chasing money to chasing God’s call for generosity
Mark and his wife Carol spoke to attendees of the 2023 Celebration of Generosity Conference, held in Scottsdale, Arizona. They shared their decision to build a medical facility in Uganda and how encouraging others through matching funds multiplied their effort beyond what they imagined possible.
Jon Collins left a thriving business to start The Bible Project
“No matter what,” said Jon Collins, “I can be content in what God has for us.”
Great generosity does not require great wealth
Great generosity does not require great wealth
Bundles of Love, a BGEA Christmas special, Generous Giving turns 20, and a free men’s workout group
Ministries Making a Difference: Bundles of Love, a BGEA Christmas special, Generous Giving turns 20, and a free men’s workout group
Milton Buehner passed away in 2015, but he left behind much more than money
Milton Buehner passed away in 2015, but he left behind much more than money
Looking back, Janice admits money was her god. “Money was where I saw my value. Money was my mission.” And yet, she didn’t feel “safe” the way she expected. Someone at BSF invited her to a “new church plant,” Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City. She listened to Tim Keller preach on the Gospel of John, and “that’s where I met this guy Jesus, and it radically changed my life,” she said.
Jimmy and Laura Seibert opted to forgo the modern savings plan and instead give their ‘extra’ away
Jimmy and Laura Seibert opted to forgo the modern savings plan and instead give their ‘extra’ away
A shared mission of generosity has given Mark and Laura Pflug more joy and a stronger marriage
When Mark and Laura Pflug first started out, they had very little. They made a pact that if they became wealthy, they wouldn’t succumb to the temptation of an affluent lifestyle. They had no desire to keep up with the Joneses.
Or so they thought.
After rising the ranks of business success, Lisa Payne’s journey of generosity led her back to her hometown roots
After rising the ranks of business success, Lisa Payne’s journey of generosity led her back to her hometown roots.
Dale and Gail Stockamp impact ministries by equipping them to manage their own funds
Dale and Ron founded Mission Increase in 1999 with a goal to teach these ministries to fish, so to speak, instead of giving them a fish.
Billy Graham Responds to Iowa Storm, Steve Bannon and Colleagues Arrested for Fraud, and MinistryWatch Updates on ECFA Changes and Ratings
Billy Graham Chaplains Respond, Steve Bannon Arrested for Donor Fraud, MinistryWatch Database Updated
Neil and Lesego Holsapfel build sustainable South African communities one village at a time
Neil Holzapfel and Lesego live and serve in South Africa through a nonprofit called Raise the Children and Lesego’s organization Bokamoso Impact Investments. He’s a giver, she’s a doer—together, they are builders.
The Erkmanns chose risk over safety to help a friend with an incurable medical condition
Learning to be generous as a Christian is a journey, and how it plays out may be different for each believer.
In 1997, Earthlink went public, and employees with stock options saw their net worth explode. One of those employees was Tom Hsieh. Overnight, he became a multi-millionaire.
Tom and his wife, Bree, opted to live in Pomona, Calif.—at the time, the second poorest city in Los Angeles County—and focus on investing in the people and community around them.
On one of her runs, in response to what she’d seen overseas, she felt God leading her to “work like a doctor and live like a nurse.”
By the time he hit his 40s, Pete had the money, but not the satisfaction. Thanks to a few older mentors, Pete’s eyes were opened to the idea of stewardship—that he’s the manager, not the owner, of the resources God had given him.
One young couple’s journey to generosity
Katherine and Eugene focus most of their giving hyper local. In June, they organized a fundraiser for a San Francisco-based nonprofit Open Door Legal that provides free legal aid for the poor.
Two Harvard M.B.A. grads pursue a different view of wealth
Greg Baumer and John Cortines both tithed. They knew the “right” answers. They would have told you their money belonged to God and they should be generous and care for the poor. But when they graduated college and their wallets started bulging with six-figure incomes, their true theology of money began to surface.
Graham and April Smith live on little so they can give much
While most people work to make money, Graham and April Smith work to give it away. As Wall Street professionals, their incomes largely go to funding charities and causes they’re passionate about rather than fueling an extravagant lifestyle.
Alan and Katherine Barnhart Model Generous Living
Wealth is often seen as the ultimate goal. People work for it, risk for it, sacrifice for it. Others lie, cheat, and kill for it. After years studying the Scriptures, Alan Barnhart feared it. So much so that when he and his brother went into business together in the 1980s, they set caps on their salaries should the business succeed.
Giving while you're living so you're knowing where it's going
What do Christian families with big money-$50 million, $100 million, or more-do when they want to give it away?
