REFERENCES

See what others are saying about The Joy of Generosity class.

The three who worked together to craft this useful book have each impacted many lives, mine included. 

I cannot remember the first time I heard Vanderbilt Pierpont (V.P.) Black first speak. I was not yet 7 - I know I was so young I feared VP was short for Vampire. He probably did as much to affect the giving of Christians as any uninspired individual. I can’t remember the first time I heard him quote Psalm. 50:10, “the cattle on a thousand hills are” His.  

​

Kyle Butt married the daughter of one of my earliest heroes and when we were first starting the work at Spring Meadows, Kyle was the first guest speaker we brought in. His amazing memory and practical approach moved him near the front among preaching scholars early on. 

​

And Brent Spicer, he is one of my shepherds. His work in charitable giving is as impressive as any you’ll find among members of the church. The program of joyful generosity he has directed for the Spring Meadows church has resulted in an already generous church more than doubling its weekly giving in about 5 years. 

​

Here’s the thing. We think of lessons on giving being painful and extracting. Some grimace anytime they hear that the sermon for the day is on giving. And some of that is the fault of those who lead, either because they try to use guilt to get people to give or because they avoid the subject. The Joy of Generosity can help with both of those issues. I think it was L. Swindol I first heard use the term “hilarious generosity" a reference to 2 Corinthians 9:7, “God loves a cheerful giver.” 

​

I have seen first-hand how this book moved the compass in some people’s thinking about generosity and have personally witnessed people who believed in the Work of the Lord become even more focused on financially supporting that Work after spending time in this material.

A preacher from a couple of generations ago was known for saying: “When our people know better, they will do better.” It’s certainly true in the area of stewardship. The person who desires to do God’s Will, when that Will is unfolded Biblically, will respond. It does seem a good number of our congregations fear this topic. 

​

I grew up hearing that Jesus said more about stewardship than anyone else in the Bible and hearing that the use of our blessings mirrored our hearts. The Joy of Generosity will infect you and those with whom you study this material in a way that will allow the greater Work in the world to flourish. 

​

Thank you, Brent and Kyle for breathing new life for new generations into this excellent series of studies. I pray God blesses it richly.

​

Dale Jenkins