“It wasn’t until we spoke about giving and generosity in my small group bible study that I really saw  how giving correlates to my faith,” Hannah Starkins, our digital giving advisor, told us. “Talking about it in a more intimate setting allowed us to have deeper discussions and for others to share how they tithed, which in turn inspired me to give regularly. I hadn’t previously considered regular giving because not only had it not come up during a Sunday service, but I believed that my church was already financially comfortable. It never occurred to me that my giving would make a difference.”

Jesus drew a small band of people around himself who were apprenticed together in the new life Jesus gave. This included learning a radical generosity and a new relationship to their own possessions. It’s noticeable that this transformation, the reorientation of life around Jesus, happened in the context of bonds cultivated in a group.

Small groups can still play a huge role in how we grow in Christ-like generosity and character today.  This 15 minute video from Liverpool shows a handful of people sharing testimonies and stories of God’s generosity – it’s inspiring to see how these discussions can work.

We’ve collected some resources around generosity for small groups. Some of them could work particularly well for Advent or Lent groups, or to kick off a new year, so if you’re planning some seasonal courses, have a look and see what might be helpful in your setting.

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