Winston Churchill said, “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” There’s no better path to a fulfilled and happy life than generosity. In this episode, we’re talking with Mike Kocolowski about his new book, Happily Generous: The Secret To Living A Priceless Life, to learn the secrets to how we, too, can live a happily generous and priceless life.

In this episode, we dive into the latest research on evangelical giving, exploring trends and challenges reshaping how congregations approach generosity. We’ll discuss fresh data with Ron Sellers from Grey Matter Research and DeWayne McNally from MortarStone that are impacting donations. Plus, we’ll discuss strategies churches can use to foster a stronger culture of stewardship and generosity in changing times. Whether you’re a pastor, a church or non-profit leader, or simply interested in how faith communities can adapt, tune in for insights that can help revitalize giving in your community!

Often overlooked in stewardship discussions, those with abundant resources face their own spiritual and practical struggles. In this episode, we’re again joined by Greg Gless, Generous Life Pastor at ResLife Church in Grandville, MI, to explore the unique challenges and opportunities that come with ministering to individuals and families who have a financial surplus. You’ll learn how Greg and his team have grown a community of generous people by focusing on what matters most: discipleship.

What does it look like for a church to effectively minister to people when they are in financial distress? Should churches provide financial assistance? To whom, and for what needs? How can church leaders ensure that the help they’re providing isn’t hurting or treating the symptoms rather than the root issues? In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we’re talking with Gregg Gless, the Generous Life Pastor at ResLife Church in Grandville, MI, about their REAL Life Mentoring ministry specifically tailored for those who are struggling financially. You’ll learn how REAL provides people the opportunity to grow spiritually and practically.

The Generous Life App aims to inspire and equip the world's largest gathering of generous Christians. It is more than just a financial tool. It's a community of like-minded Christians united in their journey toward financial freedom and kingdom impact. With its user-friendly interface, Generous Life allows members to manage their money, set financial goals, and connect with others for advice and support. This app provides budgeting tools, resources, and financial stewardship education tailored specifically for the Christian community. In this episode, we're talking with its founder, Greg Gless, to learn about the features and benefits of the app and a unique opportunity for our CSN community.

How do Christians think about money and giving? A new report created by the Institute For Financial Health reveals essential data about Christians’ perspectives on these topics. It provides cutting-edge insights into the areas of generosity, debt, savings, budgeting, retirement, church teachings, and professional guidance. In this second podcast, we’re again talking with the Institute’s founder, Art Rainer, the creator of The Christian Financial Health Report, to discuss its findings and how these can assist church leaders and those who minister in financial discipleship in helping people improve their financial health.

How do Christians think about money and giving? A new report created by the Institute For Financial Health reveals essential data about Christians’ perspectives on these topics. It provides cutting-edge insights into the areas of generosity, debt, savings, budgeting, retirement, church teachings, and professional guidance. In this podcast, we’re talking with the Institute’s founder, Art Rainer, the creator of The Christian Financial Health Report, to discuss its findings and how these can assist church leaders and those who minister in financial discipleship in helping people improve their financial health.

Managing money comes with challenges, and none of us feel like we’re doing it perfectly. That’s why so many parents feel like they’re not qualified or financially wise enough to teach their kids about money. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we’re continuing our conversation with financial teacher and author Matt Bell. Matt has spent years teaching others how to manage money well, and through his book Trusted: Preparing Your Kids for a Lifetime of God-Honoring Money Management, he continues this work by focusing on and teaching parents how they can impart Biblical and practical financial wisdom to their kids.

Managing money comes with challenges, and none of us feel like we’re doing it perfectly. That’s why so many parents feel like they’re not qualified or financially wise enough to teach their kids about money. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we’re talking with financial teacher and author Matt Bell. Matt has spent years teaching others how to manage money well, and through his book Trusted: Preparing Your Kids for a Lifetime of God-Honoring Money Management, he continues this work by focusing on and teaching parents how they can impart Biblical and practical financial wisdom to their kids. If you want to know how to impart Biblical and practical financial wisdom to your kids, this episode and the next are for you.

Talking about generosity in the Church should be about transformation, not a transaction. Giving is not primarily for the benefit of the Church or God's work but for the benefit of each believer and their relationship with God. It is not about fundraising; it's about discipleship. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we're talking with Jim Sheppard, the CEO and Principal of Generis, about the vital need for discipleship in finances and how deeply connected it is to our faith and service to God and His Kingdom.

Financial discipleship is essential to helping people develop a Biblical view of money and possessions. Many programs, such as small group studies and video-taught classes, will provide the knowledge and wisdom necessary for people to mature as stewards of God’s resources. But, sometimes, the financial strain is more difficult and requires a one-on-one approach. This episode of Stewardship Leader is the second of three, focusing on financial coaching as a discipleship ministry. We are joined by Courtney Markley, a financial coach and advocate for building a trained network of financial coaches to serve God’s people in every church and beyond with a Biblical view of money.

Financial discipleship is essential to helping people develop a Biblical view of money and possessions. Many programs, such as small group studies and video-taught classes, will provide the knowledge and wisdom necessary for people to mature as stewards of God’s resources. But, sometimes, the financial strain is more difficult and requires a one-on-one approach. This episode of Stewardship Leader is the second of three, focusing on financial coaching as a discipleship ministry. We are joined by Courtney Markley, a financial coach and advocate for building a trained network of financial coaches to serve God’s people in every church and beyond with a Biblical view of money.

Financial discipleship is essential to helping people develop a Biblical view of money and possessions. Many programs, such as small group studies and video-taught classes, will provide the knowledge and wisdom necessary for people to mature as stewards of God’s resources. But, sometimes, the financial strain is more difficult and requires a one-on-one approach. This episode of Stewardship Leader is the first of three that will focus on financial coaching as a discipleship ministry. We are joined by Courtney Markley, a financial coach and advocate for building a trained network of financial coaches to serve God’s people in every church and beyond with a Biblical view of money.

A troubling church statistic that seems not to be improving is the number of people not giving anything measurable to their church. Have you asked yourself why a significant number of your congregation isn’t giving? We have, too! To answer that question, Dave Briggs, the Stewardship Director at Central Christian Church in Phoenix, AZ, decided to do a year-long study to better understand this phenomenon. He joins us in this webinar to share his findings and offer some things church leaders can do to reverse this trend.

Get ready to unlock the potential of giving in the Church with MortarStone’s 2023 Annual Generosity Report. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we’re discussing some of the findings from this insightful report to help church leaders get a better understanding of the significant shifts and trends in generosity in the Church. We believe this information is crucial to the future of the Church and beneficial for church leaders for helping people grow in their commitment to God and funding God’s kingdom.

For the second year, CSN and Vision 2 have collaborated to develop the Stewardship Survey to understand what churches are dealing with and to develop recommendations and resources to help them disciple their congregations in stewardship and generosity. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we discuss our findings and provide recommendations to assist you with your ministry efforts.

Helping our congregations to live as good stewards and generous people is a responsibility church leaders should take seriously. Oftentimes, it is a lack of financial education that prevents people from growing in this area of their faith. Thankfully, there are people in our midst, like Stephen Hartley, our guest in today’s episode, who are passionate and willing to provide the education and knowledge our people need. In this episode, we’re talking about a not-well-known tool, a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD), available to seniors that will help them better steward their resources and perhaps increase their generosity.

In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we have another leader in the stewardship spotlight. We’re talking with Greg Gless from ResLife Church in Grandville, Michigan. Greg is the Generous Life Pastor and oversees the stewardship and generosity ministry at ResLife Church. His God-story of coming into and serving in this ministry is inspiring, as is his impact in serving the people at ResLife and beyond. You will enjoy hearing Greg and his story.

Planned giving is more than just a useful service that a church or ministry should provide to its members. It is a powerful tool that enables them to leave a legacy, ensuring that the work of the ministry continues to thrive long after we are gone. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we’re talking with Dave Hess from Financial Planning Ministry about the significant impact this ministry is having in helping families and funding future ministries. You’ll also learn how you can get an inside look at their process and learn more about their partnership opportunities.

Pastors need to know that there’s more to stewardship ministry than helping people get out of debt or develop a budget. A natural outflow of good stewardship is generosity. As Christians become affluent by practicing good stewardship, a need for more intentional and strategic generosity becomes equally important. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we’re talking with David Thoroughman from MortarStone about a ministry to the wealthy, helping those whom God has entrusted with wealth in giving strategically and wisely to the Church and Kingdom causes.