The Value of Generosity

·42 min·4 clips

Pastor Eric Livingston compares preaching on generosity to getting a cavity filled, promising to shake your jaw before the pinch.

Pastor Eric Livingston opens by acknowledging that generosity is a tough topic, comparing it to getting a cavity filled, but promises to make it engaging. He explains that generosity is an aspirational value for WatersEdge Church, not something they've mastered. The pastor notes how money makes people act strangely, using examples like splitting restaurant bills and DoorDash judgments. He transitions to scripture, reading Luke 12:13-21, where Jesus tells a parable about a rich man who stores up wealth but isn't rich toward God. Eric points out that Jesus talked about money more than any other subject in the Bible. He outlines three points: honor God by giving before saving or spending, giving cheerfully, and giving sacrificially. For the first point, he emphasizes that God should be first in our thoughts, not an afterthought. On cheerful giving, he contrasts it with reluctant giving, like a child surrendering a cookie. He shares a personal anecdote about arguing with his wife Lisa over tithing 10% when they were newlyweds making $300 a week. For sacrificial giving, he references the widow's two coins and states that real love always costs something. Eric recounts working multiple jobs early in his career to make ends meet while giving. He discusses spiritual disciplines like generosity, worship, and Sabbath, which shape the heart. The pastor then shifts to practical church matters, revealing the church's budget breakdown: 25% on facility and administration, 15% on in-house ministry, 14% on outside missions, and 46% on salaries. He highlights that the 14% for missions is up from 7% last year. Eric connects this to a Haiti mission organization, mentioning members Mike, Katie, Vince, and Sandy involved with it. He notes a personal connection through a friend, Don Dennison, who inspired the Haiti work. The sermon concludes with a call to posture hearts toward loving Jesus, loving others, and caring about missions, framing generosity as freedom rather than obligation. A closing prayer addresses potential church hurt around money topics.

As heard by us

Generosity is framed as joy, with a personal turn and a pastoral close.

Kevin treats generosity as something practiced at the level of the heart, and he is upfront that it is not an easy subject even though he clearly knows it well.

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Why you'd press play

You get a frank, funny nudge toward cheerful giving without the guilt trip.

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