A Disciple

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A Disciples Generous Response

• Six Principles to Live By
• You have been given the principles of
  generosity, rightly interpreted for a new time.
• Doctrine and Covenants 1627c

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Generosity Response

• God gives graciously, providing enough and to
  spare. Doctrine and Covenants 1012f
• As disciples, we strive to be generous like God.
• stewardship and discipleship cannot be divided
  and are dependent upon each other. Doctrine
  and Covenants 1627c

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A Disciples Generous Response Guiding Principles

• Generosity a spiritual discipline
• Responding faithfully
• Our financial response
• Sharing generously
• Saving wisely
• Spending responsibly

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1. Generosity A Spiritual Discipline

• A disciple practices generosity as a spiritual
  discipline in response to Gods grace and love.
• For God so loved the world that he gave his only
  Son. John 316 NRSV
• All things unto me are spiritual, and not at any
  time have I given unto you a law which was
  temporal. Doctrine and Covenants 289a

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1. Generosity A Spiritual Discipline

• A disciple practices generosity as a spiritual
  discipline in response to Gods grace and love.
• Receive first Gods boundless grace and unending
  love.
• Share with a sense of gratitude.

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2. Responding Faithfully

• A disciple is faithful in response to
• Christs ministry.
• The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his
  mercies never come to an end they are new every
  morning great is your faithfulness.
  Lamentations 32223 NRSV
• It is expedient that I, the Lord, should make
  every man accountable, as stewards over earthly
  blessings which I have made and prepared for my
  creatures. Doctrine and Covenants
  1012c

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2. Responding Faithfully

• A disciple is faithful in response to Christs
  ministry.
• Gods unconditional love for us is expressed in
  the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.
• Respond faithfully with steadfast love and
  commitment to God.

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3. Our Financial Response

• A disciples financial response, while unique to
  individual circumstances, expresses love of God,
  neighbor, creation, and oneself.
• For where your treasure is, there your heart
  will be also . . . You cannot serve God and
  wealth. Matthew 621, 24 NRSV
• But before you seek for riches, seek for the
  kingdom of God. Jacob 223 RAV

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3. Our Financial Response

• A disciples financial response, while unique to
  individual circumstances, expresses love of God,
  neighbor, creation, and oneself.
• Using our resources to the glory of God aligns
  our hearts with Gods heart.
• Being purposeful in our financial response keeps
  us focused on God, Christ, and the building of
  Gods kingdom.

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4. Sharing Generously

• A disciple shares generously through tithing so
  that others may experience Gods generosity.
• Therefore they were liberal to all, both old and
  young, both bond and free, both male and female,
  whether out of the church or in the church,
  having no respect to persons as to those who
  stood in need. Alma 146 RAV
• These principles (of generosity) call every
  disciple to tithe faithfully in accordance with
  means and capacity.
  
  Doctrine and Covenants
  1627c

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4. Sharing Generously

• A disciple shares generously through tithing so
  that others may experience Gods generosity.
• Tithing is a gift of thanksgiving to God in
  response to Gods generous gifts to us. It is
  given before we save or spend from our income.
• Our tithing response reflects the call to be in
  the church (Local and World Mission Tithes) and
  the community (Community Tithes).

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4. Sharing Generously

• Mission Tithes
• Look to the needs of your own congregations, but
  look also beyond your walls to the far-flung
  places where the church must go.
• Doctrine and Covenants 1627d

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4. Sharing Generously

• Community Tithes
• A disciples response to church-affiliated
  organizations and other charitable nonprofit
  organizations that are in the
  forefrontrecognizing the worth of persons and
  are committed to bringing the ministry of my Son
  to bear on their lives.
• Doctrine and Covenants 1519
• Examples
• Graceland University
• Outreach International
• Restoration Trail Foundation
• Other charitable nonprofit organizations

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5. Saving Wisely

• A disciple saves wisely in order to create a
  better tomorrow for self, family, the churchs
  mission, and the world.
• You shall love the Lord your God with all your
  heart, and . . . You shall love your neighbor as
  yourself. There is no other commandment greater
  than these. Mark 123031 NRSV
• And whoever does not provide for relatives, and
  especially for family members, has denied the
  faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
  1 Timothy 58 NRSV

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5. Saving Wisely

• A disciple saves wisely in order to create a
  better tomorrow for self, family, the churchs
  mission, and the world.
• Saving is a way we prepare for the future, both
  the expected and the unexpected.
• One method for increasing savings is to determine
  a sustainable standard of living at current
  income, and then maintain it when income
  increases.

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6. Spending Responsibly

• A disciple spends responsibly as a commitment to
  live in health and harmony with God and the
  world.
• They imparted of their substance, every man
  according to that which he hadThus they
  established the affairs of the church and thus
  they began to have continual peace again.
  Alma 140, 42 RAV
• I know what it is to have little, and I know
  what it is to have plentyI can do all things
  through him who strengthens me.
  Philippians 41213 NRSV

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6. Spending Responsibly

• A disciple spends responsibly as a commitment to
  live in health and harmony with God and the
  world.
• The teachings of Jesus challenge us to make
  lifestyle choices that are often counter to our
  culture.
• Learning the importance of living within our
  means and learning the appropriate use of debt
  helps us become disciples who spend responsibly.

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Continuing the Journey

• A Disciples Generous Response is a whole life
  commitment we choose to make in response to Gods
  wonderful generosity.
• We commit to discipleship that includes all that
  we are and all that we have.
• Whether we are considering our stewardship of
  resources for the first time or are recommitting
  to a time-honored practice in our ongoing
  discipleship, God will bless our response and
  guide us in becoming generous disciples.

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Resources now available

• Becoming A Generous Disciple Six Principles to
  Live By (book)
• A Disciples Generous Response (tract)
• Tithing (tract)
• World Mission Tithes (tract)
• available through Herald House at
  1-800-767-8181
• or www.HeraldHouse.org
• Presiding Bishopric Web site www.CofChrist.org/bis
  hop
• Resources (description of resources above,
  including PowerPoint presentations)
• A Disciples Generous Response
• Adult
• Children/youth
• Personal Money Management resource reviews

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Resources available during 2005

• Temple School courses
• Bishops Ministers of Generosity
• Stewardship An Old Path Made New
• A personal, confidential tithing plan

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For More Information

• Please visit the Presiding
• Bishopric Web site at www.CofChrist.org/bishopwr
  ite 1001 West Walnut, Independence, MO 64050 or
  call 1-800-825-2806, ext. 2216.