My journey with biblical generosity began when my wife introduced me to Dr. Gary G. Hoag. Through his teaching, I began learning more about biblical stewardship, governance, accountability, and how these principles could help strengthen our churches and communities.
As an ordained pastor with the Assemblies of God in Nairobi, Kenya, much of my work involves equipping youth leaders and helping young people grow in their faith. The lessons I learned helped me think differently about leadership and how I could apply biblical principles in my ministry.
One important lesson that stayed with me was that learning alone is not enough. We also need to put what we learn into practice and use it to serve others.
I also began thinking about how we could practice generosity beyond the church. I realized that our ministries do not always have to depend on foreign funding to help people in need. We already have people and resources within our own communities that can make a difference.
This led us to start the Hope Closet, an initiative that encourages people to donate useful items they already have rather than limiting generosity to financial contributions.
Through the Hope Closet, we have been able to share donated items with vulnerable families, children's homes, and local prisons. It has been encouraging to see people recognize that generosity is not only about money. Each person has something they can share to help others.
My family and I have also tried to make generosity part of our daily lives. At home, we introduced two small boxes, one for thanksgiving and another for prayer, along with a commitment to give something to God each day.
This simple practice has helped us keep thanksgiving, prayer, and generosity at the center of our family life. We have also shared these practices with the groups we work with, encouraging others to find ways to practice generosity in their own homes and communities.
Through these experiences, I have continued sharing the principles of biblical stewardship with church members, youth leaders, and local communities.
My hope is to see more churches and families put these teachings into practice, using the resources God has entrusted to them to care for others and respond to the needs around them.