10 Principles of Christian Giving from John Stott

“But just as you excel in everything… see that you also excel in this grace of giving.”
– 2 Corinthians 8:7

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One of my greatest joys is getting to know friends of Langham like you – people who love Christ, His word, and His church around the world.

This month, we celebrate the centenary (100-year anniversary) of John Stott’s birth (April 27), and throughout the coming year Christians around the world will be remembering his faithful service and the work of the Lord through his ministry (you can learn more at johnstott.org).

Among the many books written by Langham Founder John Stott, I have been challenged and encouraged by a small book he wrote called The Grace of Giving. In this book, John Stott unpacks 10 principles of Christian giving that are found in 2 Corinthians 8 and 9. As he writes; “Paul did not see giving as a mundane matter, nor as something on the periphery of church life. On the contrary, he saw the grace of giving as a core part of what it means for us to be members of Christ’s church.”

To read Stott’s 10 principles of Christian giving and learn more about his own generosity, read on below…

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John Stott’s Ten Principles of Christian Giving

In his small book The Grace of Giving, John Stott writes about our call to give generously and with joy.  His teaching from 2 Corinthians 8 and 9 is summarized in these 10 principles:

Christian giving…

1. is an expression of the grace of God
2. can be a charisma, that is a gift of the Spirit
3. is inspired by the cross of Christ
4. is proportionate giving
5. contributes to equality
6. must be carefully supervised
7. can be stimulated by a little friendly competition
8. resembles a harvest
9. has symbolic significance
10. promotes thanksgiving to God

Excerpted from The Grace of Giving: Money and the Gospel by John Stott, copyright 2004 by Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody, Massachusetts.  Used by permission.  All right reserved.

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John Stott’s Generous Gift

John Stott founded Langham Partnership in response to the cries he heard from church leaders around the world: “Help us train our pastors!” In an act of joyful obedience, he donated 100% of his book royalties and speaking honoraria to launch and seed the growth of this ministry.  This legacy gift, along with many other legacy gifts from donors around the world, continues to impact the church in more than 135 nations where Langham trains and resources pastors and leaders.

The Cross of Christ Legacy Fellowship

As a faithful steward of God’s gifts, we know you care deeply about leaving a legacy with kingdom impact. For this reason, we created The Cross of Christ Legacy Fellowship, to connect you to Langham’s mission and to a global community of the cross. 

Praise God that already over 50 ministry partners with projected gifts of $5.8 million have notified us of a future gift through their estate. When you make a legacy gift commitment in 2021, in honor of John Stott’s centenary, you’ll join a global family that multiplies disciples around the world for generations. To learn more or to inform us of your legacy gift plans, simply email legacy@langham.org.

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