Our giving is grounded in our Christian faith. We have been blessed to learn from wise people, starting with our parents, who know how to incorporate sound values into all money practices. Every budget is really a moral statement highlighting priorities.
Our mothers taught us as children that everything we have is a gift, and that the central theme of our lives should be an expression of gratitude to The One who created us. We were brought up to give away the first ten percent of everything we earned, and to save the second ten percent. This ultimately enabled us to give even more.
In our twenties, we got connected to three wonderful groups which continued to shape our thinking and lead us to other similar groups: Faith at Work, The Church of the Saviour in Washington, DC, and Sojourners. We learned about "proportional giving," sharing much more than the first ten percent as we prospered.
Clarence Jordan, founder of Koinonia Farm, said that God created a world of abundance but that many people live with scarcity because the distribution system is screwed up. He pointed out that we are the distribution system! R. G. LeTourneau inspired us to move to the 50% plus level of giving. He turned the ten percent giving concept completely around; he gave away 90% and lived on the remaining ten percent.
Our giving has been and continues to be a great source of joy in our lives. | Northeast | 60 plus Years Old | $1-$10M | at least 50% | Business |
| International | Social Justice | Faith | Simplicity | Posted on January 20th by Bob Trask
When I was in my early 20's Frank and Ruth Butler had a huge impact on my life. They taught me a lot about generosity, humility, social justice and simply living the Christian life. They truly moved and supported me on my stewardship journey, and I have shared their story with others. I lost touch with them when I moved across country 35 years ago. I hope they are doing well and pray in thanksgiving for them this day. |