Saturday, August 19, 2017

when generosity is transformational

How much does it take to make a difference for the kingdom? And in the broadest sense of the word, the answer has to be “it depends”.  There are all sorts of variables, but one common factor is the willingness to listen to God, and follow where He leads.
                Mac Pier has compiled 31 stories of people who have been willing to do just that, and then give in extraordinarily generous ways. In his latest book, A Disruptive Generosity: Stories of Transforming Cities through Strategic Giving (Baker Books, 2017) Piers relates the accounts of people from around the globe who are making a difference in their cities. 
                Pier explains that there are 3 themes in his book, 1) God's vision for the world as referenced in the book of Isaiah, 2) spiritual movement, and 3) relational networks.  The relational network is something that he builds on, and is a specific one, people that he knows, with whom he has worked, and who he counts among his friends. The spiritual movement is one that is happening world-wide. God is moving people to where they can hear the gospel, and by most accounts, the percentage of believers is growing faster than the general population.
And then there is Isaiah. My favorite part of this book. I was torn between wanting to read story after story, and wanted to read this book as a devotional to be savored over a period of a month.  Each chapter starts with a verse from the prophet Isaiah, then we are introduced to one or two of the people in the relational network, and Mac shares what they are doing in their part of the world. Each chapter ends with a brief statement about the scripture, followed by ‘points to consider” and a brief prayer.
Caution. This is not for the faint of heart. Much of the strategic giving involves tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars, and in some cases millions. This type of giving is far more than I can aspire too, but it inspires me to “give up to my potential”.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a review.

4/5

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