How does generosity shape our connection to the local church?

In this episode, we begin exploring the first of four domains in the Applied Generosity Framework: Community. This domain centers on the people we worship with, share meals with, serve alongside, and do life with—our local expression of the body of Christ.

We consider how giving in this domain helps foster unity, build trust, and deepen our sense of spiritual family. For many, this is the first place generosity takes root—supporting full-time ministry, responding to tangible needs, and stepping into the kind of shared life described in Acts.

Together, we reflect on how generosity moves beyond the offering plate and into the lives of real people—living and giving in such a way that “there was not a needy person among them.”

We also introduce a growth progression to help you reflect on how you currently engage with this domain, and where God might be inviting you next:

Nomad: You float between communities or attend occasionally, without deeper connection or commitment.

Visitor: You're exploring a church but haven’t yet formed relational or spiritual ties.

Member: You’ve put down roots, begun giving, and are contributing to the life of the church.

Neighbor: You’re aware of needs, investing in relationships, and beginning to sacrifice for others.

Family: You’re sharing meals, bearing burdens, and choosing to love others through their imperfections.

Koinonia: This Greek word describes the early Acts church—a radical, Spirit-formed community where lives, resources, and mission are held in common.

This episode is a call to press deeper—not just into church attendance, but into a kind of spiritual kinship. One where generosity isn’t just transactional, but transformative. And where giving draws us into communion with Christ and each other.