Women currently control the majority of wealth in the United States, and their financial influence is growing. But perhaps the more important question isn’t simply how much wealth women will steward. It’s what they want that wealth to accomplish.
Julie Wilson, President of Women Doing Well, joins the show today to share some new research, conducted in partnership with the Lake Institute on Faith & Giving, that offers an encouraging look at how Christian women are approaching generosity.
The findings reveal women who are engaged, discerning, and increasingly intentional about aligning their financial decisions with their faith, values, relationships, and sense of purpose.
When Generosity Becomes More Than a Duty
Julie tells the story of Leanne Horton, a CPA and serial entrepreneur who had been a faithful and generous giver for years.
Leanne approached generosity much as she approached business: carefully and methodically. She tracked her giving, studied what Scripture said about money, and genuinely wanted to steward her resources well.
But after attending a Women Doing Well event, something shifted. Surrounded by women who spoke openly and joyfully about generosity, Leanne recognized that her meticulous approach had gradually become more legalistic than spiritually formative. Giving had become more about getting it right than responding to God's goodness.
Her experience reflects an important theme in the research: faithful stewardship involves more than making the right financial decisions. Generosity can also express worship, gratitude, community, and purpose.
Women Are Taking a Larger Role in Financial Stewardship
Women already wield significant financial influence, and that influence is expected to grow considerably in the decades ahead.
According to the research shared by Women Doing Well, 95% of women will become the primary financial decision-maker for their families at some point in their lives. Women are also expected to receive a significant share of the wealth changing hands during the coming generational wealth transfer.
That raises an important stewardship question: What will women seek to accomplish with the resources entrusted to them?
The research suggests that many Christian women are already thinking deeply about that question. They aren't standing on the sidelines. They're participating, leading, discerning, and looking for ways to align their resources with their faith.
Generosity Flourishes Through Relationships
One striking finding involved married couples. Seventy-two percent of married women surveyed said they make charitable giving decisions jointly with their spouse.
That's encouraging, but sharing a bank account doesn't necessarily mean sharing a vision.
Couples may support the same organizations without ever discussing what they ultimately hope their generosity will accomplish. Meaningful conversations about shared values, priorities, and passions can help generosity become something a couple pursues together rather than simply a collection of individual gifts.
And community matters beyond marriage.
Whether women are single, married, divorced, or widowed, relationships often play an important role in shaping generosity. Among the women surveyed, 98% said their values were important or very important to their giving, while 95% said the same about their faith.
Conversations with family, friends, church leaders, mentors, and trusted advisors can offer valuable opportunities to discern how to steward resou
