Wooster Nazarene Podcast

If you want your heart to be softened by God-like COMPASSION If you want to commit to building CAPACITY through obedience to God If you need that God-confidence to respond with COURAGE TODAY is the best day to start. The best time is now!

 Use this podcast for group discussions! Go more in depth on the current sermon with Pastor Sheldon and Pastor Nathan! 3 Discussion Questions

1. **Receiving to Give**: Pastor Nathan emphasizes that generosity begins with a "palms up" posture of constantly receiving God's love and grace, citing John 3:16 as an ongoing, present-tense reality. How does maintaining this receptive stance challenge clenched-fist selfishness in daily life, and what practical habits (e.g., prayer, reflection) can help us stay in a "constant download" from God to fuel outward generosity?

2. **Tithe as Starting Point, Not Generosity Itself**: The podcast distinguishes returning God's tithe (the first 10%, symbolic of putting Him first) from true giving or extreme generosity, noting that tithe is "the least we can do" and a release point for deeper surrender. In what ways does intentionally setting aside the tithe reorder the rest of life (finances, time, relationships), and how might viewing it as "returning" rather than "giving" transform reluctance into joyful obedience?

3. **Extreme Generosity as Evangelism**: Referencing the Macedonian church's reputation despite poverty and Wooster Naz's community acts (e.g., serving school staff), Pastor Nathan calls extreme generosity "contagious" and a universal language on mission trips. How does giving from scarcity (not abundance) most powerfully point to God's heart, and what local opportunities could build Wooster Naz's reputation further?

2 Bonus Questions

4. **Family Modeling and Gut Checks**: Examples like Dixie's parents and teaching kids to share illustrate generosity as "caught" through osmosis, with calls to praise generous acts quickly and ask family, "Do you think we're a generous family?" What risks and rewards come from this vulnerability, and how can it break cycles of bickering or love deficits in homes?

5. **Generosity Beyond Money: The Five T's**: Expanding on time, talent, touch, tears, and treasure, the discussion highlights how generosity "bleeds into" all areas and counters cultural selfishness, producing joy as a byproduct. How does modeling the "little things" (e.g., inclusiveness with kids, helping strangers spontaneously) expose and heal heart issues like self-worship, and why is it essential to create margins (e.g., "walk slowly through the crowd") to live this out reactively?

This REFLECTS the GENEROSITY AND GOODNESS of God, who clearly said … “It’s more blessed to give than to receive.” MORE MONEY and things WON’T MAKE YOU MORE GENEROUS. It will just make you MORE OF WHAT YOU ALREADY ARE!!! More DOESN’T CHANGE YOUR HEART … it EXPOSES IT! GENEROSITY STARTS NOW!!!

Can you IMAGINE A HEART OF PEACE … a LIFE OF UNENDING JOY??? PEACE OF HEART AND MIND comes from TRUSTING GOD … COMPLETELY. It’s POSSIBLE! It’s a CHOICE!

Even though the theme is positive thinking, we are not talking about the power of it. We are talking about something far better and far consequential which is the power of biblical thinking. Coming into alignment to what God said regardless of what are circumstances may be!

Our THOUGHT LIFE MATTERS … because … your LIFE IS CONSTANTLY MOVING at the SPEED OF AND IN THE DIRECTION OF YOUR THOUGHTS. We’ll NEVER BE ABLE TO LIVE POSITIVE LIVES when we NURTURE NEGATIVE THOUGHTS. If we DON’T CONTROL WHAT WE THINK … we’ll NEVER CONTROL WHAT WE DO.

So … we must ALL ENGAGE IN TRAINING OUR MINDS. It seems we think EVERYTHING NEEDS TRAINING … EXCEPT OUR MINDS … and I TAKE EXCEPTION to that! Our MINDS are often OUT OF GOD’S CONTROL!

Well … THIS IS HOW WE FIGHT OUR BATTLES!!! God wants to RADICALLY CHANGE our HEARTS AND MINDS … the WAYS WE THINK. We STAND AND FIGHT on the TRUTH OF GOD’S WORD.

GOD TIME is always … NOW!!! Therefore … it’s ALWAYS GOD TIME!!! That being the case … the BEST TIME IS ALWAYS NOW … the PRESENT MOMENT.

In His MINISTRY SEASON ON THIS EARTH … Jesus KEPT WALKING SLOWLY … DELIBERATELY in the DIRECTION OF THE CROSS. Every day, He was FULFILLING THE Father’s CALLING.

Let’s CHOOSE TO DO LIFE the “JESUS WAY!!!” LAY DOWN YOUR LIFE FOR WHAT MATTERS MOST. Keep leaning and living TOWARDS ETERNITY.

Jesus is THE WAY TO THE FATHER. EARLY CHRISTIANS focused on LIVING AND LOVING the way JESUS LIVED AND LOVED. Jesus never seemed to be in a hurry … and that seemed to drive people crazy. HE WALKED everywhere He went. We never read that Jesus RUSHED AND RAN.