There’s something deeply encouraging about watching a church awaken to its Kingdom assignment. Over the past months, I’ve had the privilege of hearing from pastors and ministry leaders across the country who are using Transformational Living materials to disciple their congregations in biblical generosity—and the stories are remarkable.
These aren’t tales of massive giving campaigns or flashy fundraising tactics. Instead, they’re stories of hearts changing, perspectives shifting, and churches rediscovering what it means to steward everything God has entrusted to them—their time, talents, testimony, and treasure—for Kingdom purposes.
Let me share a few that have particularly encouraged me.
From Givers to Kingdom Investors
A pastor in the Midwest recently told me about a couple in their fifties who went through the Transformational Living small group study. For years, they had been faithful tithers—disciplined, consistent, but admittedly somewhat mechanical about it.
“We gave because we were supposed to,” the husband shared. “It was the right thing to do, but honestly, it felt more like paying a bill than participating in something meaningful.”
Through the nine-week study, something shifted. They began to see their resources not as obligations to discharge but as Kingdom capital to deploy. They started asking different questions: not just “How much should we give?” but “Where is God calling us to invest for His Kingdom?”
By the end of the study, they had developed their own Kingdom Business Plan. They increased their giving, yes—but more importantly, they became strategic partners in specific ministry initiatives. They’re now meeting quarterly with ministry leaders, praying for impact, and experiencing the joy that comes from seeing their resources multiply for God’s purposes.
The pastor said it best: “They didn’t just increase their giving—they discovered their assignment.”
The Ripple Effect in Small Groups
A church in the Southeast decided to launch Transformational Living as their churchwide small group curriculum this fall. What started as a discipleship initiative has become a movement of generosity that’s transforming their entire congregation.
One small group leader told me about a young professional in her twenties who realized through the study that her “treasure” wasn’t limited to her bank account. She had skills in graphic design and social media that could serve Kingdom purposes. She approached her group leader asking, “Could my talent be my tithe?”
That question sparked a conversation that led to her creating a Kingdom Business Plan focused on using her creative gifts. She’s now volunteering those skills for three different ministries—designing materials for their church’s outreach efforts, helping a local pregnancy center with their communications, and creating content for a missionary family overseas.
“She’s giving more than she ever could have written a check for,” her group leader shared. “And she’s experiencing the fulfillment that comes from using what God gave her to advance what God cares about.”
When the Board Catches the Vision
Perhaps the most exciting stories come from churches where leadership teams have gone through the study together. One church board in the South spent three months working through Transformational Living as their leadership development curriculum.
The board chair told me it revolutionized how they approached every decision. “We stopped asking ‘Can we afford this?’ and started asking ‘Is this part of our Kingdom assignment?'” he said.
The shift wasn’t just philosophical—it became intensely practical. When faced with a decision about expanding their facilities, they paused to develop a Kingdom Business Plan for the church itself. They evaluated their building project not by square footage or amenities, but by Kingdom impact per dollar invested.
The result? They scaled back the building plans and redirected significant funds toward church planting and missions. “We realized God wasn’t calling us to a bigger building,” the pastor explained. “He was calling us to a bigger vision—and that required we steward our resources differently.”
The Common Thread
As I reflect on these stories and the dozens of others I’ve heard, I’m struck by a common thread: transformation happens when God’s people move from transactional thinking to Kingdom thinking about their resources.
It’s not about giving more (though that often happens). It’s about stewarding everything differently. It’s about seeing our time, talents, testimony, and treasure not as possessions to protect but as Kingdom assignments to fulfill.
One pastor put it beautifully: “Transformational Living didn’t just change how our people give. It changed how they see themselves. They’re not just donors anymore—they’re deployed. They have assignments. They have purpose.”
An Invitation
If your church is looking for a way to disciple your congregation in biblical stewardship and generous living, I want to encourage you to consider Transformational Living. Whether it’s a churchwide initiative, a small group curriculum, or a leadership development tool, these materials are designed to help God’s people discover their Kingdom assignment.
The stories I’ve shared aren’t exceptional—they’re what happens when ordinary people encounter the extraordinary truth that God has a specific purpose for their lives and resources.
My prayer is that your church will be the next story I get to tell—a story of hearts transformed, resources deployed, and Kingdom assignments discovered.
Because when God’s people live on mission with everything they’ve been given, that’s when we see what transformational living really looks like.
Interested in bringing Transformational Living to your church? Visit our resources page to learn more about small group studies, leadership guides, and churchwide campaigns. Or contact us to discuss how we can partner with you in discipling your congregation toward transformational generosity.