Developing Fully Generous Disciples of Jesus Christ – Part 2: TEACH IT

This is part two of our special three-episode series with Joe Sangl on developing fully generous disciples of Jesus Christ. In the first episode, we explored Preach It — why churches must boldly and biblically address stewardship and money from the pulpit as a core part of discipleship. In this second episode, Teach It, we move from inspiration to application. Joe and Leo discuss how churches can build a practical stewardship pathway that helps people actually live out what they hear. From understanding the three financial realities in every congregation — struggling, stable, and surplus — to creating next steps through classes, studies, and coaching, this conversation is all about equipping people with biblical and practical financial wisdom. Next up in the series, we’ll conclude with Celebrate It, where we’ll talk about how churches can reinforce generosity by celebrating life change, generosity stories, and the spiritual fruit that comes from faithful stewardship. If you’re a pastor or church leader looking to move beyond preaching and begin building a true financial discipleship pathway, this episode is for you. Key Takeaways Most churches are serving three financial realities: struggling, stable, and surplus Roughly 70% of most congregations are financially struggling, making this the primary discipleship opportunity People in each category face different financial pressures, time horizons, and spiritual needs Churches must teach both spiritual truth and practical financial wisdom Core spiritual principles include: God as provider, stewardship, and sowing and reaping Core practical principles include: budgeting, saving, debt reduction, and investing A healthy stewardship pathway follows a funnel: Preach It → Teach It → Coach It The pulpit creates awareness, but practical teaching creates transformation Churches should offer clear next steps after every stewardship message Teaching environments can include classes, group studies, workshops, and discipleship tracks One-on-one coaching should be reserved for those who need personalized guidance Stewardship ministry is more manageable when leaders focus first on the largest group Financial discipleship helps remove barriers that keep people from living out their God-given purpose When churches teach stewardship intentionally, giving, generosity, and mission impact increase Financial freedom often unlocks kingdom opportunities, calling, and generosity