Creating a Culture of Generosity

The holiday season is officially here, bringing with it conversations of gratitude and acts of generosity. While personal reflections bring their own value to your personal and professional life, you can also harness them to shape your church’s team culture all year long. Generosity in particular is about more than just warm feelings—it’s an essential piece of a healthy, connected workplace where a team can thrive. The moves you make today to initiate generosity on your team can have a ripple effect throughout your community.

Generosity Matters

When church teams value generosity at their core, it fosters a culture of giving in abundance. An environment of giving kills selfish desire and allows people to bind together for a common purpose. Generosity of any kind communicates to a team member that they are seen and supported. Leaders play a pivotal role in this transformation by modeling generosity and setting a standard. When you establish a standard and set the example, your team will soon follow.

Approaches to Cultivating Generosity

1. Build Bridges

Teams multiply their impact when departments collaborate. Dedicate time in staff meetings to discuss each department’s goals and how to support each other. Creating a rhythm of asking, “How can we help you meet your goal this week?” can communicate an eagerness to serve each other that translates to everyday interactions.  

2. Gratitude is Fuel

Grateful mindsets can fuel generous action. Create spaces such as a “thankfulness wall” (especially applicable for the holidays) or ask individuals to share stories of appreciation during meetings. You can even collect anonymous gratitude notes and share them aloud semi-regularly. When your team is in a rhythm of thanking each other, you’ll motivate your team to give without strings attached and create a standard that lasts far into the new year.

3. Engage Youth and Families

Help lead your congregation in living out generosity by leading the next generation. Introduce generosity initiatives in youth and family ministries as a way to help youth practice giving freely to help others. From service projects to giving campaigns, these age-appropriate activities instill lifelong values and create a multi-generational culture of giving within the church.

4. Generosity in Many Forms

Generosity isn’t limited to financial giving. Encourage team members to share their time and talents to support the church’s mission. Then generate ideas for how your whole congregation can do the same to meet community needs and partner with local nonprofits. 

Lean into the spirit of giving this season and foster a generosity that lasts. Your team’s culture may need more than a generosity boost to reach peak potential. For insight into exactly what your team needs, utilize Vanderbloemen’s Culture Tool Survey. We study and score your team against industry averages in nine key areas of a healthy culture, providing actionable feedback to strengthen your team. Building the best team isn’t just about hiring the right people—it’s about nurturing them to thrive together. Start the journey toward a culture of generosity today!