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Act of Grace: The Power of Generosity to Change Your Life, the Church, and the World
A minority of Christians give 10 percent or more of their income to churches and missions, supporting the bulk of church work done today. If more people give, the possibilities will be breathtaking - but first we must change the way we think. Jim Petty wants to revolutionize your view along scriptural lines.
Our money is for giving; it is an exciting, tangible means for showing love and mercy to others. Petty traces this perspective through the stories of Old Testament saints, our Lord Jesus, and the early church. He also evaluates Christian giving throughout history, showing how and why it has fluctuated over time. Although talking about money feels taboo to many of us, God doesn't have the same reservations, and Petty shows how we can responsibly plan our own finances, including retirement, and encourage greater generosity by educating others in a church context. God himself is a giver, not a taker, and he calls us to imitate him.
Our money is for giving; it is an exciting, tangible means for showing love and mercy to others. Petty traces this perspective through the stories of Old Testament saints, our Lord Jesus, and the early church. He also evaluates Christian giving throughout history, showing how and why it has fluctuated over time. Although talking about money feels taboo to many of us, God doesn't have the same reservations, and Petty shows how we can responsibly plan our own finances, including retirement, and encourage greater generosity by educating others in a church context. God himself is a giver, not a taker, and he calls us to imitate him.
288 pages, Paperback
Published August 1, 2019
3 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 7, 2020
So that I don't bury the lead, let me say this right up front: you MUST get, read, and heed this book! This might be the most important book you can read on the subject of money: what is the purpose for which God has entrusted it to us, and how can we live out that purpose.
The title comes from 2 Corinthians 8:7, where Paul urges the Corinthian church to, just as they have excelled in other graces that they would also excel in the grace of giving. And the subtitle is not hype: it's for real. Understanding that God has blessed us in order for us to be a blessing to others is crucially important.
Petty has done extensive research, and documents it well. The book has a ton of helpful statistics. His writing style is very helpful as well. He writes in a clear but compelling manner, and he frequently reminds the reader of what he has set forth before. I also like the fact that he addresses the book to himself as well as to others; it's not "you should do this" but "we should be doing this". He also gives real life examples to illustrate his points.
He begins by looking at God's goodness and giving, proceeds through various Old Testament examples and practices, moves on to Jesus' comments about money, to the practices of the early church, and on to how money is addressed in the epistles. In the second part of the book, he traces the development of money and giving in the history of the Western church, addresses believers of every income level as to how to be generous, discusses how to help our churches excel in the grace of giving, and has chapters on generosity in retirement and help for the financially stressed.
Truth be told, I thought I was a generous giver, but after reading this book, I realize that I could--and should--be more intentionally generous. This book would be great for a small fellowship group to read and discuss, or a good foundation for an adult Sunday School class. And I would highly encourage a husband and wife to read this book together; even if one of you handles all of the finances in the family, you both need to be on the same page as far as stewardship of your money goes.
Bottom line: it's not about the money! It's about a generous God who has given generously to you and who expects you to give generously to others as he prospers and enables you.
The title comes from 2 Corinthians 8:7, where Paul urges the Corinthian church to, just as they have excelled in other graces that they would also excel in the grace of giving. And the subtitle is not hype: it's for real. Understanding that God has blessed us in order for us to be a blessing to others is crucially important.
Petty has done extensive research, and documents it well. The book has a ton of helpful statistics. His writing style is very helpful as well. He writes in a clear but compelling manner, and he frequently reminds the reader of what he has set forth before. I also like the fact that he addresses the book to himself as well as to others; it's not "you should do this" but "we should be doing this". He also gives real life examples to illustrate his points.
He begins by looking at God's goodness and giving, proceeds through various Old Testament examples and practices, moves on to Jesus' comments about money, to the practices of the early church, and on to how money is addressed in the epistles. In the second part of the book, he traces the development of money and giving in the history of the Western church, addresses believers of every income level as to how to be generous, discusses how to help our churches excel in the grace of giving, and has chapters on generosity in retirement and help for the financially stressed.
Truth be told, I thought I was a generous giver, but after reading this book, I realize that I could--and should--be more intentionally generous. This book would be great for a small fellowship group to read and discuss, or a good foundation for an adult Sunday School class. And I would highly encourage a husband and wife to read this book together; even if one of you handles all of the finances in the family, you both need to be on the same page as far as stewardship of your money goes.
Bottom line: it's not about the money! It's about a generous God who has given generously to you and who expects you to give generously to others as he prospers and enables you.
December 20, 2025
I have read and reread countless sections in this book, for monthsss. some sections truly needed time to marinate. A very thought-provoking and edifying read. I'm thankful I read it while still fairly young, so I have lo ger to practice implementing it's teachings on stewardship and financial responsibility (i.e. respond-ability). it was very convicted to learn the statistics of western Christians giving practices, and to learn where we fall short, and where we can grow, and expand to provide support for the Kingdom.
March 15, 2020
This book was successful in its aim: it expanded my understanding of what generosity is, it impressed upon me the significance the Bible gives to generosity, and it challenged me to generosity by showing me its importance and God’s intention in giving us material resources.
The book covers the topic of generosity by surveying the theme through out the Scriptures, by looking at how generosity has been shown throughout the history of the church, and by addressing some practical matters related to generosity (I.e. teaching and leading churches for generosity, planning for generosity, growing in generosity). The biblical survey was the most helpful section for me, probably because it was the most thorough treatment (though I love historical context, I found the historical survey too superficial to be of much help).
This is a book I’d encourage Christians of all walks of life to read. For younger Christians, I think has the potential to instill in you a desire to be generous that could significant impact how you think of your work and resources. For older Christians, Act of Grace could encourage you to see the kingdom opportunities that exist for you if you’ve accumulated any amount of wealth over the course of your life.
The book covers the topic of generosity by surveying the theme through out the Scriptures, by looking at how generosity has been shown throughout the history of the church, and by addressing some practical matters related to generosity (I.e. teaching and leading churches for generosity, planning for generosity, growing in generosity). The biblical survey was the most helpful section for me, probably because it was the most thorough treatment (though I love historical context, I found the historical survey too superficial to be of much help).
This is a book I’d encourage Christians of all walks of life to read. For younger Christians, I think has the potential to instill in you a desire to be generous that could significant impact how you think of your work and resources. For older Christians, Act of Grace could encourage you to see the kingdom opportunities that exist for you if you’ve accumulated any amount of wealth over the course of your life.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews