Nurturing a spirit of generosity in children and young people is integral to encouraging their faith.
The more they understand God’s lavish generosity towards them, the more likely they are to want to be generous themselves. A generous spirit will, in turn, deepen their faith as they witness the positive impact of their generosity on the world around them. Parents clearly have a pivotal role to play in shaping their children’s attitudes towards giving—but how exactly can they do this?
Grow generous hearts
Biblical generosity is about cultivating a heart that reflects God’s love for others. The Bible teaches that giving is a joyful act—one that blesses both the giver and the recipient (Acts 20:35). Encouraging children to see generosity as a way of life helps them understand that their resources, time, and talents are gifts that God intends them to use to bless others.
Show the way
When children witness generosity modelled by their parents—through acts of kindness, charitable donations, or offering hospitality—they are more likely to adopt these behaviours themselves. Talk to your children about the different ways in which you choose to be generous, and share stories of the encouragement and joy that giving creates for everyone involved.
Encouraging findings
The Stewardship Generosity Report 2025 provides valuable insights into giving behaviours across different age groups. One of the key findings is that the youngest age category (18-24) gives the highest proportion of their income at 11% and that they are particularly loyal to their church in their giving with 80% making a regular average gift of £98, which represents the highest value among all age groups. This group is also almost twice as likely to be a Committed Christian, which further supports the finding that a more engaged practice leads to greater generosity.
Another finding to emerge from the report is that while generosity varies across denominations, both depth of Christian practice and conversations on generosity have the greatest influence on giving. Talking to your children about giving as an integral part of faith really can create a legacy of generosity that has a long-term impact.
Five practical ways to teach your children about generosity
- Explain why we give
Discuss with children why generosity is important and how God calls us to be cheerful givers. Share stories from the Bible and from your own life that highlight how giving can make a difference. One powerful story is the one of the poor widow who is commended by Jesus in Mark 12:41-44 for giving more than all the others; while she only gave two small coins, they were all she had. Helping children adopt a mindset of plenty that trusts in God’s provision will be instrumental in encouraging them to give freely. - Make giving a family business
Include your children in decisions about charitable giving. Ask them to help choose a cause to support or participate in hands-on service projects together, such as packing food parcels, shopping for a sick neighbour, or fundraising for a cause they care about. This collaborative approach makes generosity a shared family value. - Encourage them to develop a giving habit If children receive pocket money or earn money through small jobs, encourage them to set aside a portion for giving. Help them to instil the habit of giving from a young age, even from small amounts, as this teaches valuable lessons about wise stewardship and prioritising generosity.
- Create opportunities for them to help others
We know generosity involves using all our resources to bless others. Encourage children to look for ways to serve - helping a neighbour, volunteering at church, or simply offering a listening ear to a friend. These acts of service will help them to become active members in the body of the church and to start to see how they can play their part in helping others. - Celebrate when they give Acknowledge and affirm acts of generosity. When children give, take time to talk about how their actions have impacted others. Celebrating these moments reinforces the value of generosity and encourages continued giving.
Shaping the future through generosity
By fostering a family culture of generosity, parents have an incredible opportunity to help raise a generation that embeds generosity in their daily lives as an integral part of their faith. Parents’ influence is powerful – model and encourage generosity and you will guide your children towards a lifetime of generosity that is rooted in faith and love.
This article was first published by Premier NextGen on 15 May 2025.
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Ruth Jackson
Ruth is leading the PR and Communications for Stewardship, which she joined in April 2022.
She has over 25 years’ marketing communications experience across a range of sectors, including higher education, technology and the arts, both business- and customer-facing.
Ruth worships and serves at C3 Church in Cambridge where she lives with her husband, two teenage daughters, a dog and a cat. When she’s not at her desk, you might find her rowing on the River Cam, in a ballet class or out for a walk.
She supports causes that are focused on alleviating global poverty and injustice, with a particular interest in supporting vulnerable children.
