PURPOSE DRIVEN GIVING STUDY GUIDE
GOD’S VISION FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE
RICK WARREN
BEST-SELLING
AUTHOR OF THE PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE
RICK WARREN WELCOME LETTER
Dear Friend,
Welcome to Purpose Driven Giving—a journey that will transform not just how you give, but why you give.
After decades of ministry and observing countless lives, I’ve become convinced of something profound: giving is less about funding projects and more about forming people. God isn’t after your money—He’s after your heart. And He knows that how we handle our resources shapes who we become.
Purpose Driven Giving moves beyond haphazard or emotional decisions
about money to a strategic, intentional approach aligned with God’s eternal purposes. Throughout this book, you’ll discover that biblical giving isn’t motivated by guilt, obligation, or even need—it’s driven by purpose.
The principles we’ll explore together have transformed my own giving journey and the culture of generosity at Saddleback Church. You’ll learn practical frameworks for allocating resources across all five purposes God has for your life: worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and mission.
Whether you have abundant financial resources or you’re living on a modest income, these principles apply equally. Purpose Driven Giving isn’t about amounts—it’s about alignment with what matters most to God.
As you engage with this material, I pray you’ll experience the unique joy that comes from strategic, purpose-aligned generosity. May you discover that giving isn’t something God wants FROM you—it’s something He wants FOR you.
For such a time as this,
Rick Warren
God Owns Everything WEEK
1: TRUTH
God owns everything; I own nothing; and my role is to faithfully manage what He entrusts to me.
“The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”
PSALM 24:1
A MESSAGE FROM PASTOR
God owns everything
Welcome to our first week of “Purpose Driven Giving”! Over these six sessions, we’re going to discover how God designed us to manage His resources for maximum kingdom impact.
THE O.W.N.E.R. PRINCIPLE: WHO REALLY OWNS IT ALL?
The Bible makes it crystal clear that God is the true owner of everything. Let’s unpack the O.W.N.E.R. principle to understand this fundamental truth:
O - ORIGIN: God created everything
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)
God made everything. Period. Think about it: when an artist creates a painting, who owns it? The artist! When a carpenter builds a table, who has the right to decide how it’s used? The carpenter! As Creator, God has absolute rights over everything He’s made—including you.
“For everything was created by him... all things have been created through him and for him.” (Colossians 1:16)
W - WORTH: God determines the value
“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”
(Luke 12:6-7)
In our world, we determine value by what someone is willing to pay. God paid the ultimate price for you— His Son. That’s how valuable you are to Him. But it also means He has ownership rights over your life.
“You are not your own; you were bought at a price.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
N - NATURE: God sustains everything
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.” (Hebrews 1:3)
God doesn’t just create and then walk away. He actively sustains everything. Your next heartbeat depends on Him. Your next breath is His gift. The sun rises because He commands it. Nothing exists independently of God’s sustaining power.
E - ENTRUSTED: God delegates management
“Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis 1:28) God gives us authority to manage His
resources, but He never transfers ownership. This assignment to manage isn’t a burden—it’s our original purpose! Before sin entered the world, Adam and Eve were given stewardship responsibilities. You were created to be a manager of God’s stuff.
R - RETURN: God expects an accounting
“Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25:21)
One day, God will ask each of us how we managed what He entrusted to us. He doesn’t grade on a curve—He evaluates our faithfulness with what we were given. The goal isn’t to hear “Well done, good and successful servant” but “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
PERSONAL REFLECTION: Which aspect of the O.W.N.E.R. principle is most difficult for you to accept? Why do you think that is?
THE FOUR M’s of what God owns
God doesn’t just own some things. He owns everything—and I mean everything. Let’s look at the 4 Ms of what God owns:
1. MONEY: All financial resources belong to God
“The silver is mine and the gold is mine,
declares the LORD Almighty.” (Haggai 2:8)
Your paycheck has God’s name on it. Your bank account is actually His bank account. Your investments are His investments. When you truly grasp this, every financial decision becomes a spiritual decision. direct the discussion.
2. MATERIAL: All possessions belong to God
“Every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.” (Psalm 50:10)
Your house, your car, your clothes, your furniture, your gadgets—they all belong to God. You’re just using them temporarily while you’re here on earth. Every material thing is on loan from God.
3. MINUTES: All time belongs to God
“My times are in your hands.” (Psalm 31:15)
That 24 hours you have today? It’s not yours—it’s God’s time. He’s loaning you these minutes and hours to manage for Him. When you waste time, you’re wasting God’s time. When you invest time wisely, you’re being a good steward of God’s time.
4. ME: You belong to God
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
The most important thing God owns is you! Your body, your abilities, your mind, your spirit—all created by God and belonging to Him. This means taking care of your health is a stewardship issue!
GROUP DISCUSSION:
Which of these four areas (Money, Material, Minutes, Me) do you find hardest to surrender to God’s ownership? Share with your group.
THE S.T.E.W.A.R.D. LIFESTYLE
If God is the owner, that makes you the steward—the manager of His resources. Here’s what that looks like in daily life:
S - SURRENDER: ACKNOWLEDGE GOD’S OWNERSHIP DAILY
“Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.” (1 Chronicles 29:14)
The stewardship lifestyle begins with surrender—a daily, conscious choice to acknowledge God as the owner of everything. This isn’t a one-time decision but a moment-by-moment surrender.
ACTION STEP: Start each day this week by saying, “God, everything I have belongs to you. Help me manage it well today.”
T - TRUST: RELY ON GOD’S PROVISION COMPLETELY
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear... Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matthew 6:25-26)
The ownership mentality leads to anxiety because everything depends on you. The stewardship mentality leads to trust because everything depends on God. When God is your owner, He’s also your provider.
ACTION STEP: Identify one area where you’re worrying about provision, and consciously transfer that concern to God.
E - EXEMPLIFY: REFLECT GOD’S CHARACTER IN MANAGEMENT
“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” (Luke 16:10)
Good stewards reflect the character of the owner in how they manage resources. Does how you handle money reflect God’s character? Does how you spend time reflect His priorities?
ACTION STEP: Ask yourself: “If people only knew God by how I manage His resources, what would they think about Him?”
W - WISELY: MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON ETERNITY
“Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”
(Matthew 6:20)
Stewards make decisions with eternity in mind. They ask, “How will this matter in eternity?” They understand that temporary sacrifices can yield eternal rewards.
ACTION STEP: Before your next major purchase, ask: “Is this advancing God’s kingdom or just my comfort?”
A - ACCOUNTABLY: INVITE OTHERS TO HELP YOU GROW
“Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” (Proverbs 15:22)
Good stewards recognize they need help and accountability. They invite others to speak truth into their management decisions.
ACTION STEP: Identify one person who can be your “stewardship partner” for accountability.
R - RETURN: GIVE GENEROUSLY AS AN ACT OF WORSHIP
“Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops.” (Proverbs 3:9) Stewards understand that giving isn’t about loss—it’s about return. When you give back to
God what already belongs to Him, you’re just returning a portion to the rightful owner.
ACTION STEP: Practice giving the first and best, not the last and least, of your resources.
D - DEVELOP: GROW YOUR CAPACITY AS A STEWARD
“Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.” (Matthew 25:29)
Good stewards continually develop their ability to manage God’s resources. They want to grow their capacity to handle more for His kingdom.
ACTION STEP: Identify one area where you need to develop better management skills, and take a step to grow in that area.
OWNERSHIP THINKING VS. STEWARDSHIP THINKING
The way you think about resources determines how you handle them. Let’s compare the stark differences:
OWNERSHIP THINKING
• “I earned this money.”
• “I need more to be secure.”
• “How much do I have to give?”
• “This belongs to me.”
• “I deserve to enjoy this.”
• “What do I want to do with my money?”
• “I’m worried about having enough.”
• “I’ve worked hard for what I have.”
GROUP ACTIVITY:
STEWARDSHIP THINKING
• “God has entrusted me with His money.”
• “God is my provider and security.”
• “How much do I need to keep?”
• “This belongs to God.”
• “How can I use this for God’s purposes?”
• “What does God want me to do with His money?”
• “I trust God to provide what I need.”
• “God has blessed me with what I have.”
In pairs, discuss which of these thinking patterns you’ve caught yourself in recently.
A TALE OF TWO MANAGERS: WHAT KIND ARE YOU?
Jesus told us the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30) to illustrate the difference between faithful and unfaithful stewards. Let’s look at the contrasts:
THE FAITHFUL STEWARDS:
• Recognized the master’s ownership
• Took action with what was entrusted to them
• Multiplied what they were given
• Were motivated by pleasing the master
• Received commendation and greater responsibility
• Entered the master’s happiness
THE UNFAITHFUL STEWARD:
• Functioned with fear rather than faith
• Buried what was entrusted to him
• Maintained but didn’t multiply
• Was motivated by self-protection
• Received condemnation and lost what he had
• Was cast into darkness
THE O.W.N.E.R. PRINCIPLE: WHO REALLY OWNS IT ALL?
When you embrace God’s ownership and your stewardship, you experience freedom in five ways:
1. Freedom from
ANXIETY
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear... your heavenly Father knows that you need them.” (Matthew 6:25, 32)
When you realize the Owner of the universe is caring for you, financial anxiety loses its grip
2. Freedom from
GREED
“Then he said to them, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.’” (Luke 12:15)
Stewards are free from the endless treadmill of wanting more because they understand that all they need is God’s provision, not unlimited resources.
3. Freedom from
COMPARISON
“Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else.” (Galatians 6:4)
Stewards don’t compare their resources with others because they know God distributes differently to each person according to His wisdom.
4.
Freedom from
DISCONTENTMENT
“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” (Philippians 4:11)
Stewards find contentment regardless of their financial situation because their identity isn’t tied to what they manage.
5. Freedom from
ATTACHMENT
“But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.” (Philippians 3:7)
Stewards hold possessions with an open hand, ready to give them up when God directs, because they know the Owner has the right to reassign His resources.
PERSONAL REFLECTION:
Which of these freedoms do you most need in your life right now?