To live generously under the Lordship of Jesus Christ allows us to experience a volitional surrender to His grace and purpose. It’s a relief when we consider the awesome wisdom and power that God displays when a believer totally surrenders and gleefully hands over the reins of his or her life to the infinite—to the powerful and sovereign Savior.
As a top student at Cambridge, Charles personified success, talent, intellect, and strength. He grew up in a family of wealth and privilege. Many fans considered him one of the greatest cricket players of his generation, a sport that was at the height of its popularity. Despite all these incredible circumstances, he made a courageous choice. In his early twenties, he surrendered everything to the lordship of Christ– his life, his destiny, his story, his heart, and his fortunes. Imagine if he had just decided to play cricket and enjoy life here on Earth. Few would have remembered him. Besides, who can name one cricket legend? Yet historians for years will look back on the life of Charles (C.T.) Studd and his remarkable journey of daring and obedience. C.T. Studd dared greatly. He was a part of “The Cambridge Seven,” young men who were some of the first Christians to reach into the heart of China with the gospel. Perhaps you’ve heard these words: “Only one life, ‘twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.” They were written by C.T. Studd.
Certainly, we aren’t all called to the mission field, but we are all called to surrender to the lordship of Jesus. This is the heart of Lordship Generosity. It is an openhanded call for us to surrender our riches, our time, our spiritual gifts, our story, our relationships, and of course our lives to Jesus.
The concept of lordship generosity has impacted my life in more ways than I could have ever imagined. As an 18-year-old freshman college student at William Carey College in Hattiesburg Mississippi with no family resources to fund for my education, I remember receiving an unexpected scholarship from First Baptist, Laurel Mississippi for ministerial students. I didn’t know those people, nor was I affiliated with anyone from that church. I wasn’t even a student from Mississippi, but those unknown generous people invested in me. I’ve pastored some of the most generous people on this planet. Then, God called me to be a steward over the missional generosity of Tennessee Baptists. I’ve met so many believers who loved relentlessly, served tirelessly and gave sacrificially. In every chapter of my life, I’ve seen the generosity of God’s people do the impossible, simply because they surrendered every part of their lives to the Lord.
It’s our hope that as you read this book and consider the trajectory of your life, that God will bring you into a crystal-clear understanding of life lived to the fullest, once you surrender everything to the lordship of Christ.
More than a book,
- Lordship Generosity is a process. We dare you to search the scripture and seek the Lord as you consider the content.
- Lordship Generosity is a mirror. We invite you to reflect on your life and ask God to give you a clear understanding of your place in His story.
- Lordship Generosity is an encounter. We invite you to bathe the process in prayer. Ask God to allow you to experience him is every aspect of your life.
- And finally, it is a joy! Lordship Generosity has the potential to fill you with infinite joy as you release your life into God’s hands and experience freedom from obsessive thoughts, worries, habits, and unrealistic perceptions.
When the trajectory of your life changes, God will bring you to a crystal-clear understanding of life lived to the fullest once we surrender everything to the lordship of Christ.
In July of 1931, there was a celebration in Heaven as Charles finished his journey on Earth. The last word he spoke was a simple “Hallelujah.” Wouldn’t it be great if you made it to the end of your life, knowing that you surrendered everything to Jesus. No regrets. Nothing held back. I believe we’d all say, “Hallelujah!”
Dr. Randy C. Davis
Lordship Generosity 