Can We Please Stop Using the Term “Under Compulsion” When It Comes to Giving?

Pastors, can we have an honest conversation? Too often when we address generosity in our churches, we rush to Paul’s familiar phrase in 2 Corinthians 9:7: “…not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” And in our eagerness to avoid manipulating people, we highlight “not under compulsion” so strongly that it becomes the main point of our teaching.

In practice, this means we spend more time trying to make sure our people don’t feel pressured than helping them actually step into the joy of generosity. It’s as if our primary responsibility is to guard their wallets. But let’s be honest—our people are already experts at protecting their money. They don’t need help in that area.

What they do need is spiritual leadership. They need pastors who equip them to see giving as an act of obedience and worship. Our role is not to minimize generosity but to cultivate it. Not to shield people from giving, but to disciple them into becoming cheerful givers—ready, willing, eager, and joy-filled. Not for the sake of your church. But for the glory of God, which then releases resources to fund the mission and ministry of your church.

More Than Happy: What Paul Really Meant

When Paul wrote to the Corinthians, he was organizing a collection for believers in Jerusalem who were facing hardship. His appeal wasn’t rooted in guilt or pressure but in grace. He reminded them that generosity flows from God’s abundant provision.

The famous line in 2 Corinthians 9:7 is often reduced to this: “God loves a happy giver.” But the Greek word behind cheerful—hilaros—goes deeper. It means more than smiling as you drop a check in the plate. It conveys a sense of readiness, eagerness, willingness and, as a result, joy.

Notice Paul’s repetition:

● “I know your readiness…” (v. 2)

● “…so that you may be ready…” (v. 3)

● “…so that it may be ready as a willing gift, not an exaction.” (v. 5)

● “…for God loves a cheerful (ready, eager) giver.” (v. 7)

The theme running through these verses is clear: generosity is about being prepared—both in heart and in resources. A cheerful giver is not just happy; they are spiritually and practically ready. Their giving brings them great joy.

This readiness transforms giving from a reaction into a discipline. It’s not about whether someone feels like it in the moment but about cultivating a posture of expectancy: “I am prepared, stirred, eager to give because I know God will use it.”

Israel’s Ready Hearts: Exodus 35–36

Paul’s teaching echoes an earlier story in Exodus 35–36, when Moses invited Israel to contribute materials for the building of the tabernacle. This was, in many ways, Scripture’s great capital campaign. Yet notice how it was framed:

● “Whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the Lord’s contribution…” (Ex. 35:5)

● “Everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him, brought the Lord’s contribution…” (Ex. 35:21)

● “All the men and women… whose heart moved them, brought a freewill offering…” (Ex. 35:29)

The result? The people gave so abundantly that the craftsmen reported to Moses, “The people bring much more than enough for doing the work” (Ex. 36:5). In Georgia, where I live, that would be “Y’all stop!!” Moses literally had to tell them to stop bringing offerings!

Think about that. The need was met—and exceeded—because the people’s hearts were ready and willing. That is revival generosity.

Linking Paul and Moses

When you put 2 Corinthians 9 and Exodus 35–36 side by side, the parallels are unmistakable. Both emphasize:

1. Willingness over compulsion — No one was forced; people gave freely.

2. Readiness in advance — Generosity wasn’t an afterthought but a prepared response.

3. Joyful participation of all — Men, women, and the whole community were involved.

4. Overflow generosity — Their giving didn’t just meet needs; it surpassed them.

This is the biblical vision of giving that pastors are called to nurture in their people.

How Pastors Can Lead Toward Readiness

If we are going to stop hiding behind “not under compulsion” and start cultivating cheerful givers, we need to shift how we teach, frame, and model generosity. Here are some practical ways to lead your people:

1. Teach Readiness, Not Reluctance

When you preach about giving, resist the urge to soften the message with disclaimers. Instead of, “Now, don’t feel pressured,” try, “Come prepared—prayerfully, willingly, eagerly—to participate in God’s work.”

Help your people understand that cheerful giving means preparing their hearts and resources in advance, not waiting for a moment of inspiration.

2. Reframe the Offering Moment

Too often, the offering is treated as an intermission in the service or as a transactional necessity. But what if it became a sacred invitation? Instead of obligation, frame it as participation in God’s mission.

Say something like: “As God stirs your heart, come ready to give—willingly, eagerly, joyfully.” That kind of language shifts the atmosphere from guilt to grace, from compulsion to readiness.

3. Celebrate Participation

Generosity is not about equal amounts but equal sacrifice. Celebrate the participation of the whole body—men and women, young and old, wealthy and struggling. When everyone’s heart is stirred, everyone has a place in God’s story of generosity.

Imagine the power of saying to your congregation: “God multiplied your gifts so abundantly that we already have more than enough for this project. Y’all can stop now!” That’s not just raising funds for ministry; that’s spiritual renewal.

4. Frame Giving as Discipleship

Above all, remind your people that giving is not primarily about dollars and cents. It’s about discipleship. It’s about aligning hearts with God’s mission, training people to trust Him, and participating in worship through generosity.

When you teach readiness as a spiritual discipline, you help people grow in faith. You’re not raising money—you’re raising disciples.

A Final Word to Pastors

Friends, our calling is not to protect our people from giving. It is to prepare them to give. When we flatten Paul’s teaching to “don’t feel pressured,” we miss the deeper truth: God loves hearts that are ready, stirred, eager, and joy-filled in their generosity.

So, let’s stop using “under compulsion” as if it were the headline of Paul’s teaching. Let’s reclaim the biblical vision of cheerful giving as readiness. When we do, we will raise up disciples who don’t just give reluctantly but who overflow with generosity. And when that happens, the mission of God will never lack for resources.

As always, I am available if you want to talk further. You can email me at jim@generis.com. You can also hear me every two weeks on the Next Sunday podcast.

This blog post originally appeared on Church Leader Insider. For more information or to subscribe to Church Leader Insider, click HERE.