A $50,000 donation was given by an online donor during the Mother’s Day service after it was revealed that more single moms than expected were in attendance, Locke shared with ChurchLeaders. The pastor said he is “bragging on the Lord” and that this has nothing to do with him.
“There was a time where we wouldn’t have brought in $200,000 in an entire year at our church,” Locke said. “But I think the reason God has blessed our church so much is because He can trust us and He knows that we just give it, and give it, and give it.”
The church also took up an offering during the worship service for an evangelist in attendance whose tent was destroyed by a tornado. That morning, the church, which also meets in a tent, gave the evangelist $150,000.
“The Bible says they sold their possessions and goods and they gave to every man as they had a need. And that’s what’s happening. Our church is like a book of Acts church,” Locke said. “That’s maybe one of my favorite things about our church.”
Taisha shared that she used to be scared when it came to giving, but said, “Over time, I’ve just watched, and it never fails. You truly cannot out give God.” Taisha went on to explain how amazing it is to pastor a church of God’s people who “so extravagantly give to other people.”
“It’s truly a revival of generosity,” she said. “You look for revival in so many different ways, but if you do not have a revival of generosity, if you are not willing to give to someone who is in need without question—it’s like giving money to the homeless person. And people are always like, ‘Well, they’re gonna go buy drugs with that money.’ Well, that’s not on you.”
Taisha continued, “It’s obedience to give to those that have need. What they do with the money is between them and God. But, as believers, we should want to give to other people sacrificially. Not just with money, but with our time, what we invest in them, discipling them, loving them, teaching them the word of God. Everything is about investment—everything. It’s about being a good steward.”
“We are blessed that God trusts us to be good stewards of not just people’s finances—but of people’s lives,” she said.
“We’ve been in full blown revival for two years,” Locke shared with ChurchLeaders, saying that one of the biggest marks of that revival is generosity.
Locke said that Global Vision Church has “given more away already in the first five months of this year (over $3 million) than we brought in the first 10 years of the church, collectively.” The pastor said they follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit, unlike some churches that take weeks to decide on whether everyone in the church agrees, adding, “We’re going to give to the people God says to give to. And it just works.”
Locke says he doesn’t put up with church members who complain about how much money the church gives away, because they are doing what the church in the book of Acts did. Generosity is “one of the greatest real truths of what revival really looks like,” he said.
ChurchLeaders asked Locke why he believes God continues to bless them, not just financially but by allowing Global Vision Church to baptize over 4,000 people in the last two years. Locke replied, “Do not ask God to bless you. Ask God to trust you. Because when God can trust you, He will bless you, and I think God’s found a church that he can trust.”
Locke shared that he doesn’t live a lavish lifestyle, dumping book profits and love offerings he receives at speaking engagements back into the church.
