On March 10, local business leaders gathered for a CBMC Fresno luncheon around a theme that sits at the heart of Ten Talents’ mission: The Stewardship of Giving. In a room full of Christian owners, executives, and professionals, one simple but disruptive idea rose to the surface:
If you ask someone a big enough question, they will answer with their life.
Most of the questions that dominate our days are smaller, safer ones: How do we grow revenue, manage risk, or protect retirement? Those matter. But they rarely change a city. Biblical stewardship invites us to let God ask bigger questions about how our businesses, our giving, and our families are meant to participate in His Kingdom story.
We are especially grateful for the leadership of CBMC Fresno and for men like Steve Hosey, whose heart for Christ-centered leadership and marketplace ministry made this conversation possible. His vision is simple and profound: to see business men in our community come to Christ, grow in their faith, and live it out where God has placed them. The invitation to share at CBMC was more than a speaking opportunity; it was a tangible expression of that vision, gathering local leaders who want their influence, resources, and relationships to be fully surrendered to Jesus.
Living in the wake of big questions
Here in the Central Valley, we are already living inside the answers to big questions that previous generations allowed God to ask.
Think about:
- Hume Lake Christian Camps
- Fresno Rescue Mission
- Fresno Clovis Prayer Breakfast
These didn’t begin as budget lines. They began when ordinary businessmen let God disturb their comfort with questions like:
- What if there were a place in the mountains where young people could encounter Christ?
- What if there were a refuge in our city for the man who has burned every bridge?
- What if believers from every corner of our community gathered to seek God together?
Those are God-sized questions. They require lives, not leftovers. Generations later, we’re still living in the wake of their yes.
Modern stories of God-sized questions
That pattern continues in our own time:
- A young girl heard about the need for a playground at Rescue the Children. She rallied friends and family to raise funds. When a grant fell through, they went back and raised the full amount themselves. One simple question, “Could we help build this?” pulled dozens of kids into a mission bigger than their own weekend plans.
- A recent widow met with a Christian advisor who asked, “In light of God’s Word, how do you feel about money and resources?” She replied, “Everything we have is God’s. He’s just allowed us to manage it,” then quietly admitted she wished they had been more generous. That question led her to open a donor advised fund, invite her granddaughter into every giving decision, and turn quiet regret into shared, joyful generosity.
- A local farmer, whose life felt tangled and stuck, was challenged to go on a spiritual retreat in a developing country. Beneath the invitation was a bigger question: “Will you let God show you something larger than your current life?” He said yes. His vision widened. A partnership formed. More than ten years later, he is still blessing and serving that same community. It didn’t start with a spreadsheet. It started with a question that pulled him beyond his own fields and back into a life of impact.
These are not stories of professional philanthropists. They are stories of ordinary believers who stopped running when God’s questions got larger than their comfort.
What if we did the same?
What might happen if business leaders and donors in our generation allowed God to ask bigger questions of what we manage?
For our businesses, it might sound like:
- If this company truly belongs to You, what is it for?
- Who beyond our shareholders and employees is meant to experience the blessing of this work?
For our wealth, it might sound like:
- If everything I have is seed, not just security, where are You asking me to plant?
- Is any part of my giving merely transactional, instead of relational and Spirit-led?
For our families and legacy, it might sound like:
- What story do I want my grandchildren to tell about how we used what You entrusted to us?
If any of these questions stir something in you, don’t rush past it. Share it with your spouse. Bring it to your small group. Sit with it before the Lord . Then reach out to a trusted guide like Ten Talents Foundation, where we help Christians align generosity, stewardship, and long-term impact.
You do not need all the answers. You simply need to be willing to let God ask the question.
Because if you ask someone a big enough question, they really will answer with their life. And by God’s grace, the next Hume Lake, the next Rescue Mission, or the next quiet, faithful work of mercy might be born out of your yes.
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