In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay talks with Kirsten Schwartz about growing up in a military family, cultivating a meaningful career in urban planning, and the family crisis that led her to join a church staff (tw: brief mention of infant loss). Kirsten shares about her research on building a culture of generosity within a congregation, how to raise money without running campaigns, and how generosity aligns with stewardship.  

After years of serving as the Director of Generosity at a large church in Cincinnati, Kirsten Schwartz, our Director of Church Partnerships, is a trusted resource for empowering the church to live and give generously. Kirsten has a passion for helping churches navigate around obstacles and complications to grow a culture of generosity.

Because her father was an Air Force pilot, Kirsten grew up in many places including Japan and Germany. She has two degrees: a masters in urban redevelopment from the University of Pennsylvania and in landscape architecture from Clemson University. She worked professionally in urban redevelopment with a focus in disaster recovery for cities around the country.

Kirsten met her husband, Jason, at a triathlon in Florida. They live together in Cincinnati, Ohio with two children, Asher and Evelyn. Kirsten loves being active, sharing the good news of Jesus, and empowering women to lead in the Kingdom.

Show Notes: 

Learn more about JOGs and Generous Giving  

Here’s a video for Pastors on how Generous Giving can help them create a culture of generosity at no cost to them. 

Follow Generous Giving on socials: 

• Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/GenerousGiving
• Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/generous.giving/
• LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/generous-giving