This Lent season, Christian charity Stewardship is relaunching its generosity challenge, 40acts, in partnership with Gospel Entrepreneurs, The Way UK, and Sanctuary Foundation.
Following a brief hiatus, 40acts returns as an award-winning initiative that has grown into a movement of over 100,000 individuals dedicated to transforming their communities through acts of far-reaching generosity.
Leaders from Stewardship and the Sanctuary Foundation say that 40acts is not merely a temporary commitment during Lent but a shift in perspective, encouraging individuals to actively give to others rather than simply giving up personal indulgences.
It serves as the beginning of a lifelong commitment to sharing the grace believers have received from Jesus while also fostering meaningful conversations about faith by highlighting the deeper motivations behind this radical generosity.
Janie Oliver, CEO of Stewardship said hoped it would inspire "a way of life that will embrace living generously: acts of kindness and caring that will transform our lives and the lives of those we connect with".
"40acts was much-loved because it brought so much joy to so many. It flips the traditional Lent mindset of giving stuff up to one of giving stuff away and that stuff includes your time, talent, and resources, not just your money," she said.
"It might be as simple as a chat with someone who's lonely or taking a meal to a neighbour in need.
"Jesus said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive' - our prayer is that many will know the joy of that blessing this Lent, thanks to 40acts.
"Living generously will always provoke questions from those around you so 'Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have 1 Peter 3:15' (NIV). 40acts is an amazing tool that can be used to provoke those conversations."
She added, "The impact could be phenomenal."
Krish Kandiah, Director of Sanctuary Foundation, said he was "so excited" about the 40acts challenge.
"Often at Lent we think about what we're giving up. Wouldn't it be great if we could think about what we're giving back?" he said.
"We've received so much mercy and grace and love from God and Lent is a great time to be thinking about that but also thinking about how we can pour that grace and love into the lives of other people.
"I hope you'll have fun, excitement, and challenge in getting involved in 40acts this year."
Individuals interested in participating in the 40acts challenge can sign up online www.stewardship.org.uk/40-acts-sign-up by selecting a level of engagement ranging from small daily acts to more substantial commitments. Throughout the 40 days of Lent, from March 5 to April 19, 2025, participants will receive daily emails from various contributors featuring reflections, prayers, and challenges, all aimed at encouraging the spread of the love of Jesus through purposeful acts of generosity.
The initiative's launch will be marked by a 20-minute Great Big Live Assembly, streamed by the Sanctuary Foundation to UK primary schools, encouraging students to join the challenge, supported by a downloadable resource pack for teachers.
Additionally, churches can access all-age service plans from Roots for Churches and the Evangelical Alliance, a small group study from the Big Church Read, and six-film based youth group sessions from The Way UK.
