Alex Dooley

COMM 201 Speech to Convince

4 December 2012
Professor Cooper
Purpose: To persuade my audience that they should start practicing charitable giving right now.
Thesis: Regardless of their level of personal income, every Wheaton College student should feel
morally obligated to donate their own money to a cause they believe in.
Introduction:
1. Last night, I spent more than one hour's wages on a burrito that, frankly, I was not hungry for,
simply to supplement my already busy enough social life.
a) Wheaton College students waste countless dollars on things they do not need and often do
not want, and there are a myriad of far more exciting ways to put the money in our hands
to better use.
b) Today, we will learn why it is bad to waste our money, realize that it is better to be
intentional about where our money is going, and explore the physical, psychological, and
spiritual benefts of charitable giving.
Body:
2. We continually portray ourselves as being poor, but, every day, college students incur
unnecessary expenses as a result of living the posh American lifestyle.
a) My personal vices include frappuccinos from Sam's and the debit card-accessible vending
machines in dorm lobbies and building lounges.
Assuming the average drink at Sam's costs $4, a person who goes to Sam's three
times per week will spend over $400 on coffee over the course of one academic year
at Wheaton.
We should not feel guilty about having the resources to afford this, but we should feel
guilty about wasting what we have been blessed with on things we won't even
remember at the end of the day, much less at the end of our lives.
3. When we purposefully give what we can to something that is important to us, we become
more emotionally invested in that thing.
a) Our culture is programmed with a consumerist mentatlity.
Getting an education is often done for one's own beneft.
We are often told to set up safety nets for ourselves to ensure our security.
b) Because of the fact that money drives our culture, fnancially supporting something is one
of the best ways to tangibly show that you care about something, and solidify your passion
for what you are supporting.
In Acts 20:35, the phrase It is more blessed to give than receive is a call to Christians
to take the money they have been blessed with and use it to further God's kingdom,
whether that means giving directly to ministries or being a blessing in other areas.
Beginning the habit of giving right now when you do not have a lot of money is the
best way to ensure that you continue to give in the future when you do have a lot of
money.
4. Giving back is good for the giver in more than one way.
a) Volunteering time in addition to money has very practical health benefts.
b) Giving makes us have a vested interest in what we give to, thus making us feel good not
only about ourselves, but also what we have supported.
c) 2 Corinthians 9 tells us that giving leads to contentment.

If we get in the habit of hoarding our money, spending it all on ourselves, we will get
used to always wanting more than what we have.
If we become habitual givers, we will learn to be content with the things we need and
fnd joy in giving away the extra things that have been given to us.

Conclusion:
5. In their book The Power of Giving: How Giving Back Changes Us All, authors Azim Jamal and
Harvey McKinnon tell the story of a fundraiser who helps a rich, yet greedy businessman see
the beneft of giving even a little bit.
a) Even if you can't give a lot, give what you can.
Developing good habits starts right now, and giving is one of the most important habits
for Christians to have.
An attitude of giving holds benefts on physical, psychological, and spiritual levels, and
changes the way you look at life.