Discussion question your group will work through:
1.Alcorn opens by describing a dramatic shift in his own relationship with money and possessions. What circumstances forced that shift, and what does he say he discovered on the other side of it? Had you heard his story before reading this book?
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About This Study Guide
Randy Alcorn's The Treasure Principle is a compact but life-changing book built around a single, arresting idea: you can't take it with you — but you can send it on ahead. Drawing on Jesus' teaching in Matthew 6:19-21 ("Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven"), Alcorn argues that joyful, radical generosity is not merely a financial strategy but a spiritual discipline that rewires the heart. The book's central "Treasure Principle" is this: You can't take it with you, but you can send it on ahead. Alcorn unpacks six "keys" that flow from this principle, showing readers that where we put our money is where our hearts will follow — and that releasing our grip on earthly wealth is the path to both kingdom impact and deep, lasting joy.
This study guide is designed for six to eight weeks of individual or small-group engagement. Each week, read the assigned chapter (or preface/introduction) before your meeting or journaling session. Then work through the discussion questions slowly and honestly — some questions ask what the text says, some ask what you truly believe, and some ask you to examine your own finances and habits. There is no right answer to the personal questions; the goal is honest reflection and prayerful movement. Each week closes with a prayer that names the specific temptations and hopes that chapter surfaces.
By the end of this guide, you will have a clearer theology of money and possessions, a fresh sense of the freedom that generosity produces, and — if you let the material do its work — a concrete plan for becoming a more joyful, strategic, and sacrificial giver. Come with an open Bible, an open hand, and a willingness to be surprised by joy.
9-Week Schedule
- Week 1Preface & Introduction — Buried Treasure6 questions
- Week 2Chapter 1 — Buried Treasure and the Treasure Principle6 questions
- Week 3Chapter 2 — This World Is Not Our Home6 questions
- Week 4Chapter 3 — Compounding Joy: Giving as Investment6 questions
- Week 5Chapter 4 — Six Keys to the Treasure Chest8 questions
- Week 6Chapter 5 — Getting There From Here7 questions
- Week 7Chapter 6 — Eyes on Eternity6 questions
- Week 8Chapter 7 — Becoming a Hilarious Giver7 questions
- Week 9Review & Reflection — The Treasure Principle in Your Life8 questions
Week 1: Preface & Introduction — Buried Treasure
Free sampleRead the Preface and Introduction of The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn. Primary Scripture: Matthew 6:19-21; Luke 12:15-21.
1.Alcorn opens by describing a dramatic shift in his own relationship with money and possessions. What circumstances forced that shift, and what does he say he discovered on the other side of it? Had you heard his story before reading this book?
2.The book's premise is that most Christians in wealthy Western cultures have absorbed the world's view of money almost without noticing. Do you think that's a fair diagnosis? What evidence for it do you see in your own life or in your church?
3.Jesus talked about money more than almost any other topic in the Gospels. Why do you think that is? What does the sheer volume of Jesus' teaching on wealth tell us about its spiritual danger — or its spiritual potential?
a.Read Luke 12:15-21 (the parable of the Rich Fool). How does Jesus define 'foolishness' in this story?
b.The Rich Fool isn't described as dishonest or cruel — just self-focused. How does that make the parable more uncomfortable, not less?
4.Alcorn introduces the image of a treasure chest — specifically the idea that we are always storing treasure somewhere, whether we think about it consciously or not. Where, honestly, have you been storing your treasure? What evidence from your checkbook or bank statement would support your answer?
5.The subtitle promises 'immediate pleasure and eternal rewards' as a result of joyful giving. Does that sound too good to be true to you, or does it ring true to any experience you've already had? What is your level of skepticism as you begin this book?
6.What is one assumption about money or generosity that you hope this book will challenge or confirm? Share it with your group so you can return to it at the end of the study.
Week 2: Chapter 1 — Buried Treasure and the Treasure Principle
Read Chapter 1 of The Treasure Principle. Primary Scripture: Matthew 6:19-21; Matthew 13:44.
1.Alcorn states the Treasure Principle plainly: 'You can't take it with you — but you can send it on ahead.' In your own words, what does it mean to 'send it on ahead'? What mechanisms does Alcorn say make that possible?
Week 3: Chapter 2 — This World Is Not Our Home
Read Chapter 2 of The Treasure Principle. Primary Scripture: Hebrews 11:13-16; Philippians 3:20; 1 Peter 2:11.
1.Alcorn uses the image of a traveler or an expatriate — someone living in a foreign country, not accumulating property there because they know they're going home. How does that image land for you? In what ways do you actually live like an expatriate? In what ways do you clearly not?
Week 4: Chapter 3 — Compounding Joy: Giving as Investment
Read Chapter 3 of The Treasure Principle. Primary Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:6-8; Luke 16:9-13.
1.Alcorn introduces the idea that giving earns heavenly 'dividends' — returns that compound over eternity. He's deliberately using financial language. Do you find this motivating or slightly uncomfortable? What does your reaction reveal about your theology of rewards?
Week 5: Chapter 4 — Six Keys to the Treasure Chest
Read Chapter 4 of The Treasure Principle. Primary Scripture: Matthew 6:19-21; 1 Timothy 6:17-19; Matthew 19:21.
1.Alcorn's first key is: 'God owns everything. I'm His money manager.' How does thinking of yourself as a steward (manager) rather than an owner change the way you feel about spending, saving, and giving? Is this genuinely freeing or does it feel like a constraint?
Week 6: Chapter 5 — Getting There From Here
Read Chapter 5 of The Treasure Principle. Primary Scripture: Luke 19:1-10; Mark 10:17-22; Acts 2:44-45.
1.Alcorn contrasts Zacchaeus (Luke 19) and the Rich Young Ruler (Mark 10) as two people who encountered Jesus and responded very differently to the call to give. What made the difference? What do their contrasting stories reveal about the relationship between wealth and salvation?
Week 7: Chapter 6 — Eyes on Eternity
Read Chapter 6 of The Treasure Principle. Primary Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:10-15; Revelation 22:12; Matthew 25:14-30.
1.Alcorn devotes significant attention to the Judgment Seat of Christ (the Bema Seat) in 1 Corinthians 3, where believers' works are evaluated — not for condemnation, but for reward. Had you thought seriously about this before? How does it change the way you think about giving?
Week 8: Chapter 7 — Becoming a Hilarious Giver
Read Chapter 7 of The Treasure Principle. Primary Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:7; Psalm 37:4; John 10:10.
1.The word translated 'cheerful' in 2 Corinthians 9:7 is the Greek word hilaros — from which we get 'hilarious.' Alcorn builds his closing chapter around that word. What does 'hilarious giving' look like in practice? Have you ever met someone whose generosity looked hilarious — almost absurd — to outside observers?
Week 9: Review & Reflection — The Treasure Principle in Your Life
Review your notes from The Treasure Principle. Suggested Scripture for reflection: Matthew 6:19-21; 2 Corinthians 8:1-9; 1 Timothy 6:6-10, 17-19.
1.Looking back across the whole book: which chapter, key, or illustration had the most impact on you? What was it about that moment that got through your defenses?
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Frequently Asked Questions
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This study guide covers The Treasure Principle in 9 weeks, with chapter-by-chapter discussion questions, reading references, and closing prayers for each session.
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The complete guide includes 60 discussion questions across 9 weeks — an average of 7 questions per week, designed for group conversation.
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