The Earthmover Who Moved Heaven
R.G. LeTourneau built machines that moved mountains — literally. His company manufactured nearly 70% of all earthmoving equipment used by the Allied forces in World War II. But the most remarkable thing about LeTourneau wasn't what he built. It was what he gave away.
Starting in 1935, he reversed the standard tithe. Instead of giving 10% and keeping 90%, LeTourneau gave 90% of his income to God's work and lived on the remaining 10%.
And the more he gave, the more he made.
From Bankruptcy to Billions
LeTourneau didn't start wealthy. He was a self-taught mechanic with a sixth-grade education who went bankrupt early in his career. In 1929, with debts piling up and contracts drying out, he made a deal with God: "You're the senior partner. I'll do whatever You tell me."
He started tithing from whatever he had. Then 20%. Then 50%. Then 90%. Each time he increased his giving, his business grew. Not in some vague, spiritual sense — in actual revenue, contracts, and innovations. He held nearly 300 patents by the end of his career.
"I Shovel It Out, God Shovels It Back"
LeTourneau is famous for saying: "I shovel it out, and God shovels it back — but God has a bigger shovel."
This wasn't prosperity theology. LeTourneau worked brutally hard. He lived simply. He drove used cars and avoided luxury. But he genuinely believed that everything he earned belonged to God, and his job was to steward it faithfully.
By his death in 1969, the LeTourneau Foundation had given away tens of millions of dollars to missions, universities, and churches worldwide.
What This Means for You
LeTourneau's story challenges the assumption that generosity and wealth are opposites. He didn't get rich to give. He gave, and the wealth followed. Not because giving is some magic formula — but because when you hold money loosely, it stops holding you tightly.
You don't have to give 90% to test this. But what if you started treating what you have as something you're managing, not something you own? LeTourneau discovered that the less he gripped his finances, the more freely they flowed.