Foundational

Stewardship
Training
 Introductions
Share 1 minute:
• How long have you been at Gateway?
• Have you served in Stewardship or any other ministry at Gateway?
• Do you have any idea of what program or class you’d like to serve in?
• Share one interesting thing about yourself, your work, or you background.

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 Biblical Stewardship Foundation
What is money?
• Currency
• A medium of exchange for which one may trade goods or services
o Old days (agrarian culture) – growing crops (grain) provided means to acquire other
basic needs by trading
o Today – working provides money (a harvest of our production) to acquire basic
needs
• Origin
o Middle English: from Old French moneie, from Latin moneta ‘mint, money,’
originally a title of the goddess Juno, in whose temple in Rome money was minted.

Who does money belong to?

• I have a big hairy theological question for you - who owns your shoes?
o Class participation (30 seconds)
o If I own something then to society it's ok if I don't share it.
o If the church owns something, it's expected that I share it.
o What if God owns everything? Then what?

• Bagel Example
o If I buy bagels I can choose who gets one.
o If the church buys bagels then it’s expected I place them out for all?
o What if the bagels belong to God?

• Who’s In Charge?
o What if I'm told that I'm in charge of bagel distribution? Then I have authority to
choose who gets a bagel, but that authority was given to me, it is my current
responsibility, but the ultimate authority comes from God.
o So when I need to make a decision that I'm not equipped for then I need to talk to
the owner, the authority over it all.
o Some decisions I can make based on logical conclusion, but all decisions should be
tested against His written word (God’s instruction manual to Christians is the Bible)
o Key Point! Knowing God’s will for the resources you’ve been given authority over is
key to making the right decisions.
§ His Word (2 Timothy 3:16 …All scripture is God breathed)
§ His Voice (John 10:27 …My sheep hear My voice)
§ Godly Counsel (Proverbs 15:22 …Without counsel, plans go awry)
§ His Peace (Psalm 16:7 …I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel, my
heart also instructs me in the night seasons)

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What can we do with money?
Money is amoral and can be used for good or to do evil.

Rank the best uses for money:

• Spending on yourself ___ • Giving to others ___

• Buying groceries for home ___ • Giving to a church ___
• Investing for retirement ___ • Paying off debt ___
• Saving for a purchase ___ • Paying taxes ___

Ecclesiastes 2:24 ESV - There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and
drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God,

1 Timothy 5:8 ESV - But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for
members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

Matthew 25:27 ESV - Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at
my coming I should have received what was my own with interest.

Proverbs 21:20 ESV - Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man's dwelling, but a foolish
man devours it.

Proverbs 19:17 ESV - Whoever is generous to the poor, lends to the Lord, and he will repay
him for his deed.

1 Corinthians 16:2 ESV - On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something
aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.

Proverbs 6:1-5 ESV - My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, have given your
pledge for a stranger, if you are snared in the words of your mouth, caught in the words of
your mouth, then do this, my son, and save yourself, for you have come into the hand of
your neighbor: go, hasten, and plead urgently with your neighbor. Give your eyes no sleep
and your eyelids no slumber; save yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a
bird from the hand of the fowler.

Romans 13:6-7 ESV - For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are
ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to
whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed,
honor to whom honor is owed.

Key Point! There are many Biblical, God honoring things you can do with money, it’s
important to hear from God when making financial decisions. Every spending decision is a
spiritual decision.
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Serving God Or Mammon?
Matthew 6:24 NKJV - No one can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and
love the other; or else he will be loyal to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve
God and mammon.

• God and mammon – opposites

• Abortion – for or against.

Spirit of Mammon
Definitions:

1. Wealth; money (in some translations).

2. The personification of wealth and of inordinate desire for it; the material wealth
considered having an evil influence.
3. A personification of riches as an evil spirit or deity.

Mammon was the Syrian god of riches, Jesus uses the term Mammon because although
outwardly we would not physically worship money, inwardly our hearts have a tendency to
look to money as our source, and we too often fall to the trap serving money instead of
serving God. The Syrians learned worship of Mammon from the Babylonians, whose
history goes back to the Tower of Babel, remember the spirit behind the Tower of Babel?
The belief was that they could get to heaven without God; they didn’t need God, that belief
was a spirit of human arrogance and self-reliance.

• Think of the things that Mammon promises:

o Security (you’ll be safer the more money you have)
o Identity (people will like you when you have money)
o Significance (people will listen to you when you have money)
o Freedom (you will have the ability to do what you want, when you want)
o Happiness (if you just had more money, you’d be more happy)
o Marriage would be easier if you had more money

• The Truth? Only God can provide:

o True security (health, safety, provision)
o Identity (created in His image, heirs with Christ)
o Eternal significance and value
o Freedom from sin
o Joy of the lord and peace that surpasses understanding
o Unity in marriage

Key point! Mammon is looking for servants; we have to guard our hearts from the love of
money (1 Timothy 6:10). Joshua 24:14-15 - Joshua called the nation of Israel to make up
their mind and “Choose this day, whom will you serve?”
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Ten Symptoms of Mammon’s Influence:
How do we recognize mammon’s influence in our life and in the lives of others?

1. Worry and Anxiety over money

a. Rich people fear losing their money
b. Poor people fear never having enough money
c. In either case fear, worry and anxiety dominate a person’s emotions.
d. Read excerpt from Matthew 6:25-34 - 27 Which of you by worrying can add one
cubit to his stature?... 31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’
or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things
the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these
things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all
these things shall be added to you.

Reflect: Do you struggle with worry or anxiety over money? Is God able and willing to
provide all my needs?

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2. Money Mismanagement
a. No idea where it went
b. No budget (plan for how to manage money)
c. Proverbs 21:20 There is desirable treasure,
And oil in the dwelling of the wise, But a foolish man squanders it.
d. Proverbs 27:23-24 Be diligent to know the state of your flocks,
And attend to your herds; For riches are not forever
e. Luke 14:28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down
first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being poor and 10 being excellent, how well are you managing the
resources God has entrusted to you?

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 3. Consistent Financial Lack
a. Too much month left at the end of the money
b. No budget results in spending patterns that consistently exceed resources
c. Believe the lie “If I could just make more money I could solve my money
problems”
d. More money only leads to deeper debt because of the overspending problem
(spending 120% of any amount is overspending - worse if more money is
available because it leads to higher debt)

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4. “I can’t afford it” Mentality.

a. Focus on money rather than God as a source – lack of satisfaction
b. Affects the poor and the rich
c. Mental stronghold coming from a lack of determining “how much is
enough?”
d. Must seek God in the area of needs and wants, and obey what He tells us.

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5. Impulse Buying
a. Purchasing what you don’t need - often goes unused a few days after purchase
b. A bargain you’ll never find again (Sale)
c. Pattern in the lives of people who have not learned to be managers of
resources (impulse buying stops when you manage (budget) your income)
d. Always shop with a list of items that fit your budget (items in your budget),
which should include people you want to bless (gifts).

Take 5 minutes at your table to discuss Impulse Buying and how it affects you now or how
it has affected you in the past. What have you done or what can you do to get impulse
buying under control?

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6. Stinginess
a. Fear of tithing or giving
b. Fear that I won’t have enough money to meet my own needs
c. Affect the rich and poor equally – not based on financial means
d. Luke 3:11 He answered and said to them, “He who has two tunics, let him
give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.”
e. 2 Corinthians 9:7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not
grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
f. 1 Timothy 6:18 Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to
give, willing to share.

Take 5 minutes to discuss any past or present struggles with stinginess. How can you
guard against stinginess?

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7. Greed
a. An unhealthy desire to acquire or possess
b. A desire to have more of what you already have
c. Most marketing is designed to create false “needs” – God has promised to
provide for our true needs.
d. Proverbs 28:25 A greedy man stirs up strife, but the one who trusts in
the Lord will be enriched.
e. Luke 12:15 And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all
covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his
possessions.”
f. Proverbs 15:27 Whoever is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own
household, but he who hates bribes will live.
g. Ecclesiastes 5:10 He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor
he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.

What practical things can we do to keep our hearts clear of greed?

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8. Discontentment
a. Philippians 4:11-13 Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be
content with whatever I have. 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with
everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is
with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything
through Christ, who gives me strength. 14 Even so, you have done well to
share with me in my present difficulty.
b. God is our source. We must never allow our circumstances to influence us to
become discontent
Self-reflection exercise: Take a minute and ask the Lord if there’s any discontent in your life as it relates to
His provision for you. Make a note of what He says.

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9. Bondage of Debt
a. Debt – something owed to another, possibly with interest.; a loan given upon
the assumption that a good of about equal or greater value will be given by the
debtor if he defaults
b. Two things you can do with debt – forgive (release) or pay
c. Chief mechanism of the spirit of mammon to keep people in bondage to itself
d. People in bondage (experiencing feelings of distress) are not able to
discipline themselves to delay the personal gratification of the immediate
purchase of the desired items. “When I feel bad I go shopping, then I feel
better – until the bill comes.”
e. World system encourages personal debt by the use of credit cards for
unplanned purchases and desires – presumes on tomorrow and on God.
f. It is not sinful to use credit cards – living on a budget and purchasing only
budgeted items with credit cards, which are fully paid monthly. But there are
premium costs to using this form of “easy” payment.
g. Deuteronomy 28:12 The Lord will open to you his good treasury, the heavens,
to give the rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your
hands. And you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.
h. Psalm 37:21 The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is
generous and gives;
i. Proverbs 22:27 The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of
the lender.
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 j. Proverbs 6:1-5 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, have
given your pledge for a stranger, if you are snared in the words of your mouth,
caught in the words of your mouth, then do this, my son, and save yourself,
for you have come into the hand of your neighbor: go, hasten, and plead
urgently with your neighbor. Give your eyes no sleep and your eyelids no
slumber; save yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird
from the hand of the fowler.

In light of the scriptures discussed what changes do you need to make in your view and
your practice relating to debt?

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10. Exaggerated Emphasis on Money and an Overestimate of Its True Power.

a. People whose conversations are dominated by money.
b. Impressed by people who have much money.
c. Constantly talking about how they might make more money
d. Say things like “If I just had a little more money, I could do so much more for
the Kingdom of God.” – indicator that mammon governs our ability to serve
God rather than God being the source of governing our service.
e. Belief that money is power and can provide all we need or want.

Do you recognize in your financial life an exaggerated emphasis on money? Yes or No

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Go back through the 10 symptoms of mammon’s influence and ask the Spirit of God to
reveal areas in your life in which the spirit of mammon has influence over your mind and
heart (emotions especially). Repentance is God’s way of dealing with these things. After
repenting, then allow the Blood of Jesus to wash and cleanse you from the iniquity, thereby
destroying the root structure.

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 You will never be able to help someone who is in financial bondage unless you use the
Word of God to help them see the truth for themselves. Let the Holy Spirit bring
conviction, while you show love and grace.

Biblical Financial Principles

Commandment: A divine law to be observed strictly.

Principle: A rule (from ruler/measuring stick) or belief governing one’s personal behavior;
a rule of personal conduct.

Giving

Tithing

The word tithe means one tenth. It’s the minimum portion that a Christian is to return to
the Lord. Part of the tithe’s purpose is to be a testimony of God’s ownership. It is a test of
our heart. The tithe was before the law, during the law, and was expanded by grace. Tithing
today is often tied to firstfruits giving and positions God first in our lives. The tithe is very
personal to The Lord, as he gave his firstborn son to redeem our unclean hearts.

Abraham - Genesis 14:20 “Blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into
your hand.” And he gave him a tenth of all.

Jacob – Genesis 28:22 “This stone, which I have set up as a pillar, will be God’s house; and of
all that Thou dost give me I will surely give a tenth to Thee.”

Tithe Directed To God’s House – Malachi 3:10 NKJV Bring all the tithes into the
storehouse, that there may be food in My house”

Deuteronomy 12:11 NKJV Then there will be the place where the Lord your God chooses to
make His name abide. There you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings,
your sacrifices, your tithes, the heave offerings of your hand, and all your choice offerings
which you vow to the Lord.

Deuteronomy 26:1-2 … put it in a basket and go to the place where the Lord your God
chooses to make His name abide.

Tithe principle commanded by God to Moses for the

• People of Israel - Leviticus 27:30-32; Deuteronomy 12:6-7, 11, 17; Deuteronomy
14:22-29; Malachi 3:7-11; Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42; Hebrews 7:1-10.
• Levites of Israel - Numbers 18:26, 28-29.

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Offerings
An offering is the second level of giving defined in God’s word. After you’ve brought
(returned) the tithe and God brings someone or some need to your attention – ex. a
missionary needs support to spread the gospel in a foreign country or a family who is
struggling with provision of basic needs - at this point is where you give an offering.

Examples of Scriptural Offerings

• Offerings for the building of the Tabernacle - Exodus 35:5, 21-22, 36:1-7
• Offering (collection) for the Judean Saints, 2 Corinthians 8 & 9

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Saving
Saving is a biblical principle that God desires for us to understand. Saving for the future
does not mean you lack faith in God’s ability to provide for your future. Unfortunately
those who have fallen into this wrong belief have often had to rely on the use of credit
because of their lack of planning. God specifically through his word teaches that savings is
wise.

Proverbs 6:6-8 “Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and
become wise! Though they have no prince or governor or ruler to make them work, they
labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter.”

Proverbs 21:20 “There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish
man swallows it up.”

Ecclesiastes 11:2 “Divide your portion to seven, or even eight, for you do not know what
misfortune may occur on the earth.”

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Borrowing/Lending
Borrowing is often, but not always, the result of disobedience. Unfortunately most of our
culture, including Christians, has violated this principle and the consequences of doing so
are indebtedness and financial bondage. God doesn’t want us to be slaves of this world
system. We are in this world but we are not to be part of the world.

Lending is made possible as a result of God’s blessing and it is a promise to those who are
obedient to Him. God desires us to be lenders but He has given us a guideline on how to be
righteous lenders.

Biblical Borrowing
• Deuteronomy 28:43-45; Psalm 37:21; Proverbs 22:7.
Biblical Lending
• Deuteronomy 28:12, Exodus 22:25; Matthew 5:42; 2 Thessalonians 3:10-15

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Debt
Debt is a result of borrowing and although the bible doesn’t condemn borrowing, it does
discourage us from entering into it by taking on surety (debt). More importantly the
scriptures give us direction on how to deal with debt. When money is borrowed there is a
clear message from scripture that we have an obligation to pay it back, no matter what.
Getting out of debt should be every believer’s financial goal. Financial bondage can limit
our abilities to provide adequately for our family’s current and future needs. Debt and the
obligation to repay it can also prevent us from moving into opportunities to advance God’s
kingdom.

Deuteronomy 28:12 The Lord will open to you his good treasury, the heavens, to give the
rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hands. And you shall lend to
many nations, but you shall not borrow.

Psalm 37:21 The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and
gives;

Proverbs 22:7 The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.

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Proverbs 6:1-5 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, have given your
pledge for a stranger, if you are snared in the words of your mouth, caught in the words of
your mouth, then do this, my son, and save yourself, for you have come into the hand of
your neighbor: go, hasten, and plead urgently with your neighbor. Give your eyes no sleep
and your eyelids no slumber; save yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a
bird from the hand of the fowler.

Proverbs 3:27-28 “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your
power to do it. Do not say to your neighbor, ‘Go, and come back, and tomorrow I will give
it,’ when you have it with you.”

2 Kings 4:7 “She came and told the man of God. And he said, ‘Go, sell the oil and pay your
debt, and you and your sons can live on the rest.’”

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Surety
Debt is taking on an obligation to pay without a sure and certain way to pay it. Surety
means to deposit a pledge in name, money, goods, or part payment for a greater obligation.
A person can be surety for another’s debts, insurance can be surety, or an object can be
surety. Surety ensures that if the debt can’t be paid according to the original terms, there is
something in place to take care of the debt. The consequences of violating this principle of
surety is that you presume upon the future and upon God’s will.
The only way to have a clear and certain way to pay a debt is to collateralize it. When you
borrow money, you and the lender agree that if ever you can’t pay them, they can keep the
collateral, and you are free of any further obligation.

Genesis 43:9 “I myself will be surety for him; you may hold me responsible for him.”

Proverbs 11:15 “He who is surety for a stranger will surely suffer, but one who hates being
surety is secure.”

Proverbs 17:18 “A man lacking in sense pledges, and becomes surety in the presence of his
neighbor.”

Proverbs 6:1-5; Proverbs 22:26-27

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Usury
Much of the interest charged today in America could be considered usurious, meaning it is
an exorbitant or abusive rate of interest. God desires that we are righteous in all our
actions. If you do lend money to others, then ask the Lord for wisdom as it relates to the
interest you charge.

Leviticus 25:35-37 ‘If one of your brethren becomes poor, and falls into poverty among you,
then you shall help him, like a stranger or a sojourner, that he may live with you. Take no
usury or interest from him; but fear your God, that your brother may live with you. 37 You
shall not lend him your money for usury, nor lend him your food at a profit.’

This rule was part of the Mosaic Law: “If you lend money to one of my people among you
who is needy, do not be like a moneylender; charge him no interest” (Exodus 22:25; see
also Psalm 15:5). This prohibition against charging interest actually included “food or
anything else that may earn interest” (Deuteronomy 23:19). The purpose of the law was
two-fold: an interest-bearing loan would only exacerbate the plight of the poor, and God
promised a blessing on the gracious lender that would far surpass any interest he would
make. Additionally, at the end of every seven years, creditors were to cancel all the debts
they were owed by fellow Israelites (Deuteronomy 15:1).

In the New Testament, Jesus tells us not to “turn away from the one who wants to
borrow from you” (Matthew 5:42). He applied this principle even to our enemies in their
time of need: “But love your enemies and lend to them without expecting to get anything
back. Then your reward will be great” (Luke 6:35, emphasis added). Indeed, there are
numerous passages throughout the Bible exhorting us to have a generous and giving heart,
especially to the less fortunate. Moses taught his people, “If there is a poor man among your
brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be
hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. Rather be openhanded and freely lend
him whatever he needs” (Deuteronomy 15:7-8).

Nehemiah 5:7-10; Proverbs 28:8.

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Work
God created work from the beginning and He has a purpose for work in our lives. All work
should be done unto the Lord so that when people see us they literally see Christ through
us. We can be a good witness for Him in our work or a bad witness. What God expects from
us is common sense, diligence, and excellence in our work.

What we must understand about work:

• The Lord created it - Genesis 2:15 “Then the LORD God took the man and put him in
the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.”
• We are working for Him - Colossians 3:23 “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to
the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of
the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” Also, 1 Corinthians 10:31; Colossians
3:17.
• Creates provision for us – Proverbs 27:18 “He who tends the fig tree will eat its fruit;
and he who cares for his master will be honored.” Also, Proverbs 10:5; 12:11; 12:24.
• Testifies of God – Matthew 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may
see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
• We are to do it with excellence – Prov. 22:29 “Do you see a man skilled in his work?
He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.” Also, 1 Peter 2:12.
• Retirement – 20th century concept introduced in the 1930’s through Social Security.
Not a Biblical principle. Only biblical reference in Numbers 8:24-26.

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Financial Integrity/Honesty
God expects complete honesty from his people. We should never allow ourselves to be
trapped into anything that is unethical, immoral, or dishonest. According to God’s Word,
honesty means telling the whole truth, regardless of how much it costs you. It means
revealing the whole truth, even when it isn’t necessary. There are no small lies - only lies;
there are no small thefts - only thefts.

Scriptures
Leviticus 19:35-36 “Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight, or
volume. Your scales and weights must be accurate. Your containers for measuring dry
materials or liquids must be accurate. I am the LORD your God who brought you out of
the land of Egypt.”

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 Proverbs 10:9 “He who walks with integrity walks securely, But he who perverts his
ways will become known.”

Proverbs 11:3, 12:17, 16:11, 20:10, 22:1, 28:6.

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Investing
Investing applies to the management of funds to generate a potential profit. God talks a
great deal in His Word about investing, but it’s always to satisfy future needs; education,
children, supplementing income in old age, and other legitimate future needs. Although
investing is scriptural the attitudes surrounding the concepts of investing are not. You can
never use investing to become self-reliant (no need of God), nor can you reject it as a
secular enterprise that we Christians should have nothing to do with. Both of these views
are unbalance and wrong.

Scriptures

Ecclesiastes 11:1-2 “Ship your grain across the sea; after many days you may receive a
return. 2 Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight; you do not know what disaster may
come upon the land.”

Matthew 25:27 27 “So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at
my coming I would have received back my own with interest.”

Proverbs 6:6-8 “Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and
become wise! Though they have no prince or governor or ruler to make them work, they
labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter.”

Proverbs 21:20 “There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a
foolish man swallows it up.”

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Budgeting/Planning
Planning is a part of a Christian’s walk with God and essential to any financial program. We
would never agree to allow a house builder to build our future house without a blueprint,
yet many people believe they do not need a financial plan for their life. God wants us to
have a financial plan (budget) – a short-term plan. And then we are to look forward – to see
eventual needs and try to meet them – a long-term plan.

Scriptures
Proverbs 16:3 “Commit your works to the Lord, and your plans will be established.”

Proverbs 22:3 “The prudent sees the evil and hides himself, but the naive go on, and are
punished for it.”

Proverbs 27:23-24 “Know well the condition of your flocks, and pay attention to your
herds; for riches are not forever, nor does a crown endure to all generations.”

Luke 14:28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and
count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it
Others – Proverbs 16:1, 24:3-4, 24:27, 27:12.

Notes:
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

Seeking Counsel
In the Scriptures we are encouraged to seek counsel. However, as we do we must
remember that God teaches us to have balance. As we seek counsel we must have a true
desire to except and apply the counsel of God (Scriptures) to our situation. If our intent in
seeking counsel is only “agreement” then we will hunt around until we find someone who
will agree with us. If we truly desire to understand God’s wisdom for every situation we
must make His Word a filter that every counsel must pass through.

Scriptures
• Psalm 1:1-2 “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor
stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in
the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.”
• Proverbs 12:15 “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who
listens to counsel.”
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 • Proverbs 14:15 “The naive believes everything, but the prudent man considers his
steps.”
• Proverbs 24:6 “By wise guidance you will wage war, and in abundance of counselors
there is victory.”
• Others – Proverbs 1:5, 11:14, 13:10, 13:20, 15:22.

Vision Statement
Vision is from the Lord. Vision is for the future (appointed time), and sometimes we have to
wait and be faithful. Vision is a revelation that comes with healthy boundaries, keeps you
on the path and purpose that God has set for you. To fulfill the vision one must live within
God’s law. The vision is fulfilled through us to the extent that we are faithful to shift our
hearts and lives to align with it. Vision is an outpouring from the Spirit; get closer to God,
and the vision will become clearer.

Scriptures

• Proverbs 29:18 “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint;
But happy is he who keeps the law.”
• Habakkuk 2:1-3 “I will stand my watch, And set myself on the rampart,
And watch to see what He will say to me, And what I will answer when I am corrected.”
Then the Lord answered me and said: “Write the vision And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it. 3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the
end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely
come, It will not tarry.”
• Joel 2:28 “And it shall come to pass afterward, That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your
young men shall see visions.”
• Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord,
thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

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Mission Statement
Our mission statement is how we will accomplish the vision that God has given us uniquely.
God has appointed you to bear specific fruit with your life, but the way you do this will look
different than how others will fulfill their vision, because your mission statement is an
extension of how you were designed. You will need to have a plan in place and use the gifts
God has placed inside of you. The goal is to glorify God, not to promote yourself.

Scriptures

• John 15:16 “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should
go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in
My name He may give you.”
• Luke 14:28 “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and
count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it…”
• Romans 12:5-8 “so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members
of one another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to
us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or
ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts,
in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows
mercy, with cheerfulness.”
• 1 Peter 4:10-11 “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good
stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles
of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in
all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the
dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

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 ID Seminar
1. Vision of ID –
a. We exist to awaken divine direction and purpose

2. Facilitation Models
a. Use ID DVDs for all teaching sessions
b. Use ID DVDs for some sessions
c. Teach all of the ID material without DVDs

3. Learning/Discovery Seminar Design

a. Learn – short, uplifting teaching session
i. Not an 8 hour lecture
ii. Not a platform to teach
b. Discover – work through exercises designed to reveal
i. Each exercise is designed to clarify a different piece of the final puzzle
ii. Some exercises are easier than others but all are important
c. Share – talk with others about your discover
i. Courage is built when we begin to share our discovery
ii. Clarity happens when we share and listen
iii. Connections are formed – “two is a team”

4. Key “Puzzle Pieces” of ID

a. Acknowledge There is More (Pg. 5)
i. God is inviting you to run a race that was created for you

b. Current Conditions (Pg. 27)

i. Your current condition does not define your end destination

c. Make Peace With Your Past (Pg. 41)

i. The clarity of the vision and the courage to walk out the vision is directly
affected by the level of freedom in which you walk

d. You Are Set Up For Success (Pg. 53)

i. Strengths Finders – You are hardwired for success

e. Are You Inside Out? (Pg. 65)

i. For God so loved people that He put gifts, strengths and talents inside you
and entrusted you to deliver those to the world
ii. All that is in you is for serving others
iii. Your passion will direct you to a problem to fix, a pain to relieve and a
people group to help

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 f. Honest Reflections (Pg. 89)
i. You are in your most powerful place when you live your life in the
intersection of your Gifts, Passion and Strengths

g. Will the Real You Step Up? (Pg. 99)

i. Your “Vision Statement” gives voice to your purpose
ii. Your “Mission Statement” explains how you want to do your
purpose

h. Can It Really Happen? (Pg. 109)

i. Do something every day - build your B.R.I.D.G.E. to action

5. Facilitation Tools
a. DVD set
b. ID Facilitators Guide
c. ID Book
d. ID Coach Training Manual

ID Event Coach: At the seminar there are multiple opportunities to help people with the
exercises and tough questions they are working on in the book. There is also a group
coaching session at the end of the seminar where coaches help lead people to clarity in
order to complete their Vision & Mission statements.

ID Coach (One-on-One): Coaches will meet with individuals after the seminar at a convenient
time for both parties. The coach will walk individuals through follow up exercises
designed to help them find clarity in order to operate in their life calling, strength, and
spiritual gifts daily.

ID Small Group Leader: As a small group leader you would play DVDs of the ID material,
facilitate group discussion, and help the group on questions with the material as they
seek clarity to develop their Vision & Mission statements.

Why is it important to understand more about your Identity & develop Vision & Mission
Statements for your life?

For those that have gone through the ID Seminar…Describe the Value that you observed
or experienced in having coaches involved?

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 FINANCIAL HOPE WORKSHOP
INTRODUCTION
Financial Hope is an interactive, group-based workshop specifically designed for
people who need assistance in putting together a budget, getting out of debt, and
learning God’s word in the area of stewardship. In the past, many participants have
experienced significant life change as a result of their time in Financial Hope. An
often-repeated comment during the evaluation process continues to be how helpful
the table leaders were during the workshop. Table leaders play a critical role in the
success of this workshop.

Our goal is to help others become financially free by learning the biblical principles
of money management and applying practical tools learned during a time of
community where prayer, encouragement, support, and accountability are
experienced. But above all, we want to establish relationships to give us an open
door to point people to Jesus!

As a Table Leader, you are the critical part of our ministry. We know you will be
personally blessed by your participation as you bless those you serve.

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 FINANCIAL HOPE
The Finding Hope Workshop is seven weeks and is designed to teach biblical principles of
financial stewardship and to train people how to improve their financial and spiritual lives.
The format will be similar each week and provide a safe place for people to share their
concerns regarding personal finances. It is important to remember that any information
that is shared be treated with strict confidentiality. The Workshop will run for seven
consecutive Sunday mornings from 9:00am-10:30am. Topics are presented in the
following order:

Week 1 - Financial Test-Drive

Week 2 - Managing Finances God’ s Way

Week 3 - Financial Time Travel

Week 4 - Changing Lenses

Week 5 - Designating A Driver

Week 6 - Heart Check

Week 7 - Strategic Savings & Planning

Each table will consist of six or seven participants and two leaders. The first class is
considered an “Open House” when participants will be allowed to come and see if they are
ready for a seven-week commitment. At the end of the first night each participant is asked
to commit to the full seven weeks if they decide to continue.

It is the role of the leaders to facilitate the discussion questions, provide overall leadership
to the table and assist the group in developing a budget and using the financial tools.
Remember, as a table leader, you have the unique opportunity to directly impact your
participants’ spiritual lives and should constantly keep that in mind by pointing people
toward the Savior! Let us not miss those open doors to present Christ to our people.

After the speaker opens the evening with greetings, announcements and prayer, the
discussion will shift back to the tables for follow-up on homework and any open questions
relating to their progress in the last week in developing their individual budgets.

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A Gateway Stewardship teacher will provide the instruction for the evening centered
around biblical principles and helpful financial tools. Each session is designed to move
people toward a different relationship to money and a God honoring, working budget.

Table leaders are not supposed to become teachers and professional experts. The leader’s
role is to be more of a guide – helping people develop their own progress and lay their own
foundation for financial freedom. A very important way for the group to learn is to discover
new ways of doing things through interaction with the other members. If the members
choose to share from personal experience, this should not be discouraged, however, leaders
should emphasize that this is a safe place to share and all information that is discussed at
the table will remain in strict confidence.

Another important aspect of the table is the activity time. Activities relate to specific steps
toward developing their budgets, debt reduction plans, tracking sheets, etc. It is at this time
the table leaders need to be very engaged with directly helping the participants complete
their forms and sheets. The table leaders should balance the time they are guiding the
participants with time provided to work on their own.

At the end of the night, homework will be introduced which will continue the development
of the budget and prepare the individual for the next week’s session. It is very important
that table leaders stress the importance of homework, while not become overbearing, we
have found that a great method involves asking everyone at the table to take their
homework out and place it on the table in front of them, and ask them individually if they
did their homework while checking off the sign-in sheet. If you set this expectation up
front, it will not be uncomfortable moving forward.

It is important that we are clear on the primary "goal" of the workshop. We have a strong
desire to see every person who comes to Financial Hope to leave with a budget. But, having
a budget at the end of 7 weeks cannot be our primary goal. The reason is that we cannot
control whether an individual actually wants to have a budget. Since we cannot control
that, it cannot be our goal. Our goal really is to create the best environment for a person to
have a budget if they choose to invest the effort. Creating the best environment includes:

• Our ministry’s commitment to provide the best possible curriculum that points
people to God, the Bible and the tools to get participant’s financial lives in order
• Solid biblical teaching and effective presentation
• The best possible relationships with our table leaders and other ministry
volunteers so participants feel loved, safe, cared for and understood
• The best possible experience at the tables where hope is emphasized, reality is
presented and gentle accountability is our operating philosophy

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 EXPECTATIONS
If you are new to this role, you will want to know more about the expectations of a table
leader. This document will not only assist you in understanding the expectations but also
will provide some of the tools needed to accomplish them.

Table Leaders will be set up in pairs. Our goal is to pair new leaders with an experienced
leader, in some cases, two experienced leaders may be paired together with a new leader,
and in other cases two new leaders might be paired together based on need and experience.
In most cases (although there will be exceptions) the leaders will stay paired throughout
the entire seven-week program, which will foster continuity and community.

As people arrive each week, the table leaders should greet them warmly and engage them in
conversation that will set the tone for a spirit of friendly interaction at the tables. Each
person will be provided a nametag, which will be available at the table.

There will also be available alternate leaders when substitutes are required.

Expectations of our Table Leaders:

• Commit to giving your best effort during the seven weeks

• Pray faithfully for each of your participants and the ministry
• Emphasize that confidentiality is very important
• Arrive as close to 8:20am as possible for a leaders’ meeting (doors will remain closed for
leader meeting, then open at 8:40am for participants)
• Learn the “stories” of your participants as soon as possible
• Meet and greet your participants as they arrive each week to your table
• Close the evening with your table in prayer (discuss in advance which leader will be
responsible each week)
• Call your participants personally each week between sessions – thank them for coming,
encourage them, ask if they have any questions, ask how the homework is going, offer to
pray for them, and let them know you are looking forward to seeing them next week
(This is very important)
• You are not expected to meet personally with your participants between sessions. (If you
choose, you are of course free to meet with them – but this is not required)
• If for any reason you will be unable to attend, contact
Jacquelyn.Bushnell@gatewaystaff.com or David.Thompson@gatewaystaff.com by
email as soon as possible so an alternate leader can be arranged
• You are to be a facilitator of learning and life change – not a teacher. As a facilitator,
your role is to help your clients uncover God’s plan for them and guide them in the
various elements of the budget creation process
You will be the person your participants will look up to and seek advice from. Pray for God’s
wisdom as you respond to their requests and concerns. You are providing a great service to
your people as you minister to the financial and spiritual needs.

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Table leaders should always stress the budget creation process ... but if we make "having a
budget" the main objective ... we may create a dilemma for people who love coming and
learning the biblical and financial principles but are just not yet motivated to do the hard
work of the budget. If we push too hard on participants who don’t always complete the
homework, some may be tempted to drop out of the workshop. Creating the right balance
will take wisdom and prayer on the part of each table leader. If you have any tough issues
feel free to discuss them with David Thompson directly.

It is important to note that we have seen some past participants who attended the entire
workshop and left without a fully functioning budget. In spite of that, many benefited from
our Workshop by just being there and listening to Biblical principles taught and sensing the
love and caring of the table leaders. We do not want to loose those folks because they feel
intimidated to return by our pressing them too hard. We must remember, these are
participants who are coming willingly and don't have to be there. Their definition of why
they are at the Workshop, may not match our definition of why they are coming. This is the
delicate balance we need to keep. However, we should not shy away from giving our
participants an appropriate “challenge” around the reality that sustainable improvement
requires effort.

We must remember, first and foremost, we are in the people business. We need to capture
their hearts and minds and souls for God regarding the issue of money and possessions ...
and not make “filling out the forms perfectly” the highest priority of the workshop.

If we as table leaders have done the best we can to create the right environment, and a
participant still does not want to do the work and put in the effort ... we should not consider
this a failure. At this point, we can pray for them and hope they reach a point in the future
where they do develop the desire and come back and engage with us again.

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 TABLE LEADER AS FACILITATOR
The table leader will help facilitate learning in the group. In order to be successful, the
leader will continually fine-tune their facilitator skills. These skills will improve through
practice and interaction with the participants at the table.

There are four key actions, which a facilitator will find useful. These actions can be
remembered by the acronym ACTS. The table leader ACTS to facilitate discussion by:

• Acknowledging everyone who speaks during a discussion

• Clarifying what is being said
• Taking it to the group as a means of generating discussion, and
• Summarizing what has been said

Acknowledging a person’s contribution builds up self-esteem and confidence. Everyone

who offers input into the discussion needs to be recognized. This provides confidence to
the participant and encourages them to continue to contribute in the future. Each one of us
desires to know that our thoughts are important and considered valuable. To ignore a
person who has contributed will stifle future discussion. Even non-verbal contributions
may require acknowledgement.

Clarifying what is said helps everyone to understand the ideas which have been shared.
This can be accomplished by saying, “Let me see if I understand what you are saying.” This
is particularly important in understanding complex statements which may not be
consistent with their body language. Clarification is a good method to reinforce an
important concept or principle.

Taking a question to the group reduces the dependence of the group on you as a leader. If
the table leader becomes the “Answer Person,” the participants will not enter into lively
discussion but instead will wait for the leader to provide the answer. The goal of the
Financial Freedom Workshop is to provide a way for people to discover their own God
honoring budget and financial path within the context of the principles we teach and
reinforce.

Summarizing what has been said helps to bring the discussion to a conclusion. This also
crystallizes the learning and helps in future application of the principles.

Table leaders should work to develop good questioning techniques. The questioning
techniques will help in stimulating lively discussion.

Finally, a table leader who is a good facilitator will be a good listener. To be a good listener,
one should have the proper attitude, be focused, respond to the speaker and hear both the
spoken message and the emotional message.
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 LEADING THE TABLE DISCUSSION
Finances are often very private matters and open discussion before others may not be the
proper forum to reveal personal financial matters. Some members may choose to share
their own personal circumstances and some will not. If they do, thank them for sharing and
reassure them of the confidential nature of their sharing with the group.

Remember that the goal is to help lead the participants to move toward financial freedom
and to ensure their views are biblically accurate. You will continually see growth in the
group as individuals realize others have similar financial issues they are struggling with but
that the group is learning together to become financially free.

Attempt to get all members to participate. Also, leaders should work closely together. If
one leader is leading the table discussion, the other should be aware of the non-verbal
communication of the members at the table. If some of the people have that blank stare on
their faces or in some other way demonstrate lack of understanding, the leaders should
possibly intervene before the group moves on to the next question. A good way to do this
without necessarily asking someone if the don’t understand (which may be embarrassing)
is to say; “This seems to be a difficult concept and I was wondering if someone might have
an example which could be shared to help me understand better?” This puts the focus on
the concept and not on any particular person.

Some general guidelines to consider in leading the table discussion:

• Encourage people to engage in the discussion

• Do not be a teacher, be a facilitator of learning and “change”
• Continue to draw people out using questions
• Emphasize confidentiality
• Acknowledge people as they contribute
• Do not be critical of people and their comments
• Help the group to overcome obstacles by being an encourager
• Provide hope that things will improve if they are committed to it

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 LEADING THE TABLE ACTIVITY
The table activity is an important aspect of the workshop experience. This is the time when
a participant will learn to apply the principles learned and makes progress toward creation
of their individual budget.

In many cases, the activity will utilize the individual’s own personal financial information
to complete the exercises. The leader’s task is to help guide the participant through the
activity and be a resource for questions.

The activity should help the participant understand how the principles apply to their own
personal financial situation. This can be a difficult time if the participant has never really
tracked expenses and worked with a budget. Some people may have never balanced a
checkbook or ever written down expenditures. As a result, the participant may feel lost, or
embarrassed or overwhelmed. A table leader should be sensitive to this and respond in a
way that encourages and provides hope.

This is the time that the table leaders most directly function as the financial counselor to
the participants. If one participant requires additional time during the activity it is
important that the others not be ignored. That is the benefit of having two leaders per table.
If one person needs more help, the other leader at the table can keep the ball rolling with
the rest of the group.

Sometimes there may be a question by a participant, which is beyond your expertise. If this
happens, don’t try and “bluff” your way through. Acknowledge that the question is a good
one and that you will find out the answer and will have it for them next week. Then discuss
the issue with David or another veteran leader and follow up the next week. Remember, it
is not a bad thing to admit you do not have all the expertise to answer a difficult question.

If a participant misses a Workshop session, one of the table leaders should call the client
and devote some time to a brief overview of the session they missed and to encourage them
to keep up with the homework and make every effort to be there the next week. Encourage
them to get and listen to the tape from the week they missed.

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 QUESTIONING TECHNIQUES
A very important concept to keep in mind is that a table leader should be a good questioner
and guide and not the “fix-it person.”

There are two central goals for questioning:

• Get the participants talking.
• Create and environment for learning.

The following are types of questions, which may be used:

Direct “When did you first start keeping a cash journal?”

(Seeks specific information)

Open “What was your previous job experience?”

(Expands focus to a wide range of possible responses.)

Closed “Do you think math or artistic skills are more important here?”
(Narrows focus to a limited range of possible answers.)

Leading “Don’t you agree that recording expenses is a reasonable idea?”

(Encourages a specific response.)

Mirror “So you feel frustrated by the spending plan worksheet?”

(Involves a paraphrasing.)

Probe “Why is that?”

(Follows-up on prior questions to secure more information.)

Hypothetical “Let’s say someone had “X” amount of debt. What would you do?”
(Creates a 3rd party scenario to discuss with greater objectivity.)

Multiple “When and where did that occur and what were you thinking?”

As you are leading your group, keep in mind that there are different types of questions. As
the leader, the questions may be opening (to warm up), launching (to generate interaction),
guiding (to direct discussion), summarizing (to acknowledge and reinforce), or application
(to create behavior change).

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 DIFFICULT SITUATIONS
There may be some interesting and challenging times and circumstances, which may be
encountered during the workshop. The first thing to remember is that you are not alone
and there are many different resources to use. Any time a leader faces a challenge, the first
reaction should be to pause, say a silent prayer to God seeking His wisdom, assess the
situation, and then slowly react.

There are specific options available to help the table leader in difficult situations:

• Never forget prayer!

• Other Veteran Gateway Stewardship Leaders
• The Director or Teacher for the evening

It is always important to keep in mind that two guiding principles should direct the efforts
of the table leaders. First, any solution must promote the health and wholeness of the
individual. Second, any resolution must also promote the health and wholeness of the total
group.

By considering in advance some of the things, which may occur, the leader will be better
prepared to handle the situation. God will provide wisdom if we are open and receptive to
His guidance.

Listed below are some possible difficult situations you may encounter. Most of these can
be handled practically with prayer, questions, and common sense. The key is dealing with
these situations without being critical of the person.

Possible Difficult Situations you will experience in a Group Context

• Silence
• Significant Disagreement
• Dominant individual
• Too many words
• Joker
• Unsolicited “fixer”
• Poor interaction between two table leaders
• A person who always takes ”rabbit” trails
• Unprepared participants
• Tardiness or missing sessions

Many difficult situations can be avoided by establishing ground rules early, both by the
teacher and the table leaders. Let the group know from the start that all members should
participate and stress no interruptions of others. If an individual persists in monopolizing
the discussion, it may be necessary to talk with this person individually at a different time.
32
Also, before asking the next question, the table leader may say; “John, I would like to hear
your thoughts on this question and after you have shared I would like to hear Jane’s
ideas.” This directs the question to two other people before “Chatty Charlie” can even offer
his thoughts.

Sometimes a participant will want to play the role of the “financial expert.” Counter the
“expert’s” opinion with immediately seeking other inputs around the table, and then guide
the discussion to the biblical principles and the Financial Hope curriculum. We want this
to be a discovery adventure for all in the group. The answer for one person may not be the
same for another because of personal circumstances. The biblical principles are the same
but the practical applications in the solution may be different.

In short, many problems can be avoided by the leaders clearly “taking charge” of the table,
providing loving but firm leadership and maintaining control of everything that happens at
the table. Here is also where we see the benefit of having two leaders per table. The leaders
should be constantly reinforcing each other in maintaining good control in leading the
group. The reality is, the participants at your table will respect your exerting leadership
and maintaining good order and the environment for learning will be enhanced!

And always pray for the individual who is creating the difficult situation. Pray that God
might work in that individual. Our hearts also need to be soft in dealing lovingly with them.
Some of these participants may not be believers and we can be witnesses to the reality of
Christ’s love to them!

In closing, remember, for many people this seven-week workshop has the potential to
significantly change their lives. We are in a unique position to be representatives of the
love and power of Jesus in their lives. Money has a direct and very real impact on people’s
spiritual lives. By helping them put money in proper perspective and to achieve some
personal financial control, we have an opportunity to help them grow spiritually and grow
closer in their walk with God. This is truly a worthwhile investment of our time as table
leaders!

Thank you for your service to Him!

Gateway Stewardship Team

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 11 STEPS TO FINANCIAL FREEDOM
1. Transfer Ownership

A Christian must transfer ownership of every possession to God. If he

believes he is the owner of even a single possession, then the events affecting
that possession are going to affect his attitude.

God will not force His will on us. He will not put His perfect will into our
lives unless we first surrender our will to Him.

Deut 5:32-33 "Therefore you shall be careful to do as the LORD your God has
commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. You
shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God has commanded you,
that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong
your days in the land which you shall possess.” NKJV

2. Establish the Tithe

Every Christian should establish the tithe as the minimum testimony to

God’s ownership. God wants us to give the first part to Him.
(Malachi 3:7-11; Matthew 23:23)

If a sacrifice is necessary (and it almost always is), do not sacrifice God’s or

your creditor’s share; chose a portion of your own expenditures to sacrifice.

3. Written Plan

A written plan is absolutely essential for everyone especially for those in

financial bondage.

Use a written plan of all expenditures and their order of importance. The
order of importance is crucial because we have lost the point of reference
between needs, wants, and desires.

Needs: Those purchases necessary to provide our basic requirements such as

food, clothing, home, medical, and practical transportation.

I Timothy 6:8 “And if we have food and covering, with these we shall be
content”

Wants: Wants involve choices about the quality of goods to be used; designer
clothes vs. ordinary clothes; steak vs. hamburger; used cars vs. new cars.
34
 Desires: These are choices according to God’s plan which can be made only
out of surplus funds after all other obligations have been met.

1 John 2:15-17 Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when
you love the world, you show that you do not have the love of the Father in
you. 16 For the world offers only the lust for physical pleasure, the lust for
everything we see, and pride in our possessions. These are not from the
Father. They are from this evil world. 17 And this world is fading away, along
with everything it craves. But if you do the will of God, you will live forever.
NLT

4. Avoid Debt

Defining scriptural debt; exists with any of the following conditions:

• Payment past due for money, goods, or services that are owed to other
people.
• The total value of unsecured liabilities exceeds total assets.
• Anxiety is produced in the area of financial responsibility when the
family’s basic needs are not being met.

Scripture discourages debt. It condemns the misuse of debt and the failure to
repay debts. (Psalms 37:21; Proverbs 3:27-28)

Prov 22:7 “The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the
lender.” NKJV

5. Practice Saving

A Christian should practice saving money on a regular basis. This includes

those who are in debt. Saving a small amount consistently will result in
developing a discipline for saving.

Prov 21:20 “There is desirable treasure, and oil in the dwelling of the wise,
But a foolish man squanders it.” NKJV (Proverbs 6:6-8)

6. Living Essentials

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 A Christian in debt must stop any expenditure which is not absolutely
essential for living. He/she must have an attitude of conservatism and avoid
all assumed expenditures which society may impose as essential

7. Discontinue Credit Buying

A Christian in debt should stop using credit and develop good spending
habits to prevent future indebtedness. The use of cash to purchase all basic
needs will create the discipline necessary to stay out of debt and the good
habits that will in time lead to financial freedom.

Avoid selling assets to pay off debt unless the attitude of dealing with credit
cards has been corrected.

8. Think before buying

A Christian who is in debt (and even one who is not) should think before
every purchase (Proverbs 24:3). Every purchase should be evaluated as
follows:

• Is it necessary? Is it a need, a want, or a desire?

• Does the purchase reflect my Christian ethics? Can I continue to
purchase things while I owe others?
• Is this the very best possible buy I can get? (impulse buying)
• Is it a highly depreciable item? (cars, boats, swimming pools)
• Does it require costly upkeep? (mobile homes, pools)

9. Accept God’s Provision

Recognize and accept that God’s provision is used to direct each or our lives.
God’s will can be accomplished through a withholding of funds not only
through an abundance of money.

Each Christian must learn to live on what God provides and not give in to the
pressures of wealth and materialism. This necessitates planning life-styles
around the provision that God has supplied – it can be done.

10. Avoid Indulgence

Every Christian, to achieve financial freedom, must avoid the indulgence of

life.

The range in which God’s will can be found is between Luke 9:23, when
Christ said, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and
take up his cross daily, and follow Me, “and John 6:27, “Do not work for the
36
 food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the
Son of Man shall give to you, for on Him the Father, even God has set His
seal”

It is important for every Christian to assess their standard of living to see whether it is
within this range. Most of us can reduce our expenditures substantially without a real
reduction in living standard.

11. Seek Christian Counsel

It is important to seek good Christian counseling whenever in doubt.

Proverbs 15:22 “Without consultation, plans are frustrated, but with many
counselors they succeed.”

God admonishes us to seek counsel and not to rely solely on our own
resources. God has supplied others with the ability to help in the area of
finances.

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 CHRIST-CENTERED COUNSELING IS BASED ON THESE SEVEN BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES:

1. The solutions are not your solutions. (John 14:26)

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will
teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

2. The self-sufficiency you lean on should be replaced with Christ-sufficiency. (John

15:5)

I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much
fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

3. The Sprit of Christ is your counselor, enabling you to counsel with truth. (John
16:13)

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for
He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and
He will tell you things to come

4. The sin of another should never be confronted with a condemning sprit. (1 Peter
3:15-16)

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to
everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;
having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile
your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.

5. The success of your counseling is not dependent on your knowing all the answers.
(Proverbs 3:5-6)

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In
you’re your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

6. The Scriptures will light the way as you help others walk out of darkness. (Psalm
119:105)

Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.

7. The secret of victory over temptation is relying on the power of the indwelling
presence of Christ. (Philippians 4:13)

I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

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 FREQUENT QUESTIONS
1) Question:
What is your position regarding co-signing a loan for a family member or close friend?
The Bible clearly speaks against co-signing for another person. The two acceptable
alternatives are to not become involved or to give the money needed for the other person to
avoid the need for a co-signer. (“Do not co-sign another person's note or put up a guarantee
for someone else's loan. If you can't pay it, even your bed will be snatched from under
you.”) Proverbs 22: 26-27

2) Question:
What is our position on separate "his and her" money when married?
Separate money for husband and wife often creates problems. From a practical perspective
it fosters conflict when “shared” expenses become a tug-of-war between spouses. Often the
reason behind the separate accounts originates from a lack of trust and is a symptom of a
larger problem which needs to be addressed at the front end. From a biblical perspective,
the concept of marriage being a joining of husband and wife to become “one flesh” speaks to
the importance of equal and complete sharing of the family resources. Building into the
family budget different spending categories pertaining to husband and wife is a far better
way to accommodate these differences than keeping “his and her” money.

3) Question:
I really want to save, but a friend of mine said it would be better to put all my extra money
toward paying off my debt before I begin saving. Is that a good idea?
The road to financial freedom involves a commitment to do both saving and debt reduction
at the same time. Saving is the only way to avoid future debt since any unexpected expense
that hits a person without savings will quickly become more debt.
Establishing an emergency saving fund is absolutely critical for everyone. Even when you
have debt, this must be a high priority. Set a goal to put aside 3 to 5 months of “barebones”
living expenses. This will provide a cushion to absorb financial surprises such as a future
job loss. Continue to be aggressive about paying down the debt at the same time.
The foundation for accomplishing this is establishing good financial control by living on a
working budget. By building into your budget money for both paying off debt and
accumulating savings, you will be making significant progress toward financial freedom. If
you do not save while you are paying down your debt … and you have an unexpected
emergency … you will be right back in more debt and that will kill your momentum. You
must reduce debt and save at the same time.

4) Question:
I will be receiving an $8,000 inheritance in June of this year and I have $6,000 of debt on my
credit cards that I just can't seem to payoff. Should I use the money from the inheritance to
pay off my debt or just save it?

39
As long as you don’t need any of your inheritance for emergency funds, I would suggest
using it to pay off your credit card to avoid the excessive interest. However, that is only a
good idea if you make a commitment not to get back into debt on your credit card in the
future. If you used your inheritance to pay off the credit card and then go right back into
credit card debt ... then you would feel as if your inheritance was totally wasted!

5) Question:
Is bankruptcy always wrong for a Christ follower, or are there circumstances when it might be
justified?
As you can imagine, this is a question that Christ followers have wrestled with for a long
time and not everyone is in agreement.
From a biblical perspective, it is important that we understand that the Bible teaches that
we have an obligation to fulfill our promises to pay our debts, and that when we make a vow
we need to do everything in our power to meet those obligations. Proverbs 3:27 states, “Do
not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.” Declaring
bankruptcy to protect personal property when assets are available and using it as a means
of simply walking away from promises to pay is not dealing honestly with creditors.
On the other hand, there is biblical evidence that God does not want his people to live in a
never-ending state of bondage due to an economic situation that is beyond their control
and for which they have no reasonable means of paying back.
As a result, I think we need to take a realistic, cautious and prayerful approach to
bankruptcy. It would seem that under certain conditions, bankruptcy may be a viable
option to consider when the person with the debt has the right attitude toward their
situation. This attitude can be assessed by asking the following questions:
1) Is the person in debt committed to paying off the creditors in the future if the funds
become available, even it if takes a long time?
2) Is the person willing to make significant cutbacks in lifestyle to cooperate with the
creditors and to free up as much money as possible to pay them?
3) Is the person willing to contact every creditor and let them know the reason for the
bankruptcy and their strong desire to do what they can to pay off at least a portion of
the outstanding debt?
4) Is the person willing to commit to a financially responsible lifestyle that would keep
them from getting into a similar situation again?
When the answer to these questions is “yes,” then bankruptcy may be an option for the
believer. Before arriving at that decision, it is always wise to seek counsel from those you
trust to give you Godly advice about your specific situation will agree to pray with you
regarding your decision.

6) Question:
I am going to be purchasing a new car this year. When it comes to financing it, would I get
any advantages by using my home equity line and paying it down compared to financing it
with the dealership?
I would strongly encourage you to consider a quality used car rather than getting a loan for
a new one … especially if you could pay cash for it. A brand new car is one of the single
40
biggest drains on a budget because the value depreciates so quickly ... it can represent a lot
of money "down the drain" compared to a reliable, high quality, used car. A good rule of
thumb would be to never purchase a new car unless you can pay cash for it.
Personally, I would never put my house at risk with a home equity loan to buy a car. A home
equity loan may be cheaper, but you need to understand the potential risk of having a larger
loan against your house. A lot of people found out the hard way they were unable to make
the payments ... and ended up losing their homes. A new set of wheels is not a good enough
reason to put your house at greater risk.

7) Question:
My fiancé and I differ on tithing. I tithe 10% of my income and see it as a matter of faith. I
give with joy knowing that God will take care of my needs ... and He always has. My fiancé
thinks that you should only give after your debts and bills have been paid and he decreases his
tithe if an unexpected bill comes up. What do you think and how should we proceed?
Before I answer your question, let’s talk about why I believe in tithing in the first place.
The tithe (10%) has been practiced throughout biblical history as an important expression
of our willingness to release and give back a portion of our resources to God under His
leadership. The first mention of the tithe in Genesis 14:18-20, shows Abraham giving a tithe
as a tangible recognition of being under a spiritual authority greater than himself. But
beyond that ... when Jesus taught about giving it was not merely the “act of giving” but the
deeper concept of "being" givers and living a generous life. We see giving in the New
Testament being done between 10% and 100%. (Remember the widow who gave all she had
in Luke 21?) Other examples of giving far beyond 10% are shown throughout the New
Testament, particularly in Acts 4 and II Corinthians 8. When you become a "generous
person" by nature, you desire to give to God to please Him and further His work. For Christ
followers who really grab hold of that concept, the 10% becomes the starting point, not the
ceiling and it producing joy in the giver. Based on the whole of Scripture, it is a great place
to start, but an insufficient place to end. The Pharisees were very good at the “doing” part,
but Jesus was not happy with the condition of their hearts.
With regard to giving a tithe before or after some of the bills are covered. Proverbs 3:9-10
says, “Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your
barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim with new wine.” First fruits
represents both the first of your crops and the best of your crops. The idea being that you
give the first and best to that which is most important in your life. It is a tangible
representation of the highest priority in your life. When we give from our very first dollar
earned, it shows God is first in our lives. When I give after paying other bills and
obligations ... there is something else that has become a higher priority than God in my
life. If taxes are paid first, then the government has the real first fruits. If retirement or
medical insurance or social security tax or credit card bills or whatever are paid before my
tithe to God ... then God has become the third or fourth priority. The Bible is clear that God
blesses our “first fruits” giving and desires to be first in our lives.
In the short-term, I would ask your future husband to consider the biblical references and
ask him if he would at least be willing to try true “faith tithing” for 6 months and see if God
changes his mind over that time.
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 8) Question:
What does the Bible say about gambling? Is it always wrong for a Christian?
The Bible has a number of things to say about the topic of gambling.
Perhaps the most destructive thing about gambling is the way if feeds a "Get rich quick"
mentality which the Bible condemns as harmful to our relationship with God. Here are
some helpful verses to consider:

• God presents work as the normal way to get the money we need … not gambling (Eph
4:28; II Thess 3:12; Prov 31).
• All my income belongs to God, not me (Psalms 24:1), and I am not free to use it as I
wish. I am a steward, who should use it for God's purposes. Christians are called on
to meet the needs of their family (I Tim. 5:8), and share with others, particularly
Christians who have needs (2 Cor. 8-9; Gal 6:6-10; 3 John). We should ask: “Does
God want me to use His money to gamble?”
• Greed and covetousness are sin (I Tim. 6:9; Heb. 13:5), and these are motives driving
most gambling.
• Proverbs warns of disaster for people who want to get rich quickly (Prov. 28:20, 22).
• Wealth that comes easily leaves quickly (Prov. 13:11).
• Wealth gained the wrong way breaks up families (Prov. 15:27).
• Gambling can be addictive, and even if you don't fall prey to it as a compulsive habit,
your example may cause others to be enslaved by it (I Cor. 8:9, 13).

9) Question:
My wife is not a believer, and we are far from an affluent family. I am the sole income and I
try to keep spending to a minimum. I believe Malachi 3:10, and I am trying to get to a point
where I am giving a full tithe. I give weekly, but always in cash, as I fear the consequences of
my wife discovering I give so much to the church. I do not want to keep things from her, but at
the same time, I want to give back to God for all the blessings in my life. Any suggestions?
When we marry we become in God's eyes "one flesh." I believe God wants us to do
everything we can to develop a "one mind" approach as a married couple and to be open and
honest in jointly managing our resources. You may find that as you pray and engage in
honest discussion with your wife about your desire to tithe, perhaps over time she will
support your commitment to give. I do not believe God is honored when we “hide” our
financial dealings from our spouses … even if we think it is for a good reason … like giving.
In addition, giving cash may be costing you a legitimate tax deduction which would allow
you to increase your giving for the same impact on your total expenses. Many couples have

42
found that living on a good working budget has facilitated positive communication about
money and giving. If you do not have a good budget, engage together in Enrich financial
seminars and workshops to help you get started.

10) Question:
I have always heard that we should tithe our 10% to the Lord’s work, but where in the Bible
does it tell us where our tithe should go?
This is a great question that a lot of people are asking. In Malachi 3 we are instructed to
bring our tithes into the storehouse. Because this is a very specific instruction, we need to
find out more about what the storehouse was. In biblical times there were four main
functions of a storehouse:
1) To care for the needs of the Levites
2) To care for the needs of the prophets
3) To care for the needs of the Jewish widows and orphans
4) To care for the needs of the Gentile widows and orphans
If you were to translate that into a modern context, you would see that the Levites were the
rough equivalent of church pastors and staff ... the prophets would be missionaries ... then
the next two would address the needs of those inside the God’s family and those outside the
circle of believers. That pretty much lines up with a key part of the mission of the New
Testament church and to the degree that the local church is acting as a "modern day
storehouse" then I am comfortable with the position that the tithe should be brought to the
local church.
In fairness, however, the New Testament is silent on exactly where the tithe should go. My
personal feeling is that God is requiring us to seek diligently to find out where God wants us
to “invest” in His Kingdom with our tithes and offerings. However, the church is the main
avenue God uses to impact the world and therefore is the primary place to exercise our
biblical generosity.

11) Question:
We just inherited some money and I want to know the biblical perspective on tithing. Should
we tithe on the interest that will be earned as it is invested or the total amount of the
inheritance or both?
In Deuteronomy, we are told the tithe is based on the “increase” in the goods and crops that
represented God’s blessing during a given period. In biblical times, if you “inherited” some
camels then that would represent an increase in your wealth and would be the basis for a
tithe. When the camels had offspring, that would also represent an “increase” and they
would also be tithed. Following that example, both the inheritance and the interest
represent an increase in wealth and would be the biblical basis for your tithe.

43
12) Question:
In a meeting with our retirement counselor last night he asked a question I could not answer.
“What is the church’s position on using a portion of the tithe to purchase a policy that will
have the church as beneficiary?”
In my view, this is a bad idea ...
The biblical examples of giving involve "bringing your gift to God on a regular basis to God's
house."
The advice you got may sound good from a "logical human perspective" but is not a biblical
perspective. Current ministry needs are ongoing and more can be accomplished to further
God’s work with the tithe being put immediately to use.

13) Question:
I have heard a lot about tithing 10% … but is that on my net or my gross?
I firmly believe the Bible teaches 10% of giving is on Gross, rather than net ... because that is
how I interpret the biblical passages on tithing.
The verses in Proverbs 3 use the words "first fruits." First fruits represents, from an
agricultural standpoint, both the FIRST of your crops and the BEST of your crops. The idea
being that you give the first and best to that which is most important in your life and is a
tangible representation of the highest PRIORITY in your life. It is because of this that the
gross versus net issue has always been a fairly black and white one to me. When I give from
my very first dollar earned, it shows God is first in my life. When I give of my “net” ...
there is something else in my life that has become a higher priority than God. If I pay my
taxes first, then the government has my real first fruits. If I pay my retirement or medical
insurance or social security tax or whatever BEFORE I tithe to God ... I feel like I have made
God the third or fourth priority in my life as expressed through the choices I make with the
money He has allowed me to earn.
Proverbs 3:9-10
Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns
will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.

14) Question:
What is so bad about credit cards if they provide a convenient way to cover unexpected
expenses when we are short of money? Isn’t that flexibility a good thing?

It is my observation that not enough people see the underlying danger of credit cards. Here
are some reasons why I believe credit cards can be harmful to your health …
1) The interest on credit cards can pile up faster than people can afford to pay it back,
often creating a hole nearly impossible to dig out of.
2) Rather than finding a solution to income shortfalls by adjusting down the lifestyle
immediately … credit cards are frequently used to avoid working on a solution until
it is too late.
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 3) Credit cards can actually take the place of trusting God to provide when we are in
need. God wants us to really seek Him in our time of trouble … not turn to our
plastic. Hebrews 11:6 says …
“So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to
him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.”
4) Excessive interest and debt repayments are often cited as the main reasons why
God’s people say they are not able to be generous.
5) Studies show that a family living off of credit cards AND paying them off every
month … will, on average, pay 26% more than if they were living on cash. We waste
more money when we use plastic!

15) Question:
I own a rental home which, if sold, would totally pay off all of my debt including the home we
live in. I had anticipated keeping this for 10 more years and allowing it to appreciate in value,
but my wife is interested in becoming debt-free now as opposed to realizing a larger profit in
the future. What would you suggest?
Because you don't know what the future may bring ... there is no way to know how much
your rental property may be worth in the future … and therefore no easy answer financially
to your question.
I do believe, though, it is very important that both you and your wife feel comfortable about
your financial situation. I believe this is more important than the profit opportunity. The
chance to pay off your debt and start with a clean sheet of paper as well as give your wife a
greater sense of “peace” … is a very powerful combination. I would make it a matter of joint
prayer as you seek God's direction. He does care about your finances and an opportunity to
be debt free would be hard to beat!

16) Question:
How do I know if I have too much money and am in danger of it getting in the way of my walk
with God?
Often, the more money we have the less aware we are of the danger too much money can
represent from a spiritual perspective. A very interesting passage is found in Proverbs
30:8b-9 and goes like this: “… give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to
satisfy my needs. For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, "Who is the LORD?" And if I
am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God's holy name.” Any time we allow our riches to
put distance between us and God, we are in a dangerous spiritual spot just as much as if we
have too little and are in danger of stealing. We should bring this concern before God
continually to keep wealth from being a barrier in our relationship to Him. Another test of
our relationship to wealth is whether it is getting easier or harder for us to be increasingly
generous. If it is getting harder … that is a danger sign we should take seriously.

17) Question:
My brother is suggesting we try and pay off the mortgage on our house by cashing in some
stocks and withdrawing money from my retirement fund. Is this a good idea?

45
Cashing in stocks you may have to pay off your home would be a personal decision that you
and your spouse would need to make based on your individual situation. As long as you can
afford the monthly payment, there is no compelling reason to pay off your house or not pay
it off.
I would not support withdrawing money from your retirement fund to pay off your house
as the interest and penalties you would pay would make it a financially expensive
transaction.

18) Question:
We have given up trying to make a budget because we live on commissions. What suggestions
would you have? My husband and I have lived like this for 28 years ... HELP!
The best way to handle this is to sit down every January and arrive at your best estimate of
how much you will both make in the next 12 months from your commissions. Be realistic
but conservative. Then take that total amount and divide by 12 to get a monthly amount
and then budget and spend as if you received that amount every month. The months with
more than that will offset the months with less and by the end of the year you should be
pretty close to coming out even. Everyone needs to be on a budget to ensure they are
getting the most mileage from their income, but especially when there is uncertainty about
the amount and the timing of income.

19) Question:
I have a number of credit cards with high balances and high interest rates. Would it be a good
idea to get my debt consolidated into one payment with a lower interest rate?
Under some conditions, debt consolidation can be helpful, but, there is need for great
caution. A couple of very important questions must be asked. First, “Has the problem
which created the debt been solved so that no more debt is being accumulated?” Secondly,
“Is the person with the debt now living on a working budget that has brought the household
finances under control?” If the answer to those questions is “yes,” then debt consolidation
can be a helpful tool in reducing the interest rate as the outstanding debt is being paid off.
The greatest danger arises from the fact that if the issues which drove the credit card debt
are not solved, new credit card charges are quickly incurred and now both the credit cards
and the consolidation loan must be paid off. The debt consolidation just made the situation
worse.
The key continues to be learning to live on a working budget and committing to a debt
reduction plan that will permanently reduce outstanding debt. A practical way to work on
your budget and begin reducing your debt is to attend an upcoming Enrich class or seminar.

20) Question:
What do you think about the use of Money management software like MS Money or Quicken
vs. the Enrich manual forms?
Based on many years of financial counseling experience, there is a significantly higher
success rate when a “manual” daily tracking system is used, to begin with, versus an
electronic system. Posting expenses to a manual spreadsheet on a daily basis is much more
46
effective in creating the life-long habits necessary for success. At the least, a person should
have successfully completed at least one complete annual budget cycle with a manual
system before considering using an electronic system like Quicken or MS Money. It is not
that these are not well designed systems, but it is our observation that they just do not
foster the same foundational habits necessary for long-term success. And success is the
goal … not efficiency and speed!

21) Question:
I have outstanding credit card debt and my son is getting ready to go to college, should I
withdraw money from my 401K to pay down my debt and help pay for his education expenses?
Generally, we do not support “robbing” from your 401K since that money will be needed for
future retirement. I would encourage you to live on a budget that would free up enough
money to pay down your debt without pulling money out of your 401K and incurring the
10% penalty.
With regard to paying for your son’s college expenses, in this case, it may be better to use a
portion of your 401K than to take on new debt since 401K withdrawals used specifically for
higher education can be made without incurring the penalty. (You will still have to pay the
taxes.) Then try to make up for the amount withdrawn by contributing additional amounts
to your 401K to “pay back” the withdrawal as soon as possible. I would also caution against
encouraging your son to personally take on significant debt for college, since more and
more college graduates are finding their career choices increasing limited due to the
pressures to pay off college loans.
More and more families are finding lower cost ways to pay for college and avoid debt.
Examples include, attending a community college for two years then transferring to a four
year school, and spreading four years of college over five or six years to allow periods of
work in between to earn money for tuition. Some have taken a year off after high school to
live at home and work full time to save the money for college … thus avoiding significant
amounts of debt.

22) Question:
Where can I invest my extra money to earn a high rate of return with no risk of losing it?
Our ministry does not suggest individual investments. We can help explain the types of
investments through our classes and seminars, but you will need to make the investment
choices based on advice from an investment advisor or your own personal study.
We can, however, tell you that your ability to gain a high rate of return will always carry
with it high risk. To avoid the risk of loss you would have to settle for a lower rate of return
on your investments.

23) Question:
I have $13,000 saved in a CD that will be available in June of this year and I have $11,000
debt on my credit card that I just can't seem to ever payoff. Should I use the money in my CD
to pay off my debt?
As long as you are not draining all of your emergency funds, I like the idea of using your CD
to pay off your credit card to avoid the excessive interest. However, that is only a good idea
47
if you make a commitment not to get back into debt on your credit card in the future. If you
used your CD to pay off the credit card and then went back into credit card debt ... then you
would be worse off then you were before!

24) Question:
We just moved to the area from California. We sold our house there and are in the process of
purchasing a home here. We have enough equity out of the sale to actually buy a home for
cash. Is that smart or is it better to take out a mortgage and take advantage of the tax
deductions the interest on a loan would provide?
In your situation, I would set aside roughly 6 months of living expenses in an emergency
fund and use the rest of the money to buy your house. If you can buy the house with no
mortgage, then I would put the money you would normally pay toward a mortgage into
savings. You will be better off doing that than getting a mortgage. If you put money into a
401(k) and/or an IRA you would be gaining the tax benefits and your money would grow
quickly while not having a house payment.

25) Question:
We have $12,000 on a credit card and we are really trying to pay off our debt. I suggested
transferring the amount onto a new credit card that offers no fees to transfer and then we
would pay no finance charge for one year. I like the idea but my wife is not so sure. What is
your opinion?
It is my experience that credit card companies are always trying to "stick it to people"
whenever they can. They offer these "zero percent interest" cards as a way to entice you to
transfer money to their card so that you will buy things and they can charge you high
interest after the "free" period is over. Some people have worked this angle to save a few
bucks by paying off the new balance during the “zero percent” period. However ... some
have gotten really burned! If you read the fine print, it will tell you that the zero percent
rate is in effect only as long as your payment does not arrive in their office any later than
the due date each and every month. If you miss the date with your payment ... even just one
day, they will go back to the original date and hit you with all the interest you would have
been paying at their "normal" rates. This can be a huge interest bill which will only make
your debt situation worse. Unfortunately, that has happened in far too many cases.
As a result, if there is any risk of a late payment, you are better off calling the credit card
company and telling them you want them to lower your interest rate and pay the debt off as
quickly as possible.

26) Question:
My husband recently lost his job and starting March 1st we will no longer have any health
insurance. We are considering a high deductible plan but even that is over $500 a month and
really would only kick in if we experienced a catastrophic illness. We are young and healthy
and don't anticipate any such event. Wouldn't we be better off saving that $500 a month and
hoping and praying that we won't have a catastrophic illness?
It is very hard to deal with a job loss … especially when you lose the health insurance
benefits.

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I see your logic about the expense for medical coverage ... but I think it is dangerous. I
would definitely go with the catastrophic insurance since you never know when the
unexpected may happen brought on by things beyond your control. If either of you were to
get into an accident without insurance and require many thousands of dollars of hospital
and other medical costs ... your whole financial life would be impacted for a significantly
long time.
I would say this is a risk that is too great to take ... even for $500 a month.

27) Question:
Is it OK to "rob" from my IRA or 401K to pay off credit card debt?
This should be an action of last resort. First, cut back on lifestyle expenses and create a
debt reduction plan using money freed up from the budget before you consider robbing
from an IRA or 401K. Withdrawals from retirement accounts are assessed a 10% penalty.
If, however, you have a significant amount saved in a retirement account and you have a
very strong desire to be totally debt free immediately, the personal benefits of being debt
free may outweigh the penalty of withdrawing from their retirement account. If this action
is taken, it should be as a result of having fixed the problem that originally generated the
debt, so you know you will not go back into debt. It would be very damaging to pay off debt
with retirement funds only to go right back into debt again.
Once the debt is paid off, you can double up on future contributions to your retirement
account with the money freed up by not paying interest.

28) Question:
If I have already filed bankruptcy, what is my obligation to my former creditors?
Legally, the government says you no longer have an obligation. Although often
controversial, from a biblical perspective, the vow to pay that was made on the original debt
is still in place unless the person to whom we owe the money has willingly agreed to cancel
the obligation. That requires that you make an attempt to satisfy the debt morally, even if
legally you are free. Sometimes “taking up our cross” involves a price to pay to live out
biblical truths. God will honor the desire to meet your vows. Working with the person that
did not get paid to satisfy the outstanding obligation is a way that shows your desire to
please God.

29) Question:
I am 23 years old and I recently made a decision to go back to Graduate school to become a
teacher. Other than my car payment, I do not have any other debt. I like not owing much but
I feel completely clueless how to pay off the $19,000 of debt I will be accumulating in the
next 21 months. Do you have any suggestions? … I have less than two weeks before I sign my
life away.
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I wish there was an easy answer to your situation ... but any time you spend money you
don't have it will be painful.
You probably won't like my answer ... but this is what I would tell a family member if they
came to me with this question.
I would like to suggest considering other options besides going into $19,000 of debt in the
next 21 months. On a teacher's salary that is going to be extremely difficult for you to pay
back. Consider working part time and going to school part time. Commit to live as cheaply
as possible ... scrimp and save and go to graduate school as time permits while you are still
working. By doing that and living wisely on a budget, you could avoid that significant
debt. Sure, it will take you longer ... but what difference does it really make it if takes you
four years versus two. I would much rather be a 27 year old teacher will little or no debt
than a 25 year old teacher with $19,000 of debt.

30) Question:
What is your opinion of debt consolidation agencies and debt elimination businesses?
Under certain circumstances, debt consolidators may be a viable option for helping to get
out of debt with the least amount of cost. Expect that they will be able to lower your overall
interest rate, but may require you pay more per month than you are paying now in
exchange for that lower rate. We would recommend a Christian non-profit agency on a no-
fee or small fee basis. Avoid any agency that requires a large payment of money to engage
their services and never engage a debt elimination business … since they advocate that you
stop making all your debt payments in an attempt to force creditors to believe you may
never pay them.

31) Question:
I am 30 and currently contributing to my company's 401K plan on a pre-tax basis. I read an
article the other day that stated contributing pre-tax money to 401K plans is no longer
advisable because when you are ready to retire the percentage of taxes will more than likely be
higher than it is now. If that is the case, should I change my position and only do after-tax
contributions to my retirement fund?
No one knows what tax rates will be when you retire. I still think you are doing the right
thing since you are younger because putting money into your 401(k) on a pre-tax basis
allows you to contribute more money (because no taxes are taken out) which means you
have a larger base growing for a longer period of time. In the end, this will yield more
money at retirement than paying the taxes now. I would not change your retirement
approach at this point. An older investor might want to consider a Roth IRA in which you
contribute after-tax dollars but pay no taxes on the interest and no tax is assessed when you
withdraw the money at retirement.

32) Question:
I have tons of credit cards and credit card debt. Is it better to try and pay one card off at a time,
or to pay a little more than the minimum balance on all of them?
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Although this might not sound financially logical, what we have found to be the most
successful way to pay off many credit cards is the following approach:
1) Establish a good working budget that can allow you to avoid new debt.
2) Build your budget to free up some additional money over and above the minimum
payments … for example, an additional $100 per month.
3) List all your outstanding debts from smallest to largest and the minimum payments
for each.
4) Pay the minimums for all but the smallest and add the extra $100 to the smallest
debt until that is paid off.
5) Apply the total amount you were paying to the debt you just paid off to the next
smallest debt until that is paid off.
6) Keep up the process by moving to the next highest debt until you are debt free.
Even though it seems more logical to pay off the loans with the highest interest rate first,
we found the satisfaction and excitement of celebrating victories in paying off debts was a
powerful motivator for many people to stick with it and successfully eliminate their debt.

33) Question:
When I hear someone ask, “Can I afford to buy this?” … the question seems so subjective.
But I need something more concrete. Could you give me a good layman’s definition for the
term "afford"?
"Can I afford this?" seems pretty subjective, but it doesn't have to be. One of the benefits of
having a working budget is that it captures in one document the plans you have laid down
for the coming year. Here you get specific about plans for income, giving, saving, debt
reduction and spending. The objective is to make financial decisions throughout the year
consistent with the budget so that by the end of the year you have met your annual financial
goals. Once you have the budget in place, the phrase "Can I afford it?" simply means, "Is it
in my budget?"

34) Question:
I retired after 31 years at the age of 53. I received a lump sum pension. Should I take money
out of my IRA and pay off my two daughter’s college loans? My financial planner would
prefer if I did not use my IRA to pay off these loans, what is your opinion?
I agree with your planner because the 10% penalty is very significant. The better way would
be for the IRA to keep earning interest for the future and to develop a good debt reduction
plan to pay off the loans as soon as possible with current income. The best way to do that is
to make sure you have a good working budget that frees up as much as you can to pay down
the debt as soon as possible. Attend a financial seminar or workshop to create or improve
your budget.

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 Counseling Situations
How do you respond?

1) “I have just given up … I will continue to spend and then just declare bankruptcy.

2) “I am struggling so badly … I can’t give any money away until I have more income
in the future. I know God understands because my bills are overwhelming!”

3) I just did not get around to tracking my expenses like you told me to last time. I
have been so busy looking for a job and with 3 active kids I just did not have the
time. I also did not finish reading the two chapters you assigned me to read. But,
would you explain to me one more time how to create a budget again? I seem to
have lost the sheet you gave me.

4) I have lost my job. I am a single mom. I have no money and so I am putting all
my living expenses on the credit card since I have no choice. I have cut
everywhere and I am still short. What can I do?

5) Will you meet with me weekly and hold me accountable for doing what I know I
should do but just can’t without you reminding me every week.

6) You don’t know how hard it is. I lost my $85,000 a year job 18 months ago and I
can’t find anything that pays me that much money. As a result, we have been
living on credit cards while I am looking for work. My unemployment benefits
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 are running out and we have been asking friends and relatives to help financially
until I can find another computer programming job.

7) I am unemployed and we are sinking financially … but it is not my daughter’s

fault and we don’t want her to suffer for my unemployment … so we are charging
her ballet lessons on our credit cards. We feel God would have us be good
parents through our financial crisis.

8) I have been unemployed for a year and I keep asking my church for help and they
have not been there for me. They have all this money for fancy this and fancy
that but nothing for me when I need it most. Jesus said the church had a
responsibility to care for the poor!

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