Randy Alcorn

It’s one thing to trust God to provide for our present needs ([Matthew 6:33](https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Matt%206.33)). It’s another to presume upon Him by dictating (via a decision to incur debt) the terms of His future provision. By choosing to go into debt, we twist God’s arm to provide not only for our needs, but also our wants.

Do we believe God knows best what our needs are? Debt spends money we don’t have. So isn’t our decision to go into debt proof that we believe we need more than God has given us? If we don’t have the resources to buy something, and if we feel such need for it that we’re borrowing to get it, aren’t we saying God has failed to meet our needs?

If God knows best, and if He knows what we need, then why hasn’t He provided sufficient funds? Is He encouraging us to pray for provision rather than take things into our own hands by borrowing? In this age where we seem unwilling to wait for anything, does God want us to learn what it means to “wait on the Lord” ([Psalm 27:14](https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Ps%2027.14); [Isaiah 30:18](https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Isa%2030.18))?

Before we go into debt, we should ask ourselves the following questions:

1. __Is debt our way of getting around depending on God?__ (Why trust God to provide when we can get a loan?)
2. __Is debt our means of short-circuiting the God-created means of acquisition__—including work, saving, planning, self-discipline, patience, and waiting for divine provision?
3. __What message are we sending to God when we go into debt__ rather than live on what He has provided? What are we really saying when we take out a loan? How does it reflect on our view of God? What are we saying about His sovereignty, goodness, wisdom, or timing?
4. __What effect will going into debt today__ have on our ability or willingness to tithe and give voluntary offerings tomorrow?
5. __What effect will today’s decision to go into debt__ have on tomorrow’s freedom to follow God wherever He wants us to go?
6. __By taking out a loan that commits us to make payments over a number of years__, are we presuming upon God? (Certainly, if we will require more income to make the payments, we’re presuming on God. We may “know” that we’ll receive a promotion and pay raise in September, but God hasn’t guaranteed it. Plans change, companies go out of business, and employees fail to get “certain” promotions.)
7. __Although our income today might be enough to make debt payments__ over the next twenty years, is it right to assume that we’ll continue to generate the same level of income? (Many people’s income increases over the years, but many others’ decreases. Many incur increased financial commitments beyond their control, such as health-related expenses or caring for an elderly relative. People get laid off. Has God promised that can’t happen to us?)
8. __Are we mortgaging the future to pay for the whims of the present?__ Are we mortgaging God by supposing to commit Him to pay off something He may disapprove of?
9. __Is debt our way of circumventing prayer__, patience, and waiting on God to provide?
10. __If we “must” go into debt to provide for our “needs,”__ is it because our “needs” are really wants in disguise? Have we spent so much money on our wants that there’s not enough left for our needs? Have we robbed God and forfeited His financial blessing by failing to give Him the firstfruits?
11. __Have we really exhausted all other avenues to avoid going into debt?__ Have we given up expensive activities, hobbies, and memberships, and liquidated valuable possessions? (Often, we think we have no choice but to go into debt, when in fact we’re making many unnecessary choices that drive us toward it.)

One of the strongest arguments for not going into debt is that we’re not God. We’re not sovereign, omniscient, or omnipotent. [James 4:14](https://biblia.com/bible/esv/James%204.14) warns that we cannot know what will happen tomorrow. And if we don’t know and cannot control all that the future holds, how can we be sure that we can pay off new debts? We can be certain that God will provide for our basic material needs if we seek first His kingdom ([Matthew 6:25-34](https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Matt%206.25-34)), but where does the Bible promise that God will provide for all the debts we incur though our own greed, impatience, or presumption?

If we are seeking first His kingdom, will we put ourselves in bondage to debt?

Eternal Perspective Ministries, founded and directed by author Randy Alcorn, is focused on investing in what lasts for eternity, and helping others to do the same.

Eternal Perspective Ministries

Articles

Before we go into debt, we should ask ourselves the following questions...

11 Questions to Ask Ourselves About Debt

## You may be familiar with the story. In John 6:1-15, we find Jesus and his disciples watching a crowd that had been following Jesus come toward them. Jesus asks his disciple, Philip, where he thought they could buy bread for the crowd, for the crowd had not eaten in a while. Philip stated the impossibility of them providing everyone bread.

But the disciples found a boy with five loaves of bread and two fish, his meal. The boy gives up his food to the disciples and Jesus. Jesus then takes the meal, blesses it, and begins to break it into pieces.

The breaking did not cease. It kept multiplying until everyone in the crowd was full. And even then, there were twelve baskets full of leftovers.

Can you relate to the boy with five loaves and two fish? You feel that your resources are so little and wonder what God could ever do with them. Don’t get discouraged. Keep your hands open. Here are five lessons we learn from the boy in John 6.

### 1. God is in control.

In verse 6, we read these words, *“But he was saying this only to test him, for He Himself knew what he intended to do”* (NLT). Jesus had asked Philip the question about buying bread, not because he wanted a solution, but because he wanted faith. None of what was transpiring caught Jesus off guard. He wasn’t concerned. He was in control. The boy with five loaves and two fish saw this firsthand.

God doesn’t need the money we possess to accomplish His mission. He isn’t in heaven, anxiously wringing his hands, wondering if we will step up financially so His mission can proceed. And if we don’t leverage our resources for His purposes, God will not throw up His arms in exasperation and walk away from the mission dejected. No, God doesn’t need us for His already victorious mission, but He does invite us to participate, to join Him in victory. He is in control. The boy learned this on that day.

### 2. God is about multiplication.

As the boy handed his meal to the disciples and Jesus, he likely wondered what difference such a small amount of food could make among the large crowd. It would not be surprising if the boy assumed he and his meal would be turned away, asked to return to his friend or family. His meal was small, and the need was so great.

But then, Jesus took hold of the food and began to break it into pieces. The small meal turned into a feast that was more than enough to fill the stomachs of the crowd. He takes that which is insufficient and uses it to accomplish His purpose. He took an elderly, childless couple and made a people more numerous than the stars. He used a small group of people in a house to start His global church. Our God can take whatever is given in faith and multiply its impact in unfathomable ways for His mission. God is about multiplication. The boy learned this on that day.

### 3. Multiplication often requires trust.

At some point, the boy had to release the food he possessed. At some point, he had to settle in his heart and mind that the food was not his to hold. At some point, he had to determine that he was not the one who dictated how the food was to be used. Was the boy hungry in that moment? Possibly. Did the boy have doubts whether his food could be helpful? Probably. Did the boy wonder whether his needs would be met? It is likely. But he released the food, nonetheless.

Why would we release the possessions we hold? Trust. Giving and holding possessions loosely requires trust. Trust that God will use the resources for his purposes; trust that God will care for our needs. The boy with the meal saw the few fish and loaves he once held multiply in a miraculous way. In Jesus’s hands the small meal became great. But it took an act of trust to get the meal into Jesus’s hands. Multiplication often requires trust. The boy learned this on that day.

### 4. Multiplication often requires sacrifice.

The boy made a great sacrifice. Much like the widow who gave two coins in the temple treasury, the boy gave all that was in his possession. The act was likely a painful one, maybe not physically painful, but mentally and, possibly, emotionally. The boy went from comfortable, having sustenance, to uncomfortable, having no sustenance.

That is how sacrifice works. Sacrifice drives out comfort. Sacrifice is uncomfortable. But sacrificial giving is what we find celebrated in Scripture. God looked favorably on Abel’s offering because he sacrificed his best. God blessed Abraham because he was willing to sacrifice his son. Jesus pointed out the widow with two coins because she gave all she had. Biblical giving is sacrificial. And God uses the sacrifice to shape the giver’s heart and advance His Kingdom. Multiplication often requires sacrifice. The boy learned this on that day.

### 5. Multiplication is a result of God’s work, not our work.

The boy handed over his meal. This was certainly an act of trust and sacrifice. But the boy did not feed the five thousand. Nor did the disciples feed the five thousand. The boy and the disciples were simply participants. The people were fed by Jesus. Stomachs were full because an act of God took place. Apart from this act, the people would have remained hungry. His act allowed the boy to participate in God’s work.

The same is true for us. God wants us to trust him with our possessions and work to advance his Kingdom. But ultimately, it is not our possessions or work that will cause the multiplication. We give and work, knowing that it is God who is in control, and it is His work that causes multiplication. While we eagerly participate in His mission, He multiplies the bread and fish. Multiplication is a result of God’s work, not our work. The boy learned this on that day.

The boy with two fish and five loaves learned a lot that day. He learned God is in control, and that He is about multiplication. He learn that multiplication often starts with an act of trust and sacrifice. And he learned that while we certainly get to participate, it is ultimately God who brings about the multiplication.

So, if you feel you have little, look to the boy with two fish and five loaves. Remember what he learned that day. Trust God with your resources, and let him multiply those resources in ways you could have never imagined.

You were meant for more. Your money was meant for more. You and your money are meant for an exciting, adventurous, and satisfying purpose. You were designed to live and give generously. And deep inside you know this and want this.

Art Rainer

Generosity

If you feel you have little, financially-speaking, look to the boy with two fish and five loaves.

5 Lessons Learned by the Boy with Five Loaves and Two Fish

Matt Bell

As is true in so many areas of life, there are aspects of stock market investing that may not be fully understood, even among experienced investors. When something dramatic happens in the market, for example, news accounts continue to use video or photos of dejected (or perhaps exuberant) traders on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. But why do we even *have* floor traders in this day and age when most trading takes place electronically?

Perhaps we’ll get to that question in the future. In the meantime, *this* article is about the often-misunderstood relationship between a company, its stock, and its shareholders.

### __When you buy stock, who gets the money?__

If you decided to purchase shares of a company’s stock — let’s say Tesla — do you envision someone down the hall from Elon Musk receiving the money and depositing it in a bank? (Or, perhaps more realistically, using it to buy more Bitcoin?) If so, you’re not alone, but you’re also probably not correct.

What actually happens is much like what happens when you buy a car. If you were to buy a *new* Tesla, the money would indeed go to Tesla. But if you were to buy a *used* Tesla, the money wouldn’t go to the company that manufactured the car but to the owner who sold it to you.

To continue the analogy, buying stock during a company’s initial public offering (IPO) is much like buying a new car. The money goes to the company (or, technically, its investment bank). It’s much more common, however, to buy stock on the “secondary market” — like buying a used car.

By the time you purchase the stock, it’s the second or third (or maybe the 50th or 100th) time the shares have changed hands. Your money isn’t going to the company; it’s going to another investor who owned shares and decided to sell. Just as Tesla wouldn’t know if you bought one of its used cars, it won’t know that you bought some of its stock from another investor.

(Where the comparison between buying stock and buying a car breaks down is that a share of stock doesn’t automatically become less valuable the more times it’s re-sold the way most cars do!)

### __Your broker as middleman and record-keeper__

When you purchase stock, you may be notified about upcoming shareholder meetings. You may also be sent the paperwork necessary to vote at those meetings. What you *won’t* receive is a stock certificate with your name on it.

Today, most securities are bought and sold electronically through a broker and are held in “street name” — i.e., the name of the broker. Tesla may know how many shares of its stock Fidelity, Schwab, TD Ameritrade, and other brokers “own,” but it doesn’t know that *you* are the rightful owner of a portion of those shares. You *do* own the shares you purchased, of course, but it’s up to your broker to keep track of that.

It’s the broker’s job to provide you with the paperwork to which you’re entitled — including prospectuses for mutual funds and ETFs, tax forms, and shareholder voting materials. Further, your broker is resposible for making sure you receive any dividends owed to you.

This broker-based electronic system makes the buying and selling of stock efficient, inexpensive, and arguably safer than handling the paper stock certificates of yesteryear.

### __The option of Direct Registration__

If the broker-as-administrator setup gives you pause, you have another option. Perhaps you’re concerned about what might happen if your broker went under. How much time and hassle would it take to be made whole? Further, how could you be certain there are proper records of what you own?

People with such concerns can use the Direct Registration System (DRS). As the name implies, utilizing the DRS means an investor’s name is directly registered on the books of the company whose securities he or she owns.

The big disadvantage to using the DRS is that it can slow the process of making trades, which prevents an investor from using specific order types, such as “market,” “limit,” or “stop-loss” orders.

Generally, with all of the regulatory scrutiny brokers are under, with SIPC insurance protecting one’s securities (and cash) up to $500,000, and with mechanisms in place to transfer holdings to another broker in a worst-case scenario, SMI doesn’t think using the DRS is necessary for most investors. Those who may benefit from it are investors holding especially large positions in a particular stock and who plan to keep that stock for a long time.

### __After the IPO, why should a company care about its share price?__

Even though a company doesn’t receive investor money when its shares are purchased on the secondary market, there are important reasons why a company remains concerned about its stock price:

- The share price likely impacts the compensation and retention of the company’s senior executives. They may have received shares (or stock options) as an incentive to join the company. Plus, because a company’s stock price reflects investor perceptions of the company’s future, bonuses may be tied to its stock’s performance.

- Stock value may impact the retention of other employees who are able to purchase company shares at a favorable price. As the price goes up, so does their total compensation.

- A healthy share price can help prevent a corporate take-over. Robust stock prices act as a barrier to those who may wish to gain control of a company.

- A higher market cap (i.e., the number of outstanding shares times the share price) makes it easier for the company to obtain loans.

- Some companies use their stock to fund acquisitions, so the higher the share price, the more ammunition a company has for such purposes.

So now you know more about the relationship between a public company, its stock, and its shareholders. It’s a bit more complicated than you may have realized.

Since 1990, do-it-yourself Christian investors have relied on SMI for proven strategies and trustworthy guidance.

Sound Mind Investing

Investing

As is true in so many areas of life, there are aspects of stock market investing that may not be fully understood...

A Company, Its Stock, and Its Shareholders: a Primer

Giving patterns in churches are changing. The ways in which people give are changing. What does not need to change is the heart for sacrificial giving.

How can you equip your congregation to give sacrificially? Here are seven items to consider.

1. *Teach why sacrificial giving is necessary for God’s mission*. If what you are giving does not change your lifestyle, then it’s not sacrificial. Not all giving is sacrificial, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Leaving a great tip is generous, but the extra $20 doesn’t change how you live. God’s mission requires a body of believers to give in such a way that it changes them. Sacrificial giving must be taught in all areas of the church: Weekend worship gatherings, in small groups, in membership classes, and even in your children and student ministries.
2. *Celebrate the story of your church’s giving*. Few people remember financial figures. Most people remember stories. Few in your church could quote the weekly budget requirements from memory, but most will remember a powerful story of sacrificial giving. Let people know every week about a ministry in the church. Thank the church for supporting this ministry through the offering. Not only do you communicate the importance of sacrificial giving, but it’s also a time to promote ministries in the church.
3. *Establish multiple giving channels*. Your church should have multiple ways for people to give. Some prefer to give online. Others like the consistency and simplicity of automatic deductions. Given the prevalence of smartphones, many will want to give through a mobile app or texting. Other people prefer mailed envelopes because they have created a discipline of sacrificial giving through a regular Sunday morning routine. I doubt many pastors would say a Bible reading plan is only relevant at certain times or on certain days with a particular translation. The same goes for sacrificial giving.
4. *Create a personal connection with the mission*. You cannot expect a church to give without creating a compelling vision of why. And people will never know why they should give unless you connect them with the local and global efforts of your church. Without a personal connection to the outward movement of the gospel, it’s unlikely your church will see increases in sacrificial giving.
5. *Set meaningful goals*. “We need to increase giving 5% next year” is not a meaningful goal because there is no reason to give other than a desire for more money. Here is a better, more meaningful goal: “Our giving needs to increase by 5% because the church plans to send more on mission and invest more in local ministry.”
6. *Put a system of accountability in place*. Be transparent and intentional with your financial goals and systems. Let everyone know how this accountability takes place. And stick to it—no exceptions! You should also have consistent reporting mechanisms, such as regular financial statements given to the congregation. Never violate the confidentiality of individual giving, and set clear guidelines for who can see what in the giving records. A violation of trust in this area will hit the mission of your church like a wrecking ball.
7. *Produce financial statements everyone can understand*. A good system of accountability will be most beneficial to the church if the majority of people can understand your financial statements. Use plain language for budget line items. Create easy-to-read and clean statements. If you need an accounting degree to understand your financial statements, then redo them. People will not trust something they don’t understand, so help your church understand the way they finance God’s mission.

Kingdom work depends upon sacrificial giving rooted in a deep love for the gospel. Large or small, every church can be a resource giant for God’s kingdom. Rich or poor, every Christian can give sacrificially.

Church

Giving patterns in churches are changing. & the ways in which people give. Here's what does not need to change.

Seven Ways to Equip Your Church to Give Sacrificially

Americans are starting to break out the plastic again, and that means consumer debt is once again on the rise. Today on MoneyWise, Neile Simon with Credit Counselor with Christian Credit Counselors joins us to discuss how you can get help with getting out of credit card debt. 
Neile Simon is is a Certified Credit Counselor with Christian Credit Counselors. 
<ul><li>Simon shares the latest figures on U.S. personal debt. </li><li>SURGING PERSONAL DEBT</li><li>In one month alone debt levels jumped by over $40 billion to a total of nearly $4.5 trillion. That's an annual increase of 11.3%, far higher than was predicted and setting a new high.</li><li>There are two types of consumer debt: </li><li>Non-revolving debt, which includes things like car and student loans. That debt grew by about 8.5% to nearly $3.5 trillion in February alone!</li><li>But revolving debt shot up far higher. Credit cards and other types of revolving loans jumped by over 20% to more than $1 trillion in a single month! This is a fast-rising trend. The January increase was only about 4%</li><li>WHAT’S CAUSING THIS?</li><li>Analysts believe inflation, now at a 40-year high, is a major culprit. Prices for almost everything have shot up, putting a strain on budgets. Prices at the pump are especially painful right now. </li><li>WHAT’S THE SOLUTION?</li><li>Most people will have to tweak their budgets to adapt to the new reality of rising prices. </li><li>Some categories will need to be cut to account for higher costs in other categories. The important thing is to stay on a spending plan and find a way to spend less than you earn. </li><li>PLEASE do not think of credit cards as a solution to an income shortfall. That will only make the problem worse.</li><li>But what if you’re already buried under substantial credit card debt. What’s the solution? </li><li>IS DEBT SETTLEMENT THE ANSWER? </li><li>We’re getting more calls these days about debt settlement. But Simon says debt settlement (which is different from credit counseling) is not the solution either. </li><li>Debt settlement may lower your monthly payment, but it often leads to paying more interest overall. It also puts you at risk of continuing to use consumer debt to make ends meet, ultimately digging an even deeper hole. </li><li>CHRISTIAN CREDIT COUNSELING</li><li>Christian Credit Counselors doesn’t do debt settlement. </li><li>When people sign up with Christian Credit Counselors, they will work with their creditors to dramatically lower interest rates and arrive at one affordable monthly payment. CCC has existing arrangements with all major credit card issuers to lower your interest rates.</li><li>Clients ultimately pay less interest and are typically able to pay off card debt up to 80% faster than by doing it themselves.</li><li>For more information, visit their website at <a href="https://www.christiancreditcounselors.org/">ChristianCreditCounselors.org</a> or call 800-557-1985.</li></ul>On this program, Rob also answers listener questions: 
<ul><li>How much actual cash should you keep on hand?</li><li>Does it make sense to take money out of retirement investments to pay for moving costs when going into full-time ministry? </li><li>Can you move 401k funds into an I-bond?</li></ul>Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000 or email them to <a href="mailto:questions@moneywise.org">Questions@MoneyWise.org</a>. Also, visit our website at <a href="http://moneywise.org/">MoneyWise.org</a> where you can connect with a MoneyWise Coach, join the MoneyWise Community, and even download the free MoneyWise app.

Biblical Wisdom For Your Financial Journey

MoneyWise

MoneyWise is a daily radio ministry of MoneyWise Media. Hosted by Rob West and Steve Moore, the program offers a practical, biblical and good-natured approach to managing your time, talents and resources.

MoneyWise with Rob West

If you needed evidence that we’re getting past the pandemic, look at the latest consumer debt figures. ﻿Americans are breaking out the plastic again and consumer debt is once again on the rise. Rob talks how you can get help paying off credit card debt.

Consumer Debt Rising With Neile Simon

After two years of government restrictions due to COVID, tourism is expected to reach pre-pandemic levels this year. Rob West gives you some thing to think about as you plan your summer vacation.

The MoneyWise Minute is a great way to be reminded of God's financial principles with actionable items you can easily apply to your daily life.

MoneyWise Minute

After two years of government restrictions due to COVID, tourism is expected to reach pre-pandemic levels this year. Rob West gives you some thing to think about as you plan your summer vacation.

Vacation Tips for 2022

College can be a very expensive place to “find yourself.” When young people enter school without clarity about what to study, that can cause them to switch majors, and that can delay their graduation. In fact, fewer than 40% of college students complete a bachelor’s degree within four years. And with today’s sticker prices topping $25,000 per year at a four-year public school (the total for in-state tuition, room & board, and fees before scholarships or grants are subtracted) and nearly $51,000 at a private school, the cost of delay can add up quickly.

It behooves parents to do all they can to help their teens consider what type of career to pursue. Fortunately, there are resources that can help, including CliftonStrengths for Students and Career Direct.

## CliftonStrengths for Students

In the 1950s, psychologist Don Clifton helped pioneer a new approach within his field. Instead of studying the causes of mental illness, he and a handful of others focused on the causes of mental wellness. In particular, Clifton was interested in what made some people more successful than others. After many years spent developing various assessments, and at first applying his learnings toward helping companies recruit high-potential employees, his company merged with Gallup, the famous polling firm. Clifton, who died in 2003, is known as the father of strengths-based psychology.

“The idea of strengths-based development is that there are certain patterns of thought, feeling, and behavior you have that come really, really naturally to you,” according to Maika Leibbrandt, Gallup senior workplace strategist. “So, it’s not just describing your personality, or your likes, or your hobbies, or your skills, but what’s under that…. So, who you are, who you can’t help but be.”

Today, some 27 million people worldwide have completed the CliftonStrengths assessment, including a version designed for young people (ages 16 or older), [CliftonStrengths for Students](https://www.strengthsquest.com/home.aspx).

The assessment contains nearly 200 paired statements (“which one best describes you?”) and can be completed in about 30 minutes. The output identifies a young person’s top 10 out of 34 “themes of talent” — from Activator (an impatience for action) to Focus (you need a clear destination), and from Positivity (you’re generous with praise) to Strategic (you see patterns where others see complexity).

Leibbrandt explained that themes of talent are raw ingredients. When “productively applied,” they become strengths, and the report received after completing the assessment guides them in turning talents into strengths. With the CliftonStrengths for Students version of the assessment, parents receive guidance as well, so they can help their children take those next steps.

For families trying to help point their teen toward career options, and therefore, a course of study in college, the assessment can help. For example, Leibbrandt said hers told her to “consider a career that allows you to stay active, have short deadlines, and be involved with a lot of people like teaching or journalism.” It purposefully doesn’t get overly specific because, Leibbrandt pointed out, “chances are good that the jobs our kids will do one day don’t exist yet.” But understanding what gives a person energy and drive, what makes “you uniquely you,” can help not only suggest good career options but also what sort of college would be a good fit and how to get the most out of college.

The CliftonStrengths for Students assessment costs [$19.99 to $49.99](https://store.gallup.com/c/en-us/for-education/assessments), depending on the level of detail you want in the report. There’s also a StrengthsExplorer assessment available that’s designed for younger students.

## Career Direct

For many years, Crown Financial Ministries has helped older teens and young adults discover how their unique God-given mix of personality, skills, values, and interests could suggest certain career options. Crown’s [Career Direct ](https://careerdirect.org/)assessment was created 30 years ago because ministry co-founder Larry Burkett had encountered so many people who were unhappy in their jobs. Since then, more than 325,000 students and adults have completed the process.

The online assessment, designed for people as young as 16, contains 550 questions, covering four dimensions of a person’s design: their interests, personality, values, and skills. The section on interests is the largest, with 200 questions helping users gauge their interest in a wide variety of subjects, activities, and occupations. The personality section examines 16 aspects of personality, helping people thoroughly understand how they think, interact, and react to people and situations.

The report generated after completing the assessment helps clarify strengths and weaknesses, skills and abilities, interests and values — all helping to point toward potential areas of study in school and careers to consider.

The Career Direct assessment costs [$25 to $80](https://careerdirect.org/pricing), depending on the level of detail desired. There’s an option to meet with a consultant as well.

## Modern tools for a timeless quest

[Ephesians 2:10](https://biblia.com/bible/niv/Eph%202.10) says *“We are  God’s handiwork created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.”* Each and every person has been uniquely designed by God and has a purpose to pursue through their work.

Some people understand that from a very early age, but most would benefit from some help, and that’s where assessments like CliftonStrengths for Students and Career Direct come in.

Both can give young people much greater self-awareness, helping them find the intersection between their God-given talents and passions and career options where they can put those talents and passions to their most productive, satisfying, God-glorifying use.

Faith and Finance

College can be a very expensive place to “find yourself.”

Helping Your Kids Find Their Way

The biggest reason people continue to fall for pyramid schemes is probably greed, the desire to make a quick buck. Solomon certainly knew this when he wrote Proverbs 21:5, *“Steady plodding brings prosperity; hasty speculation brings poverty.”*


## In case you’re unfamiliar with how pyramid schemes work, they’re sometimes also called “Ponzi schemes,” named after Charles Ponzi who operated in the early 1920s.


He may not have invented the scheme named after him, but he certainly perfected it, at least until he was caught. Posing as an investing expert, Ponzi guaranteed clients a 50% profit within 45 days or 100% profit within 90 days.

The first people to buy in actually received those returns, but Ponzi was just paying those folks with the investments of later investors. As long as greedy people continued to buy in, the scheme went on. 

Still, that meant more and more investors had to be paid and when not enough new people were lured in, the whole thing collapsed, as all pyramid schemes do. By that time, the scam had gone on for over a year and cost investors $20 million. That would be 270 million in today’s dollars. Of course, all of this is highly illegal and Ponzi eventually served many years in prison.


## Investors may be a bit more savvy these days, perhaps not as easily taken in by a blatant pyramid scheme offering 50% profit in 45 days. 


But that doesn’t mean these schemes have gone away or that some people still aren’t taken in by them. The leopard has merely changed its spots.

It’s almost impossible to google “pyramid scheme” without getting numerous hits that also contain the phrase “multi-level marketing.” And for good reason, many so-called “MLMs” are actually pyramid schemes in disguise.

The Federal Trade Commission is charged with protecting the public from such scams. It defines an MLM as a company that sells products or services through person-to-person sales. Some are legitimate, some are not. 

The FTC says a pyramid scheme MLM can look a lot like the legitimate version and may even sell actual products, but warns that it could cost you and the people you’re pressed to recruit a good deal of time and money that you'll never get back.


## Pyramid scheme promoters will lure you with promises of how much you’ll earn. 


They may tell you that you can quit your job and get rich by selling the company’s products, but the FTC says that’s a lie.

They also say that most people who are taken in by a pyramid-style MLM eventually realize they’ll never sell enough product or recruit enough new victims to make any real money. In the end, they lose everything they’ve put into becoming an independent distributor for the pyramid scheme.

__The FTC gives some warning signs for spotting pyramid MLMs:__ 

- Promoters make extravagant promises about your earning potential. Don’t be taken in. Their promises are false.
- Promoters emphasize recruiting new distributors for your sales network as the real way to make money. That’s a dead giveaway. In a legitimate MLM program, your revenue would come from selling the product, not recruiting family and friends. Also, think of the damage to those relationships if loved ones are also defrauded. 
- Promoters play on your emotions and pressure you to “buy in now” or you’ll lose the opportunity of a lifetime. They’ll discourage you from taking time to study the company. The FTC says if that happens, “Leave by the nearest exit.” Any company that tries to pressure you to join is one to avoid.
- Finally, distributors buy more products than they can use or resell, just to stay eligible for potential, emphasis on potential, rewards or bonuses. You can’t make money by selling to yourself.

__So those are the warning signs of a possible pyramid-style multi-level marketing operation. Forewarned is forearmed.__

You can also __[listen](https://www.moneywise.org/search?q=Pyramid%20Schemes%20Still%20Exist&videos=true&articles=true&podcasts=true&posts=true&groups=true&events=true&support=true)__ to the related podcast on this topic.

Here are the warning signs of a possible pyramid-style multi-level marketing operation. Forewarned is forearmed.

Pyramid Schemes Still Exist

Rob West

Ron Blue

Howard Dayton

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Jewel Burks

Since I’ve been able to work, I’ve worked multiple jobs. During summers growing up, I worked in the businesses started by my grandparents in Mobile, AL and passed down to my father and his siblings. You could find me doing everything from working the register at their BP gas station to preparing sandwiches in my father’s Subway. When I went to college, despite having a full ride academic scholarship at Howard University, I took full advantage of work study opportunities — working “security” in the evenings at the School of Business and working in the afternoons as a part-time instructor at MS², Howard’s on campus Middle School for Math and Science. Even as I worked my first full time job at Google, I moonlighted as a fashion model, signed to the now defunct, San Francisco based, City Model Management, and doing runway shows and local advertisements on the evenings and weekends to bring in an extra thousand dollars per month. Fear of being stuck in a generational cycle of debt and financial insecurity or not having enough money to pursue my dreams has always been a driving force in my life and decisions.

When I was a little girl, I saw my mother work long hours to start her own business — an insurance agency that she’s now run for nearly 25 years. In the early days of her business, I saw her cry when she didn’t have enough money to pay herself, or when she couldn’t afford to enroll me in dance lessons because money was low. I saw her wrestle with the racism and prejudice she faced from customers and as new books of business were doled out — where she seemingly always got the scraps. In my teenage years, her business became more stable and prosperous as she grew her base of loyal customers and became a leader in the community. However, at that same time I witnessed my father’s family businesses get squeezed out by large oil companies that had instituted discriminatory pricing, which did not leave room for a profit at the handful of gas stations our family owned. I saw the heartbreak my father endured as he lacked the resources he needed to fight to keep them alive.


![](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/564f7afce4b04eeb472f4242/1600521854436-CDRB2TMMIKF39D132WJN/Resized_20200903_165716.jpg?format=750w)


My biggest takeaway from watching the entrepreneurial journeys of both my parents was that in order to achieve any level of success I would have to work harder and sacrifice more than most. I learned that there would be many things I cannot control in life and business — but the one thing I can always control is what I put into achieving any goal. I learned that racism would play a role in my journey, but I must never let it knock me off my path. I also realized that because of the turbulence of their entrepreneurial paths, my parents were not in a position to help me financially as I transitioned into adulthood. I decided that I should put myself in a position to help them, my family and community, instead.

When I came up with the idea for my startup Partpic in December 2012, I’d already started saving money to go back to school to get my MBA. I knew I wanted to minimize the amount of debt I needed to take on to do so. I distinctly remember being inspired by Elliott Robinson who spoke to my Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT) MBA Prep cohort and described how he worked full time as a VC at Syncom while getting his MBA at Columbia. I spoke with my coach about the feasibility of doing something similar, because I couldn’t fathom going two years without a salary while also taking on debt. As my coaching calls continued, the conversations shifted from planning my responses to essay questions, to me telling my coach the details of Partpic. With her blessing and nudge that I could always pursue business school at a later time if things didn’t work out with my idea, I decided to re-purpose the money I’d saved for business school to launch Partpic.

As I started Partpic and began to use the money I’d saved to cover my bills and to pay early contractors who I’d brought on to build the first prototypes of Partpic, I quickly realized that the distance between where I was with the technology and where I’d need to be in order to begin generating enough revenue to sustain was more than I’d saved up. So I reverted back to what I’ve always known I can do — work more. I collaborated with my mentor, Chris Genteel, on a plan for me to return to Google in the capacity of Entrepreneur in Residence. Chris led Google’s business inclusion efforts and saw an opportunity for me to rejoin with the specific goal of teaching other underrepresented small business owners how to use Google products in their businesses by hosting workshops and speaking at various conferences around the country. This role gave me the ability to earn a paycheck and continue working on Partpic. The money I earned went to pay contractors for early development work. It also allowed me to buy my first home, which I later used as collateral when I took out a loan to float Partpic when the negotiations with Amazon took longer than expected and as we were boxed out of raising additional financing. Lastly, my stock units that had vested over the nearly 3 years I worked at Google while building Partpic, gave me a last resort option when I needed one more month of runway to pay my team of 14 people. I was able to cash in my stock and pay my team to ensure we never missed a payday. The money I raised for Partpic ($2.1M) was not enough to get the business to the finish line and most investors did not have enough conviction in me/the business to reinvest when they had the opportunity. I had enough conviction to cover that gap, and had faith that my hard work would pay off. It did, and we signed the deal to sell Partpic to Amazon on October 31, 2016. Betting on myself has yielded me an incredible return on my investment in the business. We will never know how much more some investors could have yielded had their decisions not been clouded by bias.

Although I was able to make a life-changing amount of money through the sale of Partpic, I’ve always viewed this as a foundation of generational wealth for my family — not as a personal victory. Where my parents were not able to assist me financially, I have positioned myself so that my younger siblings and future children will not have to struggle financially. While at Amazon, I began to think deeply about what I wanted to do next. I had a persistent desire to right a wrong I saw in my own journey. I knew that many investors had not given me a fair shot because of my identity as a Black woman building in the south and I wanted to ensure that other Black entrepreneurs didn’t experience the same obstacles. I began angel investing in 2017 in companies with checks ranging from $10–60K and I realized that given the high risk nature of startups and the long return cycles, I’d run out of personal capital to invest and would need to find ways to scale my approach. As I was approaching three years at Amazon (the required number of years for me to vest the deal stock from the sale of Partpic), though incredibly tempted to take a break and reflect on what had happened in the 7 years prior, I decided that I would need to continue to work to fulfill the purpose that had been nagging at me. I joined forces with my friends and fellow entrepreneurs Justin Dawkins and Barry Givens, and threw my attention to the establishment of our fund, Collab Capital — to invest in more Black entrepreneurs and do it in a way that better aligns the interests of those entrepreneurs to us as investors.

As I learned more about the development of a fund, I realized it would require a substantial financial investment (in the neighborhood of $1.5M from the GP) to establish it. For one, most institutional investors require a track record of investments. I’d invested about $300,000 of personal capital into startups to support founders I believed in and to learn more about investing. However, in early Limited Partner (LP) discussions, I realized that for some this did not meet their threshold for track record given the dollar amounts invested and relative newness of the companies. Given Collab Capital’s unique profit-share model, legal costs for new documents meant substantial upfront investment. Additionally, the traditional fund structure of a 2 and 20 model means that as fund managers we can draw 2% management fees when the fund is raised to run the fund and bank on receiving the majority of our compensation as carry in the fund after we’ve returned initial investments to our LPs. However, in order to establish and raise the fund — which can take up to two years on average — we’d have to self fund the operation.

As I was thinking through these realities, I learned of a new role at Google to lead Google for Startups in the US. I decided to interview for the role because I knew that in every way possible my 30s would be dedicated to righting the wrongs I experienced as a startup founder in my 20s. I saw the opportunity to lead at Google as a chance to increase my capacity to level the playing field for underrepresented startup founders and help steer Google’s work in this area. Because I’d done it before while building Partpic, I knew that I could take on the responsibility of a role at Google while also leading the establishment of and fundraising at Collab Capital. I also knew that taking on the job would help alleviate some of the financial burden of establishing Collab Capital completely out of the nest egg I established via Partpic. Lastly, I knew that in the same ways people doubted my ability to lead Partpic and work at Google, that they would also question my decision to lead Collab Capital and work as Head of Google for Startups, US.

As our country faces the most captivating racial reckoning of our lifetime, I am challenging everyone to think differently about the rules and systems they covet and who those rules and systems are keeping from opportunity. I offer the following questions for consideration to LPs who have disqualified Collab Capital because I hold multiple positions as we establish the fund and anyone else who looks down on emerging fund managers who find creative ways to break into the industry:

Without family support and/or generational wealth, how would one be able to bear the costs of establishing a new fund?

Is holding multiple positions only acceptable for rich, powerful white men like Jack Dorsey, Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos, each of whom own/run multiple large corporations simultaneously?

What does meritocracy mean to you? Can its promise be achieved if only wealthy people have an opportunity to succeed?

Thank you for considering these thoughts and questions. I welcome dialogue about what we can do as a collective to ensure future generations of Black people and people from other historically disadvantaged groups do not have to work twice as hard to simply have a chance at building generational wealth and participating fully in the innovation economy.
__*[Click here to read the full article](http://www.jewelburks.com/blog/2020/9/19/why-i-always-have-two-jobs-1), originally by [Jewel Burks](http://www.jewelburks.com/)*__

Since I’ve been able to work, I’ve worked multiple jobs.

Why I Always Have 2 Jobs

In your 30s and 40s, preparing financially for retirement is a remote concern. Financial concerns and obligations of a more pressing nature take precedence over a nebulous need that remains decades away.

However, when you reach your 50s, retirement preparedness takes on a sense of urgency. The years are now zooming by. Will you be ready when your earning days are over?

## Heed the voices of experience

When researchers asked current retirees to reflect on their retirement preparations, common regrets include borrowing too much during their working years, retiring too early, and not saving enough money. A [2018 report](https://www.transamericacenter.org/docs/default-source/retirees-survey/tcrs2018_sr_retirees_survey_financially_faring.pdf) (PDF) from the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies emphasized that last one, noting fewer than half of today’s retirees are confident that they built a large enough nest egg.

As for current workers, those saving little or nothing for their retirement years often say they can’t — they don’t make enough money to cover their bills and save. For some, that’s undoubtedly true. But many others could save more if they adopted specific behavioral and lifestyle changes.

Below, we list five common obstacles that hamper financial preparation for retirement — and we provide specific suggestions for moving past them.

__1. No Roadmap__

According to a [2021 survey](https://www.ebri.org/docs/default-source/rcs/2021-rcs/rcs_21-fs-3_prep.pdf) (PDF) by the Employee Benefits Research Institute, only half of current workers “have ever tried to calculate how much money they will need to have saved so that they can live comfortably in retirement.” Even workers with an employer-sponsored retirement plan (or an IRA) were only slightly more likely (57%) to have made such calculations.

*__What to do?__*
SMI members should get acquainted with MoneyGuide, the award-winning financial planning software that can assess your current financial condition and plot a path toward a secure retirement. MoneyGuide, available to [Premium-level members](https://soundmindinvesting.com/MoneyGuidePro) for a one-time $50 fee, provides a clear picture of how much to save/invest each month to reach your retirement goals. (For “ballpark” calculations, try Vanguard’s free [online retirement calculator](https://retirementplans.vanguard.com/VGApp/pe/pubeducation/calculators/RetirementNestEggCalc.jsf).) 
  
__2. Insufficient Management__

Many people believe tracking and managing their spending is too restrictive — and too much work. On the contrary, [good money management](https://soundmindinvesting.com/articles/view/if-you-hate-to-budget-youre-not-doing-it-right) is freeing, and [apps/software](https://soundmindinvesting.com/articles/view/a-new-money-management-app-that-emphasizes-christian-stewardship) have made it less time-consuming. Knowing how much you can spend on this or that, all the while knowing your plan enables you to live generously and save and invest adequately, is empowering.

__*What to do?*__
Of the various budgeting tools available — from apps to spreadsheets to paper-and-pencil — the best one for you is the one you’ll actually use. You’ll discover that better management of your day-to-day finances is remarkably effective in freeing up funds to put toward retirement savings.
 
__3. Undermined by Overhead__

Housing is probably your largest expense, so it’s crucial to keep your spending in this category [within certain boundaries](https://soundmindinvesting.com/articles/view/making-sure-your-house-doesnt-own-you1). Generally speaking, it’s best to keep the combination of your mortgage, property taxes, and homeowners insurance to no more than 25% of your monthly gross income — even better if you can keep it to no more than 20%.

__*What to do?*__
If you’re spending above those targets, pray about doing something radical: selling your home and buying a more affordable one. Given the recent run-up in housing prices, finding a more affordable place may not be easy. But don’t reject the idea without looking into it. Who knows what you might discover?
 
__4. Squeezed by Car Payments__

Carrying car-related debt is a big reason many people have no financial cushion. Auto payments, which often stretch out for six or seven years, make it difficult to save for retirement.

__*What to do?*__
If you have a financed vehicle, commit to paying it off. Then, continue to drive that car for as many years as possible. Redirect the amount you had been paying on the auto loan toward savings — some for your next vehicle, some for retirement.
 
__5. Not Facing up to Reality__

Optimism is a good thing, but being overly optimistic can keep us from a sober assessment of probabilities. According to a [2021 Transamerica survey](https://transamericainstitute.org/docs/default-source/research/2021-retirement-outlook-compendium-report.pdf) (PDF), nearly 60% of workers plan to keep working at least part-time in retirement — primarily to continue earning income. It is unlikely that most of them will be able to do so, at least based on the work status of people currently in the 65-74 age range. Only [about 25% of such people](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/civilian-labor-force-participation-rate.htm) are still working for pay. The percentage drops to less than 10% for those over age 75.

Although it’s fine to plan to work in your later years, don’t presume that you’ll be able to continue to earn income. Maybe you will, but most likely, you won’t. A [2018 study](https://www.transamericacenter.org/docs/default-source/retirees-survey/tcrs2018_sr_retirees_survey_financially_faring.pdf) (PDF) found that more than half of retirees had to leave the workforce sooner than they had planned, often because of job losses or health concerns.

__*What to do?*__
Plan vocationally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually to work as long as possible! But, when it comes to your finances, assume that you will retire somewhere between the ages of 65 and 70 and plan accordingly.

## Take action

How confident are you that you’re saving enough for retirement? If you’re falling short, identify the things that are holding you back from saving more and do something about them. The time to start is today.

Retirement

The years continue to zoom  by. Will you be ready when your earning days are over?

Overcoming 5 Obstacles to Saving for Retirement

*“Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.” -* 1 Chronicles 29:11

All things.

It’s hard to grasp the extent of God’s ownership at times. We work for the things we get. The house, the car, the clothes, the money. It’s easier to see that a home or car may not be truly ours, because many of us take out a loan to buy them. But how about the things we bought with cash? Those are ours… right?

__It’s always the better decision to buy with cash than to borrow. God wants us free to serve Him, and He does not wish for any of His children to be lorded by anyone or anything (Proverbs 22:7). But He controls it all (1 Chronicles 29:11-12).__

Not only did our Father create the heavens and the earth­­­—and everything in the earth—but He also created us and the animals, too (Psalm 24:1).  If we think about a child two parents had, that’s still considered their child, no matter how old their son or daughter gets. Think about an invention. Thomas Edison patented the light bulb and called the invention his. No matter what happens afterward, it’s still his. That’s how it works with God. He gets the credit for everything. He was the Maker and forever will be the Owner. That goes for our children and our inventions, too. He created us. So, whatever we create is His.

“You are the Author, I am the clay. Mold me and make me.” It’s from an old hymn, and it shares how big a role God plays in our lives: the ultimate role. Our gifts, our talents, our achievements, our money all comes from the Lord. And it’s not by accident. What we receive from God and what we do with it all comes from Him by design. He gives and He takes away (Job 1:21).

__The house, the car, the clothes, the food. The Lord provides. Even the job. He is our Promoter. He can also demote us, if and when He pleases (Psalm 75:7).__ Think back to the kings in the Bible who so easily lost their kingdom and were replaced with another (1 Samuel 15). And think about how many battles were won by people who, logically speaking, should have so easily been overtaken. David versus Goliath. God gave David the ability to defeat the decorated warrior (1 Samuel 17). Solomon was born, having no direct way to the throne. But the Lord gave him the City of David and its people (1 Kings 1:15-30). And He gave Solomon the wisdom to know right from wrong (1 Kings 3:5-14).

Nothing we do or say is above the Lord’s control (Proverbs 16:33). If He so pleases, He can harden our hearts or choose to soften them (Exodus 14:4; Deuteronomy 2:30). What a Master… That He would take the time to fearfully and wonderfully make each one of us. Yet, at the same time, He took the time to carefully place the gold and silver in the earth (Haggai 2:8). It’s only right that we give Him the thanks and praise for how He provides for us in our lives.

__Because He took the time, let us take the time, as well. To give Him the glory for the things He has done. To give Him credit for the gifts He has given us. To give Him praise for the strength He has instilled in us. To give Him the first fruits of what He has put in our possession. For He is worthy to be praised.__

The Bible on Money

What does the Bible say about God's role with money & possessions?

God's Role With Money & Possessions

Parenting is one of the most demanding and most rewarding endeavors a person can engage in. Trying to influence, shape, and mold another human being to grow up and be a good, productive, and responsible person is difficult. One day you’re the hero, and the next, you’re the villain because kids want to do their own thing, just like the rest of us. __When it comes to teaching kids about money, it’s essential to know when, what, and how to do it because so many major life decisions hinge on it.__

# When do you start teaching kids about money?

Much of the way we think, feel, and believe is shaped in the early years of our childhood. It is the time when our brains form neuro pathways and fully develop. During the first seven years, children are very impressionable as they try to learn and make sense of the world. __An excellent time to begin teaching kids about money is as soon as they become aware of money, which will most like occur between the ages of three and five.__

When your kids begin to ask for things they want, like a toy, a dress, or a coloring book, it’s time to teach them the value of money. I remember talking with our two daughters when they were 5 and 7 years old. My wife, Natalie, and I decided to begin giving them an allowance to teach them about money and encourage completing basic chores to keep our home more organized and clean.

We told them that daddy worked, and he earned a certain amount of money by working. Mommy’s work consisted of taking care of our home and providing for the daily needs of our family, which also included taking care of them. When daddy got paid, the money belonged to the whole family, and since it took everyone’s efforts to keep things running well in our home, we thought it fitting to pay them for doing their part. This system taught them the reward of work as well as the consequence of failing to do their work.

Although every child is different, and some may be more or less curious about money, you must begin asking them questions and answering their questions about money. __Children love to learn at this age, and if you make it fun and easy to grasp the concepts of money, they will show interest and begin learning about it.__

If your child is already past this age group, don’t worry. It’s never too late to begin teaching your kids about money. Depending on their age, you may have to offer more teaching and instruction that provides both the __philosophy of money__ (values and beliefs) and the __practical ways of managing it__ (planning and budgeting).

*For help on finding the best way to educate your child on money, make sure to check out the resources linked at the bottom of the page to assist you, no matter the age of your child.*

# What to Teach Your Kids About Money

The most important part we should teach our kids about money is what it is and what it means. Like so many other topics we teach our children, money is extensively portrayed and taught worldwide. __The world’s perspective on money is often tainted depending on who is teaching it.__ Much, if not most, of the education on finances comes from financial institutions and media outlets that have a financial motivation to cover this topic.

__The best source for financial education is the Bible. God’s word is full of wisdom and instructions about wealth, riches, and money.__ Financial principles like earning, saving, debt, investing, borrowing, co-signing, and many others are clearly defined in the word of God. Teaching our children what God has to say about one of the most important resources they will manage in life is essential because money will impact many of the choices they will make. __Having a proper perspective on it will help them avoid the trappings of money and wealth.__

Equally important is teaching kids how to practically manage money because they will make many mistakes and bad decisions without it. For younger kids, the 3-jar system of money management works great. This is made up of 3 jars labeled, Give, Save, and Spend. The first 10% goes into the Give jar, the next 10% to the Save jar, and the rest 80% goes toward Spending. We used this system until our daughters were 16 years old, and it worked.

Every payday after receiving their allowance, they split the money between these three jars. As they entered their teen years, we encouraged them to save for their first car by putting a bigger percentage of their allowance and any extra money they earned, in the Save jar, while cutting back on Spending. Then, when they started their first job, and the allowance stopped, we helped them create a basic written budget to plan their expenses and learn to keep up with their financial obligations.

Managing money isn’t the tricky part. After all, it’s just basic math; anyone can do it. __The more complicated part of managing money is establishing the correct beliefs and having the right convictions about money.__

# How to Teach Your Kids About Money

__The most effective way to teach your kids about money is to be a good role model yourself.__ “More is caught than taught,” which means that whatever you teach your kids to do will not be as powerful or as convincing as to how you manage money yourself. Being a good role model doesn’t mean you won’t make any financial mistakes. It means that when you do, you’ll be honest about it with your kids and help them see the consequences of bad financial decisions so they’ll avoid them.

![](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b28b3e945776e86f5212567/bdafb7d0-0550-4cf2-a25f-92f1d3b0ca7f/deut6.6.png?format=1500w)

Teaching your kids about money is no different than teaching them about any other important topic. The Bible tells us how to teach God’s commandments, principles, and statutes. *“And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”* (Deuteronomy 6:6-7)

__Teaching kids about money is something we must do intentionally and consistently.__ It’s not an occasional lesson but rather something we teach and instill in them while we talk, listen, share our ambitions for their future, and do all kinds of things together. Teaching them about money should be done in the context of everyday life and every season of life because money, its value, and meaning in life, when properly understood, will equip them for a meaningful and fruitful life.

# Resources

[Raising Financially Freed-Up Kids](https://goodsensemovement.org/product/raising-financially-freed-up-kids-workbook-videos/) - Good Sense Movement
[Give, Save & Spend Teen Video Series](https://compass1.org/product/give-save-and-spend-teen-video-series-student-ebook/) - Compass
[Foundations in Personal Finance](https://www.ramseysolutions.com/store/digital-products?snid=courses.see-all-courses) - Ramsey
[High School & College Courses](https://ronblueinstitute.com/) - Ron Blue Institute

Blog

Trying to shape and mold another human being to grow up and be a productive and responsible person is difficult.

When, What, and How to Teach Your Kids about Money

Produced by John Rinehart

Directed by John-Mark Warkentin

Cinematography by Brian Petersen

Edit by Brian Petersen

Music by Benjamin James

Consultant John Warkentin


— Film Transcription —


I’m a doctor. In truth I never had that much interest in medicine. I had the grades and mum and dad really encouraged me to go for it. And everyone says, “Don't do medicine because your parents tell you to do it.” I was that person.

Yeah, I think my parents wanted me to have a good living so I could have a nice middle class life and be able to buy nice things and have nice holidays and be secure and comfortable. I didn't want that. No, I've never wanted that.

Around when I was about 21 or 20 maybe even, I was sort of halfway through university and I was starting to think really I need to decide now what am I going to do with my life? I'm doing an engineering degree, but what am I gonna do? How am I going to use this?

I was thinking well maybe I should try and do something that isn't going to be done if I don't do it.

### Worker Stories

When I was growing up our parents would get us together and they would read to us from the Bible and worker stories. And these stories were just incredible adventures. Men and women would sacrifice everything and give up all their wealth, get on a boat travel for six months, travel across the seas to share the gospel. Entire communities and peoples and nations were transformed as a result.

Growing up I just thought, “I want to be like those people. Those people haven't just found something worth dying for. They seem to have discovered the secret of living as well. Real incredible purposeful lives.” I thought, “That's what I want.”

### Meeting Indian Man

When I was 18 years old and my Gran said to me, “Ah, grandson, hi. There's this Indian worker guy speaking in our church tonight — small village church just outside of Cambridge — do you want to come along?”

I said, “Well, I've got nothing better to do tonight. Okay.”

So I get there and I go into this tiny little church. There he was telling all these stories of what workers in India were getting up to, how they were risking their lives, travelling, facing adversity, but winning people, changing communities.

And I said, “This sounds like the stories I had read to me growing up.” I thought people like these didn't exist anymore. I thought they were locked away 100 years ago.

So when the Indian man said, “Look, does anyone want to come and see this?”

I said, “Boy, are you kidding me? I spent my whole life wanting to meet people like these and learn from them.”

Six months later I got on a plane and I traveled to India. I met with the Indian man and we traveled around the worker fields.

### Indian Man's Testimony

__Indian Man:__ One day, a pastor walked into our village, and he came and knocked at my door. And I was sick that day. My sister is struggling to breathe.

This man of God gave the gospel and said, “Jesus is the healer.” So Mama opened the door took the leaflet, “Jesus is the healer. No way. Why are my children like this? Why all this problem here? Is it really true?”

He said, “Yes it is. It is true.”

And she said, “I don't know. Then you show me is it true.”

So he said, “Can I come in?” And she said, “Yes.”

I was sick, bedridden on the floor. My sister is struggling to breathe. So he shared the gospel and asked, “Can I pray for them?”

She said, “Of course.” He prayed. My sister got instant healing and I was healed and then I realized I need this Jesus.

### Visiting A Village

__Indian Man:__ I went to Bangalore to do my studies.

We, the students of the college, went to north part of the country and it amazed me to see thousands and thousands of villages do not know Christ. Pepsi's there. Coca-cola reached, no Jesus.

We visited a village and the worker painted such a bleak story about them, he said, “Look, no one will employ these tribal people because they're so reviled. So the men rely on begging. The women rely on prostitution. This is all that they have.” It sounded pretty bleak.

They’re the people whom Hinduism left behind. They worship spirits. You know, it’s a real primitive level. To the rest of the Indian people, they are worse than the bottom rung of the caste system, they’re worse than the untouchables cause they’re not even within that system.

I remember going to see this village and it was just not at all what was described. I said to this Indian worker, “Are these the same people?”

And most of the village surged out to meet and greet us and they were singing and they were praising and I said, “Why, this is amazing!”

And the worker explained to us he said, “Well we came and we shared the gospel with them and they were just so excited to hear it they came to faith really fast.”

Not just that, we taught them to start washing themselves to help them buy new clothes taught them some basic things. Suddenly people went for work and they got jobs because the surrounding people didn't realize they were from that same tribe, they were unrecognizable. So we saw these people had come to know Jesus, but the whole community and social situation had been transformed as well.

Five years previously the gospel had never come to this place and there I was worshiping with the church there and I just thought, “This is history in the making.” A sociologist may say, “This is nothing; this is a tiny church in a tiny village in the middle of nowhere.” But if that place has never had the gospel come to it and now there's a church there that's history in the making.

### 50 Pounds A Month

So I said to myself, “Right, scrap all of my plans were because they're rubbish. I wanna be a part of what is going on here.”

I said, “Look Indian man, This is amazing. How can I help?”

So Indian man said, “Well the tragic thing is that a lot of these people aren't getting into action because their own churches are too poor to send them.”

I said, “What? You mean this is the coolest thing I've ever seen and it's not happening because of a shortage of money. I mean money is the one thing our church really does have. That's one thing I can easily give. This isn't happening for money?”

So I said, “Indian man, how much do these guys need?”

He said, “Well, uh...in your terms about 50 pounds a month.”


“50 pounds a month! I mean that's nothing. I could go out with a friend both get a meal both get a couple of drinks that's 50 pounds right there or a new pair of shoes 50 pounds or fancy phone contract 50 pounds.”

The thought that someone isn’t being sent to an unreached village to plant a church for that much money. That's madness. That's crazy. That's the saddest thing I've ever heard.”

### Sacrificial Living

At that point in time I just said right, “Let's try and ramp up this level of sacrificial living because every ten pounds I can save is a fifth of a worker’s monthly support in India. That’s amazing.”

I went to Cardiff. I found the cheapest halls of residence I could live in. I bought all the cheapest food I could. I refused to buy any new clothes whatsoever. I mean I just went completely overboard, completely over the top.

It was okay for my first year of University because my clothes were there and they had to last for a year, but by the second year it was a disaster. I had these shoes, which were falling apart. They had a big hole in the bottom so I got some duct tape and I just wrapped it round and round, taped ‘em up.

To be honest that worked quite well so long as it was dry, but unfortunately, I was in Cardiff, I was in Wales and it rains a lot. And every time it was wet the moisture would seep up through this hole and percolate up into my feet. I had such wet feet. It was a nightmare. I was lucky I didn't get trench foot or something.

I wanted to go and be a worker myself, but actually what the unreached need is my financial empowerment to support indigenous workers.

India motivates my work as a doctor. The other day I was offered to do a shift and they said, “Doctor, we can pay 50 pounds an hour.” So I said, “Well that means if I do 12 hours that's 600 pounds.”

In a night I've just paid for a worker for a year. I mean that's incredible.

### Training

__Indian Man:__ The need in the country so great. The answer is send workers. But the problem is we don't have workers to go. Solution is to train young people, place them into those worker fields so that gospel will be preached, churches will be established.

That made me to think about starting this training center.

We went to the training center and what we realized was that all the lads at the training center they were from the newly planted churches in the previously unreached villages.

And this is when God really started to speak to us because we said, “This is a model, which can replicate. It can scale. If you can send someone to where the gospel's never been and not just plant a church, but raise up new leaders; you can multiply; you can be unstoppable.”

And that was when God spoke to us and we had the vision for 500,000 churches. That was the goal.

We don't think anyone should be without access to the Gospel. And to have access to the gospel they need to have access to the church. So that's our vision: five hundred thousand churches, a church in every village in India.

### Partnership

Brother's always been my like guiding light with all this.

Partnering with my brother in this work has been such an amazing thing.

But I think it was seeing brother being so passionate and so just totally on fire that really got me going.

We’re fighting for something together. And he’s just been the greatest blessing in that.

And he was talking about these guys in India and about this stuff that is going on and you know, I’m a business guy, I like numbers and he was talking to me about numbers and I started saying that's really amazing.

And after a while I fell into this idea that maybe one of the big gifts that I've been given, which most people don't like to talk about, this is Britain, we hate to talk about money, maybe one of the big gifts I was given was access to wealth.

And then the idea was simple, it was just earn money, give it away, don't keep it. And a lot of people thought this was a crazy idea.

This came through brother, I mean, you know, I thought it was a good thing for a long time and then I started helping out. That was when I sort of started getting passionate about it and saying, “Well actually this is really important. And this is something that you know we should be doing and actually we shouldn't just be saying let someone else do it.”

It turns out that my skills as an entrepreneur are very useful for advancing the kingdom.

__Indian Man:__ The work was having a very slow progress till I met the brothers. And at this stage we have workers working in 600 plus villages, and as a work we b@ptized more than 6,000 people and more than 13,000 people are coming to these churches.

I strongly believe our partnership together is broadening the horizons. Now we look back and say, “Thank you, Jesus for making them come here to India.”

It's not just about the giving. Yes, the giving is so important. And I think that is the crucial need. But even more than that there is this incredible relational aspect, and that's, that's a great treasure that I've discovered and learned.

The Indian man has been there in some of my darkest moments and he has discipled me and taught me so many great things. And it's been wonderful to hear from him how you know we, though we're such young men, how we've been able to be there and be a rock of encouragement to him and give him a lot of wisdom which he wouldn't have had otherwise. And I would never have dreamed at the onset that that was the case.

### B@ptizms

__Indian Man:__ I plead unto you in the name of Jesus. If you haven’t accepted Jesus in your life, this hour is your hour!

We were there and Indian Man was in the water b@ptizing some of the believers and he was there just, just speaking truth, speaking the gospel:

“Do you believe that God created the heavens and the earth?
Do you believe that you have need of a savior?
Do you believe that Jesus Christ came and died for your sins and that through Him you can be forgiven and that the Holy Spirit will come and indwell with you and that Jesus Christ will come back and then you will reign with Him forever and ever?”

There he was speaking the gospel and there people were joyfully hearing it and that incredible action of just being submerged under water and then coming back up a new creation.

And the Indian Man said, “We've b@ptized a few people, does any one more want to be b@ptized?”

And people came forward, “Yes I do. I want this for myself.”

And I saw that and I thought, “This is what it's all about. The fruit, which we're interested in, is people coming to know Jesus. It's about people. People encountering Jesus, having their life transformed forever and living forever with him.”

### Conclusion - The Gospel Saves Lives

And they say medicine is an amazing thing because you have the chance to save lives. But the truth is doctors don't save any lives. All of our patients still die. All we're doing on our best days is postponing the inevitable, is putting death off.

But the gospel really can save lives. So the same reason that people think medicine's amazing they should be even more excited about the gospel because that can save someone's life for ever and ever and ever.

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For the same reason that people think medicine's amazing, they should be even more excited about the gospel--here's why.

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