Like all organizations, churches have certain bills and obligations that must be paid: utilities, mortgage or rent, missions commitments, vehicle expenses, staff payroll, insurance, and so on. As with all other areas of financial management, churches must be extra cautious when paying bills and obligations to ensure that integrity is maintained and that they remain […]
Although it is each individual’s responsibility to learn God’s principles of finance as presented in the Word of God, most American Christians today don’t know where to begin, what to study, or how to implement what they have studied. Therefore, accepting the responsibility of teaching the biblical principles of finance should become a primary emphasis […]
U.S. savings bonds—often given as graduation, baptism, birthday, and wedding gifts—are popular because they are, for all practical purposes, 100 percent risk free, and they can be easily purchased at most banks, at government financial institutions, at work, or through the U.S. Treasury either by mail or online. However, until the introduction of the I […]
The stability of precious metals Eternally attractive to mankind, precious metals have found their principal use as a store of value. Because of their rarity and durability, for thousands of years precious metals have been accepted almost universally as money. Because the value of gold (the most recognized of all precious metals)—what it can buy […]
Even though there are more churches than ever before in the history of America facing financial problems, there is no simple, quick-fix formula that has proved always to work to reverse financial difficulties. The most obvious thing that pastors, staff, leaders, and congregations should do first is to pray for God’s wisdom and direction. Along […]
By Chuck Bentley—The Washington Times—November 18, 2011 With the Tea Party, the issues were clear. Government was too big, taxed too much and needed to rein in its out-of-control spending. Its message was a clarion call for limited government coupled with fiscal responsibility. At rallies that had the flavor of church picnics, people gathered to […]
Every church should establish and operate on a budget. Not only is it a useful management tool, but a budget can help pastors teach stewardship to their congregations. By preparing and presenting a budget to the congregation, pastors help their congregations realize that they are responsible for giving to God. They also learn what the […]
Over a 50-year span, the average American spends about 100,000 hours working. A major part of adults’ lives is involved in work, but often with the job comes some degree of dissatisfaction. Perhaps no statistic demonstrates dissatisfaction more than job-hopping tendencies. A recent survey discovered that the average American man changes jobs every four and […]
By Chuck Bentley Millions of young Americans with student loan debt are about to make a deal without a clue as to how much it’s going to cost them down the road. President Obama’s latest end-run around Congress presumably to bail out those struggling to repay their student loans is a bad plan on many […]
A commonly asked question from Christians seeking advice on financial matters is, “How can I find good Christian counsel?” Perhaps even more fundamental would be the question, “How can I tell when I find good Christian counsel?” Limitations in finding good financial counsel It is very difficult to receive unbiased advice from someone who is […]
