There are many verses in the Bible that talk about money and stewardship. We are fortunate to have so many of them to give us guidance in all of our financial dealings. Here are the top five that have made the biggest impact on my life:

Matthew 6:19-24 - “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

Luke 16:10-12 - “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?

1 Timothy 6:17-19 - Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

Philippians 4:10-13 - I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Acts 20:35 - In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ “

I received a comment from George on my post “Why Tithing And Giving Require An Element Of Sacrifice“. Here is his comment:

“Discussion about ‘tithing’ is not an issue because ‘tithing’ is NOT a requirement for Christians.

None of the ‘tithing’ that occurs now has any connection to the definition of tithing contained in the Bible. (other than to mention 10%)

In a nutshell, the were four tithes. 1)The Levitical tithe required those who raised crops (not everyone and not all professions - just those who raised crops) to give 10% of that to the Levites. This tithe only occurred 6 years out of the 7 year cycle. It also required those that raised 10 or more animals to give each tenth animal that passed under the rod to the Levites. If a person raised less than 10 animals, they were NOT required to tithe. 2) From what was given to them, the Levites in turn had to give the very best to the priests. 3) The festival tithe required that those who raised crops or animals to set aside 10% for the annual festivals. It was for the people to have a party and consume the food joyfully and alcoholic beverages (strong drink) if they wanted. 4) The Poor tithe occurred only in the 3rd and 6th years of the seven year cycle. This was set aside for the poor.

All tithes were always food and NEVER money.

I go into more detail on the link “FREE VIDEOS” where it will take you to my other website www.inyourbible.com where, if you have a high speed internet connection, you can view or download my series of 10 - 30 minute lessons titled “The Truth About Tithing”.

We should be generous but the poor widow is NOT our example. She was being plundered by church leaders. There is no single formula for Christians to be able to judge for themselves whether they are generous or not. Each person needs to hear from God for themselves.“

And here is my response to George. I was originally going to use e-mail, but I thought that others could benefit from reading this exchange:

George thanks for your thoughts. I appreciate what you have to say, especially since I don’t claim to be an expert on this matter. But here are some of my thoughts on this issue of the tithe and also general thoughts on generosity:

1. The burden of proof lies on the person who says it isn’t a requirement. The issue in contention is whether or not the tithe is a New Testament requirement. I’d rather err on the side of caution because I have nothing to lose. I’m not going to regret being generous to my church with 10% of my income if I find out I was wrong in the end. But, if I don’t keep the tithe, I run the risk of being disobedient to God’s Word if the tithe is true.

I know that there is no direct commandment given by Jesus or the other New Testament writers. However, the spirit of the commandment might still carry over into the New Testament. The reason I say this is because Jesus brought new and deeper meaning to many of the Old Testament commandments. For example, look at the pattern with adultery or murder. Jesus added to the spirit of the law by saying, now if you even lust after a woman in your heart you have committed adultery, and if you have anger in your heart, you have committed murder. When Jesus came, many of the Old Testament commandments received a heavier implication, not a lighter implication. We should expect something similar with the tithe.

I see something like this: back in the Old Testament, people gave 10% of their resources. Now, in the New Testament, Jesus wants people to give not only 10% out of obedience, but wants this issue to be about the heart as well. It’s easy to go through the motions and just give money, but Jesus wants us to be sacrificial with our time and energy as well when it comes to the tithe & generosity.

I’d expect something along those lines when we look at the trend of what happened when Jesus came and brought about the New Covenant. It seems counter-intuitive, if the New Covenant brings a lighter implication on the issue of tithing and does away with it instead.

One more supporting idea is seen in Romans when Paul talks about the law. The Christians in Rome were probably asking, “Well if we are no longer under the law but under grace, can’t we do away with the law?” And Paul responds, “Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.”

2. The reason that I said “tithing is a non-issue” is because for most Americans, they can easily afford to be generous with at least 10% of their resources. So all this talk about whether the tithe is still a requirement for us in the New Testament is really a moot question. People might argue over the tithe, but no one can argue about whether or not Jesus and the Bible teach us to be generous and sacrificial.

God and the Bible command us to be generous / taking care of the poor, orphans, widows, etc. We Christians, have an obligation to serve and provide in whatever fashion we can. In fact, if these ideas were to be lived out to the fullest, our generosity would be sacrificial, and it would cause a noticeable difference on our finances.

Quite frankly, I don’t care where the money/resources are given to. If a person doesn’t want to give to a church or a building fund, that’s fine. Give instead to a homeless shelter, overseas missions, etc. But give sacrificially! The average church offering in America is around $700, and I am guessing that the average church-goer makes more than $7000 a year.

The U.S. median income is $46,000. I’m going to venture to say that for most middle-class Americans, giving away $4,600 is fairly pain-free. Forget the 10% tithe as being a measuring stick, instead the measuring stick we should use is a measure of sacrifice.

A conversation with me might go like this:

SS: “Hey are you observing the tithe and giving 10% of your resources to your church?”
Christian: “Actually, I don’t believe the tithe is a requirement for us in the New Testament.”
SS: “Oh, okay, no problem. Are you being generous and giving sacrificially to the point where you are being stretched?”
Christian: “…”

2 Corinthians 8:1-4 says, “And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.”

I think this is where Jesus really wants us to be. To say, “Gosh, I’ve stretched my finances so much. I’ve made real sacrifices in my own life so that I can be generous to those around me. I’m stretched to the limit in terms of how much I can give.”

This is the last lesson in the Managing Finances God’s Way series. My church has been working through this material during our Sunday School classes. Overall, I’ve been pleased with the quality of the material and the information offered in this study.

In this final lesson we look at the topic of how God desires us to enjoy the resources that he has blessed us with. The DVD lesson was led by Chuck Bentley, from Crown Financial Ministries.

Bentley teaches us that “God truly wants us to enjoy the resources that he has given to us.” He gives us four supporting ideas from the Bible that confirm this to be true.

1. The Lord expects us to take care of our families. 1 Timothy 5:8 says, “If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” God blesses us with resources, and He intends for part of those resources to be used to provide for the family.

2. The Lord wants us to enjoy regular periods of rest and refreshment. We each need opportunities to be refreshed and renewed by God. Even with a hectic schedule, God desires us to allow our resources to give us that rest that we need.

3. The Lord tells us that when we enjoy his blessings, we bring him more glory. Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 says, “Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him—for this is his lot. Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work—this is a gift of God. He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart.”

4. The Lord instructs us to enjoy blessing the people he puts in our lives to serve. God intends the blessings and resources to benefit not only ourselves, but also our neighbors who may be in need. 2 Corinthians 9:11 says, “You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”

Bentley goes on to share dangers that can rob us of our enjoyment of God’s resources.

1. Worry - Matthew 6:25 says, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?” Bentley encourages us to replace anxiousness with trust and prayer. Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

2. Comparison - When we compare ourselves with other people, we often end up becoming prideful, or feeling a sense of self-pity. The antidote to this danger is to replace comparison with contentment. Hebrews 13:5 says, “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’.”

3. Selfishness - This sin can so easily creep up on us as we enjoy what God has blessed us with. The goal should be to imitate Christ in his selflessness. This selfishness should be replaced by sacrifice. Mark 10:45 says, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

4. False Guilt - If the handling of our finances needs improvement, God offers us forgiveness and grace. We can replace this sense of guilt with gratitude because we know that God is faithful to those who confess and seek forgiveness. We are all in the process of becoming more like Christ, and so there is always room for growth. Romans 8:1 teaches us that, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

In the end, what it all boils down to is an issue of the heart. Jesus taught us that we cannot serve two masters. We will love one and hate the other. Though our money and resources may give us a false sense of worth or security, we should never place our hope in these material things. Only God who is the provider of all things deserves our trust and obedience.

This is lesson five of the series Managing Finances God’s Way that my Sunday school is going through. The video lesson was led by Howard Dayton, the CEO of Crown Financial Ministries.

Dayton begins by citing Bible verses that specifically address the issue of debt:

Romans 13:8 “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.”

Proverbs 22:7 “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.”

The deeper we get into debt, the more of a servant we become to our creditors. So Dayton shares nine steps to becoming debt free.

Step 1 - Pray. Philippians 4:6 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

Step 2 - Develop of debt free mind set. This comes down to will and determination. You must be fully committed in becoming debt free.

Step 3 - List all your debts. Write down how much you owe and what interest rate they are on.

Step 4 - List everything you own. Ultimately we’re looking for things that we could sell. The money you make can be put towards the debt.

Step 5 - Establish a spending plan. This is essentially sitting down with your family and writing down a basic budget for the things you really need.

Step 6 - Establish a debt repayment schedule. Dayton shares the same method that Dave Ramsey always teaches: the debt snowball method. Although the interest rates might be different, there is a psychological motivation to pay off small debts first and eliminate one debt after another.

Step 7 - Consider earning additional income. The only caution here is to ensure that this doesn’t cause tension or neglect to the family.

Step 8 - Consider a radical change in your lifestyle. I agree with Dayton here that this is one of the most crucial steps in getting out of debt and staying out of debt. Having a debt problems is often because we try to have a higher standard of living.  It is not because we don’t make enough income.  Lowering your standard of living ensures that you will not fall back into debt.

Step 9 - Don’t give up. There is in fact a light at the end of the tunnel.  With patience and diligence, debt can be eliminated once and for all.  Galatians 6:9 “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

After the video lesson, my small group had a good discussion time as well.  In an Asian culture in which my friends and I grew up, our parents were very adamant about being careful with credit cards and paying the balance off in full.  In fact, I didn’t end up getting a credit card until senior year in college because my mom always told me too many people are careless with credit cards.  But amongst my friends and I, we don’t have much consumer debt, but we do have student debt.  Whether from law school, dental school, business school, or even undergraduate, a common theme is that many of us young professionals have large student debt.

We are all determined to pay off our loans and get out of debt.

My church is continuing through a Sunday School series called Managing Finances God’s Way. We went through the fifth lesson today on the topic of saving and investing. The lesson was taught by Ron Blue who is the president of Christian Financial Professionals Network.

Blue begins this lesson with a few Biblical principles that ought to govern our savings and investing.

Proverbs 28:20, “A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.”

Principle: “The world says, ‘Get rich quick.’ The Bible says, ‘Get rich slow.”

Luke 14:28, “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?”

Principle: “Take a long-term perspective on all of your investment decisions.”

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

Principle: The Bible teaches us to diversify out investments.

Wealth comes from long-term investing and using a strategy of diversification. Einstein has been reported to have said that “compound interest is the most powerful force in the universe.” You don’t have to earn a lot to necessarily accumulate wealth. The key is to be consistent in saving and to start early.

Blue gives a five-step sequence to invest wisely. Let’s take a look at each step:
1. Pay off consumer debt.
Paying off credit card debt is one of the first priorities in saving and investing. I agree with Blue that this ought to be the first step. Sometimes big sacrifices need to be made, or even a lifestyle change in order to attack the problem of consumer debt.

2. Set money aside for an emergency fund.
Although Blue sets this as step 2, I am tempted to say that this should be done in conjunction with step 1. If setting aside money for an emergency fund is difficult, one can set a goal to save just a few hundred dollars. Even a few hundred dollars can be a comforting buffer as you work to get out of debt.

3. Save for major purchases.
The next step Blue gives is to set goals and save for major purchases. Whether saving for a down-payment or a new vehicle, creating a savings plan can help attain your goals.

4. Diversify your investments to meet long-term needs.
This next step is a must-do for both short-term and long-term investments. It is true that you shouldn’t place all you eggs in one basket.

5. Begin taking calculated financial risk.
I think this step can be applied any time as you begin to invest and save for the future. The amount of risk you take should depend primarily on your time frame of investing. If you have a long time horizon, you can be willing to take more risk. But if your time horizon is short, you don’t have the luxury to risk losing your money. Your investment choices should be more conservative with less time.

This week I’m looking at the issue of missions and student debt. A 2004 issue of Missions Frontier devoted a full issue on the topic, and I hope to glean some helpful advice from the various articles.

Today we look at the last article on this issue of missions and student debt. “A New Paradigm For Education Without Debt“, is written by Rebecca Lewis.

Lewis begins the article by exploring the motivation behind student debt. She quotes Suze Orman from the book “The 9 Steps to Financial Freedom” and reasons that parents are often not honest and upfront about how much contribution they can offer to their children. Instead Lewis recommends implementing an early and realistic budget for college.

“How much better to sit down with your family and calculate in advance how much the student can earn, how much the parents can realistically contribute (without going into debt or cheating the other children), and to set the goal of graduation without loans.”

Although some may disagree, Lewis also recommends taking a hard look at Ivy League school and other universities with status to decide whether the additional cost for “name brand” is worth it.

“It’s a myth that students get a significantly better education and greater earning power from “high status” schools.”

Often times, advantages such as job experience or internships can give you a similar edge out on the job market. Work experience may also help the student realize their career interests at an earlier age.

Another suggestion that Lewis gives that some may disagree with is this: reconsider the college degree. Although studies show a higher earning potential, a college degree does not guarantee you a career job. Not everyone is meant to attend a traditional four-year program.

Yet for the thousands that do attend university each year, what is the best solution? Lewis gives an answer and some pointers. “By far the best option is to avoid debt in the first place by reducing the cost of getting the degree.” Early planning and family discussion is the key to any plan.

Lewis suggests a few methods to reduce the cost of education. One method is to reduce the course units needed at the four-year university. Whether through Advance Placement courses in high school, or transferable courses taken at a community college can greatly reduce the cost of full tuition.

Another method is to consider low-costing universities that are comparable to other universities with similar degree programs. There are in fact universities that offer significantly discounted tuition rates, or even programs that are free.

Some universities Lewis names are: Bethany School of Missions in Minneapolis, Central Christian College of the Bible, Prairie Bible Institute, and Thomas Edison State College.

There are schools that may also offer unique opportunities such as offering credit for missions trips and overseas experiences; “Organizations like Global Learning Strategies are willing to guide students through the process of getting their bachelor’s degrees for less than $10,000 for all educational costs, while earning credit for mission trips and other unusual apprenticeships.”

As more choice opportunities like these emerge, Lewis encourages both parents and students to fully explore their options. “Mission agencies, churches, and parents should take advantage of such new freedoms in higher education to encourage students to obtain relevant training for missionary service while simultaneously.”

I wholeheartedly agree with Lewis and would even recommend including overseas experiences in any college experiences. Instead of a regular summer vacation, why not a unique cross-cultural experience in a distant land all the while accruing university credits.

This week I’m looking at the issue of missions and student debt. A 2004 issue of Missions Frontier devoted a full issue on the topic, and I hope to glean some helpful advice from the various articles.

Today we look at the article, “Release The Indentured Generation!” It’s written by Linda Dorr, who has served at the U.S. Center for World Missions for a number of years. She addresses the issue of student debts among college grads in this generation.

Only 46% of college students graduated with and financial debt ten years ago. The percentage is closer to 70% now. This comes as no shock considering that tuition fees have risen dramatically in recent years. Median income for most families have not been able to keep up. On top of this federal aid in the form of grants have steadily decreased over the years.

Federal and private student loans have become all to common to compensate for the changing times. According to Dorr’s study, 23% of students have accumulated an upwards of $40,000 in debt after four years in college.

“Such levels of debt constitute a form of indentured servitude for today’s student generation. For ten or more years after graduation, much of the family budget must be spent on debt repayment.”

There are options to consolidate loans and lock in low interest rates. But if you choose a longer repayment period, you might still be paying off your student loans by the time your own children are entering college.

The issue of student debt has also begun to influence the area of career choices. “A 2003 study released by Collegiate Funding Services found that more than 30% of college graduates said they had to take a job other than the one they really wanted in order to pay off their loans. This trend has disproportionately impacted the public-service sector (social service, public-service law, teaching, religious service) because of the traditionally lower-paid jobs in this sector. Those recent graduates who do enter public service often find that their student debt well exceeds their annual salaries.”

Missions agencies have tried to address this issue by allowing potential missionaries to allocate a portion of their fund raising to student debt. For example, “Wycliffe Bible Translators allows up to $24,000 in individual student debt or $36,000 in total family student debt.”

Although most missions organizations encourage beginning missionary service earlier in life than later, raising enough financial support could prove to be difficult if one has significant student debt.

So what’s a college grad to do? Dorr gives a few helpful suggestions.

First, make every effort to pay off all the debt in three years. “This could mean tremendous sacrifice for a few years, but wonderful freedom thereafter – freedom to follow their desired careers, and freedom to support missionaries wholeheartedly and open-handedly.” After I graduated, I committed to paying off my student loans in three years. Actually since my original timeline didn’t include saving for a wedding, my plan has been spread out to a little over four years.
Second, if you haven’t accumulated debt yet, make every effort to avoid it. Apply for scholarships and get those FAFSA applications turned in early.

Finally, Dorr comments on how the education system also needs revamping. Some schools such as Rice University have already begun to cap student debt. Hopefully other universities will follow suit. Until then, wise financial planning and budgeting will help ease the burden of student debt.

This week I’m looking at the issue of missions and student debt. A 2004 issue of Missions Frontier devoted a full issue on the topic, and I hope to glean some helpful advice from the various articles.

Today we look at the article, “Student Debt: A Hurdle Too High for ‘Impact’ Missionaries”. It’s written by Ben Sells, a Senior VP for a student training organization.

Sells begins his article with the reality that too many students are graduating with high amounts of student debt. The debt is putting them on the “sidelines” for world missions because of high monthly payments that can’t be paid on a missionary salary alone. To Sells, this trend is very worrisome because the unique giftings and talents of college grads aren’t being realized if hindered by student debt. He states three specific gifts that young adults have to offer:

1. Younger missionaries are bolder. They seem more willing to take risks, doing whatever it takes to share the gospel.
2. Younger missionaries are teachable. They seem more “trainable,” quickly applying what works in church planting.
3. Younger missionaries are linguists. They seem more efficient and effective in learning language and culture.

The impact that college grads can have is being hindered by student indebtedness. So what can students and parents do? Sells offers three tips in this area.

1. Start earlier on your college career by taking Advanced Placement classes that will gain you college credit. The less classes you are required to take, the sooner you can graduate.
3. Begin your college career at a community college. Many lower division course credits can be transferred to four-year university. Taking a portion of your classes at a community college can significantly reduce your tuition expenses.
4. Ask for more grants. Find out all you can for the various scholarships and grants you may qualify for.

Sells also addresses the potential helps the Christian community can also offer:
1. Churches and Missions organizations should work intimately with students to tackle these issues early on.
2. Churches and organizations provide sponsorship programs where students will receive financial help in return for different missions commitments. This is similar to how the government offers subsidies to public school teachers who are taking classes for credentials.
3. Addressing the issue of student debt is only one aspect of preparing young people for ministry. Churches and organizations should help to train in develop students in a holistic manner.

I agree with much of what Sells has to say in this article. I wish that I had these sort of helps during my college years. I regret taking out some of my student loans when it might have been unnecessary. I could have “survived” financially with a few thousand less each year. Ideally developing a budget early on in my college career would have given me a better picture of how much money I need to borrow. Now I know that having a clearer financial picture and teaching basic finances would greatly be beneficial to students in this generation.

This week I’m looking at the issue of student debt and how it affects those who desire to serve overseas as missionaries or even in the States as traditional pastors. In either scenario, students who want to enter full-time ministry often find themselves deterred by hefty debts they have to pay back for a number of years.

I write with a keen awareness that I fall into this category as well. Fortunately my fiancée has finished paying off her student loans, but I’ve still have a ways to go looking at my recent net worth.

My fiancée and I both have a desire to live and serve overseas for a portion of our lives. We aren’t exactly sure what the timing will be, but we do know that for the time-being we are committed to becoming debt-free and striving to be good stewards of what God has given to us.

Mission Frontiers is a bimonthly magazine that highlights mission trends and current issues. An entire issue was devoted to the topic of student debt back in 2004. By reviewing the various articles from this issue, I hope to bring to light solutions and strategies on the issue of student debt.

This July/Aug issue begins with a dialogue between Ralph Winter, the general editor, and Steven Shadrach a youth worker. A typical college students graduates with an average student debt of about $18,000. The cost of attending university continues to rise from year to year. It is no surprise that even with the financial contribution of parents, students will still have significant debt when they graduate. Why, Shadrach asks, is this an issue of concern?

“Many of these graduates never fulfill that initial calling because (dur­ing the period of time they are paying off their school loan) they get married, buy (and owe on) a house, have kids, advance in their job, etc. and now have such deep roots they are not able (or willing) to go into missions.”

Shadrach distinguishes the difference between consumer debt and school debt. He advises those with significant consumer debt to work hard and pay off the debt as quickly as possible, even if it means a second or third job. “Kill it, then begin support raising. Never accumulate consumer debt again.”

For those with student debt, Shadrach advises a different approach: “School debt? Build it into your budget, go raise your support. Never look back.” Although some may disagree with this, Shadrach probably gives this advice with the fear that people’s passion for missions may die out with the American Dream if they defer going on missions until they finish paying off all their loans.

Winter is mostly in agreement with these thoughts, but adds a few thoughts of his own. Although an $18,000 debt may be justified, what if it was $78,000? “Could that additional $60,000 be avoided from the start? If a student uses borrowed money to pay for more expensive school choices (which school, which dorm, which vacation trips), is that not somewhat in the consumer debt category?” Winter also places value on work experience and how it can provide growth and maturity.

I tend to agree with Winter in the value of work experience. These past few years working as an engineer has given me unique experiences that will prove to be useful in the future. I also believe that the goal of paying off my student loans is my own responsibility and not of potential supporters.

Click here for this article.

This is the fourth lesson in Managing Finances God’s Way. I have to say that overall I’m pretty impressed with the quality of the material. Sometimes these types of Video Bible Study series are superficial or over-simplified. But this series on money and finance has been very helpful.

Chip Ingram leads this video lesson again and he gives great biblical principles on the topic of tithing and giving.

Ingram gives us three Biblical facts about generosity:
1. God blesses generous people. Proverbs 19:17 says, “He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done.” And Proverbs 22:9 says, “A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.”

Ingram is careful to point out that the blessings that God bestows on us may not necessarily be financial blessing. We don’t want to get the wrong idea that we will have great health and lots of wealth if we try to be generous. We ought to be generous because we love God and those that are in need. Nevertheless, those who are genuinely generous will be rewarded as the Bible says.

2. God provides a pathway for generous people. By this Ingram means that God has already given us instructions and steps to take to be generous.

a) Biblical generosity gives the first-fruits to God. The first tenth of our income is the Lord’s. It is called a tithe.

b) Biblical generosity is regular and systematic. The Apostle Paul encouraged this among the early churches that a financial plan should govern generosity and giving. It should be systematic. 1 Cor 16:2 says ,”On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.”

c) Biblical generosity is proportional to our income. This is one of the tough things about living out our faith. Even when our incomes rise, our standard of living should not rise with it. Ideally we need to set a budget for all our living expenses and any extra income that come in can be given away.

d) Biblical generosity involves sacrifice. The Apostle Paul understood this principle well when he commended the church in Macedonia. 2 Cor 8:1-4 says, “And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.” It is an amazing testimony to hear that a church “pleaded” for the privilege of being generous even when they themselves were poor.

e) Biblical generosity is thoughtful, voluntary, and worshipful. The ultimate issue is about the heart. We ought to give out of love and joy, not out of obligation or to gain the praises of men. We give knowing that God commends our generosity and blesses those who live out selflessness.

3. Generosity begins with a step of faith. Hebrews 11:4 says, “By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.”

Like many other things in the Christian faith, generosity and giving comes down to an issue of trusting God. Whether we have much or little, when we make sacrifices and place our money or our resources into God’s hand, we are trusting that He is a wise money manager.