We've all heard the statistics. Money issues and arguments are one of the leading causes of marital stress and divorce. And this isn't true just outside the church - it's true in our congregations as well. Discussions about money surface all kinds of emotions, and many couples aren't equipped to deal effectively with the topic.

Having financial goals is important; without goals, it's hard to know if we're on track when it comes to Biblical stewardship. But goals themselves aren't enough - we also need to instill the habits necessary to reach them. It's great to have a goal to pay off our credit cards, but if we don't put in place the disciplines needed to get there, the goal itself doesn't help us. 

In recent years generosity and generosity ministry has gained popularity in the Church and non-profit organizations. Many church leaders have begun to use generosity in place of stewardship. This may seem like a better way to communicate the same thing for some, but do generosity and stewardship mean the same thing?

If you’ve been a Christian for a minute, you’ve been exposed to messages on giving to the church or requests to give to a capital campaign. There’s nothing wrong with messages on giving or fundraising for worthwhile ministry projects. The danger comes when giving is portrayed and communicated as a duty we Christians have to perform instead of a loving response to a God who’s been extravagantly generous to us.

We live in a fast-changing world. Those changes also impact churches. For instance, we have levels of inflation not seen in the last 40 years. Things ebb and flow, and what’s different today is unpredictability. It comes from rapid cultural change, shifting demographics, rapidly evolving technology, and an interdependent global economic climate.

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 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.

Money is an integral part of our lives, and we spend a significant amount of time earning, planning, and spending money daily. Because of this, it stands to reason that being educated and well equipped in managing money would be of benefit to everyone. Unfortunately, financial education is sorely lacking today. Though possessing the best financial information available, God's Word, the Church isn't doing much to help people learn God's principles for managing money.

Our world is out to get us when it comes to having nice things. The aggression at which we are convinced to buy items reminds me of 1 Peter 5:8: 'Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. '

When it comes to giving, a minority of churchgoers are still financially supporting a majority of church ministry. Usually less than 20 percent of churchgoers contribute regularly to their church. This is discouraging, first, because of the lack of resources for the church. Second, because of what it reveals; a lack of trust in God concerning money.

Over the past 20 years, I have seen the language and terminology in the Church around the topic of money change. Truthfully, I've even participated in this by trying to appeal to the people in our Church. As a person who is passionate about seeing people financially free, I've gone to great lengths to improve my communication about money to ensure people understand the information as well as my motivation behind it.

There is not one book, one teaching, one study that will fully disciple people in finances. Financial discipleship is a journey of a lifetime going ever deeper into learning and applying God's principles of managing money and wealth. That's why it takes different types of teaching and curriculum to move people along the journey.

The other day I was browsing Instagram when I saw a post from a page geared towards ministering to women. I’ve seen their posts many times before, and intrigued, wandered over to their website. I found a series of devotionals, and one of them piqued my interest.

Tithing causes all kinds of heated debates and arguments. Whichever side of this issue you find yourself, for or against tithing, it's essential to be informed. There are too many opinions regarding this critical issue, not enough knowledge, which should come from one source, the Bible.

In the marketplace, outstanding quality and excellent customer service build good reputations. Take either of these two components away, and a good reputation won't be achieved. This is also true for churches.

Pink Floyd got it wrong when they lyricized that "money is the root of all evil," but they weren't far off the mark. Financial issues are cited as the number one cause of divorce, and having helped more couples work through financial issues than I can count, I've seen how money can be a destructive force in our lives.