At Element, we base everything we do off of the scriptures. The Bible contains great advice about life, from improving your marriage to getting along with your boss at work.  But does the Bible really say much about money?  Does it really give us advice that we can apply to our own life in today's world?

The Good News is Yes!  Absolutely!  We believe the Bible is as relevant and helpful today as when it was written, and God has a lot to say about money.  In fact, money is mentioned in the Bible over 800 times.

In fact, Jesus says in Luke 16:11, "So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?"  It appears from this verse that God uses money as a test of our management and stewardship skills before entrusting us with spiritual things.  See more below.

Money in the Bible

1. Proverbs 13:22 "A good man leaves an inheritance to his childrens' children" indicating that God wants us to make a difference, financially, in our family tree.

2. Proverbs 21:20 "In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has."  This gives us an idea of how God wants us to save for a rainy day, to set something back for safekeeping.

3. Proverbs 22:7 states that "The rich rule over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender."  Really?  The Bible discourages debt?  Does God really want me to pay my debts off and avoid debt?

4. Luke 14:28 "For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it."  Does Jesus really want me to save up and pay for the things I buy?

5. Matt. 6:24 "You cannot serve both God and money".

We can talk about a lot of things openly, but it seems like as soon as we talk about money, people tend to close off and stop listening. There are many reasons for this, but the top reason is that most people don't realize how much of a problem managing money is for the average family.  Look at the statistics below:

Financial Statistics

1. Marital Problems - 37 percent (the highest rate) of marital problems derive from financial situations

2. Cash Flow - 70 percent of all consumers live paycheck to paycheck, meaning they run out of money before the end of the month

3. Savings - The average family would have to use a credit card to pay a $1,500 unexpected expense (ex: home or car repair).

4. Retirement - Nearly half of all Americans (46%) have less than $10,000 saved for their retirement.

It is a problem that affects everyone, inside and outside of the church.  In fact George Barna says that the fastest growing churches are teaching about marriage, child rearing, finances, and careers.  Money is a serious subject, and God is serious about money, which is why we should study closely what he has to tell us.

This is why in January, we will be offering Financial Peace University - a 13-week course on finances. In it we will all learn how to make the right money decisions to follow what God has taught us throughout the scriptures. The course includes practical lessons on eliminating debt, building wealth, giving like never before, and much more. We invite you to come and learn what it means to truly have Peace with your finances. Read more & Sign up online here.