Saturday, August 29, 1998

Forgive us our debts

By LORETTA FULTON

Senior Staff Writer

'Forgive us for getting so far into debt" is the approach many people are taking to financial problems as they seek faith-based ways to solve them.

The Bible, as well as other sacred writings, is filled with references to money and the evil that comes from worshiping it. The love of what money can buy is the driving force behind the unprecedented debt that Americans find themselves in today, particularly credit card debt.

"Debt is at a record high," said Mark Greenwood, an Abilene insurance agent who recently led a biblically based workshop on financial management.

An increased interest in religious financial planning can be seen in the number of books, radio shows and seminars on the subject.

Larry Burkett is one of the best known names in the field with dozens of publications and a national radio program which is broadcast locally on KGNZ Christian radio.

His books carry such titles as Caretakers of God's Blessing: Using Our Resources Wisely and 105 Questions Children Ask About Money Matters: With Answers From the Bible for Busy Parents.

Locally, Burkett's program runs twice daily and has been broadcast for several years. Burkett has covered scads of topics for the years, but they always have one thing in common.

"He always has a biblical foundation for it," said Carla Thompson, public service announcement director for the station.

A recent topic dealt with whether it is good to leave children a large inheritance. Credit is another popular topic.

Greenwood, a Farmers Insurance Group agent, took Burkett's program to the classroom with a summer-long workshop at Southern Hills Church of Christ.

About 30 couples took part, completing Burkett's "How to Manage Your Money" workbook. Greenwood also brought in specialists such as bankers, investment brokers, financial planners and a representative of Consumer Credit Counseling, a non-profit organization that helps people resolve financial problems.

"Everyone was looking for a better way to go for the future than what they had done," Greenwood said.

Many biblical principles apply to money management, Greenwood noted. The Bible cautions followers to know "who is the master and who is the slave" and it speaks of "first fruits" or giving off the top to the church or other charitable institutions.

"It's not money in itself that's evil," Greenwood said. "It's our focus."

With that in mind, Greenwood led the couples through the workshop designed to change their thinking about money management.

"What are we going to do differently and how are we going to reallocate our money?" were questions posed in the class.

Amanda Davis, a counselor with Consumer Credit Counseling, said occasionally she will contact churches and other institutions to tell them of the free counseling service.

Although Davis doesn't use faith-based counseling specifically, she knows that accumulating too much debt is of concern to religious people.

"Sometimes they say they are involved in church and that's where they got our name," Davis said of her clients.

The current average credit card debt in the United States is an astonishing $20,000, Davis said, which no doubt would be appalling to the Apostle Paul, considering his admonition to the Romans: "Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another."

Counselors at Pastoral Care and Counseling Center are familiar with the problems that stem from worshiping what money can buy. It's not uncommon for people to seek counseling for severe depression brought on by financial stresses, said Dr. Jim Sulliman, executive director.

And whether the counselors' advice uses specific religious words or not, all the advice is faith-based.

"It all rests very firmly on Christian principles," Sulliman said.

A common approach is to talk to people about their lifestyle to see if that led to their excessive debt. If external values are the driving force in the person's life, faith-based counseling may be the answer.

The client may need to be led away from a consumer mentality which values material wealth over spiritual wealth.

"The idea of sacrificing has really gone by the wayside," Sulliman said.

Money management with a religious bent has long been a part of the curriculum at Abilene Christian University. For the past 13 years David Carter, a certified financial planner, has taught a senior level course titled "Personal Financial Planning," which focuses on lifelong skills.

"The issue is how do you view your money," Carter said. "Financial matters can not be separated from spiritual matters."

In addition to teaching an undergraduate and a master's level course at ACU, Carter also speaks to churches, family organizations, military groups, and corporations across the country.

A common message, no matter who he's talking to, is responsibility. Carter is critical of churches that bail out their members who get into financial trouble, rather than calling them to be responsible.

"Benevolent work is not for irresponsible Christians," he said.

A lack of responsibility is the cause of 90 percent of the personal financial failings that Carter encounters, and he believes a biblical precept can solve that problem.

"We're responsible to God for our financial stewardship," he said, not just in giving to the church, but in all aspects of life.

No one knows that lesson better than Buddy Childress, founder of Needle's Eye Ministries in Richmond, Va. By wordly standards, Childress was a "rising star" with the Xerox Corporation, said friend Dr. Jimmie Monhollon, an economics professor at Hardin-Simmons University.

But, according to Childress, that status did not serve him well as he found himself working 80 hours a week, shortchanging his family.

"I was just determined to be successful," Childress said in a telephone interview.

However, Childress eventually discovered what many "successful" people find out: "If we don't have a relationship with the God who made us, all our success is really incidental."

Childress eventually moved to Massachusetts, got a seminary degree and intended to become a minister. Instead, he decided to combine his ministry with what he knew best, the business world.

In 1977 Childress moved back to Richmond and founded Needle's Eye Ministries, which sponsors luncheons, small groups discussions, seminars and one-on-one work with professional people in the Richmond area.

"Our ministry is to try to take the ministry of Jesus Christ to business people," he said.

A number of professional people in Richmond volunteer their time to help people run successful businesses while avoiding the pitfalls that sometimes come to "rising stars."

Childress understands very well what Jesus meant when he said in Matthew 19:24: "It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven."

Apparently more and more Americans are understanding that passage as they seek faith-based counseling to change their views of money and the problems that the worship of it can bring.