My pastor gave an interesting sermon this Sunday about investing in the kingdom. The message made me consider selling everything I own in order to help more people. But realistically, it really drove home the point that everything we are given is on loan from God and should be used for His glory.

There’s no doubt that we live in interesting times. We all know someone who’s been laid off or have experienced job loss ourselves. Millions of people are facing foreclosure or have already lost their homes. But at the same time we have to remember that as Americans, we are incredibly wealthy compared to the rest of the world. If you earn $10,000 a year you are richer than 87% of the world. If you make $50,000 a year you are among the richest 1% in the world. The next time I start feeling sorry for myself because I don’t have money to do something I know I’ll be thinking of those statistics.

But those statistics don’t really seem to match up with recent Barna Research that says that 17% of Christians say they tithe, but only 3% actually give 10% or more of their income to God’s work. So if we’re among the richest people in the world, why aren’t we giving more? Here are three possibilities:

1. Unemployed: If you’re unemployed you have no income and therefore you don’t have anything to give.
2. Debt: A recent anonymous survey of a 2,000 member church in my community found that as a whole they carried $35 million in consumer debt. This did not count mortgages. If you’re laying under the weight of debt, how can you be free to give?
3. Unwilling: We don’t trust God enough to believe that He is the ultimate provider. God never intended for us to keep everything He gives, yet often we hold on so tightly to our resources that they can’t be used for His plan. Or as author and pastor David Platt might say, we are living out a Christian spin on the American Dream, unwilling to give up what He gave us in the first place. Here is a video of Dr. Platt explaining this:

It’s been a busy year for Paul Williams. He got married to his wife Michelle and recently started his own financial planning and tax preparation business in Southern Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. When he’s not crunching numbers he enjoys tweeting as @ProvidentPlan and blogging at ProvidentPlan.com.

OODC: How did you get started blogging and tweeting?
@ProvidentPlan: I think I didn’t discover personal finance blogs until after I graduated college and was working at my first professional job. I remember reading Get Rich Slowly and then gradually finding other blogs. I thought blogging seemed interesting and looked like something I could do, plus I felt like my education could help me teach others about personal finance. So I started my first blog (Crackerjack Greenback) and later switched to Provident Planning because it fit the direction I was going a bit better. I’m still learning the Twitter stuff (and trying to understand its purpose…).

OODC:You write about contentment quite a bit. Why is this so key for Christians?
@ProvidentPlan:As I studied what the Bible had to say about personal finance, I found contentment to be a major theme throughout. That alone should signal that it’s an important concept. But I think more importantly it’s about whom you’re serving. If you’re not content and think you’ll only find satisfaction in Stuff, then you’re serving Mammon (money). If you’re busy serving Mammon, you can’t serve God. So until a Christian can learn to find their contentment in Christ, I think it will be nearly impossible for them to closely follow God and serve Him.

OODC:Why do you think it’s so important for Christians to get out of debt?
@ProvidentPlan:I tend to go against the mainstream (Crown Financial/Dave Ramsey/most Christian PF Blogs) on this one. I think it’s important for Christians to have control of their debt and to avoid consumer debt as much as possible. But there is a useful purpose for debt when wisely considered – buying a home, getting an education, or starting/expanding a business are good possible reasons. I’m not saying you should always go into debt for those things or that it is good. But I think many Christian financial counselors tend to misinterpret a few Bible verses and develop a whole doctrine around living debt-free. I don’t do that.

That said, I agree that consumer debt (credit cards, cars, boats, etc.) can be crippling and has been abused by many Christians (and others). But we shouldn’t avoid debt at all costs just because it can be abused. That would be like refusing to use a knife to chop vegetables just because it could be used to kill someone.

OODC:Who are some of your favorite money tweeters?
@ProvidentPlan:I like Kevin @OutofYourRut, J.D. @jdroth or @GRSblog, and Mike @michaelrpiper. But I’m still getting the hang of Twitter, so my opinions probably don’t hold much weight here!

Thanks again to @ProvidentPlan for being part of this week’s Twitter Tuesday Profile. Want to be considered for an upcoming profile? Just tweet me!

Money is important, but it is the root of all evils according to the Bible, says blogger Judith Aparri with Everyday Christian. However, we need it to support our families and pay for food, shelter, clothing and other necessities. Being wealthy isn’t a sin, adds Aparri. But it matters how we look at it and treat it. Many people get caught up in wealth and want more and more stuff.

The Bible says “Where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also.” Matthew 6:21. Our pastor preaches on this topic a lot. Loving money in a negative way can lead to many other problems. “God tells us to use money to gain friends and be worth the trust so we will deserve to have heavenly possessions,” says Aparri.

Luke 16:9-12 says, “I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings… If you are not 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?”

God also wants us to save our money and plan for the future. “On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come.” 1 Cor. 16:2. The scriptures tell us that God wants us to work hard, plan and budget so we will not be poor, says Aparri. The Bible also calls us to give back to the Lord. If we don’t realize that all we have is His, than we are being selfish with our money.

I had the pleasure of attending Dave Ramsey’s EntreLeadership class in Charleston, South Carolina last week. The event helped me in many areas as a small business owner and this week I’m highlighting a few of the important lessons I learned during the event. One of those key lessons is hiring the right people for your team. In the book “Good to Great” by Jim Collins, he explains how important it is to not only have the right people on the bus, but to make sure they’re on the right seat on the bus as well. Ramsey went into great detail about the interview process and how crucial it is to hire the right people for the job in the first place. One of the reasons for this is that turnover is expensive in lost productivity and in lowered morale for the rest of your team.

Right from the beginning, Ramsey says you should be specific about the type of person you are looking for and what the position pays. He says it’s a big waste of everyone’s time when you’re not upfront about compensation. He also says what you’re selling is not a job, but an opportunity to do something that matters. In any position, you should be able to find a reason why it is important work.

The interview process is key for finding the right people for your team. Initially, interviews should be no longer than 30 minutes and you should let the interviewee do most of the talking. Here are Ramsey’s 12 steps for making sure you get the right person for the position:

1. Pray
2. Define the job in written form
3. Review the resume
4. Have them take a personality test
5. Determine if you like them
6. Find out if they’re passionate about it- do they light up when talking about this position?
7. Talk about compensation and benefits
8. Review their personal budget to make sure that they could live on what you plan to pay them
9. Follow up with references
10. “Interview” their spouse, take them out to dinner
11. Review company and personal mission statements
12. Put them on a 90 day probation

Once hired, if the person doesn’t perform to your expectations figure out if it’s an education problem, a character issue, of if they’re lazy. Give them more grace because that is what you would want and remember that incompetence isn’t evil– we’re all incompetent at something.

With lawmakers trying to hammer out new health care policies and many Americans facing skyrocketing health insurance premiums, you may be wondering if there’s an alternative. An option to consider is Medi-Share, a program where Christians share each other’s medical expenses. Since beginning in 1993, Medi-Share members have saved and shared more than $470 million in medical expenses.

Medi-Share does not claim to be insurance. It’s a ministry that brings Christians together so that they can share their medical bills with one another. You pay in a set amount every month and that money will go towards supporting healthy, biblical lifestyles. You’ll even have access to a secure website where you can see where your money is going. You can then pray for those people and even send them notes of encouragement. Here are some other benefits of Medi-Share:

* There is a team of health experts in nursing, exercise physiology, nutrition and physical therapy that you can call on for health questions.
* There are a variety of options for the annual amount of eligible medical bills that a household must meet before their medical bills will be shared. You can choose from $500, $1250, $2500, $3750, $5000, $7500, or $10,000.
* You may be eligible for up to a 20% discount if you meet certain health measurements.

There are lots of eligible medical procedures and bills that Medi-Share will cover including pregnancy and adoption. For more information call (800) PSALM 23. Or you can visit the Medi-Share website and fill out a contact form.

The Bible teaches us many things about money. We have a pastor of financial planning at our church in South Carolina and his business continues to grow as he travels around the country teaching others how to handle their finances in a Biblical manner. The Sun Sentinel in Florida recently wrote an article about the increase in Christian-debt elimination programs.

Seminars are now being offered at churches throughout the U.S., according to the article. Our financial pastor, Joe Sangl, is traveling to churches in areas such as Missouri, Florida, Kentucky and many others sharing his Financial Learning Experience. In South Florida, Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University has been very popular. There are 4,000 churches that have started offering the classes throughout the country.

A spokeswoman for Ramsey said the average family pays off $5,300 in debt after taking the class. And they save $2,700 within three months. With the recession it seems people are definitely finding these classes appealing.

According to Crown Financial Ministries, the Bible offers more than 2,000 verses related to money. Sangl and Ramsey both discuss Bible verses in their classes. Sangl’s class schedule: New Life Center in Bridgeton, MO March 6 and 7. New Spring Church in Greenville, SC March 11, Cowee Baptist Church in Franklin, NC March 14 and Main Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, KY March 20-21. Check out Ramsey’s website and you can type in your zip code to find a class near you. You can also attend online.

Here are some websites that I found that might be helpful as you follow a Biblical-based financial plan:

Christian Financial Planner

Biblical Stewardship

Crown Financial Ministries

Christian Money

To demonstrate ways that we can all show Christ’s love through our daily lives, my church has organized a creative outreach event. On February 7 our congregation will do what most of us already do after church– we’ll go out to eat. But rather than focusing on the food and rushing the meal so we can get on with our days, we’ll be paying attention to our servers. The goal is that this small act of kindness will help others feel God’s love.

Within just a few miles of our church there are 156 restaurants. And most of those restaurants probably staff several waiters and waitresses every Sunday. Whether they want to or not, they won’t be attending a Sunday service. Instead they’ll be filling water glasses and taking orders. Since they won’t be able to go to church, we’re bringing the church to them. After all, church isn’t the building, it’s the people.

Besides just leaving a tip when we leave we’ll be giving our waiters and waitresses a goodie bag. Inside will be several gift cards for movie theaters, gas stations or grocery stores along with treats like candy bars. They’ll also get a letter from one of our pastors and a stamped envelope so they can easily send us any prayer requests. As my pastor pointed out, the Bible makes an incredible statement about Jesus. It says, “Jesus went about doing good.” Often it was his simple acts of compassion that unlocked people’s hearts.

All of the members will hopefully chip in something to create goodie bags that will be a wonderful blessing to our hardworking servers, which means no one person will have to spend a lot of money to make it happen. I remember over a year ago when the person in front of me in the Dunkin Donuts drive thru paid for my coffee. That little step made a huge impact on my life and I only hope that this opportunity to server our servers will do the same.

What seemingly small ways have you blessed others or been blessed by others? Give us your ideas!

I’m always looking for a good book. I’ve been fortunate because my church often hands out books to its members to help them with their Christian journey and that includes financial help. Here are some Christian-based books that might come in handy when you’re taking a look at your personal finances.

“I Was Broke, Now I’m Not” by Joe Sangl: This is a quick read and very helpful. My small group at church read this book together. If you’re tired of living paycheck to paycheck and tired of being broke, check out this book.

“The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness” by Dave Ramsey: Take a look at seven easy-to-follow steps that will lead you out of debt.

“The Sound Mind Investing Handbook – A Step-By-Step Guide To Managing Your Money From a Biblical Perspective” by Austin Pryor: Pick this one up and learn how to put Godly principles of finance in motion.

“Financial Parenting: Showing Your Kids that Money Matters” by Larry Burkett and Rick Osborne: Teach your kids the Biblical principles of handling money.

Here are some books that aren’t Christian-based, but may also help you to focus on your finances.

“Money 911″ by Jean Chatzky: This book can rescue you from more than 100 money emergencies.

“Shoo, Jimmy Choo!” by Catey Hill: This one is a guide to spending less money and written by someone who used to splurge.

“Save Big” by Elisabeth Leamy: Find out how to save thousands on your biggest expenses.

“Making The Most of Your Money Now” by Jane Bryant Quinn: With more than 1,000 pages, this book talks about so many topics from auto insurance to zer0-coupon bonds.

“Shoptimism: Why the American Consumer Will Keep on Buying No Matter What” by Lee Eisenberg: Read up on what drives people to keep spending money.

“Get a Financial Life: Personal Finance in Your Twenties and Thirties” by Beth Kobliner: Give this one as a graduation or wedding gift and help those just getting started to learn more about finances.

“Spend ’til The End” by Laurence Kotlikoff: Are you thinking about retiring? Pick this one up to learn about stretching your retirement savings.

Ministry is everything to Julia Wessels. This wife and homeschooling mom of four loves to serve her church as the Children’s Pastor. But she also loves the idea of being debt free– something she and her husband are working towards right now. Julia tweets from @theFrugalFind and blogs about her money saving adventures at TheFrugalFind.com. Julia sees Twitter and her blog as another form of ministry and another way to serve the Lord.

OODC: How did you get started blogging and tweeting?
@TheFrugalFind: I started blogging as a way to help my friends and the parents at my church save money and manage their resources as the Lord would like us to, based on the Matthew 25 principle.

OODC:How is your Christian faith put into action by being frugal?
@TheFrugalFind:My goal with The Frugal Find and my own personal life goal is to make the most of the money God has entrusted us to be a steward of. I often think about the parable of the talents, when the first two servants came back to Jesus and showed Him their frugality (prudence). Matthew 5:21 says His master answered, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful in a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’

OODC:You get great deals and freebies all the time, but does anything stand out as your best frugal find?
@TheFrugalFind:Nothing in particular, but being able to stock my pantry and feed my family of 6 on $45 a week tops it all! You can peek into our pantry on my blog.

OODC:What do you hope people get out of your Tweets and blog posts?
@TheFrugalFind:My motto is to help people Save more! Give more! and Live more!

OODC:Who are some of your favorite money tweeters?
@TheFrugalFind: @ crystalpaine, @ KingdomFirstMom, @ GauchoSave, and @ Hip2Save.

Thanks again to @theFrugalFind for being a part of this week’s Twitter Tuesday Profile. Would you like to be considered for an upcoming profile? Just Tweet me!

An estimated hundreds of thousands of lives were lost because of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti this week. If you want to do something to help the survivors of this poor nation, here are some Christian organizations serving Haiti that need your help.

Compassion International: For more than four decades Compassion International has been working in Haiti. Compassion International matches donors with sponsor children and has helped more than 65,000 children and their families in Haiti. Your donation will be used to provide relief to those in Haiti.

GAIN-USA: The Global Aid Network is a multi-national network of ministries. They’re sending medical supplies, food and water to Haiti with the help of your donation.

Baptist Haiti Mission: Since 1943 the Baptist Haiti Mission has been serving this country. Their hospital in Fermathe is overflowing with victims needing treatment. Your donation will go directly to those who need it.

For Haiti with Love: This organization, For Haiti with Love, provides free medical care on the North Coast of Haiti. They’re expecting to serve more people and need help paying for additional medical supplies.

Mission Aviation Fellowship: As of right now, several of Mission Aviation Fellowship’s volunteers based in Haiti are not accounted for. The organization has set up a special fund just for serving the areas.

Food for the Hungry: Fifteen workers with Food for the Hungry are still unaccounted for in Haiti. The organization has a head start providing aid to this country because of workers they already have in place, but they need more funds to rush food, water, medicine and other life-saving help to this area.

CURE International: CURE International doctors in the Dominican Republic are responding to Haiti. Text CURE to 85944 to give a $10 mobile gift.

Bright Hope International: Bright Hope is all about serving the poorest of the poor. And now they want to help those in disaster-stricken Haiti. Your donation will provide supplies to the earthquake survivors.

Today’s Twitter Tuesday Profile is all about Amy of @AmysFinerThings. She’s a stay-at-home-mom and wife living in a tiny town in Kansas. Amy’s blog, AmysFinerThings.com, is all about getting back to the basics and avoiding materialism– a perfect message for this time of year.

OODC: How did you get started blogging and tweeting?
@AmysFinerThings: The first blog I ever read was Heavenly Homemakers. I had never even heard of blogging, and it rapidly opened up a whole new world for me. I started my own blog after I was asked to guest post on another website. I started tweeting about a year ago at the insistence of some blogging friends. It’s a time-sucker if you’re not careful, but Twitter has done wonders for my blog traffic and has introduced me to some wonderful friends.

OODC: What do you hope people get out of your Tweets and blog posts?
@AmysFinerThings: I want people to learn that the best things in life AREN’T THINGS. We need to refocus as a society. More emphasis on simplicity, family, relationships and less (much less!) on acquiring STUFF.

OODC: You write a lot about enjoying the things money can’t buy. Why is this so important to you?
@AmysFinerThings: Because in the end… no one has a U-Haul following their hearse. You can’t take it with you. I truly believe that people would be happier if they weren’t chasing stuff all the time.

OODC: Do you think simplicity and saving money go hand-in-hand?
@AmysFinerThings: Absolutely! Even the savviest of shoppers knows that it’s not a bargain if you don’t need it. Reducing what we “need” is an amazing money saver. My husband’s salary qualifies our daughter for reduced-lunch prices at school, and yet… because of our simpler lifestyle, we don’t want for anything.God provides.

OODC: With the rush of the holidays sometimes we can forget about the finer things in life. What’s your advice for not letting that happen?
@AmysFinerThings: Schedule time with your children. Children are masters of the Finer Things in Life. They don’t want your stuff; they want your time. Play a game, read a book, watch a movie with a bowl of popcorn and an afghan.

OODC: Who are some of your favorite money tweeters?
@AmysFinerThings: @CrystalPaine, @FrugalFemina (she got me a free turkey this year!), @mommysnacks, and @KingdomFirstMom.

Thanks again to @AmysFinerThings for giving us a glimpse into her life for this week’s Twitter Tuesday Profile. Want to be considered for an upcoming profile? Just tweet me!

Twenty-nine-year-old South Carolina pastor Blake Pitts of Grace Baptist Church in Seneca, South Carolina did pretty much everything wrong. He launched a capital giving campaign during one of the worst recessions in decades in his small church in a small town. But Blake has seen huge growth in his church and says it’s because God does not work according to the world’s economy, according to this interview.

Blake’s 2008 giving levels were at $180,000. So far this year members have given $220,000 and are on target to top $240,000 which is $60,000 more than last year. That huge increase in general giving is especially remarkable when you consider the church also launched a capital campaign to expand the church building. Members have contributed an additional $180,000 for that project. Grace Baptist Church is located in Seneca, South Carolina, a small town made up of mostly blue collar people. The church itself started the year with about 180 members and has grown to about 225 members. “We’re really blowing last year’s numbers out of the water,” Blake said in a recent interview. “That’s totally a God thing.”

According to Blake, here are some of the reasons the church experienced such huge growth in giving and attendance despite being in very bad economy:

1. Taught About the Tithe: Blake had never taught on giving before at this church so he started preaching that the tithe is what was expected. He wanted to make sure his congregation knew the basics about what the Bible teaches regarding giving.

2. Challenged People to Go Over and Above: Blake told his congregation that if they wanted to be involved in over-and-above-giving they need to tithe first. Blake adds that when you begin to give you start to see blessings in your life that can’t be explained from the pulpit.

3. Set Goals: Blake says setting goals is key. Some goals were small. For example, one Sunday he told the church they needed $2,000 for a new drum set. He asked 20 people to give $100 and immediately hands went up. They ended up with more than enough to achieve this goal.

4. Growth Within People: Blake says giving is an outward expression of what’s going on in your heart. When people grow spiritually they begin to give more. And he believes the members of Grace Baptist were growing spiritually.

5. Passion of the Leadership: Without passionate leadership in the church, increase in giving won’t happen. If the senior pastor is not giving generously then how can we expect the congregation follow? They need to hear their pastor say “I’m a tither.”

We’ve been discussing Joseph Sangl’s Fundamental Rules of Money Management. Let’s recap what he’s laid out for us.

Rule #1: Make hay while the sun shines. Make sure you are saving and storing money for the future.

Rule #2: Sow some seed. If you want to harvest something, you better plant something. Are you saving and investing in a 401(k)?

Rule #3: Nothing will happen until you do something. If you are stuck in a dead-end job, find what you are passionate about and pursue it. Want to take control of your finances? Step out there and work on it.

Rule #4: You must have margin. This can help when any financial emergencies come up and allows you to consider new opportunities without having to say “I don’t have the money.”

Finally Rule #5: If it sounds too good to be true, it’s most likely a scam.

I think we’re all pretty familiar with this statement. There have been plenty of times that I’ve heard of a great deal, but had to remind myself to take a step back and really check it out. Joseph recalls a time when he was presented with what seemed like a great opportunity to make some money. All he had to do was pay in $1,000 and then once eight other people joined in he would receive $8,000. I’ve also been presented with similar schemes.

Many of Joseph’s co-workers jumped into it and then of course the ones running the scheme took off with the money. Here is what Joseph says he discovered: When you are broke, you are way more susceptible to get-rich-quick scams and schemes.

As tempting as it might sound, the best thing to do is remain calm and especially patient when it comes to financial decisions. I know when my husband and I put our trust in God and let him handle our finances, things seem to fall into place.

We’ve covered Rule One and Rule Two of Joseph Sangl’s rules of money management – dealing with saving and investing.

Rule #3: Nothing will happen until you do something

Joseph used to have a regular job – a 9 to 5 type – but instead of being excited every morning about his work, he would wake up and just want a cup of coffee. He says he wanted to do something that really made a difference. I’m sure all of us have met plenty of people who just hate their job and feel like they have hit a dead end. I have definitely been there before and it’s tough.

Joseph has also been there, but instead of complaining about it (like many do) he decided to get up and try to do something about it. This is when he began working as a financial counselor. He offered it for free to people he knew and he realized it was something he really enjoyed. He realized he had to make the first move and find something else to do with his career.

So you want to score big when it comes to your finances? You want to save money and invest wisely? Go ahead and take that step to better your life. It’s tough at first. My husband and I have realized that since we started tithing we haven’t been as stressed out about our finances. God has provided for us. We are able to save and spend our money wisely.

I took a big step personally a few years back. I was in the same career field for many years and decided to try something different. Although my background helped a bit, I was still having to learn a new field. I was glad that I tried it and took a step to do something that I’d enjoy. Now, I’ve learned from all of my jobs and continue to move in the direction of my ideal career.

You can do it too. Taking risks can often have a great ending and with God on your side the possibilities are endless in your personal life and your finances. Putting your trust in Him and His plan for your life, you’ll always end up ahead.

Whether it’s at the grocery store check-out line or an email in my inbox, people are always asking me how to use coupons. Several months ago I felt like the Lord really wanted me to teach others about this. Even though there are many other (and more talented) couponers teaching classes out there I felt like I could offer a different perspective– using coupons to give more.

Over the past seven months I’ve tracked my charitable giving of food and toiletries and it turns out I’ve bought over $500 worth of stuff while only paying about $20 out of pocket. About 20 people turned out to the class which was held at my church. That was more than I expected since I didn’t advertise except through our church bulletin, Facebook page and my personal blog. Several of the people do not attend my church but told me after that they had been praying for someone to teach them about coupons. One woman told me she had been praying about learning how to use coupons so she could buy more food to help a friend who’s in a bad financial situation.

My presentation was only about 40 minutes long and included the basics of couponing as well as some information and ideas on how to use couponing to increase your giving to local food pantries and shelters. I showed them these verses on giving:

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9)

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.’ (Acts 20:35)

He who is generous will be blessed, for he gives some of his food to the poor. (Proverbs 22:9)

“If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,’ and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?� (James 2:15-16)

There were lots of questions and plenty of interest so I’m excited to see what this group of 20 will be able to accomplish with coupons.

This week we travel to a farm in Kentucky for our Twitter Tuesday Profile. Katie Hostetter, also known as @FrugalFemina, is a pastor’s wife and stay-at-home mom to her little munchkin Bradley. She lives in a little cabin on a Kentucky farm with her family which also includes two rescued pets– a black lab named Casey and Riley the cat. She owes her coupon addiction to Stephanie, the woman behind CouponMom.com. Stephanie’s appearance on Oprah a few years ago sparked Katie’s love of saving money. Besides keeping up her own blog, FrugalFemina.com, Katie is a contributor at Inexpensively.com. Katie explains how her faith is reflected in her frugal lifestyle and how we can all keep from overspending during the holidays.

OODC: How did you get started blogging and tweeting?

@FrugalFemina: My husband was basically unemployed for the first two years of Bradley’s life. He was finishing up his Ph.D. and had the hardest time finding a job once he graduated. I laugh at all the things he tried just to earn a few bucks! He is a very academic kind of guy. He loves teaching, preaching, and counseling. But he sold insurance. He got his CDL. He applied to deliver pizzas. He was a bank teller. You name it.

I had subscribed to Coupon Mom’s list when we lived in Georgia, but I didn’t understand it. I got e-mail after e-mail about free Trident, free shampoo, etc., and I just said, “How?!!!� When we moved back to Kentucky and I saw that Stephanie (the Coupon Mom) was going to be on Oprah, I decided I needed to figure it out! I have been seriously couponing ever since.

I have always had the journalism itch in me. I love to write, so I got a degree in church music and media communication. I started blogging in 2005 just to share family stories and photos. In April of 2009, I decided to take my couponing addiction to the next level with Frugal Femina, and I love it!

Tweeting, on the other hand, is another story entirely. My friend Cherie at Queen of Free encouraged me to start tweeting. And by “encouraged,� I mean she pulled me kicking and screaming all the way there. I didn’t understand why people tweet about what they just ate for lunch. But I used it for about a week, and I realized it is a super-duper way to connect with other bloggers in my field, companies, moms, readers, and others. As we often say on Twitter, these are friends I’ve been looking for my whole life!

OODC: How is your faith as a Christian reflected in your frugal lifestyle?

@FrugalFemina:I love the reminder we have at church every week when we recite after the offering “for all things come from You, and of Your own gifts we have given to You.� I love seeing Bradley put our tithe in the offering plate. God has blessed us with a steady job, great health insurance, and so much more. I want to be responsible with all of it! I love to donate from my stockpile, and I love seeing the look I get when people realize I’m donating brand-new items. That is priceless. My friend Amy at The Finer Things in Life likes to say we can’t out-give God, and it is so true! I get back way more than I could ever give.

Also, it is easy to let your desire/need for saving money cloud your judgment when you’re couponing. There are ways to cheat the system. But there are plenty of deals to go around, and it’s ok if you miss some! Believe me, free toothpaste will come around again!

OODC: We are coming into the time of year when many of us overspend. What are your suggestions for keeping within our budgets over the holidays?

@FrugalFemina:Well, my family doesn’t usually give Christmas presents. We try to do activities together as a family instead. We also have a family picture taken together at this time of year. We do get little things for the kiddos because my sister and I think stockings are the best! My gifts for my niece and nephew cost under $10 each. I personally think my niece’s gift will rock her socks off. But I’m not biased or anything.

If I have other presents to buy, I try to shop throughout the year. Even if I can’t do the actual shopping, I at least set some money aside each month specifically for gifts. I estimated what I thought I would spend on gifts for a whole year, divided it by 12, and stick that amount in an envelope each month.

And let’s not forget how many great freebies there are at this time of year-especially on toys. There is no reason to pay full price!

OODC: What do you hope people get out of your Tweets and blog posts?

@FrugalFemina:On Twitter, I just hope they have fun chatting with me and connecting with other like-minded people. I hope the information at Frugal Femina encourages my readers to keep learning and doing the best they can with what they have. I’m especially excited this week, because I just switched over to WordPress. I’m very thankful to Joy at Five J’s for helping me make the move!

OODC: Who are some of your favorite money tweeters?

@FrugalFemina:There is a large group of frugal bloggers that I interact with and love. A few of my favorites (other than those mentioned above) are: Andrea at MommySnacks, Marcy at StretchingaBuck, Alyssa at KingdomFirstMom.

Thanks again to Katie (@FrugalFemina) for being our Twitter Tuesday Profile this week! Want to be considered for an upcoming profile? Just tweet me!

Oprah recently found herself in the middle of a controversy involving gospel singer BeBe Winans and his ex-wife Debbie. About ten months ago BeBe Winans was arrested on domestic abuse charges for allegedly shoving Debbie to the ground. While Oprah has been very vocal about the domestic abuse case involving Rhianna and Chris Brown, many are calling the talk show host a hypocrite for allowing BeBe to promote his new album on her show and perform one of the songs from the album. BeBe was scheduled to also appear on Oprah as a judge in her Karaoke Challenge, but has since been banned from the Oprah Show. He will not be allowed to appear on the program until the issue is resolved.

But an article on Beliefnet brings up a good point– what about the hypocrisy of Christians who continue to purchase BeBe’s album. The album still holds the #1 spot on the Gospel album charts. It’s also #5 on the R&B/Hip Hop chart and #24 on the Billboard Top 200.

It’s pretty obvious that we as Christians may not want to spend our money on albums containing explicit content or x-rated movies. But what about spending your money to support a Christian artist accused of beating his wife? Our dollars and the way we spend them says a lot about who we are– and perhaps Christians often forget that. We may still buy a knock-off handbag and forget that the money supports terrorism. We may buy clothing without stopping to think about whether it was made in a sweat shop at the hands of little kids.

So how does it work– do we forgive BeBe for his mistakes and continue to buy his albums, but refuse to buy secular albums by artists who are sinners too? Do we as Christians think enough about how we spend our money and what that says about us?

The topic of money is discussed in the Bible many, many times. A website that I frequent is Everyday Christian and they talk about several topics, such as money, relationships, health and Christian living. Not long ago, I wrote a blog about tithing and wanted to explore the area of money and the Bible a bit more.

A writer for Everyday Christian put together a list of five important verses from the Bible that discuss money and he feels every Christian should be familiar with them.

Philippians 4:19 And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

God is always faithful and we should trust in Him and not necessarily rely on the wavering stock market or bank accounts. The author of the article says it shouldn’t matter if there is a financial crisis or you get laid off, God will still supply your needs like He promised us He would.

Malachi 3:10 “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”

It is important to tithe which I have discussed in the past. My husband and I continue to do so despite the fact that I lost my full-time job and we have other financial woes. Tithing brings blessings, which we have noticed since we began giving our money to the Lord.

1 Timothy 6:10  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

This verse if often misquoted, says Everyday Christian. It’s not the money that is evil, but the love of it. Many who have millions do give it away to charities and other organizations, but then there are those who fight over a few dollars. “It is a matter of the heart that only God can judge,” says the article.

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.”

Everyday Christian provides several other samplings of scripture that can go along with Acts 20:35. Giving sets us free, while hoarding entraps us (James 5:2). Giving changes the lives of others (John 3:16).  Giving brings blessings back to us (Luke 6:38).

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

My husband and I are careful not to have too many debts. Right now, we owe on one car, our house and we try to pay off our credit cards each month. Not being chained to debt can really make a difference in your life.

Yesterday was a big day at Citadel of Faith Covenant Church in Detroit, Michigan. That’s because yesterday was Free House Sunday. The city of Detroit has been hit especially hard by the recession so the authors of a new book “Jesus Loves You This I Know” teamed up with Citadel to bless someone with a free home.

They started pulling the project together back in May and over the past few weeks 113 people filled out an entry form at www.freehouseSunday.com for the chance to receive the free house. The church received the house by someone who had passed away. So with a couple thousand dollars worth of seed money and a lot of volunteer help, the congregation got the house renovated and in great shape for its new owner. Volunteers put in new appliances, heater, cabinets, carpet, tile, fixtures, sinks, bath and more.

In front of a standing-room-only crowd, the church announced the winner, Thereatha Baker. Thereatha’s husband passed away and she could no longer afford her rent. She had no money to move and was falling behind on her bills. The sermon, along with this powerful display of grace and love made a big impact. Out of that packed church yesterday, 30 people committed themselves to the Lord and 55 people said they wanted to join Citadel Church, proving it wasn’t just Thereatha that walked away from the service with a changed life.

This video from Channel 7 Action News in Detroit tells more of the story:

Out of Debt Christian recently received a great question from one of our readers. He asked for advice on the topic of spoiling the child versus inheritance. The Bible  is clear about not spoiling our children; however, that doesn’t apply when it comes to leaving your children with what they need when you are no longer here.

For help with this topic I turned to my church’s Pastor of Financial Planning Joe Sangl. He and his wife had some words of wisdom on the topic and first quoted Proverbs 13:22 which says “A good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children.”

“I believe God wants us to bless the next generation,” they said. “God did not call us to be broke.”

He and his wife, Jenn, put an interesting twist on it saying that the trick is to teach your children how to handle money properly. They discussed their personal life and plan on leaving an inheritance for their daughter and they are teaching her how to be aware of money. “She had a conversation with our friends the other day and was outraged at the prices of smoothies at our church coffee shop. She gets it,” they said.

This summer Joe tackled the issue of Estate Planning on his blog and discussed an article from Money Magazine on the topic. The article tells readers to ask themselves five questions:

Give Now or Give Later? Giving money to your loved ones now may be an option to help avoid higher taxes later.

Equal or Fair? This tackles the issue of how you should split your money among your offspring.

Simple or Complicated? A simple will or living trust are what is discussed under this question.

Want to Give to Charity? A traditional IRA is the best way to donate some of your estate.

When Should You Revisit Your Plan? Things change quickly, so make sure you contact your attorney every three years or so.

I felt it was important to contact a financial advisor when it came to this type of issue. I hope this has helped our readers to understand estate planning a bit better.

Imagine shopping around town spending your hard-earned money and when you return home you find you have some extra money in your pocket. We all know what pickpockets do and know it’s a crime, but have you heard of the new phenomenon ‘putpockets?’ Twenty former pickpockets are paying it forward and rewarding unsuspecting Londoners with money. They slip it in pockets, purses and bags hoping to help others.

Broadband provider TalkTalk is funding the initiative which runs until the end of August before being rolled out countrywide. By the time it’s finished 100,000 pounds (that’s just over $160,000) will have been given away. In the Bible, God tells people to give back to others. Hebrews 13:16 says “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”

I’ve heard of people passing through a toll on a highway and out of nowhere they pay for the car behind them. What if it became a cycle and people just continued paying for others? A gentleman who attends my church recently came into the office and he brought a coffee for our campus pastor. He did it just because he heard his pastor was having a tough day.

But giving back to others doesn’t necessarily have to involve money. On the web, the Random Acts of Kindness foundation is full of ideas and stories about what others are doing around the world. It provides materials like activity ideas, lesson plans, project planning guides and workplace resources. Random Acts of Kindness also has a Twitter account sharing a new kind idea each day.

Maybe the “putpocking” will spread to the U.S. Having extra money show up in your pocket always puts a smile on your face especially in this economy. Click on the video below to watch the London putpocketers in action.

Church budgets are down in 2009 compared to last year – some as much as 25 percent. And less than 30 percent of givers fund 100 percent of many church’s annual budgets, according to the Stewardship Challenge website. Pastors and leaders can attend a one-day conference to get up to speed on becoming a more financially stable church. The Stewardship Challenge Conferences will focus on:

* Creating a giving culture in the church

* Funding bigger ministry initiatives

* Increasing annual budget giving

* How to lead in today’s economy

* Teaching principles on stewardship and generous giving

John C. Maxwell, a nationally recognized leadership author and speaker, will headline the conferences and join guest pastors in each location.  Cincinnati, OH will be the location for the next conference on August 18, Charlotte, NC is August 20 and Orlando, FL is scheduled for October 15. In Ohio, the guest pastor will be Brian Tome with Crossroads Church. Steven Furtick will be in Charlotte and he’s the pastor at Elevation Church. Tom Mullins will team up with Maxwell in Orlando. Mullins is the pastor at Christ Fellowship.

The conference’s breakout sessions are Capital Stewardship: Resourcing Your Vision, Annual Budget: Growing Your Budget to Fund More Money and Advance Your Vision and Personal Finance: Helping Your Congregation Get Their “Financial House” in Order.

The conference is $59 per person and  more information can be found at the Stewarship Challenge website.

Why is stewardship important? According to Stewardship.com, it’s discipleship. “It’s the care and use of all that we have been given by God and is often explained in terms of talent, treasure and time,” says the website.

Tithing may be something you aren’t familiar with and you may have questions about how to do it and how much to give. The rule of thumb is to give 10 percent of your gross income to the church. The Bible says to tithe and to put God first in our finances. Proverbs 3:9-10 says, “Honor the Lord by giving him the first part of all your income, and He will fill your barns…to overflowing.” There are several websites that give more information and will help you get started.

The first one is Church Tithes and Offerings. This site offers reading materials, news in the area of giving, sermons and Biblical information about tithing. There is also a question and answer section that provides extra help.

You can also take a look at Bible Gateway and type in a keyword and the corresponding scriptures will pop up. I recently typed in tithing and a list of scriptures that include that word were available. This site also offers more tools for reading and researching the Bible, such as reading plans, commentaries and study tools.

If you are in the ministry, Easy Tithe features a program that has been developed to help the church receive online giving and donations. Contributors can log in and manage their giving and churches can keep track of it.

At Bible Money Matters visitors can see a faith and finance blog. Not only does it touch on tithing, but also several topics on the subject of money. “The Bible has over 2,300 verses on money, and it is clear to me that our money needs to be informed by our faith,” said Pete, the author of the blog.

If you’re an iPhone user, there’s of course an app for that too. It’s called Tithe Calculator and for 99 cents it will help you figure out exactly how much you should be giving.

Finally, if you’re struggling to tithe while meeting all of your other financial obligations, you may want to read our recent post on Getting Creative With Tithing.

In October 2008, my church pastor challenged the congregation to tithe for three months. We took the challenge. At the time tithing was a big leap of faith for me and my husband. The week after our first tithe I lost my job causing a large financial blow to our budget. However, we knew that all of our possessions and money belong to God and giving 10 percent of our gross income should be done no matter what our circumstances.

We made a decision to continue tithing and to adjust our budget to allow us to give to God first. We have had tight weeks financially even with a budget. There have been times where we have said, ‘I don’t know how were are going to pay for this doctor’s visit’ and then we’ll receive a check for the right amount. Since we started tithing I truly have seen what Matthew 6:28-31 (NIV) states. “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you. O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’” We constantly remind ourselves of those Bible verses.

Our pastor talks about tithing several times a year and it seems as though many churches are trying to get more creative when it comes to encouraging tithing. I recently came across information about reverse tithing. After realizing they were going to be in the red, St. Andrew Church in Milford, Ohio held a “Reverse Tithing Sweepstakes” in which church members purchased raffle tickets for $50 and within a month and a half they raised $55,000. The sweepstakes gave the congregation a chance to receive back 10 percent of what everyone else gave. The first place prize was $5,500 and 10 prizes of $550 were awarded as part of the raffle.

Another church in Alabama gave away $50,000 to its members, but there was a trick. They couldn’t spend it one themselves or give it back to the church. They called it a “Faith Stimulus Package.” In these tough economic times, it seems any creative ideas can help a church continue to thrive. To view a video from St. Andrew Church, click on the attached link.

These days budgets definitely seem tighter, spending is reined in and giving beyond the tithe may seem impossible. But giving beyond your 10% tithe doesn’t have to mean giving more money. Here are a few examples of ways you can give without spending more money. It’s about giving your time, your talents and your love.

Mow Yards for the Elderly

In my area there’s an organization called Diligent Hands Gracious Hearts. They team up volunteers with elderly residents who need help caring for their lawns. Many are widows who can no longer tackle the task themselves. If you like to mow and you’ve got a lawnmower this could be a great option for you. Time time commitment isn’t much, but it’s definitely a need in most communities.

Volunteer in Your Church

Chances are your church needs greeters, ushers, or Sunday school teachers. If you’re not serving in your church body, find out a way to put your gifts to use. Your church would benefit from your help.

Bake Cakes for Orphans

The Lord put this one on my heart a few months ago when I heard that children at an orphanage in our area don’t get birthday cakes. Thankfully, an opportunity to help in my area presented itself, but I have a feeling this is the case in many orphanages across the country. Baking a cake doesn’t take much time or money. Chances are you already have the ingredients in your kitchen.

Deliver Food to the Needy

Whether it’s Meals on Wheels or another organization in your area, the only thing required for this type of service is a vehicle and an hour or two. You’ll probably discover that delivering the food isn’t even the most important part– it’s the love and compassion you show the people you meet.

Encourage Others

Head to a soup kitchen, homeless shelter or an area where homeless people congregate. Just befriend them. Talk to them. Pray with them. You won’t spend a dime, but the time you give could mean a lot to someone else.

What ways are you serving without spending money?

It’s an invigorating and emotional part of Dave Ramsey’s radio show. Callers get the chance to announce that they are debt free to the entire world by screaming at the top of their lungs. Many have been paying off their debts using the debt snowball for months, or even years and finally they achieved financial freedom.

Recently Dave did something he’s never done before. He had five families join together in their celebration by screaming “I’m debt freee!” at the same time. Their combined debts totaled nearly $600,000. Even though they were scattered across the country and had faced a variety of challenges, each had conquered their debt.

Want to listen to the call? Just click here to hear the biggest debt-free scream in Dave Ramsey history.

Crown Financial Ministries is releasing a new film called God Provides. The movie aims to use Scripture to teach people important lessons about how to faithfully live with trust in God. The movie hopes to reach those in every economic situation– from poor to wealthy. Crown Financial Ministries has been around for more than three decades. Their goal is to help people become free from the bondage of debt and to use their finances to impact the world in a positive way. Crown teaches that God owns everything and once we understand that we can give freely with the faith that He is in control. This clip from God Provides shows Abraham struggling with a call from the Lord to sacrifice his own son.

Abraham and Isaac – Sample Clip from the God Provides Film Series from Crown Financial Ministries on Vimeo.

The film will be released in September. For more information on where to see it or how to get involved visit the God Provides website.

Our blog continues to experience tremendous growth, and we thank all of you for your tremendous and continued support. If you’re interested in discovering some other great Christian financial blogs, here are a few that we’ve recently begun to follow:

Redeeming Riches is written by Jason Topp, who is a Certified Financial Planner, Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor and Born Again Christian. Topp writes extensively about how to think biblically about money and finances, with some great recent posts on guidelines for investing and establishing your reserve fund.

Craig Ford is currently a missionary in Papua New Guinea and writes Money Help for Christians. He interestingly points out that some believe that money was Jesus’s second most discussed topic and seeks to share his interpretation of the Biblical approach to money in a practical and useful way.

Over at the fabulous Bible Money Matters, Pete Anderson started chronicling his thoughts on Christianity 18 months ago when he joyfully became debt free. He now writes thoughtful and extensive daily posts, including inspirational interpretations of personal finance Bible verses.

For a daily dose of frugality and coupon tips with a dash of spirituality, we turn to Alyssa Francis, author of Kingdom First Mom. As you’d expect from a mother of four, she’s an incredibly savvy shopper and offers great tips on the incredibly addicting Grocery Game.

Matt Jabs shares his passion for the Lord AND becoming debt free at Debt Free Adventure. A fine mix of practical and spiritual financial advice as well as entertaining posts on his quest to create money-saving homemade detergents.

Are there other Christian financial blogs that you enjoy? Please share them in the comments.

I came across this rap about tithing on a Lifeway blog. It’s an entertaining look at God’s command on tithing done by 12Stone Church in Lawrenceville, Georgia. And since it was published on YouTube five months ago it’s had more than 175,000 views. What do you think?

A recent survey conducted by NationalChristianPoll.com for Christianity Today International’s Your Church Media Group reveals how the recession is impacting churches and how they are handling current economic conditions. According to the survey, 40% of those polled said that the recession has caused weekly giving to drop by at least 2%, while just 9% say that weekly giving has increased by at least 2%. One-third of those polled estimate that giving has not changed despite the current economic downturn.

Here’s a look at where churches are getting their income:

• Nearly all churches depend on tithes and offerings as one of their church’s principal sources of income.
• One-third of churches’ say all of their principal sources of income are from tithes and offerings.
• 35% of churches rely on investments as a main source of income.
• 24% of churches rely on special campaigns as one of their church’s principal sources of income.
• 20% of churches rely on rental or lease income.
• 18% of churches rely on net income from ancillary programs/ministries as one of their primary income sources.
• 11% of churches rely on denominational and/or missions support as one of their church’s key income sources
• 9% of churches rely on “other� sources as one of their church’s principal sources of income.

So how are churches responding to this change in income? Interestingly enough, three out of four say that they do not feel any affects of the recession. Those that are taking action are most commonly turning to salary freezes. Three in ten churches have decided to issue a salary freeze. Other churches are instituting hiring freezes, pay cuts and layoffs.

Many of us work so we can get a bigger house, a nicer car, and newer stuff. But in that constant quest for more, have we forgotten that this is all a gift? I just watched a new film from Nooma, a parable video that aims to give viewers a new perspective on poverty and the unfair grace of God. The film centers around the message of Deuteronomy 24:19-

19 When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. (NIV)

In the video Pastor Rob Bell asks, are these commands, or rather warnings about what happens when we stop being grateful for what we’re given? Success can be dangerous. Often we get everything we wanted only to discover we’re missing something we had back when we had very little. In order to prevent that from happening, Bell says we must be connected with a cause. If we don’t each find suffering, he says, and do something about that suffering, eventually we’ll be miserable.

Bell goes on to explain that grace isn’t fair. Redemption isn’t fair. Liberation isn’t fair. That’s why we have to remember that our overflow is someone else’s necessity. And when we give to others, a funny thing happens. It’s actually us that is blessed. We’re given joy and purpose and a full awareness that everything we have is a gift.

A past article about tithes and the importance of giving received a lengthy and well written comment. Tony Isaac describes the law of the Old Testament and relates it to today. I appreciate his comment and understand what he is saying.

The law was completely fulfilled on the cross. Paul even tells us that we are no longer subject to the law (Romans 8:2) but he goes on to explain that just because we are living in freedom does not mean we should act the way the flesh drives us (Galatians 5:13).

Tithes are not REQUIRED. They will not get you into heaven and not tithing will not keep you out of heaven. The different rules, guidelines and even laws set out in the Scripture just act as tools to help each one of us come to that perfect place that God designed for us from the beginning.

Tithing, offerings and all giving is used in our home to remind each of us that all we have is from God and is God’s. It helps us freely let go so that we are always in a position to give with a cheerful heart.

Most people have a hard time grasping all that God is. Starting with small steps (like tithes) is often the only way that we can begin the process of comprehension.

Millions watched the Jon and Kate Plus 8 season premier this week. We tuned in as Jon and Kate sat on their interview couch separately for the most part, discussing their marriage problems with off-camera producers. It was easy to see that this marriage is in big trouble. Kate tearfully admitted that families with multiples have much higher divorce rates and although at one time she thought her marriage would beat those odds, now she’s not so sure.

Kate and Her Sextuplets

Tabloids have been full of rumors and rumblings about infidelity on both sides. While Jon admits he made some bad decisions, he denies cheating on Kate. Kate was also rumored to have an affair which she says is not true.

Any one who has been watching the show has watched the children grow up and Jon and Kate grow apart. We’ve seen them move from a modest home to a middle class home and finally into a $1.3 million mansion. Fame from the TV show and two books published by Kate have obviously paid off for the family, but many fans wonder did their marriage pay the price?

Jon expressed his unhappiness with being a stay-at-home dad. In the premier he talked about being forced to quit his job two years ago in order to stay with the kids while his wife promoted her books. In past episodes we’ve seen evidence of their Christian faith, attendance in church and how God had got them through the difficult times in their lives. Now fans can only hope they’ll remember the Lord’s faithfulness and lean on His strength to get them through this difficult time in their marriage.

Would you take money from the offering plate? I’m not talking about stealing, I’m talking about responding to a genuine offer from your pastor that if you are struggling to take money from the offering plate. When giving was down at a Texas church Pastor Toby Slough thought his congregation was struggling. So he passed a full plate, offering members to take what they needed.

What happened surprised Slough. Suddenly donations surged. Slough realized that his church would respond when people around them were struggling. They started a big push to help those in their community by handing out nearly half a million dollars in aid. “We’ve taken $200,000 and spread it out to organizations — four local, two missions that are feeding and clothing people in these tough times,” Slough told CNN. “We’ve paid utility bills for members of our church that are unemployed or under-employed.”

The church has now formed a committee to look at the best ways to give out money and the pastor says they’ll continue doing this as long as there is a need in their community. Here’s a video of Pastor Slough on Fox and Friends:

Times are tough and many people are choosing to walk away from debt voluntarily especially when it comes to mortgages. Voluntary Foreclosure or the act of choosing not to pay a debt that is owed is a dangerous line to cross for Christians. Scripture is very clear about those that do not pay what they owe and about the rules regarding payment of debts.

Ultimately the goal is to owe no one anything but today’s society has made borrowing a “normal� aspect of life which is the easiest way to avoid voluntary foreclosure or other debt problems. Christians must be the example during these down economic times and work hard to pay all that they owe.

Scriptural Reasons to Avoid Voluntary Foreclosure

Voluntary foreclosure is choosing to NOT pay what you have agreed to pay – Psalm 37:21 “The Wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and givesâ€�

Voluntary foreclosure is choosing not to pay what is owed in the hopes that the bank or lender can get what is owed by selling the collateral – Romans 13:7 “Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owedâ€�

The goal of Christians is to always pay what is owed when something is owed. Circumstances may make that impossible and lenders may refuse to work out new or different terms to make payments possible. Lenders may push the situation to foreclosure or bankruptcy and that is their right as the lender. Christians are called to be the example and must work harder to pay those debts instead of choosing the path of voluntary foreclosure.

Sometimes shopping makes me feel like a bad person. I find myself thinking over and over, “I want that!” But I know as a Christian that stuff doesn’t matter and I shouldn’t covet it! That’s why when I come across people doing crazy things to fight consumerism and materialism I am so impressed.

Check out Goodbyewafflemaker.com for a prime example. Megan Deal is a student selling everything she owns. Whatever doesn’t sell goes to charity and the money she makes will help cover her living expenses for the next 14 months as she participates in a design program developing sustainable housing in Alabama. You can buy her items for as little as a penny!

Another example is this Washington woman who wore the same homemade brown dress every day for a year. She has since moved on to recycling everything she owns to create a wardrobe. She did buy a pair of hiking boots last summer though, she admits.

What do you think of these attempts to live more simply, and less commercially. Could you do it? I will say that in the past two years I have had two yard sales and sold a bunch of stuff on Craigslist, yet I still feel like I’m swimming in stuff– especially stuff that I don’t use or need. Do you ever feel like that?

Got a good heart, but feel like you have little to give? I just pulled out all of my receipts showing my charity purchases for the month of April. Turns out I bought $59.47 worth of shampoo, food, and cleaning supplies for just $2.79. That’s a savings of more than 95%! You can do it, too! Here’s how:

Pick up Sunday Ads: Every Sunday after church I pick up a newspaper. Usually later that night I look over each ad to see what’s free. Yes, free. Every week, without fail, drug store chains like CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid offer items you can buy for free. You pay for the item and they’ll give you a certificate worth that same amount that can be used on a future purchase.

Cross Check with Coupons: Once I found out what’s free, I check to see if I’ve got a coupon for it. If you have a coupon for the item, you can end up making money on the deal because the store will still give you a certificate for the full price to use on a future purchase despite the fact that you didn’t pay full price.

Make a List: I usually make a list of the items that are free at each store so I can swing by sometime throughout the week and pick them up. If I don’t make a list I forget which store is offering what deals.

Stock Up on Good Deals: If I come across a really great deal I buy more than I might normally. You can’t beat buying Scrubbing Bubbles for $.50 or soup for just $.09.

Deliver the Goods: Every other week I drop off a bag or two of the freebies and good deals I scored to a local non-profit. Rather than hoard it all in my pantry or closet I like knowing that someone else is going to get good use out of it.

More Than 1 Million Attended TH4H

Failure is OK

Despite Washington’s promises to take failure out of the equation, Dave Ramsey talked about why it’s necessary. He said we need to allow failure because failure brings clarity. If failure is chasing you it will run you towards excellence. If there is no chance you can fail then there is no reason for you to do your best. He explained that the economy is not like a piece of cake. If one person succeeds it doesn’t mean someone else will have less. He said it’s more like a candle. If I succeed, I can help light another person’s flame and help them succeed as well.

Stay Positive

Dave told the audience several times that fear is the antithesis of hope. He explained that we need to quit holding on to our lemons and make lemonade. In other words, stop complaining about the economy and do something. Dave believes the economic situation is only being made worse by the hysteria coming from the media. He shared some statistics about why this recession is not like the Great Depression including the fact that 60% of home foreclosures have happened in just five states and unemployment has only gone up about 3% compared to before the recession began.

Take Action

Dave ended the evening by providing three action steps:

1. Get up. Take action. Get moving. Inject yourself into the situation. The President is not going to fix your problem whether they’re a democrat or a republican.

2. Don’t participate in loser talk. The people you spend time with influence you significantly. Don’t hang around people who are constantly spreading negativity. Charlie Jones said you will be the same person five years from now except for two things – the books you read and the people you meet. And as Dave says, the average millionaire can’t tell you who got voted off the island.

3. Learn to give again. Dave encouraged everyone to “give the government out of business,” urging us to give as much as possible. “Hope doesn’t come from the White House,” he said. “It comes from God.”

It’s nearly impossible to avoid talk of the dismal economy, massive layoffs and plummeting housing prices. But even if you can’t help but hear about the recession, you do have a choice in whether you’ll be participating in it. I’ve seen a lot of talk lately from business owners and regular Americans choosing NOT to participate in the recession. But how do we do that? Here are five ways:

1. Live Life: It CAN be that simple! Live your life as you normally would– whether there’s a recession or not. Don’t worry about things you can’t control (economy included!) and just go about your business as if life was all blue skies and sunshine. This doesn’t mean ignoring your finances. It means getting them under control and living within your budget.

2. Keep Buying: As long as you’ve got a budget and you’re sticking to it, it’s OK to buy things. After all, we are consumers. Just make sure you are living well within your means, not racking up credit card debt and setting aside some savings.

3. Support Local Businesses: The money you spend in local businesses is more likely to stick around your community. When you can, support them.

4. Stay Positive: There’s enough negativity on the news, Internet and radio. Stay positive by keeping your focus on the good news in your life. Don’t freak out when you look at your 401K or stock portfolio. Instead, focus on the things that really matter: family, friends and God. Share your positive outlook with others and your positive attitude will spread.

5. Trust in Your Lord and Savior: Remember, He is not affected or changed by the economy. He is the same now and forever. Put your trust in Him– not the stock market, Washington lawmakers or the housing market. He loves you and will take care of all of your needs.

How are you NOT participating in the recession?

Mark your calendars for April 23 at 8pm and make plans to attend Dave Ramsey’s Town Hall for Hope. Sick of watching the news? Fed up with Washington? Tired of worrying? Well now you can stop!

Make Plans to Attend Town Hall for Hope