NEWS & UPDATES

Wall Street has never lacked for noise in the form of predictions, "hot" investments, and promises of quick wealth. Yet George Sisti’s article, “How to Get Rich Slowly,” offers a sound reminder--successful long-term investing is generally built on simple habits practiced faithfully over time.

Benjamin Franklin once said, “Content makes poor men rich; discontent makes rich men poor.” That thought agrees with the biblical principle found in 1 Timothy 6:6: “Godliness with contentment is great gain.” Contentment is one of the keys to financial freedom. Discontentment keeps moving the finish line. Regardless of how much we earn or accumulate, it tells us we need just a little more before we can be satisfied.

Proverbs 19:21 reminds us, “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” Scripture does not condemn preparation. Proverbs points us to the ant as an example of diligence, and Jesus Himself spoke of counting the cost. But James 4 warns us not to presume upon tomorrow or speak as though the future is ours to control. Our responsibility is to plan wisely and then work the plan faithfully.

When it comes to money, Jesus poses a poignant question in His Sermon on the Mount. He asks what we truly treasure? Then he adds, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). The direction of our money often reveals the condition of our heart more clearly than our words ever could.

Here is a question I grapple with in no small way: How much money is enough? I have found that few of us have ever clearly defined this number. If we have, it often becomes a moving target that fuels anxiety, drives decisions, and keeps us chasing more without ever finding rest.

Financial success is often made to sound more complicated than it really is. The world is always chasing the next trend, tip, or shortcut. But biblical stewardship is not built on fads; it is built on fundamentals—principles that do not change because they are rooted in truth.

Most people think financial planning begins with numbers: income, expenses, investments, retirement age, and tax strategy. Those things matter. But they are not the starting point. For a follower of Christ, the better question is not simply, “Will I have enough?” The better question is, “Am I being faithful with what God has entrusted to me?”

What would happen to your family if something happened to you today? Would they know where to find your will, your insurance policies, your retirement account information, or your Social Security documents? For most families, the honest answer is — probably not without a great search.

Most of the financial questions we face everyday aren't addressed chapter-and-verse in Scripture. The Bible doesn't tell you whether to lease or buy, how much to put in your 403(b), or whether to pay off debt before building an emergency fund. So how do we make wise financial decisions as followers of Christ?

While reading a recent article by Jim Denison, I was reminded of a timeless question: “How much money is enough?” The answer often reveals more about the human heart than the size of a bank account. It is often said that John D. Rockefeller was once asked how much money was enough, and he replied, “Just a little more.”

While reading a recent blog from Rob West, President of Kingdom Advisors, he shared a story from Ron Blue that I remembered reading years ago. Ron Blue once asked a local pastor in Kenya what most hindered the spread of the gospel. The pastor’s answer surprised him.

Kids are always watching—especially when it comes to money. Every purchase, every act of generosity, every sign of contentment is shaping how they see God’s provision. We’re teaching, whether we mean to or not. Deuteronomy 6 reminds us that discipleship happens in the everyday moments—when we sit, walk, lie down, and rise. That’s where financial discipleship lives too. Not in a lesson, but in a life.

Peter Lynch once said, “If you spend 13 minutes a year on economics, you’ve wasted 10 minutes.” That sounds strange until you remember who Peter Lynch is. He wasn’t guessing. He was one of the most successful investors of his generation. His point wasn’t that money doesn’t matter—it was that obsessing over the economy usually doesn’t help.

Jesus once asked a simple, almost practical question: “Which of you, wanting to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost?” (Luke 14:28). Before you build anything that matters, you stop and think about where it’s headed.

I've recently come to realize that there’s a subtle but critical difference between what’s real and what’s true. I know it sounds like a paradox—at least it did to me—but consider the following.

Jesus gave us clear guidance in Matthew 6:19–21: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth... but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven... For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” That’s not just spiritual poetry—it’s a clarion call to eternal investment.

Ecclesiastes 1:14 says, “I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.” Solomon—a man blessed with unmatched wisdom and wealth—saw firsthand that even the best of what the world offers falls short without God.

When it comes to financial stewardship, especially as pastors and ministry leaders, we need to fix our eyes on the finish line as well—not retirement, but readiness. Not escape, but effectiveness.

A recent FaithFi podcast featuring Matt Bell of Sound Mind Investing brought a powerful reminder: a small delay in retirement could make a big difference in your long-term financial security.

My fitness coach, Alex Van Houten, drilled a simple but powerful truth into me: “Consistency beats volume beats intensity.” At first, it hit me in the context of workouts and training. But the more I reflected on it, the more I realized: this same principle applies across the board—to fitness, finance, and faith.