Financial training for young people.

[Dennis M. Scott]

How do young people in your church acquire skills to handle finances? Is that part of your church's discipleship for developing teens? Do parents do that? Do we assume it is happening in public schools, or even private schools? Is it done in college? Is the primary influence media advertising? Would it be helpful if someone took initiative along these lines? What do you think?

[Donna Adams]

my husband includes this subject in his marriage counceling. But other than that, it's not done in our church, except teaching and preaching and practicing tithing. I think it ought to be taught in the home.

[Cindi Hammons]

Dennis,

I think you have brought up a very good and very serious point. I have never seen financial teaching to young people in any church I have ever attended. It is rarely taught to adults. I wonder if the church doesn't feel it is a "spiritual" enough topic, or maybe it feels we should not pry into other people's business? I think it is a huge blunder, not only of the church, but in society as a whole. We see the results daily in people living above their means and not having the slightest clue how to manage their finances.

I was fortunate to have parents who were/are very careful about their finances and were pretty transparent to us kids on how to live within one's means. I learned a lot from just observing them...no formal teaching.

I have been thinking about this subject recently and hope to work on a small group at our church...when I'm done with school. :)

[Scott Sherwood]

We take our junior highers through a financial curriculum, which I think is from Dave Ramsey. I'd be glad to double check if you'd like. We have had large numbers of people go through Financial Peace University and several more on a waiting list for the next one. It has helped quite a few people experience a radical turn around not only financially but spiritually. The old-timers have always said that the last thing to be laid on the altar is the wallet. Once God is Lord of our money, he can give us victory in all those areas money was holding us back.

We preach on whole life stewardship for several weeks every year, as well as hitting on it every time it comes up in the week's passage (which is often. Jesus talked about money a lot.)

Several years ago during a stewardship message, we handed out two chain links to each person. (A local hardware store cut chain for free) We asked anyone who felt in bondage to money to keep these chain links until they found freedom. We then asked folks to sign up for a Financial Peace simulcast. The message and the simulcast were well received. What really got me was a couple who moved away soon after and about two years later sent me a letter with these chain links in it. It said in part, "You told us to keep these chain links until we found freedom, and we just paid off our last debts. We are free and don't need this anymore. We thought you may like to have it." I still have it in my desk. Every time I waiver on the importance of preaching about money, I get this chain link out and toss it in the air a couple times.

Kevin Rector started a great thread along these lines a few months ago.

[Dennis M. Scott]

my husband includes this subject in his marriage counceling. But other than that, it's not done in our church, except teaching and preaching and practicing tithing. I think it ought to be taught in the home.


I commend you for teaching about finances in your home.

Even in homes where it is not taught, values about finances are modeled, even if it is nothing more than, "finances are not important enough to be talked about."

[Dave McClung]

I commend you for teaching about finances in your home.

Even in homes where it is not taught, values about finances are modeled, even if it is nothing more than, "finances are not important enough to be talked about."

Certainly, I don't object to teaching young people about finances; however, it has been my observation that they watch more than they listen. It is very difficult to teach children to live below their means when they see their pastor and their parents living in debt.

A few years ago, Stewardship Ministries designed a curriculum on personal finance that was based on detailed budgeting and keeping track of every dollar spent. I was given the opportunity to review it. My response was that it was a good curriculum, but that it should not be presented unless the Director of Stewardship Ministries and the members of the Board of General Superintendents were willing to model it in their personal lives.

Bottom line -- the best way to teach our youth about personal finance is to be models. If we live below our means, avoid personal debt, and are generous with our giving, it is likely that our children will act the same.

[Ken Pell]

How do young people in your church acquire skills to handle finances? Is that part of your church's discipleship for developing teens? Do parents do that? Do we assume it is happening in public schools, or even private schools? Is it done in college? Is the primary influence media advertising? Would it be helpful if someone took initiative along these lines? What do you think?

We have a financial planner taht teaches budgeting once a year as an alternative S.S. course.

Ideally it is done once a year in youth S.S. too but I do not think it happens *every* year.

This is an area that I, for one, could have used some training in. Not only as a young married man but as a pastor. Learning the hard way tends to only happen once mistakes are made that take a loooong time to overcome.

[Crystal Lutton]

We are currently working to help any of our families that are struggling get a handle on their own finances. It is, imo, the responsibility of the parents to teach their children finances. It is the responsibility of the church to teach the parents. We are developing small groups and we may soon be offering one or two that will go through DR's Financial Peace U.

[Sue Pyles]

As I look back to my teen years , I wish I had training from somebody about finances.
My mother was the budgeter in my family. I watched her on the day before every payday
write the list of debts and the amounts to be paid to each. Tithe and offerings was always first on the list. We never lived above our means in any area.
I had never heard of any kind of Financial seminar when I could benefit from it the most.
I have young adult friends who have recently attended the Dave Ramsey Seminar and thought it was the best thing since sliced bread. I feel it is important to offer these kind of seminars as electives at some point in the "teachings" the church offers.

[Kevin Rector]

Kevin Rector started a great thread along these lines a few months ago.

I think he is referencing this (http://www.naznet.com/community/showthread.php?t=18821).

[Meghan Schoonover]

My parents taught me the Larry Burkett rule of thumb of 10% tithe, 10% savings, and 80% spending. I had little envelopes for them. Which would have worked great if I hadn't sometimes switched the money around. <sigh> At least they tried! I still follow those principles today, although we had a period in the middle where we accumulated credit debt. Now we are well on our way to paying that off, tithing, and saving for the future. Yay!

Our church has offered several programs throughout the years that have been quite helpful, and pastor has preached several times on tithing and financial stewardship in a non-condemning and helpful way.

[William Hunter]

Many of the adults in my church need this kind of training. That is why we have an adult SS class that uses Crown Financial Concepts material. I had not thought about having the class for teens but it is a really good idea.


How do young people in your church acquire skills to handle finances? Is that part of your church's discipleship for developing teens? Do parents do that? Do we assume it is happening in public schools, or even private schools? Is it done in college? Is the primary influence media advertising? Would it be helpful if someone took initiative along these lines? What do you think?