Bountiful: The Heart of Money Management

In American society, many of us tend to waste some of our resources. We waste time, energy, money, or other things. At the same time, we wonder how it could be possible for us to give more to the Lord when money seems tight already. We wonder how we could save more when there doesn’t seem to be much leftover. But, what if we thought about how we could use the financial resources we already have mo...

In this episode, Keith Kasarjian talks to us about what to know about finances before getting married. Some things we talked about include: Financial stress is a source of problems in some marriages, so how do couples talk about their financial situation effectively? How can expectations impact a marriage or a household’s finances? What’s a piece of advice for couples who are considering getting m...

Everybody has faced discouragement. How encouraging! But seriously, discouragement is part of living in this world, and God’s people aren’t immune to it. Elijah is a good example of a faithful servant of God who dealt with a bout of discouragement. Financially speaking, we can get discouraged by an unexpected expense, plans going slower than intended, the stock market, natural disasters, etc. Howe...

Gary and Christy talk with Dale Hubbert about financially preparing for retirement. Dale has worked in financial services for several years, and he is currently employed by a wealth management firm in Madison, AL. Dale is a father of three children and grandfather of 4. He also has experience in being a preacher and in helping charitable organizations, including brotherhood works, with their finan...

Nearly everyone, at some point, makes the decision to move out on their own.  Maybe it’s because you’ve finished with your schooling, and you’re now ready to be independent. Maybe you’re getting married. Maybe you got a job offer in a different city or state, so you’re relocating. Whatever the case is, most of us move out of our childhood home and create our own home. And, for most people, we actu...

In this episode, Gary and Christy bring back Jonathan Medley as a guest to talk about Stewardship. Jonathan is a blogger for Perspectives of a Bondservant , a father of three children, a banker, and a Bible school teacher (among other things). He recently taught a Bible class on the topic of Stewardship and discussed that with us, including: What is stewardship? What does stewardship entail? Why i...

In this episode, Gary and Christy discuss multi-level marketing and direct sales. Direct selling happens when a product – which is usually not found in a store – is sold by individuals. As salespeople, these individuals work on commission; the more they sell, the more money they earn. If these salespeople can recruit other individuals to sell the product, then those people become part of that sale...

The world is pushing for more emphasis on the wedding and less emphasis in the marriage. In this episode, Gary and Christy talk about the ceremony which usually starts a marriage and ask, “Are weddings worth it?” The average cost of a wedding is around $30,000. Engagement rings, dresses, decorations, locations, and so much more are involved in weddings. However, while preparing for the ceremony, d...

The amount of money we have is less important than our attitude about the money we have. We won’t get to Heaven because of the contents of our bank accounts, but our entrance into Eternity will be partially determined by how we use our bank accounts. In this episode, Gary & Christy talk about personal net worth, when it is worthless in our spiritual walk, and what to do to help our financial s...

Getting into debt is much easier than getting out of debt. Debt isn’t sinful, but it does have an impact on our spiritual, as well as our financial, lives. So, if you’re in financial straits because of debt or if you just want to take a big chunk out of it, Gary & Christy talk about a 4-step process to help you get out of debt. List all your debts. Include principal balances, monthly due dates...

On today’s episode, Gary and Christy discuss the topic of Financial Favoritism in the church. Showing favoritism means that we provide unfair preferential treatment to one individual at the expense of another individual.  Favoritism is a concept we’ve all seen play out in the world. In addition, the Scriptures tell us of many instances where favoritism occurred, although the Bible often uses the w...

For this episode, we want to give you five (5) things to review during the course of the summer – while Bountiful is on its summer break until August – to help get you in better financial shape. Five things that we sometimes put off until we get around to it. Five things that can help make the rest of the year an easier one from a personal financial perspective. First, take a financial snapshot. I...

In this episode, Gary and Christy provide a book review for “The Truth About Giving: God’s Dare to Give Scripturally.” The book is co-authored by Kyle Butt and John Farber, and was originally published by the Gospel Advocate in 2012. It’s only 95 pages long, with 13 chapters, but it’s full of Scriptural lessons on how we should approach the subject of giving to God and to His church. Gary and Chri...

Bountiful 101 is a series that breaks down a money-related subject into its fundamental parts. In this episode, Gary and Christy talk about some of the basics of credit scores. What is a credit score? What impacts it? Also, they mention some myths about credit scores as well as some practical ways to boost your credit score. Links Click here for all episodes of Bountiful: The Heart of Money Manage...

Gary and Christy talk about whether it’s okay for an individual to give money directly to support a good work. Should we only give to our local congregation, or do we have the option of supporting a good work on an individual basis? Links & Resources: Click here for all episodes of Bountiful: The Heart of Money Management “Supporting Good Works” Curd, Dennis L. “Back to Basics: What Does the B...

We’re honored to have Amanda Key, who worships with the Mt Leo church of Christ in McMinnville, TN, be our guest on this episode. Amanda is a Life Skills instructor, and part of that curriculum includes teaching fundamental financial concepts to her middle school students. Amanda shares with us some of her experiences in teaching this class. She states, “There’s so many decisions we make in life t...

Getting an education at a college or university has been discussed on the news, mentioned in blogs, and even been argued in the political arena. But, with the cost of higher education rising and the economy’s ups and downs, is the cost of college worth the benefit? In this episode, Gary and Christy analyze this question by discussing the importance of education, options for education after high sc...

Abraham can teach us a lot about having a proper attitude about material possessions. In this episode, Gary and Christy talk about the ABC’s of Abraham, bringing out lessons from this Old Testament patriarch that are applicable to Christians today. Resource: http://www.stevesweetman.com/articlesold/altar.htm ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Bountiful 101 is a new series that breaks down a money-related subject into it’s fundamental parts. In this episode, Gary and Christy talk about some of the basics of banking. Why put money in a bank? What’s the difference between banks? They conclude by mentioning some terminology banks use as well as a few things to think about when choosing a bank. Links A video about which is better: credit un...

We’re excited and blessed to have Katie Pruett as our guest on this episode. Katie shares some lessons she’s learned along her personal finance journey, from paying for college to buying a car. Then, Katie discusses how to stay motivated to pay down debt. She states, “Sacrificing to get out of debt is easier than staying in debt.” ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

There is at least some overlap between time and money. Time is different than money in that we can’t get time back once it’s been spent. On the other hand, time is like money because it is a blessing from God. Therefore, we ought to be good managers of our time, and doing that involves appreciating the value of our time and prioritizing what matters most. In this episode, Gary and Christy talk abo...

Marriage is a blessing, and while marriage is not about money, money is a part of marriage.  Rather than allow money to pull you apart, work together as a married couple in every aspect of your life together, including your family’s personal finances.  Enhance your marriage by putting God first, joining your financial lives together, and making your combined financial life work together in the rol...

We are thankful and blessed to have Keith Kasarjian, director of Extension Studies at the Bear Valley Bible Institute, as our guest.  Keith also presents financial seminars all over the world.  In this episode, Keith talks to us about how to brighten your financial future, the importance of contentment, and the dangers of when/then thinking. Keith states, “Once we start making a few right decision...

In this episode, Gary and Christy talk about some myths regarding money.  They review some myths surrounding questions like: Is it good for my credit score to keep a balance on my credit card? Should I buy as much house as I can afford? If my spouse handles the finances, do I need to be concerned with money? Is a bachelor’s degree necessary to get a good job? Links https://www.myfico.com/downloads...

The subject of lending money to family or friends is a sensitive one.  Everyone is different, and every situation is unique.  With that in mind, Gary and Christy provide some principles to consider before lending money to our family members or friends and list a few alternatives to lending money that may help those we know who are in need. Links https://www.moneycrashers.com/why-you-should-not-len...