Some of you may be familiar with David Wilkerson, the author of the book The Cross and The Switchblade and pastor of the Times Square Church in New York. He tragically died in a car accident Wednesday, April 27, 2011 in Texas. One of Wilkerson’s greatest ministries was Teen Challenge – a christian organization that reaches out to drug addicts, alcoholics, gang members and prostitutes. Thousands have been impacted by the ministry of Teen Challenge and David’s passion for reaching... Read more
As we work our way out of the Great Recession, it’s easy to see the results of what fear can do to investors. With so much uncertainty, some people have rushed to invest in gold and have seen some astounding returns in the last few years. While the long term track record of gold is actually sour in comparison to inflation, the last few years have resulted in dramatic increases in the price of this metal. Before anyone invests in... Read more
There are three basic types of unemployment: frictional, structural, and cyclical. Before each is explored, it’s important to understand where the unemployment figures are derived from. Measuring Unemployment The labor force is comprised of three categories: employed persons, unemployed persons, and those not in the labor force at all. Employed – An employed person is anyone surveyed by the Department of Labor who has held a job in the week prior to their interview or has a job but is... Read more
I was thinking recently about the act of giving on a personal level and had a thought about businesses tithing. Should Christian business owners tithe from business funds? When it comes to tithing individually, I don’t stand by one hard and fast rule of tithing 10% because we’re called to give with a cheerful heart and our goal should be to give generously – and that might mean more than 10% for some! I’ve had a few individual businesses (LLCs)... Read more
Sometimes it’s easier to share a message through a song. That’s why music plays such an important role in our lives. On this Good Friday leading into Easter Sunday, I wanted to share a verse that really sums up our faith. Had it not been for the sacrifice of Jesus, we wouldn’t have the privilege of saying that we are free from the bondage of sin. It’s because of His death and resurrection that we can live and can say... Read more
Albert Einstein once said “The most powerful force in the universe is compound interest.” In the world of investing, compound interest is definitely your best friend. It can almost seem like a mystery, but there IS a way to calculate compound interest by hand. Working in the financial industry, I’ve used this equation on multiple occasions to give people an idea of what their investments would yield over a period of time. By the end of this article, you’ll be... Read more
Would you classify yourself as a saver or spender? Think about this: If you get a bonus at work or finish the month with an extra $100 of discretionary money, what would you do with it? Would you save it or treat yourself to something extra? Economists have a term for this – it’s the Marginal Propensity to Save (MPS). It’s really a way to see what a household does with its extra income. For example, if MPS is 0.30,... Read more
I’m reading the book The Millionaire Next Door and have really been challenged by the wealth principles shared by thousands of millionaires. The first part of the book made note of the importance of creating wealth and having a strong defensive position to maintain that wealth. While some would think that becoming a millionaire falls heavily on a great offensive position (i.e. high paying job, risky investments, inheritance), the truth is that having a strong defense is a much better... Read more
If you’re looking for some good reading this weekend, I’d recommend a couple of these articles. (Quick note… You still have until Monday to enter into the $25 Amazon gift card giveaway! See this post for more info) 11 Ways to Cope With Rising Gasoline Prices – Christian PF The Biggest Lie of Leadership – One Money Design Walking Away From Your Mortgage – Debt Free Adventure The Five Worst Pieces of Financial Advice – Free Money Finance 10 Free Online... Read more
If you read through the book of Ecclesiastes, you’ll notice that the author uses the phrase ‘meaningless, meaningless’ to describe almost everything. He actually says “I observed everything going on under the sun, and really, it is all meaningless – like chasing the wind.” (Ecc. 1:14 NLT) From money and work, to wisdom and foolishness – all of this is meaningless. Sounds a bit extreme wouldn’t you say? Before we focus in on why Ecclesiastes says money or wealth is... Read more
Faith and Finance
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In