Category: finance

Author: Bob Lotich
Publisher: WaterBrook
Genre: Christian, Personal finance
ISBN: 978-0-593-19365-5
Pages: 304
Price: $18.00

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Many Christians believe that money is the root of all evil, but they have actually been misquoting the Bible. Our goal as Christians should be to avoid the love of money. Having money is not a bad thing, and can, in fact, be very good, if we are giving it away.

Simple Money, Rich Life explores the journey Bob and Linda Lotich have been taking with regards to their own financial lives. In this unique look at money, they share how they have been led to earn all they can and then give away all that they can. This book includes practical money management tips such as how to automate savings, learn to spend more on what you love (and not on things that don’t matter), and never spend 100% of your income. Plus it provides guidance on finding your own personal niche to earn a great salary. But the goal of all of this financial wisdom is to find ways to give away as much as you can.

Unlike many financial books, this is a quick and enjoyable read, with no dry number crunching. The authors are personable and speak as helpful guides. If you’re looking to achieve true financial freedom and design a life of eternal impact, this book would be perfect for you. I highly recommend it.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Author: Ryan Mack
Publisher: Health Communications Inc.
Genre: Christian / Finance
ISBN: 9780757323645
Pages: 384
Price: $16.95

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Christians have a responsibility to manage their money in accordance with God’s word. But how does God feel about accumulating wealth? Surprisingly, He doesn’t have a problem with it, as long as the quest for money doesn’t become an obsession for believers. And, in fact, it can become a wonderful resource when giving to those in need.

In Provisions for Abundance, author Ryan Mack offers 365 Christian daily devotionals for financial success. Each day explores a different topic, and includes several Bible verses to ponder along with a daily tip. But this is no “prosperity gospel” preaching. Instead, Mack encourages us to use a common-sense approach in financial planning. Budgeting, saving, smart spending, and being more generous to others are strong themes in this book.

Even if we’re not looking to build wealth, the strategies Mack shares with us will be helpful in everyday life. Smart money management is a skill that everyone can use, and I highly recommend this book for Christians who want to improve their financial future.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Author: Robert Morris
Publisher: FaithWords
Genre: Christian / Finance
ISBN: 978-1-5460-1009-8
Pages: 272
Price: $22.00

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If you’d like to be more generous with your church or favorite charitable organizations, but find that you’re struggling to pay your bills, you may be wondering why God won’t bless your efforts. In Beyond Blessed, Robert Morris explains why it’s important to first get control of our own finances before we can help others.

Using biblical references and his own and others’ stories, Morris shows us exactly what we need to do to clean up our finances. Budgets have their place, and strategies are given in how to utilize them. But sometimes we’ll see miraculous intervention, once God sees our hearts are in the right place. We need to show Him that we are good stewards before He will bless us with more.

Beyond Blessed is not a boring and dry personal finance book. Instead, the reader will be excited to put these ideas into practice in his or her own life. While blessings of abundance are never promised, the peace of mind in conquering financial stress will be well worth the effort.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Authors: John Cortines and Gregory Baumer
Publisher: Rose Publishing
Genre: Christian / Finance
ISBN: 978-1628624076
Pages: 224
Price: $24.99

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Jesus cautioned his followers against the accumulation of riches. While He never preached that money in itself is evil, the excessive love of possessions can lead to a host of problems. So how does the average person handle this teaching? God and Money provides some ideas on this conundrum that the authors have attempted to implement in their own lives.

While many use the standard tithe (10%) as a guideline for giving, Cortines and Baumer suggest we can do much better than that. In fact, they recommend people set a baseline spending amount and a reasonable and prudent savings plan, so they can give away the excess. For those in the authors’ social class, this sounds like a wonderful philanthropic goal. But for the many middle to lower class Americans just struggling to survive, this is simply not helpful or feasible.

Those in the wealthiest segment of society who are active in their church and community will find this an interesting and informative read. The rest of us will need to look elsewhere for a book that speaks to our needs.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Author: W. Neil Gallagher, PhD
Publisher: Brown Christian Press
Genre: Christian / Finance
ISBN: 978-1-61254-220-1
Pages: 264
Price: $19.95

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Blessed are the poor… You cannot serve God and Mammon… The love of money is the root of all evils…” These and other verses imply that Jesus Christ frowns on money and would like his followers to be poor. But is this what He’s really telling us? Maybe not.

Using the Bible as a reference, W. Neil Gallagher shows us passages where Jesus teaches us about money. Using parables like the prodigal son, the dishonest steward, and the talents, as well as numerous other stories, he explains that Jesus doesn’t really want us to be poor. In fact, it’s only from a position of wealth that we can afford to be generous toward those most in need. Gallagher also explores various investment options and their pros and cons, and encourages us to look at our own financial planning to see if it aligns with our goals. If not, we need to take immediate action to correct it.

W. Neil Gallagher, PhD, is an expert in money management, as a former stockbroker now running a billion dollar investment practice. Aligning his expertise with the words of Jesus, he guides the reader toward better financial decisions. I highly recommend Jesus Christ, Money Master.

Reviewer: Alice Berger