Business & Finance

God is the best long-term investment.

Rob West
30 Sep 2010
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The continual gyrations in the stock market have caused many people to question their investment strategy. Questions like “What should I do now?” and “Should I sell my stock positions and move into a money market?” are running through many investors’ minds. And while it is important to avoid making emotional buying and selling decisions based on the temporary state of the markets, it is a great time to analyze your financial foundation and to fill in any cracks that you might have. The first thing to keep in mind is that the best investment strategy is a long-term plan […]

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Financial training for your children

Rob West
2 Sep 2010
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Take a moment to picture your children going off to college and managing a semester’s worth of money on their own.  Would they run up the debt and bounce checks or would they spend wisely with some left over? Maybe you are not sure how they would handle it, and now is the time to find out by teaching your children sound financial decisions so that they will become money-smart adults. Proverbs 22:6 tells us to “train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Unfortunately, most parents […]

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White House scrambles to clarify funding of abortions in PA

Press Release
5 Aug 2010
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  The Obama Administration scrambled into “clarification” mode following a revelation that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) approved $160 million in taxpayer funds going to Pennsylvania that could be used to fund abortions.  In a speech to a joint session of Congress last September, President Obama made the following promise, “Under our plan, no federal dollars will be used to fund abortions.” Attempting to assuage fears, HHS responded with a statement on July 14, saying the president’s executive order would prevent taxpayer-funded abortion in Pennsylvania, as well as in other states. However, Mary Harned, staff counsel with […]

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$17,000 tax bill hits South Dakota church

Press Release
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As cash-strapped cities and municipalities try to find creative ways to generate revenue, some are setting a dangerous precedent when they look to churches as a targeted source. Joe Infranco, senior counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), has seen a marked increase in the number of cases handled by ADF’s 1,800 allied attorneys, who represent churches free of charge. “Whether out of ignorance or malice, (municipalities) are slowly chipping away at the Church’s tax exemption when and where they are able,” said Infranco. “This is a very dangerous trend.” Just this week, an ADF-allied attorney filed an appeal in […]

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Millions of Americans may lose their healthcare plans

Gary Bauer
3 Jul 2010
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  One of the major selling points of ObamaCare was the president’s oft-repeated promise that if you liked the coverage you have now, you would be able to keep it. As Obama’s team drafts the regulations for implementing this massive government takeover of the healthcare industry, it’s becoming evident – if not undeniable – that the president and his supporters misled the American people.  As many as 1.5-million Americans may lose their health coverage this year due to ObamaCare regulations. Now, we’re learning that new regulations may force tens of millions of people to lose their employer-provided healthcare plans. Here’s […]

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What is financial independence?

Rob West
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  The perceived complexity of financial planning often leads to frustration and indecision by many families.  In last month’s column, we explored a simplified approach to financial planning by looking at the five short-term uses of money.  Money can be used in only one of five areas in the short-term: giving, lifestyle, repayment of debt, taxes and cash flow margin.  As you accumulate money from your cash flow margin, you grow your net worth for the purpose of meeting one or more of only six long-term objectives.  As we continue with part two of our look at a simple approach […]

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Taxed Enough-The Journey of America’s Tea Party

Marisa Zeppieri Caruana
30 Apr 2010
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America’s Tea Party movement has been dubbed many things since it materialized in the early months of 2009. On the positive side, The Economist describes the movement as “America’s most vibrant political force.” In contrast, recently a Newsweek journalist said the movement was “dominated by conspiracist kooks.” And then you have those who might be taking the movement completely out of context, by stereotyping Tea Party members and other supporters as “racists.” Whatever one feels about this newfound populist movement, the reality is that its members and rallies are growing in number. People are beginning to take notice. Tea Party […]

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Blessing of money management

Rob West
1 Dec 2009
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Americans as a whole are addicted to debt.  We borrow, our businesses borrow, and our state and federal governments borrow.  Most of the attention about debt has focused on the federal budget deficit, which is expected to be $1.2 trillion next year.  But consumer debt is on the rise as well, and personal bankruptcies are skyrocketing.  U.S. News & World Report is reporting that consumer credit has topped $2.4 trillion, and household debt stands at 110 percent of annual disposable income, up from 76 percent in 1986.  All of this adds up to one thing…bondage.  God has a better plan […]

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Debt keeps Christians from reaching potential

The Good News
23 Oct 2009
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If Americans had followed biblical financial principles, they could have lessened – or completely avoided – the worst recession in decades, two prominent Christian money-management specialists said. “Debt may not be a sin, but it is certainly a curse,” said Randy Rowechamp of Crown Financial Ministries. Dave Ramsey, author of “Total Money Makeover” and other money management books, agrees. “There has been a common myth spread across America that debt is a tool and should be used to create prosperity, but God tells us something different,” Ramsey said. “According to Proverbs 22:7, ‘The rich rules over the poor, and the […]

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Ten new ways to save money

Rob West
15 Oct 2009
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We all spend money every day. Of course, it’s true that God gives some more financial resources than others, but we are all called to be found faithful with as little or as much as He has entrusted to us at this time. And, we are told clearly in Luke 16:11 that faithful money management is the beginning of being entrusted with true riches. A big part of financial stewardship is controlling the outflow of funds that you receive to ensure that your expenditures reflect your values and priorities. There are two distinct categories of funds that you receive each […]

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