Business & Finance

It All Adds Up

Robert Audet
5 Jun 2012
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Proverbs 27:23 states, “Be sure you know the condition of your flocks; give careful attention to your herds.” Did you know that the message behind this statement can also be applied to your specific financial situation? Here’s how; the first step in determining where you are financially is putting together a statement of net worth. In simplest terms it is a list of everything you own minus everything you owe (assets minus liabilities). It’s a snap shot, frozen in time, of every single financial decision you have ever made. It reflects your propensity to accumulate, and conversely, your propensity to […]

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Financial Planning 101

Robert Audet
25 May 2012
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There are three things you need to know in order to develop a “Christian” financial plan. First, you need to know your eternal position because of what Christ Jesus has already accomplished on your behalf. Second, you need to know exactly where you are. And third, you need to know where you want to be. You need to know your eternal position because of what Christ Jesus has already accomplished on your behalf. “The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps” (Proverbs 16:9). An often used phrase from a past mentor was: “A man without […]

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Time To Perform A Family Audit – More Family Time

Bob Barnes
30 Sep 2011
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It’s seven weeks into the school year and you’ve already lost control.  This is not the way you saw the family schedule going.  Every man for himself, everyone going in different directions and there is no family time whatsoever.  It’s like the whole family fell down a steep hill and everyone is rolling faster and faster … in different directions. Once the family activity year gets rolling, putting on the breaks is difficult.  Most parents just give up and let it roll.  Mom is the one who usually realizes that this just isn’t the best plan for the children. Before […]

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The Big Mistakes of Debt …Part 2

Rob West
2 Jun 2011
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     Do you find yourself depending on the world’s wisdom or God’s wisdom when it comes to financial advice? God’s Word is true, timeless, universal, transcendent and completely practical. Unfortunately, all too often, we depend upon the finite wisdom of the world for our financial counsel. This is especially true with the constant barrage of worldly advice urging us to use debt to “get ahead”. Christians need to carefully study what the Bible has to say about debt. Though God’s word is certainly not a financial textbook, it does offer clear guidelines that we can apply to our financial […]

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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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$17,000 tax bill hits South Dakota church

Press Release
5 Aug 2010
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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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White House scrambles to clarify funding of abortions in PA

Press Release
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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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What is financial independence?

Rob West
3 Jul 2010
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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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Millions of Americans may lose their healthcare plans

Gary Bauer
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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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