Should Christians Have a Prenup?

Women are gaining more financial influence than ever before. But for Christian women, the bigger question isn’t simply how much wealth they will control. It’s what they will do with what God has placed in their hands.Pam Pugh, Co-Founder of Women Doing Well and President of VirtuAssets Foundation, has spent years helping individuals and families think about how to use their assets virtuously. She believes women are entering a significant season of financial stewardship—one shaped by greater earning power, longer life expectancies, entrepreneurship, and an enormous transfer of wealth.Those changes create opportunities, but they also call for preparation. For Christian women especially, growing economic influence offers an opportunity to prayerfully consider how their resources can serve God’s purposes and the good of others.Four Shifts Reshaping Women’s Financial InfluencePugh points to four significant shifts taking place in the financial landscape.The first is education and earning power. Women now represent 62% of college graduates and earn more than half of all doctorate degrees. Four in 10 physicians and attorneys are women, and among women ages 25 to 54, 78% work outside the home. Women also make the vast majority of consumer purchasing decisions, giving them significant influence not only through what they earn but also through how they spend.The second shift is longevity. Because women generally live longer than men, many will eventually become the primary decision-maker for their household wealth. Pugh notes that women live an average of 5.8 years longer than men and that an estimated 90% of women will manage their wealth independently at some point. She also points to estimates that women will inherit $124 trillion through 2048, including $54 trillion transferred to spouses, many of them widowed baby boomers.A third change is the growth of women-owned businesses. Pugh says one in 11 working-age women is an entrepreneur, while women own 39% of closely held businesses in the United States. Those businesses employ 12.9 million people and generate $3.3 trillion in revenue. For many women, entrepreneurship is not simply about earning more. It can also provide flexibility and greater control over how work fits into the rest of life.Finally, Pugh sees a shift in how women think about wealth itself.A Broader Definition of WealthFinancial wealth matters, but Pugh says many women view wealth more holistically. They think not only about money but also about physical, spiritual, social, and intellectual well-being.That perspective changes money's purpose. Financial resources become a tool rather than an end in themselves—something that can provide freedom and help accomplish meaningful purposes. Pugh also points to research suggesting women tend to be patient, studious, holistic, and methodical investors, with many prioritizing aligning their investments with their values.For Christians, that raises a deeper question: If God has entrusted us with greater resources and influence, how do we prepare to steward them faithfully?Pugh offers a simple framework.Step One: DreamImagine you were preparing for a month-long trip overseas. You wouldn’t simply show up at the airport and hope everything worked out. You would think about where you were going, what you would need, what you already had, and who could help you prepare.Financial stewardship deserves similar intentionality. Pugh encourages women to begin by prayerfully envisioning where they may be headed. One helpful exercise is to imagine your life five years from now and ask:If I were confident that God was with me, what would I explore?Then write it down. Consider not only what your financial life looks like, but the kind of life you hope to be living. What values are evident? What relationships matter most? What kind of work are you doing? What does generosity look like?The point isn’t to predict the future. It’s to become intentional about where you are headed and why.Step Two: Take InventoryOnce you’ve thought about where you may be headed, ask another question: What’s already in your hand?Pugh draws that language from Exodus 4:2. Moses was reluctant when God called him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. After Moses repeatedly expressed his fears and inadequacies, God asked him, “What is that in your hand?”It was a shepherd’s staff—something ordinary that Moses may never have imagined could play a role in what God was calling him to do.The same question can help us recognize what God has already entrusted to us.Your “inventory” includes more than the balance in your bank or retirement account. It may include relationships, financial resources, knowledge, experience, skills, opportunities, and even lessons learned through hardship.Rather than beginning with what you lack, begin by identifying what you already have.Step Three: Talk About It and Make a PlanA dream becomes far more actionable when you share it and support it with a plan.Pugh encourages women to talk about their goals with trusted friends, peers, family members, and, when appropriate, a financial professional who understands their values.A like-minded advisor can help turn broad hopes into concrete financial strategies. That might involve evaluating whether current resources will support future needs, clarifying investment objectives, or determining how saving, spending, and giving decisions can work together to support long-term goals.That guidance can be particularly valuable when uncertainty becomes paralyzing. Questions such as Will I have enough? or Can I accomplish what I believe God is putting before me? can be difficult to answer alone.A thoughtful financial plan cannot eliminate uncertainty, but it can help you understand where you stand and make informed decisions about the road ahead.What Will You Do With What’s in Your Hand?Women’s economic influence is changing dramatically through education, employment, entrepreneurship, longevity, and generational wealth transfers. But influence itself is not the destination.Stewardship asks a different question: What will you do with what God has entrusted to you?Pugh encourages women to recognize the opportunity before them, prayerfully consider what God has already placed in their hands, and prepare intentionally to use those resources for His glory and the good of others.You may not know every step that lies ahead. But you can begin by dreaming prayerfully, taking inventory, seeking wise counsel, and moving forward faithfully with what you already have in your hands.On Today’s Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:I owe about $78,000 on a Discover card, and they’ve offered to settle the debt for roughly $58,000. How would accepting the settlement affect my credit?I’m 58, own my home and car outright, and need to set up a will and possibly a trust. Where should I start if I want an estate plan that reflects my Christian values?I’m 24, living at home, and almost finished paying off my student loans. How should I start budgeting, investing, and preparing for rent or a future home purchase? And at my age, how should I think about renting versus buying?Resources Mentioned:Become a FaithFi PartnerWomen Doing WellVirtuAssets FoundationOpen Hands FinanceFaithful Steward: FaithFi’s Quarterly MagazineFaithFi Field Guide: How Much Money is Enough? Our Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Journey to Faithful Stewardship by Rob WestWisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on MoneyLook At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and AnxietyRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor® (CKA)FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every weekday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God’s resources. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

God’s Word says that a husband and wife become “one flesh.” But it doesn’t say anything directly about prenuptial agreements.So does that mean Christians should never have one?A prenuptial agreement, or prenup, is a legal contract a couple enters into before marriage. It typically establishes how assets, property, and other financial matters would be handled if the marriage ended in divorce.For some couples, that may seem like practical planning. But Christians should consider more than whether a prenup makes financial sense. We should also ask what it communicates about marriage and whether it supports—or undermines—the unity God intends.Marriage Is Designed for OnenessGenesis 2:24 establishes the biblical foundation for marriage: “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”Marriage is not merely a legal partnership between two individuals who continue living otherwise separate lives. God joins a husband and wife together in a unique covenant relationship. Paul takes that picture even further in Ephesians 5:31–32:“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.”Christian marriage is meant to reflect Christ’s covenant love for His people—a relationship characterized by love, sacrifice, grace, faithfulness, and mutual care.That pursuit of oneness should shape the way a couple thinks about every part of life, including money.What Can a Prenup Communicate?Dr. Art Rainer, Founder of Christian Money Solutions and the Institute for Christian Financial Health, has identified several important concerns Christians should consider when thinking through a prenuptial agreement.It may communicate distrust. If one person feels the need to protect certain possessions from the other before the marriage has even begun, the other spouse may reasonably wonder whether they are truly being trusted. A prenup may communicate uncertainty about the marriage itself. Because these agreements typically establish what happens in the event of divorce, they can feel like planning for the marriage to fail before the covenant has even begun. It may be harder to pursue the financial unity marriage requires. A couple can begin thinking primarily in terms of “mine” and “yours” when marriage should increasingly move them toward “ours.”Those concerns should not be dismissed. A legal agreement intended to provide financial protection can unintentionally introduce fear, suspicion, or division into a relationship.However, that does not necessarily mean every prenuptial agreement represents a lack of biblical commitment.Are There Situations Where a Prenup May Be Helpful?Consider a couple entering a second marriage when one or both spouses already have children.Perhaps each person has accumulated assets that they hope eventually to leave to their children. In that situation, a carefully constructed agreement may help clarify expectations and reassure family members that the marriage is not motivated by financial gain.Rather than creating division, the process could potentially encourage greater transparency by forcing the couple to discuss difficult questions before marriage.The important issue is not simply whether a legal document exists, but why it exists and what posture of heart stands behind it.Is the agreement primarily about self-protection? Is fear driving the decision? Does one person want to maintain control over “their” money?Or is the couple prayerfully trying to navigate genuine responsibilities involving children, previous marriages, family businesses, or complicated estate-planning concerns?Those situations require wisdom, not a one-size-fits-all answer.Let the Agreement Serve the MarriageIf a couple is considering a prenup, the process should involve far more than conversations with attorneys.It should include honest discussions about money, trust, expectations, generosity, inheritance, and what financial oneness will actually look like in the marriage. Couples should pray together and seek wisdom from mature believers and qualified legal and financial professionals who understand their circumstances.Most importantly, any agreement should serve the marriage, not undermine it.Marriage is ultimately a covenant, not merely a contract. A legal document can clarify financial arrangements, but it cannot create the trust, sacrifice, forgiveness, and faithfulness a healthy marriage requires.Whether or not a prenup is appropriate in a particular situation, husband and wife should continually pursue the oneness God designed for marriage—honoring Christ and one another with everything He has entrusted to them.On Today’s Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:When I use a rewards credit card, especially one offering 5% cash back, is the merchant paying higher processing fees to fund those rewards? I’m asking because I don’t want my rewards to come at a small business owner’s expense.My wife and I have had a Genworth long-term care policy since 1999. Our annual premium has risen from about $1,500–$2,000 to $11,000, but we’re concerned that reducing coverage could eliminate valuable protections, including a provision that waives the survivor’s premiums if one of us dies. At ages 83 and 81, is it still worth keeping the policy?I recently bought about $140 worth of individual stocks through Cash App and would like to learn more before investing further. What resources or advisors would you recommend for understanding stock investing?I’m 70 and recently retired. I owe about $11,000 on my home and $11,000–$12,000 on my car, and I have about $50,000 in a gold IRA and $120,000 in retirement accounts. I plan to live mainly on Social Security and continue giving regularly. Should I pay off the remaining debt, roll over my old 403(b), or make any other changes to my retirement plan?Resources Mentioned:Become a FaithFi PartnerThe Sound Mind Investing Handbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Managing Your Money From a Biblical Perspective by Austin Pryor with Mark BillerBettermentFaithful Steward: FaithFi’s Quarterly MagazineFaithFi Field Guide: How Much Money is Enough? Our Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Journey to Faithful Stewardship by Rob WestWisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on MoneyLook At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and AnxietyRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor® (CKA)FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every weekday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God’s resources. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Some of the earliest financial supporters of Jesus’ ministry were women.Luke 8:1–3 introduces us to Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, and “many others” who traveled with Jesus and the Twelve. Luke adds a remarkable detail: these women were supporting Jesus’ ministry “out of their means.”Sharon Epps, President of Kingdom Advisors and one of the founders of Women Doing Well, points to their story as a powerful picture of generosity. These women didn’t simply contribute resources to a cause. They had encountered Jesus personally, received His grace, and responded by using what they had to serve Him and others.Their example reminds us that Christian generosity begins not with what we give to God, but with what we have already received from Him.Generosity Begins With ReceivingLuke tells us that these women had experienced Jesus’ healing and restoration. Mary Magdalene had been delivered from seven demons, while others had been healed of diseases and afflictions. Then, having received from Jesus, they gave.“God always pours into us first,” Epps explains. “Our breath, our skills, our life, and our resources are all gifts from Him.”That changes the starting point for generosity. We don’t give to earn God’s favor or repay Him for His grace. We give because His grace has already been freely given to us.Everything we possess—our money, abilities, opportunities, relationships, and time—ultimately comes from God. When we begin there, generosity becomes less about meeting an obligation and more about faithfully responding to what we have received.Turning Our Attention OutwardAn old Latin phrase, incurvatus in se, means “curved in on oneself.” It describes the human tendency to turn inward and make life primarily about ourselves. That temptation can become especially strong when life feels exhausting.Epps uses the playful word “exhausterwhelmulated”—exhausted, overwhelmed, and overstimulated—to describe how many people feel today. When we’re depleted, our instinct can be to turn inward and focus almost exclusively on our own needs.But remembering God’s care gives us another way forward.“When we can breathe in God’s care, we can resist the self-focus and actually flow outward,” Epps says. “Let His generosity flow through us, even when life feels heavy.”Generosity invites us to notice the people God has placed around us. It turns our attention outward—not because our own needs don’t matter, but because God’s provision frees us to see beyond ourselves.Stewarding More Than MoneyThe women of Luke 8 also remind us that faithful stewardship extends beyond financial giving.Today, women can use their resources, work, relationships, businesses, investments, experience, and influence for others' good. That might mean supporting a local ministry, operating a business with integrity, investing in ways that promote human flourishing, mentoring someone who needs guidance, or simply responding to a need close to home.“We can use our positions and relationships as part of God’s work of restoration,” Epps says.God entrusts each of us with different resources and opportunities. Faithful stewardship asks how we might use those gifts in love of God and neighbor.Start With One Faithful StepFor someone who wants to become more generous but already feels stretched, the answer doesn’t have to be a dramatic financial commitment. Epps encourages women to begin by remembering who they are.“You are a daughter of the King,” she says. “Pause long enough to breathe in His love and acknowledge that He’s our ultimate provider. Then look for just one small, concrete way you can share.”Perhaps it’s meeting a need you notice today. Maybe it’s offering your time, sharing your expertise, encouraging someone, or giving financially where you’re able.The women of Luke 8 show us that generosity begins with receiving. They encountered the grace of Christ and responded by faithfully using what had been entrusted to them. Their names appear in only a few verses, but their generosity helped support a ministry that would change the world. And their example still invites us to ask: What has God graciously entrusted to me, and how might I use it today for the good of others?To read more content on women and faithful stewardship, explore the special edition of Faithful Steward Magazine by becoming a FaithFi partner at FaithFi.com/Give.On Today’s Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:I own several renovated rental properties that I bought very cheaply and hoped to leave to my family. Should I place them in a trust so they pass to my wife and children, or sell them now and move the money into more passive investments?I retired this year and didn’t withhold enough for taxes. How does the IRS handle underpayment, and should I expect penalties?I’m 68 and setting aside money in an IRA for my granddaughter’s future. What’s the best way to make sure that money keeps growing and ultimately goes to her? Should it be in her name, or can I keep it in my IRA and name family members to manage it later?Resources Mentioned:Become a FaithFi PartnerFaithful Steward Special Edition: Women & Wealth (Issue 7)SavingForCollege.com Women Doing WellFaithful Steward: FaithFi’s Quarterly MagazineFaithFi Field Guide: How Much Money is Enough? Our Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Journey to Faithful Stewardship by Rob WestWisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on MoneyLook At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and AnxietyRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor® (CKA)FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every weekday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God’s resources. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sometimes the simplest gifts can carry the deepest meaning.For one mother in Mexico named Alma, watching her children receive new shoes brought tears to her eyes. She had grown up without something so basic, but now her children were having a different experience.Her story is one of many that Shawn Spurrier, Director of Buckner Shoes for Orphan Souls, a ministry of Buckner International serving vulnerable children and families in the United States and around the world, has witnessed. Shawn joined the show today to explain why something as ordinary as a new pair of shoes can have an impact far beyond what we might imagine.For millions of children worldwide, shoes can protect against injury and disease, remove barriers to attending school, and provide dignity and confidence. And sometimes, they can become the beginning of a relationship that allows a family to experience the love and hope of Christ.More Than a Pair of ShoesFor many of us, choosing shoes is an everyday decision. We think about comfort, style, or what we have planned for the day.But for millions of children worldwide, shoes are a basic need.“For you and me, a pair of shoes was a choice that we made this morning,” Shawn says. “But for tens of millions of children around the world, a pair of shoes is a primary need for attending school.”Shoes can also help protect children from injury and disease. Beyond those practical benefits, receiving a new pair can restore a sense of dignity and confidence and remind a child that he or she is seen, loved, and not forgotten.That’s why FaithFi is partnering with Buckner Shoes for Orphan Souls this month to provide new shoes for 1,000 children worldwide.But the impact doesn’t stop with the child.Coming Alongside the Whole FamilyParents naturally want to provide for their children. Yet families facing poverty may have to make difficult decisions between necessities such as food, clothing, and shoes.Providing shoes can help carry one of those burdens.Shawn says the gratitude on a parent’s face can be just as meaningful as the excitement of the child receiving the shoes. But Buckner’s goal is not simply to distribute shoes and leave.Through its Family Hope Centers and partnerships with churches, ministries, and other organizations in local communities, Buckner seeks to build relationships with families and connect them with additional support, including after-school programs, economic empowerment, family coaching, and spiritual discipleship.“This is not just dropping a pair of shoes off and leaving,” Shawn says. “This is really oftentimes the beginning of a relationship, or continuing or furthering a relationship.”That relational approach also creates opportunities to share the hope of the gospel. Shoes distributed through Buckner include handwritten notes expressing the love of Christ, and volunteers have opportunities to spend time with children and families, wash their feet, and share the gospel with them.The Theology of the OrdinaryShawn describes this kind of ministry as the “theology of the ordinary”—the recognition that God often works through ordinary people, ordinary places, and ordinary means.A pair of shoes might not seem remarkable. But placed on the feet of a child who needs them, that simple gift can help protect their health, make it possible to attend school, encourage a struggling family, and open the door to an ongoing relationship.“One of the things that animates my faith the most is that theology of the ordinary—that God uses ordinary people and ordinary places and ordinary means to love and serve His world,” Shawn says.That’s a helpful reminder for all of us as stewards. Faithfulness doesn’t always require doing something dramatic. Sometimes we simply use what God has entrusted to us to meet a need right in front of us.And Alma’s story shows how meaningful something so ordinary can become.A Different Story for the Next GenerationWhen Alma watched her children receive their shoes, she thought about her own childhood. She hadn’t had the same opportunity. Now, watching her children receive something she once went without filled her with gratitude.“The only thing that I can do is to thank God,” she said. “I didn’t have that, but they do, and I thank God.” For Shawn, moments like that reveal something deeper about the work.“As parents, we want to see our kids experience things that are better than what we’ve gotten to,” he says.Shoes alone cannot solve every challenge facing a vulnerable family. But they can meet a real need today while helping connect families with people and ministries committed to walking alongside them for the future.And behind every pair is a particular child with a particular story.One Pair, One Child, One StoryFaithFi and Buckner Shoes for Orphan Souls are working to provide shoes for 1,000 children by the end of September.Every $15 provides a child with a new pair of shoes and socks and helps cover the cost of getting those shoes to the ministry program serving them. A gift of $150 can provide shoes for 10 children.“Every pair represents the life of a child who’s going to be impacted,” Shawn says.One pair may help protect a child’s health. Another may remove a barrier to education. Another may encourage a mother or father struggling to provide. And each can create an opportunity to tangibly express the love of Christ.A pair of shoes may seem ordinary. But ordinary acts of generosity, offered faithfully, can carry extraordinary meaning.To help provide shoes for a child, visit GiveShoesToday.org.On Today’s Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:I bought my home last year for about $200,000 and currently owe roughly $167,000. How much equity would I need before I could qualify for a reverse mortgage?I’m a single mom of three with limited income. What are the best steps I can take to improve my credit score?Resources Mentioned:Become a FaithFi PartnerBuckner Shoes for Orphan SoulsMovement MortgageChristian Credit CounselorsAnnualCreditReport.com Faithful Steward: FaithFi’s Quarterly MagazineFaithFi Field Guide: How Much Money is Enough? Our Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Journey to Faithful Stewardship by Rob WestWisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on MoneyLook At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and AnxietyRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor® (CKA)FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every weekday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God’s resources. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Some of the most remarkable advances in medicine are happening inside companies most of us have never heard of.For Christian investors, that raises an intriguing question: Could investing in healthcare innovation offer financial opportunity while also supporting businesses working to serve their neighbors and address some of the world’s most difficult problems?Dr. Finny Kuruvilla believes it can.Kuruvilla is Co-Founder, Co-Chief Investment Officer, and Senior Portfolio Manager at Eventide Investments. With an M.D. and a Ph.D. in chemistry, he brings an unusual combination of medical, scientific, and investment expertise to faith-based investing.Where Faith, Medicine, and Investing MeetKuruvilla’s interest in investing began long before he entered the investment industry.His parents immigrated to the United States from India in 1973 with very little. As his mother worked as a bank teller, she learned the fundamentals of investing and compound interest and began putting those principles into practice.Kuruvilla watched his parents work, save, give, and steadily improve their financial situation. Their example shaped his own understanding of financial stewardship.Years later, while completing an M.D.-Ph.D. program in Boston, Kuruvilla received a modest stipend and began saving and investing on his own. With encouragement from a roommate studying economics at Harvard, he spent years reading and learning about investing.One influence was legendary Fidelity investor Peter Lynch and his well-known principle of investing in what you know. For Kuruvilla, that meant bringing together two areas of expertise: medicine and investing.Eventually, he began to see that investing in medical innovation could potentially affect far more patients than he could reach through clinical practice alone.Business as a Tool for HealingKuruvilla treated patients with serious blood-related conditions, including leukemia, lymphoma, and sickle cell disease. Through that work, he became increasingly interested in the role businesses could play in accelerating medical innovation.That vision eventually led Kuruvilla and Robin John to co-found Eventide with Jason Myhre in 2008.Their approach is grounded in a distinctly Christian understanding of investing. Jesus commands His followers to love God and love their neighbors. If investing means owning businesses, Kuruvilla argues, Christians should consider how those businesses affect the people they serve.Businesses can provide products and services that meet genuine human needs. That means investors can consider not only what they want to avoid but also what kinds of businesses they want to support.Rather than viewing faith-based investing solely through the lens of screening out objectionable companies, Kuruvilla encourages investors to ask a positive question: What kinds of businesses contribute to the common good and serve their neighbors well?The Promise of Healthcare InnovationHealthcare provides a striking example.Kuruvilla points to recent developments in treating pancreatic cancer, historically one of the most difficult cancers to treat.Researchers have made progress targeting RAS, a protein that signals cells to divide. When RAS is mutated, that signal can remain active, allowing cancer cells to continue multiplying. Scientists have long considered RAS extraordinarily difficult to target, but new therapies are beginning to change that.For Kuruvilla, breakthroughs like these illustrate what can happen when scientific discovery, entrepreneurship, and investment capital work together.Investors provide capital to businesses. Those businesses can then use that capital to develop medicines, technologies, and services that address real human needs.For Christians, this creates an opportunity to think about investing as more than simply pursuing a return.A Positive Vision for Faith-Based InvestingScripture reminds us that creation has been deeply affected by the fall. Disease, suffering, and death are part of that brokenness. While medical innovation cannot ultimately overcome the effects of sin and death, it can relieve suffering and offer a measure of healing in the present.That gives Christians a compelling framework for thinking about healthcare innovation. Investing can support businesses developing treatments, improving lives, and serving people facing profound challenges.This doesn’t mean financial returns are irrelevant. Investing still involves risk, and wise investors must evaluate companies carefully. But financial stewardship and concern for our neighbors do not have to be competing goals.As Kuruvilla explains, faith-based investing can move beyond asking only, “What should I avoid?” It can also ask, “What should I support?”That shift offers a broader vision of stewardship—one in which Christians consider how the capital entrusted to them might support businesses that promote human flourishing and love their neighbors well.To learn more about Eventide Investments and its approach to faith-based investing, visit FaithFi.com/Eventide.On Today’s Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:I received a $35,000 inheritance and would like to give part of it to two sisters serving as missionaries. Would that count as biblical giving, even if I don’t give it through a local church? I’m 83, on a fixed income, and also wondering whether I should put some of the inheritance into my reverse-mortgage line of credit rather than give a full 10%.If someone has a testamentary trust along with payable-on-death and transfer-on-death designations, what assets would actually pass through the trust? Would it mainly cover personal property or anything left outside those beneficiary designations?Resources Mentioned:Become a FaithFi PartnerEventide InvestmentsMovement MortgageFaithful Steward: FaithFi’s Quarterly MagazineFaithFi Field Guide: How Much Money is Enough? Our Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Journey to Faithful Stewardship by Rob WestWisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on MoneyLook At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and AnxietyRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor® (CKA)FaithFi AppDr. Finny Kuruvilla is the Co-Founder, Co-Chief Investment Officer, and Senior Portfolio Manager at Eventide Asset Management, LLC. Views expressed in this podcast are intended for information purposes and do not constitute investment advice. Eventide does not provide tax, accounting, or legal advice. Eventide's values-based approach to investing may not produce desired results and could result in underperformance compared with other investments. There is no guarantee that any investment will achieve its objectives, generate positive returns, or avoid losses. Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every weekday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God’s resources. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Women currently control the majority of wealth in the United States, and their financial influence is growing. But perhaps the more important question isn’t simply how much wealth women will steward. It’s what they want that wealth to accomplish.Julie Wilson, President of Women Doing Well, joins the show today to share some new research, conducted in partnership with the Lake Institute on Faith & Giving, that offers an encouraging look at how Christian women are approaching generosity. The findings reveal women who are engaged, discerning, and increasingly intentional about aligning their financial decisions with their faith, values, relationships, and sense of purpose.When Generosity Becomes More Than a DutyJulie tells the story of Leanne Horton, a CPA and serial entrepreneur who had been a faithful and generous giver for years.Leanne approached generosity much as she approached business: carefully and methodically. She tracked her giving, studied what Scripture said about money, and genuinely wanted to steward her resources well.But after attending a Women Doing Well event, something shifted. Surrounded by women who spoke openly and joyfully about generosity, Leanne recognized that her meticulous approach had gradually become more legalistic than spiritually formative. Giving had become more about getting it right than responding to God's goodness.Her experience reflects an important theme in the research: faithful stewardship involves more than making the right financial decisions. Generosity can also express worship, gratitude, community, and purpose.Women Are Taking a Larger Role in Financial StewardshipWomen already wield significant financial influence, and that influence is expected to grow considerably in the decades ahead.According to the research shared by Women Doing Well, 95% of women will become the primary financial decision-maker for their families at some point in their lives. Women are also expected to receive a significant share of the wealth changing hands during the coming generational wealth transfer.That raises an important stewardship question: What will women seek to accomplish with the resources entrusted to them?The research suggests that many Christian women are already thinking deeply about that question. They aren't standing on the sidelines. They're participating, leading, discerning, and looking for ways to align their resources with their faith.Generosity Flourishes Through RelationshipsOne striking finding involved married couples. Seventy-two percent of married women surveyed said they make charitable giving decisions jointly with their spouse.That's encouraging, but sharing a bank account doesn't necessarily mean sharing a vision.Couples may support the same organizations without ever discussing what they ultimately hope their generosity will accomplish. Meaningful conversations about shared values, priorities, and passions can help generosity become something a couple pursues together rather than simply a collection of individual gifts.And community matters beyond marriage.Whether women are single, married, divorced, or widowed, relationships often play an important role in shaping generosity. Among the women surveyed, 98% said their values were important or very important to their giving, while 95% said the same about their faith.Conversations with family, friends, church leaders, mentors, and trusted advisors can offer valuable opportunities to discern how to steward resources faithfully.Proximity Can Shape GenerosityThe study also found that firsthand involvement often shapes generosity.Forty-three percent of women surveyed identified personal exposure to needs as a particularly powerful driver of their giving. The same percentage pointed to involvement with nonprofit organizations.That suggests ministries can invite people into something deeper than a financial transaction. Seeing needs firsthand, serving alongside an organization, or developing relationships with the people involved can help donors better understand the work their generosity supports.Scripture gives us pictures of this kind of proximity. Ruth remained close to Naomi in a season of profound vulnerability and need. In Acts 9, Dorcas saw the widows around her and responded practically, making clothing and serving those within her community.Generosity often becomes more tangible when needs stop being abstract.Purpose Isn't Just for Wealthy GiversSome people hear words like "purposeful giving" and assume they apply primarily to wealthy philanthropists with sophisticated charitable plans. But purposeful generosity isn't determined by the size of someone's bank account.Women Doing Well encourages women to think in terms of purpose, passion, and plan.Purpose asks who God has made you to be and how you can faithfully contribute. Passion considers what needs or opportunities you care deeply about. A plan then provides a practical way to steward your resources in light of both.Ephesians 2:10 reminds believers, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."Our purpose begins not with our possessions, but with our identity in Christ. From there, we can prayerfully consider how the time, talents, relationships, and financial resources God has entrusted to us might serve Him and others.An Opportunity for Faithful StewardshipAs more wealth comes under women's stewardship, the opportunity for generosity is significant. But the most encouraging finding may not be the amount of money involved.It's the intentionality behind it.Christian women are asking thoughtful questions about faith, values, relationships, and generosity. They're seeking community, engaging personally with needs, and considering what faithful stewardship can look like in their own lives.And those are questions worth asking for every steward.To learn more about Women Doing Well and its research on women, wealth, and faith, visit WomenDoingWell.org. You can also explore the special edition of Faithful Steward focused on women and wealth at FaithFi.com/Shop.On Today’s Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:I’m 66 and have two annuities worth about $95,000 total, including a Roth IRA annuity. They’re past their surrender periods, but I’m unhappy with the performance and fees. As a single retiree, what should I consider doing with these accounts?I’m new to investing and only have about $500 to start. Is that enough to begin, and how can I invest without taking unnecessary risk?Resources Mentioned:Become a FaithFi PartnerWomen Doing WellWomen, Wealth, and Faith (Research Study by the Lake Institute on Faith and Giving at Indiana University for Women Doing Well in Collaboration with Blue Trust)Faithful Steward Special Edition: Women & WealthThe Sound Mind Investing Handbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Managing Your Money From a Biblical Perspective by Austin Pryor with Mark BillerSchwab Intelligent Portfolios® | Fidelity Go®Faithful Steward: FaithFi’s Quarterly MagazineFaithFi Field Guide: How Much Money is Enough? Our Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Journey to Faithful Stewardship by Rob WestWisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on MoneyLook At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and AnxietyRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor® (CKA)FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every weekday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God’s resources. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What if financial success isn’t the destination, but simply the foundation for something greater?We spend a great deal of time thinking about how to earn, save, invest, and manage money wisely. Those things matter. Faithful stewardship requires care and wisdom with what God has entrusted to us.But what happens when you’ve done many of those things well and still find yourself wondering, Is there something more?Scott Highmark, President and Co-Founder of Mosaic Wealth, a Certified Kingdom Advisor®, and author of The Significance Pyramid: Climb Beyond Success to Find Lasting Significance, believes there is.His “Significance Pyramid” offers a framework for moving beyond financial success toward a life increasingly shaped by purpose, generosity, service, and ultimately surrender to Christ.Why Success Alone Can’t SatisfyOur culture often encourages us to keep moving “up and to the right”—more income, more achievement, more possessions, more recognition.There’s nothing inherently wrong with achievement. The problem comes when we expect it to satisfy desires it was never designed to fulfill.Highmark points out that even people who reach the top of their professions often discover that the fulfillment they expected doesn’t last. Accomplishment may bring genuine satisfaction for a season, but our appetites continually reach for something more.Ultimately, the human heart's deepest longing cannot be satisfied by another financial milestone or professional achievement. We were created for God Himself.That conviction is at the heart of the Significance Pyramid. Every life points somewhere. The question is whether ours ultimately points toward ourselves or toward something greater.Stewardship: Building the FoundationThe pyramid's first level is stewardship.Stewardship involves wisely managing all God has entrusted to us—not simply our money, but our time, abilities, opportunities, and relationships.Financially, that means understanding what we have, knowing where it is going, and learning to live within our means. Practices such as budgeting can sometimes feel restrictive, but healthy financial boundaries can actually create freedom. When our finances are in order, we can spend and give more intentionally instead of constantly reacting to financial pressure.But stewardship is only the foundation. Once money consumes less of our attention, we can begin asking deeper questions about what our resources are actually for.As Highmark puts it, money can help fund our purpose, but it cannot help us find our purpose.Symmetry: Bringing Our Lives Into AlignmentThe second level is symmetry, or alignment.Most of us can quickly name what matters most to us: faith, family, marriage, generosity, service, relationships. But would someone looking at our calendars and financial statements reach the same conclusion?Symmetry means aligning the way we actually live with the things we say we value.James 1 describes a person who looks at himself in a mirror, walks away, and immediately forgets what he looks like. In a similar way, we can profess certain priorities while organizing our lives around completely different ones.Highmark tells the story of a successful executive who traveled more than 150 days a year. His children were nearing adulthood, his mother was aging, and financially, he no longer needed to continue working at the same pace. Yet striving had become such a normal part of his life that he had never seriously considered another way.One simple question changed his perspective: Why are you still working like this?Eventually, he stepped away from that role. In doing so, he gained more time with his children and his mother and began serving through ministry.Sometimes faithful stewardship requires more than accumulating enough. It requires asking whether the life we are living actually reflects what we say matters most.Purpose: Using What God Has Given YouThe third level of the pyramid is what Highmark calls self-satisfaction. The name can sound self-focused, but the idea is really about discovering meaningful work and using our unique gifts well. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”God has made each of us with different abilities, experiences, relationships, and opportunities. Faithful stewardship includes learning to use those things in service to Him.Highmark draws on an insight from Henry Blackaby: Rather than beginning with the question, What is God’s will for my life? we should begin with, What is God’s will? Then we ask whether we are willing to adjust our lives to participate faithfully in what He is doing.That changes the focus. Purpose is no longer primarily about finding the career or activity that makes us feel fulfilled. It becomes a matter of offering our lives to God and faithfully using what He has entrusted to us.And even personal fulfillment isn’t the top of the pyramid. If our purpose ends with ourselves, it still falls short.Significance: Turning OutwardThe fourth level is significance.Here, the focus shifts from inward to outward. Instead of asking, What will make me happy? we begin asking, How can I use what God has entrusted to me for someone else's good?That may require sacrifice. We may willingly choose to have less so someone else can have what they need. We may surrender time, comfort, opportunity, or resources for another person’s good.Jesus Himself models this kind of life. Philippians 2 describes Christ as taking “the form of a servant.” Rather than using His position for His own advantage, Jesus humbled Himself and served.Significance, then, isn’t simply about accomplishing something impressive or leaving behind a recognizable legacy. It is about loving and serving others faithfully—even when doing so costs us something.That can show up in countless ways: generosity, hospitality, mentoring, caring for family, serving through the local church, investing in younger generations, or simply making ourselves available to people God has placed around us.Surrender: The Ultimate DestinationEven significance isn’t the final destination. At the top of Highmark’s framework is surrender.A person can live generously, serve others, and pursue meaningful work and still remain at the center of their own life. Biblical surrender goes further. It means offering our whole lives to Christ.Our money belongs to Him. Our careers belong to Him. Our families, abilities, ambitions, plans, and futures belong to Him. That doesn’t mean financial planning or professional success is unimportant. It means those things find their proper place beneath the lordship of Christ.Success asks, How much can I accomplish? Significance asks, How can what I have been given serve others? Surrender asks an even deeper question: Lord, how would You have me faithfully use everything You have entrusted to me?Financial success can be good. Wise stewardship can create margin, opportunity, and freedom. But success was never meant to become our ultimate destination. The goal is faithfulness—a life in which everything God has entrusted to us increasingly points beyond ourselves and toward Him.On Today’s Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:My husband and I are entering retirement and use a credit card for groceries, paying it off monthly to earn travel rewards. Is that a wise strategy, or would it be better to pay directly from our monthly budget?I’m 71 and want to use Qualified Charitable Distributions for my tithes and offerings. How do QCDs work, can they come from an annuity, and can I direct part of my RMD to myself and part directly to my church?Resources Mentioned:Become a FaithFi PartnerThe Significance Pyramid: Climb Beyond Success to Find Lasting Significance by Scott HighmarkMosaic WealthFaithful Steward: FaithFi’s Quarterly MagazineFaithFi Field Guide: How Much Money is Enough? Our Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Journey to Faithful Stewardship by Rob WestWisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on MoneyLook At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and AnxietyRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor® (CKA)FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every weekday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God’s resources. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Investing can feel overwhelming. With countless funds, strategies, market forecasts, and opinions competing for attention, it’s easy to assume that successful investing requires constant analysis and a complicated portfolio.But it doesn’t have to.For decades, Sound Mind Investing has offered an indexing strategy called Just-the-Basics, designed around simplicity, diversification, and minimal maintenance. According to Mark Biller, Executive Editor and Senior Portfolio Manager at Sound Mind Investing, a straightforward indexing approach can also work alongside more active investment strategies.The key may not be choosing between active investing and indexing, but understanding how both can fit in a well-designed portfolio.How Index Investing WorksIndex investing begins with a simple idea: rather than trying to beat the market, investors seek to earn approximately the market’s return.They typically accomplish this through low-cost index funds that track a particular market benchmark. Because these funds generally require less active management, their expenses tend to be lower than those of actively managed funds.Over time, those lower costs can be significant. “Indexing is based on the idea that an investor is going to give up trying to beat the market in favor of just earning the market’s return,” Biller explains.Sound Mind Investing’s Just-the-Basics strategy takes that concept and keeps it intentionally simple. It uses three stock index funds and, when appropriate for the investor’s asset allocation, a bond index fund.Once established, the strategy requires relatively little maintenance—typically an annual portfolio rebalance. That simplicity can make indexing especially appealing to investors who don’t want to continually monitor markets or make frequent investment decisions.Active Investing or Indexing? Why Not Both?Investors sometimes treat active management and indexing as competing philosophies. Either you try to outperform the market, or you simply track it.SMI takes a different approach. Although the organization may be better known for its active strategies, Just-the-Basics was actually the first investing strategy introduced in the SMI newsletter more than three decades ago.Rather than viewing active investing and indexing as an either-or decision, Biller suggests thinking in terms of both-and.That approach can be particularly useful for investors whose workplace retirement plans offer mostly index funds. For example, an investor might use low-cost index funds inside a 401(k) while employing active strategies elsewhere in the portfolio.Combining the two can create another layer of diversification without requiring every investment account to follow the same approach.Why Use More Than One Stock Index Fund?If simplicity is the goal, why not simply purchase a total stock market index fund?That would certainly be easy. But SMI has historically used three separate stock index funds instead. There are practical reasons for that.When Just-the-Basics was first introduced, total stock market index funds were not yet widely available. More importantly, many workplace retirement plans still do not offer a true total-market option.Most plans, however, offer something similar to an S&P 500 index fund that tracks large U.S. companies. They may also offer a small-company fund and an international fund. Using several index funds makes it possible to build broader diversification even when a total-market fund isn’t available.Otherwise, investors who substitute an S&P 500 fund for a total-market fund could end up concentrated primarily in large U.S. companies.That concentration has worked especially well for much of the past 15 years, but recent performance does not necessarily predict future performance.Why Diversification Still MattersThe dominance of large U.S. companies in recent years has raised questions about whether investors still need meaningful exposure to smaller companies and international markets.SMI believes they do, although the organization has adjusted its allocations over time. The challenge is determining how much weight investors should place on recent history compared with longer-term market patterns.Large-company stocks have been exceptionally strong during the past 15 years. But when SMI examined a longer 30-year period, the picture became more complicated.Large companies slightly outperformed smaller and mid-sized companies over the full period. But when those 30 years were divided into two 15-year segments, the leadership changed. The more recent period favored large companies, while the earlier period favored the broader extended market.That serves as an important reminder: market leadership can change.Diversification means accepting that not every part of your portfolio will be the top performer at the same time. The goal is not necessarily to own only what has recently performed best, but to build a portfolio prepared for different market environments.What About International Stocks?International stocks present perhaps the more difficult diversification question.Foreign stocks have significantly lagged U.S. stocks over much of the past few decades. That has caused some investors to wonder whether international exposure is still necessary.Biller points to the concept of mean reversion—the tendency for an asset class that has significantly underperformed over a long period eventually to improve, while an asset class that has experienced exceptional performance may eventually cool.Historically, U.S. and international stocks have alternated leadership over extended periods.SMI has therefore maintained some international exposure while reducing its allocation. The Just-the-Basics strategy previously devoted 20% of its stock allocation to foreign investments; it has since reduced that figure to 10%.The goal isn’t to assume that history will repeat itself perfectly. Instead, it’s to maintain some diversification while acknowledging the changing structure of global markets. And because the strategy is simple, investors can adjust those percentages based on their own situation and investment philosophy.Indexing Can Help Investors Emotionally, TooDiversification isn’t only about mathematics. It can also influence investor behavior.Active investing inevitably produces periods when a strategy trails the broader market. During those times, investors may become frustrated and begin questioning their approach.Biller describes a common temptation: when an active strategy underperforms, investors may think, “I should have just bought the index.”Holding some indexed investments can reduce that all-or-nothing feeling. Part of the portfolio simply tracks the broader market while another portion follows an active strategy. That can make it psychologically easier to remain disciplined when one approach temporarily falls behind another.And investor behavior matters. Even a sound strategy can fail to produce its intended results if an investor repeatedly abandons it based on short-term performance.What Could a Simple Index Portfolio Look Like?For investors interested in a basic indexing approach, the structure does not have to be complicated. The Just-the-Basics stock allocation is approximately:60% large U.S. companies30% smaller U.S. companies10% international companiesDepending on an investor’s age, goals, risk tolerance, and overall financial situation, investors can also incorporate bonds into the portfolio. The exact percentages are less important than the underlying principle: build a diversified allocation you understand and can maintain consistently.For many investors, similar funds may already be available inside their workplace retirement plan.Simple Can Still Be WiseInvesting does not need to become a full-time job.Active strategies may make sense in some situations. Other times, simply owning diversified, low-cost index funds is entirely appropriate. For many investors, the right answer may include elements of both.What matters is having a thoughtful plan rather than constantly reacting to whatever has recently performed best.As stewards of what God has entrusted to us, our goal isn’t to make investing unnecessarily complicated. It’s to make wise, informed decisions with patience, discipline, and an appropriate understanding of risk.A simple, diversified investment strategy that you understand—and are prepared to stick with—can go a long way toward accomplishing that goal. To learn more about Sound Mind Investing’s Just-the-Basics strategy and other approaches to investing, visit SoundMindInvesting.org.On Today’s Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:I’m 66, retired, and receiving Social Security, but I recently went back to work part time. My husband and I are debt-free but have only about $30,000 left in savings after cashing out our 401(k)s. Should I put most of my new income into my employer’s 401(k), or would another investment strategy make more sense?Resources Mentioned:Become a FaithFi PartnerSound Mind InvestingSMI Indexing: Checking Up On Just-the-Basics (Article by Mark Biller on SoundMindInvesting.org)Home Equity and Reverse Mortgages: The Cinderella of the Baby Boomer Retirement by Harlan AccolaFaithful Steward: FaithFi’s Quarterly MagazineFaithFi Field Guide: How Much Money is Enough? Our Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Journey to Faithful Stewardship by Rob WestWisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on MoneyLook At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and AnxietyRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor® (CKA)FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every weekday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God’s resources. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

“There was not a needy person among them.”That remarkable statement in Acts 4:34 describes the early church's generosity. The first Christians freely shared what God had entrusted to them so their community's needs were met.Their example can sound almost foreign in a culture that prizes independence and personal ownership. But according to Dr. Darrell Bock, Senior Research Professor of New Testament Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS), the generosity we see in Acts reflects something much deeper than a particular financial system. It reveals what happens when people begin to see themselves, their possessions, and one another differently because of the gospel.So what can the early church teach us about generosity today?Hold What You Have With Open HandsMoney and possessions receive considerable attention throughout the Gospel of Luke, and Dr. Bock summarizes Luke’s perspective with a simple image: believers should hold what they own with loose hands.The reason is stewardship. What we possess ultimately comes from God. We are not owners in the absolute sense but stewards responsible for faithfully managing what He provides.That changes the question from, “What can I do with my money?” to, “How can I use what God has entrusted to me to serve Him and others?”Open-handed stewardship does not mean possessions are inherently wrong. It means we refuse to grip them so tightly that they become unavailable when God gives us an opportunity to help someone else.Generosity Flows From Spiritual TransformationActs places the extraordinary generosity of the early believers immediately after Pentecost and the Holy Spirit's coming.That placement matters. Dr. Bock describes spiritual transformation as redirecting the focus of our lives. Instead of everything pointing inward toward ourselves and our own agendas, our attention begins moving upward toward God and outward toward others.That transformation inevitably affects how we think about possessions.We no longer view our resources merely as tools for our own comfort or even solely for the benefit of our immediate families. We begin recognizing that God may also use what He has entrusted to us to care for the people He places around us.The early Christians understood themselves as an extended family—brothers and sisters united in Christ. When needs arose within that family, those who could responded.Their generosity was not simply a financial practice. It was evidence of changed hearts.Generosity Was Voluntary, Not ForcedActs 2 and 4 have sometimes raised the question of whether the early church abandoned private ownership altogether. Acts 5 helps clarify the issue.When Ananias and Sapphira sold property but misrepresented what they had given, Peter made clear that the property had remained theirs and that they had authority over the proceeds. Their sin was not keeping some of the money. Their sin was dishonesty.That tells us something important about the early church's generosity: it was voluntary.Believers were not compelled to surrender everything they owned. They chose to give because their hearts had been transformed.That voluntary nature actually makes their generosity more remarkable. No one had to force them to care for one another. Their willingness reflected their character.Wise Generosity Is Sustainable GenerosityThe language Luke uses also suggests that believers were not necessarily liquidating all their possessions at once. Rather, they sold possessions as needs arose.That implies discernment. Dr. Bock points to the contrast between Jesus’ encounter with the rich ruler and His encounter with Zacchaeus. Jesus instructed the rich ruler to sell everything, while Zacchaeus announced that he would give away half of his possessions and was commended for his response.The lesson is not that every Christian must dispose of everything he or she owns. The larger principle is that our possessions should remain available to God.Generosity should also be practiced wisely. Giving everything away immediately could leave someone unable to meet his own responsibilities and eventually dependent upon others. Faithful stewardship asks us to manage what God provides in a way that sustains generosity.The goal is not reckless giving. It is a heart consistently ready to respond.Christian Generosity Grows From Christian CommunityActs 4 says the believers were “one in heart and soul” before describing how they shared their possessions.That connection is significant. Generosity becomes more natural when we genuinely view other believers as family.Christians sometimes call one another “brother” or “sister,” but the early church lived as though those words were actually true. They knew one another closely enough to recognize needs and cared enough to respond when those needs arose.That same connection appears elsewhere in Luke’s writings. When John the Baptist called people to produce fruit consistent with repentance, he gave an intensely practical example: If someone has clothing and another person is without it, the person who has enough should share.Love for God and love for neighbor belong together. That is the same connection Jesus makes in the Great Commandment. A transformed relationship with God should eventually become visible in how we treat the people around us.Meeting Needs Does Not Mean Everyone Has the Same AmountActs 4:34 says there was “not a needy person among them.”That does not necessarily mean every Christian possessed exactly the same amount. The focus was on meeting genuine needs.1 Timothy 6 says that if we have food and clothing, we should be content with these things. Dr. Bock suggests this provides a helpful lens for understanding Acts: the church made sure people had the necessities of life.The goal was not financial uniformity. It was to ensure brothers and sisters in Christ would not be left without basic provision while others in the community could help.That distinction matters. Biblical generosity is not primarily about making everyone's financial circumstances identical. It is about refusing to ignore genuine needs when God has given us the resources to respond.Barnabas and the Importance of Our MotivesActs places two dramatically different examples side by side.Barnabas sells property and gives the proceeds to help others. Immediately afterward, Ananias and Sapphira attempt to appear more generous than they actually are.The contrast exposes a serious danger: generosity can become something we perform for others' approval. Barnabas is presented positively because his generosity is genuine. Ananias and Sapphira seek the appearance of sacrificial generosity without the reality behind it.The issue is ultimately one of the heart. Biblical generosity is not about appearing generous. It is about honestly surrendering what God has entrusted to us and responding faithfully when opportunities arise.“Descriptive” Does Not Mean IrrelevantActs describes what the early Christians did rather than issuing a direct command that every Christian must sell property.But we should be careful not to use the distinction between descriptive and prescriptive passages as an excuse to avoid the challenge of the text.Biblical narratives frequently present examples intended to shape us. Barnabas is praised. The early church's generosity is celebrated. Their lives point us toward the kind of people Christians should desire to become.The question, then, should not be, “How can I prove that I don't have to do what they did?” A better question is, “What does their example reveal about the kind of heart God desires to form in me?”Acts does not give us a formula for how much property to sell or what percentage of our income to give. It gives us a picture of a community whose relationship with money had been transformed by its relationship with Christ.What Could This Look Like Today?Church benevolence funds can certainly help meet needs, but the generosity pictured in Acts is even more relational.It requires believers to know one another. We should know the people God has placed around us well enough to recognize when someone is struggling. And when we discover a need, helping that person does not always require a formal church program.Sometimes generosity is simply noticing. It may mean providing something someone lacks, helping a family through a difficult season, or using resources God has given us to ease another person’s burden.Jesus tells us to love our neighbors as ourselves. Most of us devote considerable attention to our own well-being. Christian generosity asks us to become increasingly attentive to others' well-being, too.A Question Worth AskingThe early church's generosity flowed from a deeper reality: these believers were united in Christ.They held their possessions loosely because their ultimate treasure was found elsewhere. Their resources became tools for loving others rather than merely serving themselves.Their example leaves us with a valuable question: Given the resources God has entrusted to me, how might I use them to bless someone else?We do not need identical bank accounts, nor are we commanded to sell everything we possess. But followers of Jesus are called to become generous people—people whose hearts have been transformed by the gospel, who see fellow believers as family, and who hold everything God provides with open hands.On Today’s Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:I’m in my 70s and setting up a trust that will eventually divide my estate equally between my two daughters. One is financially responsible, but the other struggles to manage money. How can I structure her inheritance so she doesn’t receive it all at once and the money helps rather than harms her?Resources Mentioned:Become a FaithFi PartnerSplitting Heirs: Transferring Wisdom and Wealth to the Next Generation by Ron Blue with Jeremy WhiteFaithful Steward: FaithFi’s Quarterly MagazineFaithFi Field Guide: How Much Money is Enough? Our Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Journey to Faithful Stewardship by Rob WestWisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on MoneyLook At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and AnxietyRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor® (CKA)FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every weekday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God’s resources. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Financial loss can happen slowly or all at once. A business closes. A home is lost. An investment collapses. A scam wipes out savings built over decades.And when money disappears, the loss can reach far beyond the balance sheet. It can affect our sense of security, our plans for the future, and even the way we understand God’s provision.Scripture does not minimize those losses. It gives us permission to grieve them. But it also reminds us that while we can lose wealth, we cannot lose our true treasure.Three stories—from Job, Horatio Spafford, and John Wesley—offer perspective for responding faithfully when financial loss comes.Job: When Loss Reveals Where We Place Our TrustFew people in Scripture understood loss as Job did. In a remarkably short span of time, his possessions, livelihood, and children were taken from him. Job grieved deeply. He tore his robe. He wept. He asked hard questions.The Bible never suggests that faith requires us to pretend loss does not hurt. But Job also shows us something important about where his confidence ultimately rested. In Job 31:24–28, he reflects on the danger of placing his security in wealth:“Have I put my trust in money or felt secure because of my gold? Have I gloated about my wealth and all that I own? … If so, I should be punished by the judges, for it would mean I had denied the God of heaven.”That is especially significant because Job had been extraordinarily wealthy. Scripture describes him as the greatest of all the people of the East. His possessions were real blessings, and losing them was a real tragedy.Yet even before they disappeared, Job understood that wealth was never worthy of carrying the weight of his hope. Financial loss often reveals what prosperity can conceal.We may sincerely say that our security is in God, but a collapsing account balance can expose how much security we were actually drawing from that account.So when loss comes, the first question may not be, How quickly can I get this money back? A better question may be, Lord, what have I been trusting to do what only You can do?That does not mean we stop rebuilding. It means we rebuild on the right foundation.Horatio Spafford: Peace Does Not Mean Pretending Everything Is FineHoratio Spafford knew something about rebuilding after loss.He was a successful Chicago attorney and real estate investor who suffered significant financial losses around the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Then, two years later, tragedy struck at a level money could never measure.Spafford’s wife and four daughters were crossing the Atlantic when their ship collided with another vessel. His wife survived, but all four daughters died.Spafford soon crossed the Atlantic to join his grieving wife. In the midst of that devastating season, he wrote words Christians still sing today: “It is well with my soul.”Notice what he did not say. He did not say everything was well. It wasn’t. Christian peace is not denying loss. It is the assurance that loss does not have the final word.That distinction matters when you have been scammed, when a business fails, when retirement savings disappear, or when the house you thought you would grow old in is gone.You can grieve what was lost without believing that you have lost everything.John Wesley: A Different Definition of RichesThat brings us to John Wesley's story. When Wesley was only five years old, the Epworth Rectory, where his family lived, caught fire. John became trapped on the second floor as the flames spread.With no time for a ladder, neighbors climbed onto one another’s shoulders and pulled him through a window shortly before the roof collapsed.The house and nearly everything in it were lost. But Wesley later remembered his father responding to the disaster by giving thanks that his children had survived. His perspective was essentially this: Let the house go. My children are safe. I am rich enough.That is a radically different definition of wealth.Financial loss has a way of forcing us to take inventory. And sometimes, after the numbers have changed dramatically, we discover that our greatest riches were never held in an account to begin with.If you belong to Christ, you still have His promises. You still have His people. You still have work to do, people to love, opportunities to give, and a Kingdom that cannot be shaken.When the Numbers Change, Your True Treasure Hasn'tIf you are walking through financial loss today, give yourself permission to grieve. Loss is real, and Scripture does not ask us to minimize it.At the same time, ask the Lord to reveal where your trust has been placed. Seek wise counsel. Assess what remains. And take the next faithful step toward rebuilding. But do not measure your life solely by what disappeared.Financial loss may change your circumstances dramatically, but it does not change who God is or what belongs to those who are in Christ.When everything around us feels shaken, our ultimate treasure remains secure. And what we have in Christ can never be taken away.On Today’s Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:I have a 7.1% mortgage and have been offered a refinance at 6.1% with $4,900 in closing costs. Does refinancing make sense?I owe $83,000 on a home worth about $240,000 at 4%, so refinancing at a higher rate didn’t make sense. I was denied a HELOC because of my credit, but I still need money for urgent home repairs. What other options should I consider?I’m behind on filing my taxes and don’t even know how many years I’ve missed. How can I find out what I owe and get caught up with the IRS?I’m 58 and have about $60,000 in an old 403(b) I can no longer contribute to. Should I roll it into another retirement account, such as an IRA or new 403(b), and how should I continue saving until retirement?Resources Mentioned:Become a FaithFi PartnerFaithful Steward: FaithFi’s Quarterly MagazineFaithFi Field Guide: How Much Money is Enough? Our Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Journey to Faithful Stewardship by Rob WestWisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on MoneyLook At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and AnxietyRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor® (CKA)FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every weekday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God’s resources. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. 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