Shane Barkley
Reviewed by Rob Mooney
Local author Shane Barkley has succeeded in getting people to reexamine how they think about money in his new book, Dad Cents. The book centers around teaching children the value of money and how to handle your finances from a Biblical point of view.
Barkley has created the DADS approach to money management which will no doubt teach not only children about money, but also their parents as well. After all, if parents do not understand how to properly manage money, how can they instill that into their kids?
It’s nice to see a practical book that will not only help with money management, but also show us what God thinks of money and how we should, as Christians, handle it. God commands us time after time to be good stewards of what He has given us and Barkley helps us learn how to do just that!
Barkley takes us step by step as he outlines his DADS approach to money management. He points out several times through colorful stories how he is teaching his own children about money. Every opportunity he gets to teach, he takes advantage of — from explaining why things in a convenience store tend to cost more than in a grocery store to teaching them about accountability and responsibility. From knowing the foundation on which things are built to learning all of the costs and requirements for buying a car, Barkley leaves no stone unturned. All through the book, Barkley quotes scripture which allows him to make his points.
What impressed me the most about this book was the fact that Barkley teaches from the beginning that we should tithe and give offerings to God. That is a valuable lesson that children will not learn from “the world.” It is a blessing to know that there are dads out there that are teaching their kids about the proper things and the proper order of things. It is imperative that Christian authors like Barkley continue to publish high quality books concerning the Christian walk. Let’s face it, managing your money in a God pleasing way requires a walk with God. It also requires quite a bit of “Dad Cents”. Trust me, this book will change the way you view money!
Dad Cents can be purchased at Barnes & Noble or at www.dadcents.com.