By Ron Finke
Each February I participate in the Kingdom Advisors annual conference. Larry Burkett founded the predecessor, Christian Financial Planning Institute, in 1996 to have trained financial advisors ready to offer wise, Biblical advice for Christians everywhere. Ron Blue took the helm in 2003 when Larry died. Other organizations joined the effort and now Kingdom Advisors is comprised of over 2,200 attorneys, accountants, financial and investment advisors around the U.S.
Ron Finke
The importance of this development to benefit the church relates to Jesus’ parable in Matthew 25 of the Master entrusting varying sums of money to three servants according to their abilities. We are responsible to our gracious Master to be working according to His agenda to accomplish His mission here and now, with a view toward a fantastic eternity with Him. We are responsible for using every resource He has given us, including our finances.
Isn’t it a privilege for us to be able to accomplish His mission by investing our honest labor and resources in areas that interest us? The Christian tradesman practices his craft to God’s glory. The Christian physician practices the healing arts to God’s glory. In such diverse ways, we become the hands, feet, voice, mind, and heart of Jesus serving others and fulfilling His mission on earth as found in Isaiah 61. In the process, He blesses us with everything we need according to Matthew 6:25-34.
Though our pastors do not often teach about wise financial decision-making, we can acknowledge that our temptations fall into several categories. First, our desires for current things and comfort are never-ending. Therefore, we do not save enough for ourselves, much less have a greater amount to share with others.
Second, we can focus on savings and investment returns so much that we are frantic if our accounts do not soar with the highest results. Proverbs 13:11 advises that gaining money little by little leads to better wealth. We should do our best to make the most we can safely.
Our financial resources are merely tools enabling us to travel through this life while producing a great return on His investment in us.
Third, when we have larger amounts, we may trust in our retirement account balance rather than in the God Who gave us the ability to earn it and Who owns it all. When each one percent of $250,000 is $2,500 and we know what it takes to earn that, we can forget that our security is in God Himself and our lasting riches are in the life to come.
Our financial resources are merely tools enabling us to travel through this life while producing a great return on His investment in us. We certainly want to hear, Well done, good and faithful servant! A Kingdom Advisor should help you clarify these critical issues of life so you will make truly wise decisions. It is not about the money; it is about our return on life.
–Ron Finke is president of Stewardship Capital in Independence. He is a registered investment adviser. Reach him at rcfinke@stewcap.com.