By: Scott B. Riddle

Financial Guy Dave Ramsey will be speaking at North Point Community Church  in Alpharetta on Sunday, May 6, 2007.  Service times are 9:00 am, 11:00 am, and 1:00 pm.  I suspect that the topic will not focus entirely on financial issues, but Ramsey’s faith plays a key role in his financial advice.  You can listen to him locally from 3:00 to 6:00 pm on WGST.   This is not a commercial or recommendation for Dave, as I have not listened to him enough to reach a firm opinion, but I can say that his show is much more practical, if not in-your-face, than the popular financial advice on the radio in Atlanta for the last few years, which tends to pander to the listeners and callers and tell them only what they want to hear, correct or not. 

Update: Listen to Dave’s message here.

On the same subject of Christian-based financial counseling and information, Crown Financial Ministries, based in Atlanta, is another resource.  I have reviewed these materials and found them practical, even beyond the faith-based nature of the materials.

Finally, since I am already on the subject, I have noticed that some Bankruptcy lawyers say on their websites or blogs that Bankruptcy is somehow "endorsed" or deemed "appropriate" in the Bible, and thus people who need to file should not be concerned with moral issues.  I find this to be incredibly wrong and a disservice to clients, and I suspect some may deem it offensive to use the Bible in such a way a marketing pitch.  The basis for the claim usually surrounds the Old Testament principle of forgiving debts owed to you. This is far, far, different than a debtor unilaterally demanding for forcing a discharge through bankruptcy.  There is an obvious difference between doing something for someone else out of the kindness of your heart, and demanding that someone else exercise that kindness for your benefit.  This argument  also contradicts scores of other references in the Bible to such things as avoiding debt, and paying ones debts.  Bankruptcy serves a purpose and is a reality in society (like divorce, taxes, death, war, etc., etc,), but it is something that should be recognized as the negative situation it is, and the chance to use it as an opportunity move beyond the circumstances.  Misstating that Bankruptcy is somehow sanctioned by the Bible, and using it as a marketing pitch, merely justifies and glosses over a negative situation rather than using it as a starting point to move forward in a positive manner.  OK, I am off the soapbox now…