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EDITORIAL: Oh, that we would debate gross or net
Posted: 10/13/06
EDITORIAL:
Oh, that we would debate gross or netHere’s a debate I’d like to hear out of more mouths: Should Christians tithe on the gross or net amount of their salary?
Of course, you might say, “That argument is as stupid and useless as arguing about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin.” Somebody else might proclaim: “How legalistic can you get? This is a dumb and pharisaical debate.”
Dumb debate? I’ll take it. If more Baptists—and other Christians, for that matter—were debating whether they should calculate their tithe on their full salary or on their take-home pay, how much more money would flow into our churches and channel into missions and ministry for the glory of God?
Here’s an answer from researchers John and Sylvia Ronsvalle, whose empty tomb research firm studies church giving patterns on a national level: If U.S. Christians would increase their church giving to a tithe, or 10 percent of income (even they didn’t specify gross or net), the following would happen:
10/16/2006 - By John Rutledge
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Bankrupt believers may tithe
Posted: 10/13/06
Bankrupt believers may tithe
By Jason Kane
Religion News Service
WASHINGTON (RNS)—America’s charitable but bankrupt worshippers once again will be able to tithe if Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, have their way.
“For millions of Americans, charitable giving and tithing is an essential part of their lives,” Obama said. “And in a country where 37 million citizens live in poverty, we should be encouraging charitable giving, not limiting it.”
10/16/2006 - By John Rutledge
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Periodic check-ups aid financial health
Posted: 10/13/06
Periodic check-ups aid financial health
Many financial ailments can be avoided with periodic check-ups. Sherre Stephens, a certified employee benefits specialist and director of executive and institutional benefit design for GuideStone Financial Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention, prescribes a six-point self-examination:
• Maximize retirement plan deferrals.
“Deferrals to your employer’s retirement plan reduce current federal income tax liability and enhance your retirement savings,” she wrote in a recent column distributed by GuideStone.
Sherre Stephens “If your employer offers a match, don’t pass up this benefit. The 2006 basic limit is $15,000—$20,000 if you are age 50 or older.”
10/16/2006 - By John Rutledge
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Keep tabs on credit scores, adviser says
Posted: 10/13/06
Keep tabs on credit scores, adviser says
Numbers unknown by most people may affect their ability to secure a loan, buy an insurance policy or even get a job.
Three credit bureaus track consumers’ credit histories, and that information is used to calculate and report a person’s credit score.
“Many businesses use your credit score as a way to assess your ability to handle your financial responsibilities,” said Don McLeod, a certified financial planner and area director in retirement solutions and services with GuideStone Financial Resources, a Southern Baptist agency.
Don McLeod “Think of your credit score as your financial GPA,” McLeod wrote in a recent column distributed by GuideStone. “Your score could range from 300 to 850. Of course, the higher, the better.” McLeod offers three suggestions about how a person can keep tabs on his or her credit score:
10/16/2006 - By John Rutledge
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Good stewardship demands proper estate planning
Posted: 10/13/06
Good stewardship demands proper estate planning
By Ken Camp
Managing Editor
Christians who die without making a will demonstrate poor stewardship, said Bill Arnold, president of the Texas Baptist Missions Foundation.
“If you die without a will, I guarantee your family will not rise up and call you blessed,” said Arnold, a certified financial planner. “The state of Texas has a will for you. But you probably won’t like it.”
10/16/2006 - By John Rutledge
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Lease-to-own program enables home ownership
Posted: 10/13/06
Lease-to-own program enables home ownership
By Barbara Bedrick
Texas Baptist Communications
DALLAS—By Christmas, some Texas families may celebrate the season by making plans to move into a new home, thanks to an innovative lease-to-own program involving the Baptist General Convention of Texas.
The partnership between the BGCT and the Community Empower home ownership counseling network—along with CitiMortgage and Ebby Halliday Realtors—provides an 18-month new-home lease to potential homebuyers.
10/16/2006 - By John Rutledge
