Most of us, if asked, would admit that we want more than we already have. Whether money, relationships, career, or possessions, we're wired to "reach" for more. This isn't always a bad thing. Considering the innovation we've experienced over the past 100 years, and how it's improved life for so many, I'm grateful that we keep reaching forward and upward. But, when it comes to finances, how can we know when reaching for more is not good?

Those who have adopted a Biblical worldview should understand that work is not as the world defines it. We don't work just to make money, though earning an income is one of the benefits of our work. We don't do it just to achieve a more significant position in a company, though hard and diligent work may result in promotions. Many outcomes occur while we work, especially if we do a good job, but the purpose of work for the believer has a deeper and more significant meaning.

Every couple enters into a marriage believing and hoping for the best, and why shouldn't they? Marriage is a beautiful union created by God through which He intends to bless and grow his people. Unfortunately, many challenges come with blending two people together, and finances is certainly one of those challenges.

A question I often get when I'm teaching on debt and borrowing is, "What do you think about good debt vs. bad debt?" Personally, I'm not too fond of that question. It implies that debt can be "good" or "bad," words associated with morality when in essence, debt and borrowing are not moral issues. What is a moral issue is how people behave relative to these. I believe a better question is, "Are Christians allowed to borrow, and if so, when?

Whenever we read in the Scriptures about Jesus getting angry, there's usually a Pharisee or a religious person, trying to block people from having access to God. Nothing made Jesus madder than the behavior of religious people. Though he was blunt and sometimes harsh with them, Jesus' genuinely loved them and tried over and over again to open their eyes to the truth. Thankfully, He's still doing that today.

Most people think the best way to become financially free is to make more money. Although more money can help, how you manage money is a more accurate indicator of whether you will ever achieve true financial freedom.

If you’re a regular consumer of our content, you know we’re passionate about Biblical stewardship and generosity. Our mission is to train and equip church leaders to teach Gods’ financial principles to their congregations. Why do we do this? Because money is a primary competitor with Christ for our heart and devotion. You really can’t serve two masters, and that’s why we exist; to help people understand this truth and not be deceived into living a life pursuing the wrong things.

It is Holy Week, Jesus' last week before his crucifixion, and he knows it. What would we share with those we care about if we knew we would have just a few days to live? I'm reasonably sure most of us would not waste time saying anything other than what mattered most, and neither did Jesus. What he said in the last days before his death is essential.

Growing up, I recall the Christmas season being about giving. Everyone focused on buying something for their loved ones. Somewhere along the way, the notion that we should also treat ourselves to something special got thrown into the mix.

Today is Giving Tuesday, a movement that began in 2012 to encourage generosity. According to givingtuesday.com, "GivingTuesday is an opportunity for people around the world to come together through generosity in all its forms by sharing acts of kindness and giving their voice, time, money, goods, and advocacy to support communities and causes."

I've been fascinated by the many new and creative ways people are making a living these days. By using platforms like Etsy, Instagram, Pinterest, and Youtube, to name just a few, many people are ditching the 9-5, climbing the corporate ladder, way of making a living. These solopreneurs, mostly the younger generation, are seeking something that the standard career paths cannot provide.

Christians should know about seeking wise counsel, especially when making important decisions. There are numerous passages in scripture that specifically encourage seeking counsel.

Is it just me, or is anyone else noticing that the gap in basic financial education is widening more and more? Perhaps it's because this is a topic I'm focused on and passionate about. And I admit, I do geek out about this stuff, but I'm not wrong in believing that basic financial knowledge is for everyone, and those who lack it are bound to suffer for it.

The other day my wife Natalie and I were casually talking about where we are regarding our retirement plans. After about 30 minutes of looking and talking through the different income sources we expect to be drawing from, an uneasy, perhaps even fearful mood gripped both of us. For a brief period of time, filled with worry about the future, we lost focus of who we are and what we've been called to be, faithful followers of Christ, seeking God's will and not our own.

While our bread and butter work is helping Christians invest well, we regularly focus our attention on giving and generosity. As we've often said, we want people to have more so they can give more!

Our world is out to get us when it comes to having nice things. The aggression at which we are convinced to buy items reminds me of 1 Peter 5:8: 'Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. '

It's hard to imagine taking something like Biblical stewardship and overdoing it. How can someone be overcommitted to good stewardship or to doing too much to advance it? It's not only possible; likely, we've all done it at some point in one form or another.

When it comes to giving, a minority of churchgoers are still financially supporting a majority of church ministry. Usually less than 20 percent of churchgoers contribute regularly to their church. This is discouraging, first, because of the lack of resources for the church. Second, because of what it reveals; a lack of trust in God concerning money.

Over the past 20 years, I have seen the language and terminology in the Church around the topic of money change. Truthfully, I've even participated in this by trying to appeal to the people in our Church. As a person who is passionate about seeing people financially free, I've gone to great lengths to improve my communication about money to ensure people understand the information as well as my motivation behind it.

Building a generous church is hard. It may even feel impossible at times. But it doesn’t have to be that way. In just a few short weeks, the CSN Team is heading to Augusta, Georgia to attend Give Conference!