Resources for adults
But it's only a story
People remember stories. Maybe that's why Jesus told stories. Talking about money is uncomfortable, but stories can spark discussion on this important topic at your church. This four-session curriculum is designed to help people approach and talk about money, which can encourage better thinking and decisions. The sessions focus on these topics:
Stewards of grace
Released in the Fall 2010, this book on holistic stewardship is designed for class study, with both teacher and participant sections. Available for download are the following sections:
Creating a budget guide and budget tools
Download this document
In this practical 8-page guide, you learn the basics of managing money, tracking expenses and meeting goals through budgeting. Gaining control of your finances is the first step in reducing stress. It's hard to be generous as you'd like to be when your bank account is strained. Money management is a critical life skill that we sometimes avoid, but brings relief to your life as you align your money and values.
Budget tools: You can easily create your own budget with this free Budget Worksheet in Excel. To determine how much you can save, use this Home Budget Calculator.
Living More with Less
“Like a cookbook for life,” writes author and activist Shane Claiborne about this book. Written in 1980, this practical guide is for living in a sustainable way to ensure the future of the planet and all of its people. This edition contains new and updated essays, inspiration and tips on money, housekeeping, gardening, cooking, clothing, transportation and technology. It is a vibrant collection of testimonies, old and new, from those who have discovered the joy of living with enough.
Available at MennoMedia.com and Google Books.
The Power of Enough: Finding Contentment by Putting Stuff in Its Place
Lynn Miller's best-selling book has been revised and expanded to include three chapters about planning for the future and features updated financial calculators. Strengthening her original work, this book points us toward personal contentment as we learn to put stuff in its proper context.
Available at MennoMedia.com (audio only) and Google Books.
Three Simple Rules: A Practical Manual Guaranteed to Improve Your Finances!
The basics of healthy financial habits are quite simple. Three Simple Rules is an easy-to-read and easy-to-apply overview of the three underlying principles to all financial situations: spend less than you earn, save now and buy later, and know debt. This affordable book is an excellent resource for couples, as well as individuals struggling with financial basics.
Available at Google Books.
Empowering the Patient: How to Reduce the Cost of Health Care and Improve Its Quality
This book helps you actively participate with your doctor in your health care decisions. In doing so, you gain a sense of control – as well as help lower medical costs and improve the quality of your health care. The United States’ health care system is at a crossroads. Now is the time to learn how you can be part of the solution. Author Dr. Glen E. Miller worked as a primary care physician and health care administrator for more than four decades. He and his wife Marilyn lived overseas nearly a dozen years in Haiti, Egypt, India, Cambodia, and England. Miller graduated from a Mennonite college and finished a master's in theology.
Available at Google Books.