I also strongly agree with you about Christian financial planners. There’s way too much emphasis put on building wealth. Sure, you can say you’ll plan to give it away and maybe that will happen. But that takes very little faith. Why would we need to amass wealth in the first place? Why would we need to save anything beyond our needs? Greed pushes us in that direction – not God.

My personal plan is to save just enough to meet my needs for a simple retirement while allowing me to still serve God during that time. This is part of the reason I’ve been working on creating an accurate retirement calculator. I don’t want to save too much! My plan for now is to live simply, save what is needed, and give as much as possible away. Note to self – I should write more about those ideas.

But as a financial planner, I also can’t push my views onto others – even clients who are Christians. Through my writing, teaching, and example, perhaps I can lead them into a deeper discussion about retirement planning and other financial decisions. My hope is that my Christian clients will want to talk about God’s desire rather than just their own. And I hope to help show non-Christians that there’s more to life than an early, luxurious retirement. We’ll see where God leads me on these things.

@Lakita: Thanks for your comment! You did a very good job summarizing my own views. You’re especially right about the relationship part. A right relationship with God will lead us to handle our money in a way that honors Him.

Money is a tool that can be used to advance the Kingdom of God, help the sick, shelter the homeless, feed the hungry etc.

That same money can be squandered, hoarded, coveted, and/or spent on things that would not bring God glory.

We shouldn’t have a relationship with money anymore than I have a relationship with my car. It is a tool that gets me where I want to go. I take care of it so it will last. But the relationship is with God!

Is the desire to build wealth from God?

“But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction.” 1 Tim 6:9

In my opinion many believers in the financial services industry give lip service to this verse. They are blind to the power of Mammon and the deceitfulness of riches. The whole idea of amassing wealth so we can one day give more seems just as self serving.

A faucet doesn’t store up water. Water flows from its source through a faucet to accomplish its objective. It seems to me that we should be giving as we’re receiving. Why store it up and amass “wealth” unless God has directed us for a season to store up a large amount of capital for investment in something that requires it? That doesn’t preclude saving for a rainy day or when your own capacity to work is diminished.

But I do know, man’s tendency is to build bigger barns and trust in those. It’s real easy to say I trust God when my 401K is flush. Most “Christian” financial planners livelihood is based on managing amassed wealth so they’ve got a bit of a conflict there.

I respect your approach here Paul. You practice what you preach.
.-= Kevin´s last blog ..Hello world! =-.