Immanuel offers 'Financial Sanity' workshop beginning June 23
“Why should we bring people’s private financial matters into discussion at Immanuel?” “What does Financial Sanity have to do with living life as a Christian?” The answer is simple. As Christians, we set out to reflect God’s will in our lives, but, in practice, through our financial lives, we live out the will of the advertising industry and the perceived status quo instead.
Consider:
- Americans experience over 5,000 advertising impressions each day.
- Average credit card debt per U.S. household is nearly $9,300.
- Young-adults ages 25-34 carry an average of $5,200 in credit card debt.
- The savings rate for young people 35 and under is negative 16%.
- College seniors have on average four credit cards and $3,000 of credit card debt.
- Young people 18 and under will spend and influence the spending of more than $1 trillion dollars this year.
- Children today spend FIVE times more money than their parents did at the same age (and that’s adjusted for inflation).
We live in a society that overwhelms us with messages to spend. Beginning at a very young age we are all deluged daily with advertising messages designed to shape our lifelong spending habits. When our habits are formed by advertisements, fashions and fads rather than the virtues and values we strive to embody as people of faith, we wind up living the financial life advertisers want us to live. Together, we will work to change that.
We need nothing short of a values and habits revolution to help us achieve Financial Sanity. The time is now for a counter-rhythm to the messages of spend, spend, spend and “It’s all about me.”
For the past 20 years, Nathan Dungan, a financial planner and author, has worked with thousands of youth and adults to help them achieve Financial Sanity by developing and maintaining healthy money habits. This Financial Sanity workshop that Immanuel will present on four successive Wednesday evenings beginning June 23, grew out of those experiences. This simple, straightforward approach offers guidance and ideas to people who are searching for new ways to “do money.”
No one will try to sell you anything (other than the participant’s guide) and, hopefully, some new ideas! This is merely a learning opportunity for Immanuel members of all ages led by a member of our Stewardship Committee. We hope that you will join us at the church Wednesday, June 23, at 7 p.m. to begin the process of finding your Financial Sanity.
See Immanuel's calendar of events for complete details.
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