From time to time, I like to write posts that highlight other bloggers and in this particular case, I think it makes for an interesting piece to introduct you to two Christain finance authors who also run personal finance blogs.
In this post, I decided to interview Matt Bell of MattAboutMoney.com and Rob Kuban of DollarsandDoctrine.com (Rob is a regular contributor here at One Money Design).
Matt Bell
Rob KubanI decided to ask them three questions to help us learn more about them:
- Why did you start your blog?
- What is the most important Biblical principle you can share with others about money management?
- What is your favorite practical personal finance tip?
So, without further ado, here are their responses:
Why did you start your blog?
Matt -
I started my blog as an extension of my speaking and other writing work. Writing a blog is personally beneficial in that it helps me make sure I’m keeping my finger on the pulse all of the personal finance trends. Plus, it’s fun to interact with people as we all try to get better and better at using money well.
Rob -
I started my blog for several reasons. I love to write, and blogging is a great avenue to write without a lot of the headaches of book writing like editing, formatting, proofing, cover art creation, file-conversion…and it costs a whole lot less! Also, it allows people to read a lot of my thoughts for free and evaluate whether or not they want to purchase a book. Lastly, it is a relatively easy way to get your name out into the public arena.
What is the most important Biblical principle you can share with others about money management?
Matt -
To me, the most important biblical financial principle has to do with our identity or worldview. How we look at the world shapes our hopes and guides our daily decisions. The culture calls us consumers. But if you look up the definition, it’s really a pretty insulting label. The Bible calls us stewards, which is the polar opposite of the consumer identity. The Parable of the Talents really brought that home for me. The biggest shift in how I think about and use money came about when I began seeing money and stuff as all belonging to God and when I understood that I am a manager who’s been empowered and entrusted to use it productively.
Rob -
Romans 12:2. We are instructed not to conform to the patterns of the world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds. This is a loaded statement. First, we have to recognize our “default settings” are normal, worldly patterns. We have to realize our natural way of doing things is wrong. From this point, we are called to transformation and renewal. This is a much higher calling than changing habits or getting organized. Real, biblical finance is deep, heart and soul transformation.
What is your favorite practical personal finance tip?
Matt -
My favorite practical personal finance tip is to use this crazy, unpopular tool called a budget. I think it’s the most powerful personal finance tool available. People often think it’ll be restrictive to use a budget. They even describe it as something you “go on” like a diet. Who wants that? But I’ve found to be just the opposite. It’s like a financial dashboard that gives you the feedback you need to use money well. It’s really freeing to have a plan for how we’re going to use the money coming into our household and to have accurate information about how we’re doing compared to that plan.
Rob -
Jesus said “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt. 6:21). The way we spend our money defines our values. This is a challenging statement for any believer at any level of maturity. My favorite piece of advice is to challenge believers to pull up their last month/year of spending (via online banking, quicken, mint or what not) and list their top ten priorities based on what they see in their budget. From here, you can reflect over whether or not your spending lines up with your beliefs.
Links
To wrap up, I asked each author/blogger to provide a few links readers might enjoy. Visit the links below to read some of Matt’s articles and get some book excerpts from Rob’s book, Dollars and Doctrine.
Matt-
Rob-
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