Kingdomfocus

Crown Financial Ministries - a nondenominational, evangelical Christian ministry with the mission of equipping Christians around the world to learn, apply and teach financial principles based on the Bible. The ministry's goal is to teach 300 million people by September 2015.

Financial Peace University- a 13-week video training series, and a companion series targeted at teenagers that has been offered in more than 1,200 school in 46 states.

Financial Freedom -  earn true financial freedom according to God’s principles. By the end of this study by the Prestonwood Foundation you will know how to develop a budget and understand how to plan, spend, save, and invest wisely.

Crown Ministries - http://www.crown.org/

Financial Peace University - http://www.daveramsey.com/fpu/home/

Prestonwood Foundation - http://www.prestonwoodfoundation.org/

 · “the total amount of consumer debt in the United States stands at nearly $2.5 trillion dollars - and based on the latest Census statistics, that works out to be nearly $8,200 in debt for every man, woman and child that lives here in the US. We're talking about consumer credit - which does not include debt secured by real estate.” 

· “roughly 37% of all consumer debt - as of August 2007 - of this type is what is termed revolving credit - The most common type of revolving credit would be credit card debt.”

· “the average new car loan is nearly $29,000 and the loan to value ratio is 94%.  That means new car buyers are using down payments of around 6% of the car's purchase price.”

· “The Federal Reserve also reports what is called the household debt service ratio or DSR.  This measure tells us the ratio of all debt payments to disposable income.  Current statistics (July 2007) indicate this ratio at 14.3% - meaning that consumers spend roughly 14% of their disposable, after tax income, to pay off mortgage obligations and consumer debt such as auto and personal loans.”

· “According to information gathered by the US Census bureau, there were approximately 164 million credit card holders in the United States in 2003 and that number is projected to grow to 176 million Americans by 2008.  These same Americans own approximately 1.5 billion cards - an average of nearly nine credit cards issued per credit card holder.”

· “In addition, Americans charged approximately $1,735 billion dollars to their credit cards in 2003 - that's just over $10,500 in charges.  This information includes all credit card types including bank cards, phone cars, as well as credit cards issued by oil companies and retail store.”

· “This data also tells us that Americans carried approximately $786 billion in credit card debt and that number is expected to grow to a projected $965 billion by the year 2008.  This works out to nearly $4,800 in credit card debt per cardholder (not household) and that number is expected to increase to nearly $5,500 by 2008.”

(Statistics provided by Money-Zine.com)

Find other debt facts at Cardweb.com

A Kingdom Focus

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”
 – Matthew 13:44

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthews 6:19-21

“All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own.” – Hebrews 11:13-14

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” – Matthew 6:25-34

“I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God's hands, that I still possess.” - Martin Luther

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” - Jim Elliot

"He who provides for this life but takes no care for eternity is wise for a moment but a fool forever." - John Tillotson

“Every penny given for the Lord’s sake to poor brethren or to the work of God is a treasure laid up in the bank of heaven. When we go to heaven we go to the place where are treasures are, and we shall find them there.” - George Muller

“We can’t take it with us, but we can send it on ahead.” - Randy Alcorn

Financial Concepts
Your Money Counts…Dayton
Financial Peace…Dave Ramsey

Prayer
The Autobiography of George Muller…George Muller

Kingdom Focus
The Law of Rewards…Randy Alcorn
In Light of Eternity…Randy Alcorn
Jesus Freaks Vol 1&2… D.C. Talk
Pastor Yun the Heavenly Man…Brother Yun with Paul Hattaway

Christian Living
Pursuit of God…A.W.Tozer