Talking tough — and biblically — on money

by Keith Tondeur in the Christian Herald (20 September, 2003)

With headlines appearing daily warning us of the extent of personal debt in our country, this is a really timely book. It has clearly been widely researched, but at the same time is easy to read and covers various aspects of handling money that all Christians need to address.

So whether it is a question of how to spend or invest ethi-cally, or getting the work/life balance right, this book is for you. Using examples ranging from Trollope to a Glaswegian pawnbroker's shop, the book helps us see the error of our ways.

Antonia emphasises what I sadly have known for years. "Anything that mixes God and Money has to mean dicing with death, like Daniel in the lion's den."

"God and Money = Trouble" is another formula she uses to describe how hard it seems to be in Britain to get Christians to take this biblical teaching seriously. She asks the question why, especially when so many of us are up to our necks in debt, money and possessions are "ring-fenced from God as if it is none of his business".

She then concludes that we keep money secret, separating it from our faith because if we look at the way we handle it from a godly perspective, it challenges our comfort zones.

Money is in the front line when it comes to finding a true and honest relationship with God. If all Christians bought this book and changed their priorities we would have revival in this land!

Keith Tondeur is director of Credit Action