Christian debt counseling

Christian Debt Reduction Options Available Today

by Wendy Black Polisi on November 30, 2009

As recorded in the Holy Bible, people cannot serve two masters (Luke 16:10) and for the Christian this means that serving the Lord must always take precedence over “mammon” (wealth, or money). This means that unlike others, a Christian cannot steal money, lie to acquire money, or otherwise disobey the Lord’s rules for the sake of money. Nevertheless, in our modern world money is an essential ingredient to raise your family in a safe and secure manner. Like it or not, money does matter and luckily today there are many faith-based initiatives meant to help Christians facing financial difficulties while still keeping the Lord as the primary focus.

Believe it or not, the Holy Bible contains more than two thousand passages that relate to money, finances, or financial planning, which means that biblical principles can be applied to this aspect of your life just as easily as it can be applied to others. Today there are many non-profit Christian ministries that are specifically dedicated to helping Christians with their financial planning and preparation using Biblical principles. Further, there are also many for-profit businesses – like financial planners and investment experts – that also use Christian principles as the basis of their services. This means that there are many options available to Christians seeking sound financial advice, Christian debt counseling and Christian debt reduction services.

Unfortunately, there are also many false Christian services that base their practices on deception and attempt to use Christian concepts as a means of exploiting Christians in financial difficulty. Therefore it is important to do your research before paying any money to a company, whether they claim to Christ centered or not. Doing a little preliminary research online can reveal whether or not the Christian debt settlement or Christian debt relief firm has a good reputation or not.

A simple internet search of the company’s name and the names of its leadership will often pull up quite a few results. Basically you should be looking to see if the firm or its leading officers have a history of financial impropriety, have been involved in criminal complaints or investigations, as well as reviews by fellow Christians that have worked with their Christian debt counselors before.

Similarly, you can check with the Better Business Bureau for complaints or visit the website of your state’s attorney general to see if the company or its leadership have been involved in criminal behavior. Caution should be used if the firm has had complaints or legal problems in the past, or if there is virtually no information to be found. False Christian scam operators frequently change the name of their companies, so if there is virtually no history to be found, it should be considered suspiciously.

While no one ever dreams of having to enter into a debt reduction or credit counseling plan, it can be a great way to get your life back on track.

Check out this great Christian debt counseling guide for more information!

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Christian Debt Counseling

by Vincent Polisi on October 28, 2009

If you are struggling with debt and don’t know where to turn, you may have considered debt counseling. For those who have strong religious beliefs, Christian debt counseling may be a good option.

Before we talk about Christian debt counseling services, let’s talk briefly about religion and money. Are they related?

I think it is difficult to argue that they aren’t. If you have read the bible, you know that it discusses money a great deal.

The truth is that debt changes who you are and how you make decisions. Few things have been attributed to the dissolution of so many marriages. As Jesus said, “No servant can serve to masters” (Luke 16:13)

We live in a system that is designed to make us economic slaves. I see it first hand with my four year old son who is so impacted by commercials that the phrases that most often come out of his mouth are “I want…” and “We need to get…”.

Now, I know it is normal for children to want things, but I worry about his inability to enjoy all the things he already has. Like many adults, he is always looking to the next thing and is the classic example of a victim of advertising. I know that if I don’t work with him now to help him deal with his “stuffitis” that he will struggle later I life.

As adults, we use things to fill voids in our lives and this constant desire for stuff makes us vulnerable when things go bad. We aren’t prepared for a job loss or an economic down turn. The ultimate goal for everyone should be to “owe no man anything” (Romans 13:8) That is the only way to have true peace.

Christian debt counseling is designed to help families looking for hope by providing faith-based financial counseling and education. The main focus is helping people understand what got them into the situation they are in and how they can avoid repeating their mistakes.

Basically, they look at your overall position and help you come up with a financial plan that will get you back on track. Biblical principals will guide your plan, and the counselors attempt to come up with a plan that is a win-win for both parties.

Ideally, you want to look for free Christian debt counseling or a non profit Christian debt counseling service. Like anything else, you need to do your research and make sure the company you are dealing with is reputable. There are many companies out there that claim to be “Christian” debt counselors, but in all actuality they are not. They just tout themselves as a belief based service so that you will trust them and fork over large fees up front.

A referral from your church or a local ministry is one of the best places to find Christian debt counseling. You can also research on the internet, just make sure you are careful and work with a reputable company.

It is important to note that credit counseling in general is not the best thing for your credit score. Most people should only consider it when things have just gotten too out of hand, and they can’t go it alone any longer. Using a good Christian debt counseling service is a way that you can avoid bankruptcy, grow stronger in your faith and hopefully avoid the mistakes of the past. It can also give you the emotional support that you need to get through a very dark time.

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