Life Beyond Debt

Simplify

 

Credit crunch. Housing crash. Debt. Redundancy.

As the recession bites, instinct tells us to hold tight to every penny we've got, and dream of the stuff we can buy when it's over.

But Jesus challenged us not to worry about money, but to think first of the needs of others.

Simplify is a call to discipleship; to examine the spiritual hold money has on our lives.

For one month, we will live on the amount of money we would receive if we were on benefits.

We'll learn how to Simplify - to make the most of our time, relationships and money - from people who already live on less, and we'll give the money we save away to support those who have no other option.

Join us in October as we Simplify our lives. More information is coming soon at www.simplify.org.uk, sign up to receive more information as it becomes available, or email us on simplify@eauk.org

Steve Clifford, General Director of the Evangelical Alliance writes here asking churches and individuals to take part and an outline or what the initiative involves is also available.

The Bible and Money

 

The Bible and Money: Managing one's money in the end times

Following the Jubilee Centre's Cambridge Papers Open Day in May, an eight-work course on what the Bible has to say about our use of money today, developed by Paul Mills, who gave the plenary presentation on the global economic crisis at our Open Day is now available. In eight immensely practical lessons, the course looks at possessions, stewardship, giving, borrowing and lending, saving and insurance, investments and gambling, tax and pensions, and church finances. 'The Bible and Money: Managing one's money in the end times' explores questions such as 'Should I default on debt payments to tithe?', 'Should the local church ever borrow to fund missions, buy property or pay staff?' and 'How do the most widely available forms of savings and investment match up to biblical principles?' 

'As well as having a charity fund, why hasn't your church got an interest-free loan fund?' international economist Dr Paul Mills challenged participants at the Cambridge Papers Open Day in May. Speaking in a strictly personal capacity at the Jubilee Centre conference, Dr Mills offered a positive and uniquely Christian contribution to the current debate in which policy makers, bankers, and concerned citizens alike are all looking for a new model of finance. However, he fears that when the immediate crisis passes, vested interests will reassert themselves, preventing the necessary reforms that could prevent the debt-driven cycle of 'boom and bust' again in the future.

Visit the Resources section of the Jubilee Centre website for papers by Paul Mills, video clips of all the Cambridge Papers Open Day speakers and a copy of the Open Day Proceedings report.

“Wishing you an affordable Christmas” calls for cash, not credit, this Christmas

The Church of England is urging shoppers to ditch the credit cards in a three-part video series for Christmas this year aiming to get people to spend less and avoid debt for the New Year. The series is entitled Wishing You an Affordable Christmas and is presented in three three-minute segments by John Preston, the Church's National Stewardship Officer.

Among the advice they are giving is the proposal for shoppers to use cash rather than credit cards to better budget the amount of money they spend on presents and food.

Dr Preston said: "With Christmas just a few weeks away, the shops are full of present ideas and Christmas shoppers. Millions and millions of pounds will be spent in the run-up to Christmas on gifts and food."

The videos, which are available on the internet, are accompanied by a spreadsheet planner which will help consumers to plan ahead and avoid "panic shopping" before Christmas and therefore spending more than they intended.

However, Richard Dodd of the British Retail Consortium was critical of the Church's advice, saying that while shoppers should not spend on things that they cannot afford to pay back, credit is "an important device to spread the cost of a range of needs and wants, at anytime, including at Christmas."

The scheme is part of the Church of England's wider initiative to help people through the credit crunch called Matter of Life and Debt.

The Evangelical Alliance's Life Beyond Debt campaign, launched in February 2009, is an umbrella movement in response to the recession which aims to bring together different organisations, including the Church of England,to catalyse the church to help people who are in debt, have lost their jobs or are otherwise struggling with their finances.  "Sadly, the warm glow of giving at Christmas is all too often replaced by the bitter aftertaste of debt in the New Year," said Miles Giljam, Head of Communications and director of the Life Beyond Debt campaign at the Evangelical Alliance. "This excellent initiative by the Church of England highlights the problems church debt counselors help people to solve every day of the year."

The current Simplify Christmas initiative, which is part of the campaign, aims to recapture the message of giving that is at the heart of Christmas and practice generosity as a radical response to the recession. Tips and resources for how to do this can be found on the Simplify Christmas website.