Financial Peace University?

[Michael]

Financial Peace University, a financial management course designed by Dave Ramsey of Fox financial network, making its way in our area with new classes beginning soon in some mainline congregations. Have any of you participated in FPU? Any ideas, thoughts, etc.?

[Dave Roberts]

Never heard of it.

[William Thornton]

We did it. It was fine, except I wouldn't use his promo DVD. It's the usual get out of debt, save money, etc etc. I didn't sit through it all but it's from a Christian perspective. He is a pretty good self promoter and the materials aren't cheap.

[Jonathan]

I highly recommend it. William is correct about Ramsey's ability to self-promote (he has a daily 3 hour radio show, a 1 hour daily show in the Fox Business Network, he has an online subscription service for folks who want access to the archives of his radio show, multiple tiered pricing for his life events, etc...). But Ramsey has been one of the few consistent folks preaching not just the virtue of debt free living or how to get there but on how this lifestyle can benefit the people around you.

If you are considering taking a course, go to your local library and check out one of his books. Very easy and quick read and you'll get an understand of the steps that Ramsey prescribes. The purpose of the course seems to be developing a family atmosphere for accountability and encouragement.

[David Flick]

[KeithE]

My son has gone through Dave Ramsey's course and lives by it - that's why he and his family are living with us at this time. He promoted it at his UMC church and with his youth. He strongly believes the teaching is needed to be taught beginning in HS and emphasized to college students.

As for me, it is one good approach but not specifically "Christian" and not the only right way.

[Chris]

[Chris]

[William Thornton]

This is a little old but he covers the usual biblical components. Let's face it. Most church folks aren't going to sign up for some WSJ financial seminar. I'm for any plan that promotes responsible money management.

Ramsey and I are both greedy capitalist pigs. He products with that he sells. Don't buy it if you think it is too expensive.

[Sandy]

Went through the course a few years ago. I'd agree that while there are some Biblical principles integrated into the course , its more common sense and logic. Admittedly, when it comes to money management, I needed some of both, and found it helpful, along with some other common sense from other sources.

[Haruo]

Random associations:
1) Today, at work, a coworker asked if I had ever heard of a Christian speaker named Dave Ramsey. I said I had heard the name but couldn't remember in what connection. (In hindsight, it may well have been this six-year-old thread that was my only exposure to him by name.)
2) This summer's North American Summer Courses in Esperanto are slated to be held in the infamous state of North Carolina ... at William Peace University.
3) Trump has given "University" when applied to something other than a University a bad name.

[Dave Roberts]

I suspect that Ramsey, with his self-promotion and one-sided slant, is working in a vacuum of the lack of good money-management teaching in most churches and denominations. I have done a few things over the years in churches that seemed to feed a hunger that was not being met in curricular materials or church teaching. This is really all under the area of stewardship, but we in the church have too long been engaged in raising church funds rather than teaching people how to live both a responsible and generous lifestyle. That is now bearing fruit in the financial crises of churches and denominations, conservative and liberal alike. We live in a selfish culture that is concerned about "me and mine." Being responsibly generous is a rare idea for our culture.

[William Thornton]

Dave, I hear denominational people saying what you wrote but think they are deceiving themselves. It's not the lack of stewardship teaching in churches that has led to consumer debt and other family financial issues. I'd say it is the lack of parental teaching. Ramsey and other (most notably the departed Larry Burkett) have provided a platform for families to use.

[Ed Pettibone]

[Tim Bonney]

The course hasn't been offered at my church. But Financial Peace University is a fairly popular program to offer in UMC churches in Iowa. I've not taken the class so I'm not the best judge of the program though I've heard good things from participants.

[Tim Bonney]

[William Thornton]

Burkett died in 2003. He was a pioneer in church based financial counseling. I thought he went ridiculously apocalyptic in his latter days and I dropped his stuff.

[Dave Roberts]

[Dave Roberts]

I found an interesting and thoughtful article on Dave Ramsey this morning:



What do you think of Evans' response?

[Tim Bonney]

[ET]

[Tim Bonney]

The hard core anti-credit attitude I think is a bit unrealistic in today's world. Many people would never own a home if they didn't take out a mortgage. Quite a few businesses expected you to spend your own funds and get reimbursed for business expenses. That is really tough if you can't use a credit card for such expenditures.

[Cathy]

[Dave Roberts]

One of the things I remember as advice from my dad was, "A poor man will never amount to anything unless he goes into debt. The only problem is being sure you know how you will pay it off." Absolutism in the realm of credit seems out of touch. However, we need to train people how to deal with these issues.

[Tim Bonney]