Do You Have a Plan?

What should I write about today?  I could write about the latest Covid-19 news, except, at this point, everyone knows that nobody knows for certain what is happening or exactly what to do. I could write about some political thoughts like everyone else, but I already did that. I could write about how perfectly the weather change set up the kickoff to the NFL season. I could write about school challenges and how my daughter and her friend have taken over my office at church for their online school. But instead, I think I will write about something I have no qualifications or clear direction for: Financial Planning.

If you are still reading, thank you—and you’re crazy.

The other morning I was walking into the office at church when a young girl around five years old saw me. Her face lit up like she was looking at a movie star. She called to her dad and said, “Dad, it’s the pastor.” He smiled knowingly and said, “That’s right.” Her face was still in amazed mode when she looked up at me and said with eager curiosity, “Are you rich?” It caught me off guard and I laughed out loud. The dad laughed and cringed a bit at the same time. I guess since we have been doing our services online I’ve been on her television and she thinks I am a T.V. star. Though I knew she would be disappointed, I told her the truth—that I am not rich.

It is true. I am not rich in an American sense of the word. I feel that I get paid pretty well by the church. And I am very thankful for the generosity and trust I receive from the church’s elder team, staff, and the congregation that faithfully gives financial tithes and offerings. I feel intense joy and intense responsibility when trying to make decisions with Jesus’ money that's entrusted to Living Streams by Jesus’ precious sons and daughters.

I know all money ultimately belongs to Jesus, but the tithes and offerings have always seemed more serious to me. I am thankful for our elder team, finance committee, finance department, and the annual audits at Living Streams. All these work together to make sure we are without greed, without deceit or manipulation, transparent, and full of integrity. I am no finance whiz, but it is a beautiful and holy thing to see how finances are handled at Living Streams.

Now, for my Financial Planning advice. 😊

Last week Living Streams hosted the new Financial Forum sponsored by Mel Shultz. We are now calling it the Phoenix Business Forum, and our first special guest was Steven Slivinski. Steven is the senior research fellow of Economics at Arizona State University and he attended Living Streams for a number of years. I listened to the 40-minute interview and was fascinated by Steven’s wisdom and clarity about America’s economic picture. As he spoke in brilliant-sounding economic terms, I was left with this overall impression: 

In February of this year, the U.S. economy was like a super-inflated tire rolling along smoothly. Then, when Covid-19 hit, it punctured the tire and air started coming out. In response, our government officials came up with a 2.2 trillion-dollar stimulus package, not intended to fix the hole but to pump air into the tire to keep it rolling. The stimulus has worked, and we are back to a partially inflated tire that's functioning at a slower speed. The only problem is, the tire still has a hole. 

This week I met with a financial planner who had an interesting perspective. The financial planner described the massive momentary downturn of the economy this summer as a kind and merciful warning to Americans. He saw the economy’s recent rapid changes from strength to crashing and then recovering as an indicator of a potential  problem. It may look and feel healthier right now, but that may not be the case. I walked away from that meeting thinking the traditional ways I have been doing retirement investing, banking, and savings may not be the best right now. 

Please remember, I'm not a financial planner or economist. The pastor part of me does believe that this is an important time to sit with loved ones and talk, pray and come up with a "what if" financial plan. Not a “psychotic doomsday overreaction” plan—just a “simple, fresh, courageous, love your neighbor” plan.

I hope and pray we can continue to live with all the abundance and convenience we have been blessed with in America. But I also hope and pray that, if the abundance and convenience goes away, we will find the hope, joy, and peace that is found in Christ is more than able to sustain us.

No matter what may happen, I know we are each called to walk in humility and generosity, take ownership of our own spiritual formation, and do the work of an evangelist. If we do these things, we will hear the words of Jesus singing over us now and forevermore: “Well done good and faithful servant.”

And what could be better than that? 

David

p.s. Click the button for the interview with Steven Slivinski: