Forgive us our indebtedness

Forgive us our indebtedness...

Allie Martin - OneNewsNow - 1/12/2009

A new survey shows that Southern Baptist pastors often preach about stewardship, but are unaware of the debt carried by members of their churches.

The survey, conducted by LifeWay Research, found that 65 percent of pastors had preached about financial stewardship in the past year, but only 25 percent said church members had a large amount of personal debt. Ed Stetzer, director of LifeWay Research, says the perception among pastors regarding the financial debt of their members does not line up with national stats. "What we know is that 55 percent of American credit card users keep a balance on their credit card every month -- and that's a sign of concern," says Stetzer, who notes that the "average American with a credit file is responsible for about $16,000 in debt, according to U.S. News." Dr. Stetzer says, with the current financial crisis, pastors should seize the moment and preach and teach on the biblical principles of handling money. "Right now, people are hungry to answer the questions about their finances," he argues. "And I think churches should seize this opportunity and teach people how to handle their finances under the Lordship of Christ." Studies show the average American spends $1.26 every dollar earned.