Redmond Assembly of God, 16601 NE 95th St., was one of 6,000 churches worldwide which presented a free, April 23 “Town Hall for Hope” webcast.
The public was invited to hear best-selling author Dave Ramsey’s thoughts on how to survive the recession.
Ramsey developed a program called Financial Peace University (FPU) to help people “beat debt and build wealth for college and retirement,” explained Kevin Davison, who teaches the 13-week course at Redmond Assembly of God.
Community members might also know Davison as a teacher at The Bear Creek School, a non-denominational Christian school in Redmond.
But while Ramsey is a Christian, FPU is designed for a diverse audience and students don’t have to be church members, Davison added.
Graduates have called the program “life-changing” because it forced them to confront their spending habits. There’s a $100 course fee, which includes a workbook and lecture materials, “but any one of the lessons, taken to a logical outcome, helps them save at least $100. Many people build up savings of $1,000 by the end of the course,” stated Davison.
That sounds almost too good to be true. Yet according to two-time participant Darrell Knutson, “My wife and I have been able to pay down all our debt. We’re debt-free except for our house.”
He said Ramsey’s advice includes looking at what you’re spending on insurance. By getting higher deductibles, you can save hundreds of dollars per year. The Knutsons also refinanced their mortgage at a lower interest rate. Then, as their credit score increased, their auto insurance rates went down. Plus, they learned how to barter for products and services through the FPU course.
Another FPU grad, Rich Wolcott commented, “One of the major areas couples have disagreements over is money. This put my wife and me on the same page — and personally, gave me focus and attention on what we were spending. … Budgets are easy to make, but this made me look at actual rather than predicted spending.”
So why do churches such as Redmond Assembly of God care about people’s household spending?
It’s hoped that people who’ve shed their debt through FPU will “pay it forward,” using more of their money and knowledge to help the less fortunate.
Pastor Robroy Ranger compared the FPU program to “teaching people to fish.”
Ranger noted, “It is good to give fish to the hungry and help. However, it is even better to help them to learn to fish. Our hope in presenting Financial Peace University is to give people confidence and strength to manage the crisis ahead. Our hope is to see the people around us living on top of the recession, not under it. They can believe that America is still the land of opportunity, they can believe that the sky is not falling, they can choose to hope.”
That was Ramsey’s core message in the “Town Hall for Hope” presentation.
“For 25 to 30 years, America has had unprecedented prosperity — we got a little bit fat and sassy,” he remarked.
Taking responsibility for debt is the first step toward achieving financial peace, said Ramsey.
Other do’s and don’ts:
1) “Get up, take action, get moving,” said Ramsey. “Don’t sit on the couch watching Oprah.” Unemployed or financially burdened people need to network with friends and neighbors, stay physically healthy through exercise and be willing to learn new skills, he summarized.
2) “Don’t participate in loser talk.” (Surround yourself with positive people.)
3) “Learn to give again.” If you can’t give money to others, give your time, he said. Volunteer at a soup kitchen, a hospital or a school.
“Get your eyes off your own hopelessness,” Ramsey advised. “Hope doesn’t come from the government. It comes from you and me and God.”
To learn more about Financial Peace University, visit www.daveramsey.com/fpu/home/
For information about Redmond Assembly of God, call (425) 885-2334 or visit www.redmondag.org/
