PLAINVIEW—A biblical view of money management begins with the understanding that everything belongs to God, Bruce Ammons, author of Conquering Debt God’s Way, told students at Wayland Baptist University.
Ammons, pastor at Sugar Creek Baptist Church in Sugar Land, delivered the annual Willson Lecture at Wayland. Ammons, a 1985 graduate of Wayland, has presented the Conquering Debt God’s Way seminar at more than 500 churches in 24 states.
Ammons pointed to 1 Chronicles 29, noting in the space of a few verses, King David of Israel proclaimed 15 times that everything belonged to God. David set an example by giving of his own resources in order to build the temple, he noted.
“Whatever (God) has given you, be grateful for it. If he asks for some of it back, give it back,” Ammons said. “Guard against being prideful, even if you do well.”
Ammons encouraged students to develop a lifestyle of generosity and set aside part of what they have to help others.
“Establish a generous heart now, with whatever you have,” he said. “If you can establish this truth in your heart now—it all belongs to God—and you’re going to recognize that by taking action, by being generous off the top of everything God gives to you, it is going to set a foundation for your life that will have a ripple effect and continue to change lives years after you’re dead and gone.”
Ammons warned students the credit card trap that ensnares many young people and told them how to avoid it by paying credit balances in full every month. Credit cards aren’t bad if used correctly, but “credit card math” can lead to tremendous debt if one is not careful, he said.
During a lunchtime question-and-answer session, Ammons provided personal applications for controlling debt. He explained the credit cycle and how credit scores worked, and he gave students some practical information on best practices in investing and saving.
The annual Willson Lecture Series at Wayland was established in 1950 by gifts from Floydada residents James M. and Mavis Willson.
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