To help families reduce their financial debt, LifeWay Christian Resources and the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee hope to see a New Testament become a valuable resource. If so, churches will benefit.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) – To help families reduce their financial debt, LifeWay Christian Resources and the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee hope to see a New Testament become a valuable resource. If so, churches will benefit.
The Executive Committee worked with LifeWay’s Holman Bible Outreach International to develop a copy of the New Testament that includes 30 daily devotions written by Crown Financial Ministries to be used by churches with the “It’s a New Day” curriculum series.
It’s a New Day curriculum includes a 10-week Bible study that leads individuals through the biblical principles of money management. Churches that implement a four-week emphasis on financial freedom also may use sermons provided on a DVD that teach foundational principles for handling money God’s way.
“This is more than simply a New Testament,” Phill Burgess, executive director of HBOI, said of HBOI’s New Day New Testament. “This edition contains 30 daily devotions that were developed for every member of a church to use while going through a church-wide, four-week series about giving God complete lordship in our lives, even over our finances.”
Burgess believes the New Day New Testaments encourage a sense of community for those learning about biblical principles of money management.
“With the entire congregation going through the series together, a sense of oneness within the church can be created, like we are all in this together,” Burgess said.
With so many people struggling financially outside the church, Stroup said he believes the New Day program can work as an outreach tool as well. To support evangelistic efforts, LifeWay also developed New Day business cards that churches can personalize and distribute to those outside the church who may struggle financially.