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Managing God's Money Today

Managing God's Money is a private, Christ-centered mission devoted to teaching individuals, couples, and groups to use money, time, talents, and other resources, for God’s glory and to further His Kingdom. Managing God's Money carries out its mission as part of the Great Commission of presenting the Gospel of Jesus our Messiah to all the world. Managing God's Money is not a charity, does not represent financial companies or sell their products, does not seek funding, and does not charge fees for its services through sessions with individuals, couples, groups, print and other media.

Managing God's Money In The Beginning

In 1990, shortly after Michel Bell's daughter Keisha, got engaged, she asked him to give her and her fiancée, pre-marital financial counselling. To prepare, Michel searched Montreal area Christian bookstores, bought all available Christian financial books, read them and was surprized at the contents. None linked handling finances with a vibrant relationship with Jesus. None stated explicitly that managing money didn't need technical financial knowledge, but understanding that lifestyle choices lead to expenses. Effectively, none had God's word as it's foundation on which it built financial tips, tools, and techniques. So, Michel presented to Keisha and Bill, Bible teachings about money linked to key financial practices of goal setting, budgeting, and credit card use; emphasizing, the need to let God control all areas of life.

The youth pastor at church heard about the sessions and asked Michel to counsel folks at church. This led to Michel presenting seminars at different churches in Montreal and elsewhere; later resulting in his first book, Managing God's Money-The Basics ('Basics") published in 2000. When Michel began this journey, the Lord laid the title of his mission, Managing God's Money, on his heart, but Michel struggled with using it because he was convinced then as now, no one can manage money, we manage lifestyles. Still, as it was a clear direction form God, in obedience, he has used it, not only as the mission's title, but for main titles of his four money books, his CD, DVD, seminars, workshops and all he does.

Following the basics' publication, at age 53, Michel sensed the Lord guiding him out of his senior executive job, and into this mission full time. In 2002, as a senior executive of former Alcan Inc. (now Rio Tinto Alcan), he realized he needed to be obedient and heed God's clear call to leave the job he loved and would have paid to continue doing! God's mandate was to leave and be available full time to the Him to do as He leads; Michel was to prepare no plans, charge no fees, but to serve whomever God brought to Him. In August 2002, Michel left Alcan Inc. and has been full time president of Managing God's Money.

Managing God's Money: The Essence

Three biblical truths, which I call The GAS Principle, is the foundation of Managing God's Money. Three biblical truths, influence our lifestyles, which decide how much we spend: types of homes and cars we buy. Three biblical truths, lead us to stress ABC's as critical money drivers. Your attitude is your worldview--what you believe--and it decides how you behave. Your attitude decides too, your choices. Choose Jesus and His teachings as your source of truth, and you will learn to spend under His direction. This is difficult, especially in today's consumer driven world.

Managing God's Money: The Money Triangle

Understanding the Money Triangle will help you see more clearly that money isn't manageable and point you to the key variable that needs managing ... you! In each financial transaction, we have three parts: a merchant, me, and money. The merchant produces stuff and tries to get me to buy his stuff, even if I don’t need them. The merchant uses advertising gimmicks such as no "money down," "sales," and "deals," tricking me to think I save when I spend. Folks don't realize they save only when they set aside funds at no risk! So, the merchant succeeds in convincing many to spend. He tell folks the more they spend the more they save, and then loans money to people who can't afford to buy stuff. So folks buy stuff they can't afford and many people end deep in debt. The merchant's strategy works to boot! He comes out on top!

The second item in the triangle is me. Long ago, to sell his stuff, the merchant focussed on advertising products or services, but not today. No, today, she appeals to me with enticing financing schemes. Sales, deals, no money down, 50% off, zero percent financing are some tactics she uses. Folks succomb because they define affordable as ability to get merchant financing. Not ability to accommodate the full item cost in their household budgets, without stress and strain to the family.

Money completes the triangle. What is it? Merely a means to an end. It's anything the merchant will accept in exchange for goods or services he provides. Which of the three Ms, in the money triangle can I manage?

I can’t manage the merchant who tries constantly to get me to spend. I can’t manage money because it’s just the means, the bridge between me and the merchant. I can manage me only---my lifestyle, my needs, my wants, my greed. Before you spend, recall the money triangle. Look at how your lifestyle choices might affect spending. Look at you (me) and your (my) behaviour and take your (my) eyes off the merchant and money. Let's ask Jesus to help you and me tackle the merchant and his gimmicks.