the TASK- Bible Study

Bible Study for the 'Task' Video
(order your video here.)

Dealing with Debt

“Interview with Dave Ramsey”

Show the “Lordship PSA” portion of the video as an opener to the Bible study and discussion.

After the segment is finished stop the video. Divide students into small groups of 3 to 4. Discuss these topics:

1. How many decisions do you think you make in a given day?
2. What are some of the choices that you make on a daily basis?
3. Which of these decisions do you consider unimportant? Why?
4. Which of these decisions do you consider important? Why?
5. Create a top ten list of decisions you make on a daily or weekly basis.

Allow small groups to share their top ten lists. Ask small groups to look back on their lists:

6. How many of these decisions relate to money—yours, your parents’, or someone else’s? Remember that some decisions relate directly to money, while other relate more indirectly (like studying for school relates to paying for (or wasting) tuition, etc.).
7. Do you make decisions differently regarding your money than you make regarding other people’s money (e.g., your parents’ money, your school’s money, the bank’s money, etc.)?
8. Do you treat cash the same way you treat credit, whether loans or credit cards?

Next, show the “Interview with Dave Ramsey” portion of the video, beginning with the introduction by Felicity Burrow.

After the segment is finished stop the video. Discuss these topics:
Dave Ramsey talks about the issue of stewardship . . .

1. What does the word “stewardship” mean? Encourage someone to read the word from a dictionary. (“One who manages another’s property, finances, or affairs.)

When the Bible discusses the concept of stewardship, it explains the concept in a parable. Have a student read Matthew 25:14-29. Ask:

2. What did the servant with five talents do with his master’s money? How did the master respond when he returned?
3. What did the servant with two talents do with his master’s money? How did the master respond when he returned?
4. What did the servant with one talent do with his master’s money? How did the master respond when he returned?
5. Why was the master’s response different to him than the others?
6. What does this parable teach us about stewardship?
7. How much of our money belongs to God?
8. What does it mean to be a steward of God’s money?

So what does the Bible say about HOW we can be good stewards of God’s money? The Bible lays out four important principles on how we should use and view money. Divide the students into four small groups, assigning one principle to each group. Ask students to look at what each related passage teaches us about that principle:

(A) Principle of Honesty
--Leviticus 19:11
--Ephesians 4:28
--Colossians 3:23
--Amos 8:5-7
--Matthew 5:37
(We should not cheat others or steal, but rather we should be hard workers.)

(B) Principle of Work and Rest
--Exodus 20:8-11
--Exodus 32:2-9, 20-29
--Psalm 37:7-10
--Matthew 6:25-34
(We should work and rest as acts of obedience, but God is our Provider.)

(C) Principle of Giving to Others
--Leviticus 19:9-10, 13-15
--Psalm 15
--Acts 20:35
--Romans 12:20
(We should give to others and protect them from being taken advantage of.)

(D) Principle of Giving to God
--Colossians 3:23
--Numbers 18:28-32
--Malachi 3:8-16
--I Corinthians 10:31
(We should give God our best, our “first fruits”, of our money and ourselves.)

Have students share with the group their principle and what they learned from searching Scripture.

Ask students to brainstorm practical ways they can live out these biblical principles in their daily decisions.

Print out a copy of “Monthly Cash Flow Plan” for each student. (Available at http://www.daveramsey.com/
media/pdf/fpu_monthly_cash_flow_plan_forms.pdf.)
Direct students to complete the plan based on their previous month’s expenses. Encourage students to create a budget based on these biblical principles. Challenge students to maintain their budgets throughout the semester.

Be available to counsel students who may need assistance setting up a budget or may need help getting out of debt.

Pray:

1. That you will be open as God shows you ways you can be obedient to Him with your finances.
2. That God will direct you as you seek to please Him with all of your resources—time, talents, and money.
3. That God will help you as you make decisions regarding course selection, major, housing, and financial aid that impact finances.

Use the final segment of the video (“There’s Got to Be More” segment) as backdrop for fellowship after the conclusion of the Bible study.