Merge Agenda

Finances – Week 5– Celeb Dean

Tonight’s schedule:

  • 5:30-6:25Leader’s Dinner/Meeting/Prayer Time, Break, clean up tables, and greet couples
  • 6:25-6:32Pre-Class Table Time
  • 6:32-6:36Opening Announcements - TBD
  • 6:36-7:15Teaching – Finances & Stewardship – Caleb Dean
  • 7:15-7:40Q&A – Caleb & Scott
  • 7:40-8:27Discussion Time
  • 8:27–8:30Wrap-up/announcements

Leader Meeting Notes:

  • Housekeeping
  • Blended family Q&A Panel – September 24
  • Table Discussion Time
  • Pray for re|engage – Dallas and Ft Worth
  • Main goals for tonight:
  • Couples will understand 8 of the main reasons why couples struggle in their relationships/marriage when it comes to finances/stewardship
  • Individuals will begin to understand what it means that God owns it all and that we are called to be good stewards of His resources
  • Couples will understand the importance of having a plan when it comes to finances & stewardship, both before and after marriage
  • Couples will become more aware of the pull of society/consumerism/materialism, and will be encouraged to follow the biblical pattern and not the world’s pattern
  • Couples will be able to identify some next steps/conversations they need to have when it comes to finances and stewardship
  • Please clean up your table – both after leader dinner and at the end of class.
  • Next week: Expectation and Family/In-Laws – Ryan & Callie Nixon

Key Scriptures:

1 Timothy 6:6-8

But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.

Proverbs 22:7

The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.

Proverbs 30:8-9

Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me,lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the LORD?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.

Proverbs 21:5

The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.

1 Chronicles 29:11-12

Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all.

2 Corinthians 9:7

Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Luke 21:1-4

Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

Proverbs 15:22

Without counsel plans fail,but with many advisers they succeed.

Pre-Class Questions:

  • What was your biggest take-away from the session last week onStrengthening Your Relationship?
  • What’s the most amount of money you would spend on a pair of jeans? A round of golf? A haircut?
  • Tonight’s topic is finances - why do you think couples often struggle with finances? Why are finances often a significant source of tension in relationships?

Table Time Questions

  • Are you a spender or a saver? Does your partner agree with your assessment?
  • Have you and your partner discussed any financial habits that make you nervous? If so, how do you think you will address them?
  • Who should be in charge of the budget if you get married? What responsibilities should the other partner have in regards to money? How do the concepts of oneness and spiritual leadership apply to the budget and finances/stewardship?
  • How has your family of origin affected your view of giving, spending, saving, debt, etc…?
  • How do you personally reconcile the challenge of biblical stewardship and the reality of living in an extremely materialistic city?
  • Would you consider yourself faithful in managing the resources God has stewarded you? Why or why not?