The Money Mentor

This is the book that I recommend to everyone who wants to know how to use money in a godly way. Ash Carter has been an accountant (at St. Helen's Bishopsgate) and taught the Bible (at St. Helen's Bishopsgate) and it makes him the perfect person to write this book. \\r\\n\\r\\nHe begins with several chapters surveying the biblical view of money and draws out a number of sound principles from this survey. It's worth quoting them here: Live for the new creation, God owns everything, Be like your heavenly father: generous, The heart is deceitful above all things so don't trust it, Real change flows from a firm grasp of the gospel by the Spirit. \\r\\n\\r\\nThe beautiful thing about this book is Carter then applies these principles to very practical examples and situations, where he demonstrates for example, how to make a budget and makes reference to his survey as he goes through these practical things. This is the book's great strength (if you want more survey and less application, take a look at Craig Blomberg's 'Neither Poverty Nor Riches'). \\r\\n\\r\\nThe heart of the advice in this book is on page 126: """"As our disposable income increases over time, with pay rises, it is our standard of giving, not our standard of living that ought to rise. """"\\r\\n\\r\\nWhenever I read the book (which has been more than once!), I am challenged to rethink how I have been spending my money, trust God more and give more freely.