As a fashion designer in the bridal industry, Courtney Markley frequently rubbed shoulders with high-end clients. When she and her husband moved to Columbus from Chicago, she continued to spend a large share of her income trying to keep up appearances. Overwhelmed with debt, she decided to meet with the Stewardship Pastor at her church for help and began to reassess her relationship with money.
Courtney began to immerse herself in learning about finances by attending workshops and studying scriptures to better understand God’s perspective on money. One scripture that helped shift the way Courtney thinks about money is Psalm 24:1: “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” Roughly 25% of Jesus’ sermons were about money, but as we read about His life, we can see that He was neither greedy nor wealthy. Alternatively, he lived a nomadic lifestyle and had few personal possessions. The reason He spoke so often about money is because He identified it as a major idol in the lives of believers. 1 Timothy 6:10 tells us, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” Jesus often juxtaposed our reliance on money with our need to rely on God instead, as He does in Hebrews 13:5, “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
After gleaning wisdom from the scriptures, Courtney moved into a leadership role at her church and began teaching financial workshops. At that point, she realized her career in fashion was based on her capabilities rather than her calling, and that the Lord was setting her on a new career path. Courtney became a financial counselor in 2016 and began meeting with individuals to coach them through wise money decisions. However, she observed that showing her clients how to budget or to use other financial tools didn’t result in new financial behaviors. What produced the most noticeable transformation was addressing the emotions and thoughts behind why they spent their money the way they did.
Something else that Courtney noticed was that both Christians and non-Christians had similar thought and behavior patterns with money. Both groups tended to make decisions solely based on the financial outcome instead of thinking about how to steward their resources to advance the kingdom of God. Additionally, Courtney discovered that many Christians she met with didn’t really know what the Bible had to say about money, or if they did, it didn’t inform their financial decisions. She learned that, statistically, Christians are giving less money to the Church than they did during the Great Depression! While the cost of living has risen significantly, this statistic still reveals a spiritual shift in the way our culture thinks about money. Several decades ago, families prioritized their tithe even while their food was being rationed, but today it’s more common for families to see if they have anything leftover at the end of the month, and tithe that amount.
Courtney notes that many clients’ identities are bound to their relationship with money, whether they are wealthy and feel pressure to maintain a certain lifestyle, or impoverished and dealing with the shame and guilt they carry from struggling to provide for their families. Culturally, conversations about money tend to be taboo. She likens our discomfort in talking about money to the way people felt about talking about going to therapy twenty years ago. Now that therapy is more widely accepted, Courtney hopes more people will open up about their finances with trusted counselors so they can receive the help they need.
As her own financial counseling business grew, she began to see a need to expand to create Bible studies, sermons, one-on-one coaching and workshops for churches and organizations that teach people how to align with God’s vision of money. While at a For Columbus Leaders Summit, a table discussion time with another marketplace leader prompted Courtney to start the Center for Financial Discipleship. She spent time praying and considering the possibility, and last month, along with her business partner, Chris Kear, she launched the Center. The Center for Financial Discipleship aims to address heart issues and spiritual attachments before focusing on financial behaviors. Their website emphasizes, “In all his talks about money, Jesus aimed at the heart. We believe the most effective way to help someone with money is to begin with matters of the heart.” In addition to individuals, pastors and church leaders often struggle to find a safe space to discuss their financial struggles, and the Center aims to be a resource for them as well.
The Center for Financial Discipleship has an opportunity to come alongside believers in Columbus and beyond. Ultimately, financial discipleship is about our relationship with Jesus, rather than a set of prescriptive steps. There are several resources available if you’d like to learn more. We encourage you to check out Courtney’s podcast, The Heart of Money, and follow this link to sign up for one of the Center’s webinars, which cover topics which will help financial advisors, parents, pastors, and more!