NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Statistics show that Americans spend $1.20 for every dollar they earn and have $600 billion in credit card debt, averaging nearly $8,300 per family. Americans are saving at a level of only about 2.2 percent and giving through the local church is at an all-time low of just 2.6 percent.

In response to the current money management crisis, Ken Hemphill has written a third installment to the Southern Baptist Convention’s Empowering Kingdom Growth vision titled “Making Change: A Transformational Guide to Christian Money Management,” published by Broadman & Holman.

The national strategist for Empowering Kingdom Growth, Hemphill sets forth a 30-day journey into biblical stewardship, personal money management and cooperative giving for the purposes of world missions and theological education.

"Making Change" will have a liberating impact on families and churches, Hemphill told Baptist Press, as they apply the principles of God’s Word to their finances.

“Some studies indicate that less than 25 percent of the persons who attend church give anything to the church for Kingdom advance,” Hemphill said. “Those who do give only give 2.5 percent of their income through the church. Can you imagine what would happen if half of our people begin to tithe? The average church budget would be multiplied by a factor of eight.

“Do you think your church could become more effective if you multiplied your existing budget by eight?” Hemphill asked. “Can you imagine what would happen to our seminaries and our mission boards as that increase begins to flow to our partners for mission advance? It is staggering to imagine. We could have the resources to complete the Great Commission in this generation.”

Ashley Clayton, associate vice president for stewardship at the Executive Committee, told Baptist Press the new department will use "Making Change" as one of its primary resources for the “It’s a New Day” national stewardship initiative.

“Imagine what churches could do for the Kingdom if their members were not burdened with debt,” Clayton said. “Imagine what could be done if church members were free to do the ministry that God has called each of us to fulfill.”

"Making Change" differs from popular personal money management books, Clayton said, because it offers an understanding of cooperative missions on the state, national and international level through Cooperative Program initiatives.

Hemphill told BP he received the assignment to write "Making Change" from Executive Committee President Morris H. Chapman, and as he began researching for it, he became increasingly excited about its content and potential.

“If we understand that all the resources on earth were placed here by the King to be used according to His principles and for His purpose, everything about life is altered,” Hemphill said. “First, it gives us the assurance that He will provide sufficient resources for the meeting of our need and the advancing of His Kingdom. Second, it affirms that we must discover and put into practice the principles He established for the use of His resources.