Do you need help to get out of debt?
The Financial Stewardship Mentoring Program (FSMP) is a ministry that provides trained Christian financial mentors to come alongside you and your household and put you in control of your finances. The FSMP is designed to assist individuals who are looking for technical help, grounded in biblical principles, to provide the methods and accountability needed to free themselves from financial bondage. There is no charge for this assistance, but the program is intense and designed for those who truly desire to improve their financial situation.
How the Financial Stewardship Mentoring Program works
The program consists of a technical portion and a spiritual portion.
Technical Portion
One day each week for a period of ten weeks, a pair of trained mentors will meet with you (and your spouse, if you are married) wherever you keep your financial records (usually your home). The purpose of this weekly meeting is to put into place an effective household financial system and help you handle particular financial challenges that you are facing. Each session will last from 1½–2½ hours although some sessions may go longer when there is extraordinary complexity in a participant’s financial situation.
During the first meeting, you and your mentors put together a personal financial statement and debt terms schedule for your household. This enables your mentors to gain an understanding of your financial situation and helps them develop an initial plan of action. Sessions 2, 3, and 4 are devoted to establishing an accurate and efficient financial system for your household based upon our proven methods. Sessions 5 and 6 are devoted to implementing “Project, Prioritize, and Pay”—the process that will help you make godly decisions to control your finances. Your mentors will hold you accountable to these godly principles as you make weekly financial transactions through the remainder of the program. Session 7 focuses on raising more income. Session 8 addresses how to sacrifice. Session 9 prioritizes your debts for repayment and session 10 analyzes methods of cost prevention and risk minimization. Throughout this ten-week period your mentors also help you to struggle through the major financial issues that you and your household are facing as you learn to effectively steward the resources God has entrusted to you.
Before you actually begin the program, you will be asked to sign a "Participant Agreement" that explains your responsibilities in the program and specifies the responsibilities of the FSMP team. You will also be provided with a Financial Stewardship Mentoring Program handbook which you may keep. A chapter from this handbook will be read to prepare for each weekly meeting.
Spiritual Portion
Either before or during the same ten-week period, a pair of mentors will meet with you for about two hours per session to lead a study of God’s financial principles. This study will focus on three things:
- Reviewing and discussing scripture—what God says about finances through his Word.
- Learning from audio lectures how God’s financial principles affect us, as well as practical ways of instilling God’s principles in your household.
- Prayer for the issues facing your household.
There is no homework for the spiritual portion of the program and it takes place entirely within the two hour meetings at your home. Before you actually begin this program, you will be asked to sign a “Participant Agreement” that explains your responsibilities in the program as well as the responsibilities of the FSMP team. You will also be provided with an FSMP handbook which you may keep. You’ll read a chapter from this handbook each week as you prepare for the weekly technical meeting.
When does this program take place?
This program takes place as soon as technical and spiritual mentors are available to work with you. Individuals requesting financial help should contact Jim Dutcher at 651-426-2240 or email the Ministry at 
.
Is there a cost for this program?
The FSMP pays for your books and provides the supplies for participants so there is no financial cost to you for this program. However, there is a significant time commitment for the ten-week session of a meeting each week plus time to study and prepare for each chapter of the weekly technical session (an estimated average of five to six hours each week). Our experience has taught us that an intense and focused program is the best way to truly put Christians in control of their finances.
Do I need to be a member of a specific church to participate in this program?
No, this program is available to all Christians. However, the number of openings is limited and those individuals who have completed the Crown Biblical Financial Study (crown.org), Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University (daveramsey.com), or the Good $ense Financial Study (goodsenseministry.com) will be given priority. Individuals who have completed one of these Christian Financial programs will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Our mentors put many hours into each household they assist, so we ask that individuals taking this program be committed to investing the time required and to completing the program once he or she has started.
What if I am interested in becoming a technical or spiritual mentor for this program?
Individuals who are interested in becoming a mentor may call Beth Keister at 612-275-5584 or email the MInistry at .
Everything in the heavens and earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as being in control of everything. Riches and honor come from you alone, and you are the Ruler of all mankind; your hand controls power and might and it is at your discretion that men are made great and given strength.
1 CHRONICLES 29:11-12