We Don't Need More Money; We Need Wisdom

Planning the Session

Session Goals

As a result of conversations and activities connected with this session, group members should begin to:

• Reflect on biblical passages related to money and wisdom.

• Understand the meaning of both money and wisdom.

• Assess their relationships with money and wisdom.

• Explore John Wesley's teachings on the nature of money.

Biblical Foundation

Happy are those who find wisdom
and those who gain understanding.
Her profit is better than silver,
and her gain better than gold. (Proverbs 3:13-14)

Special Preparation

If group members are not familiar with one another, make nametags available.

Remember that there are more activities than most groups will have time to complete. As leader, you'll want to go over the session in advance and select or adapt the activities you think will work best for your group in the time allotted. Depending on which activities you select, you'll need to make some of the following special preparations.

• If possible in advance of the first session, ask participants to bring either a spiral-bound notebook or an electronic means of journaling, such as a tablet. Provide writing paper and pens for those who may need them. Also have a variety of Bibles available for those who do not bring one.

• Make sure all participants have a copy of the study book Earn. Save. Give. Invite them to read the Introduction and Chapter 1 in advance of the first session. You also should read this material.

• On a large sheet of paper or a board, print the following at the top: "Money is ..."

• On another sheet, print: "Wisdom is ..."

• Have available large sheets of blank paper or construction paper and colored markers for group activity.

• Depending on the size of your space, post some or all of the following Scripture references: 1 Kings 3:5-9; Proverbs 1:5-8; 2:6; 3:5, 7-10, 13-16; 4:7; 5:7; 8:23; 9:10; 11:15; 19:27; 23:19; Psalm 78:1-7; Matthew 6:33; Luke 16:8-9; 1 Timothy 6:10; James 1:5, 17.

Getting Started

Welcome

As participants arrive, welcome them to the study and invite them to make use of one of the available Bibles, if they did not bring one.

Opening Prayer

Gracious and Loving God, as we begin this study, open us to your presence and fill us—our time, our conversations, our reflections, our doubts, and our fears—with the joy of exploration and the wisdom of your love. We gather together in Jesus' name. Amen.

Opening Activities

When all participants have arrived, invite each person to introduce him- or herself by name and verbally complete one of the posted prompts ("Money is ..." or "Wisdom is ..."). When the circle is complete, invite general responses to each of the prompts and post them on the sheet or whiteboard. Participants may repeat their original response or add to it. Defining these terms provides a foundation and starting place for the study. Invite participants to add comments and new understandings to these definitions and lists during the weeks of the study.

If they have not already done so, invite group members to read the Introduction silently in the study book. Explore together:

• Author James A. Harnish suggests that money might be at the top of our lists if we could ask God for anything. Do you agree or disagree, and why?

• When you hear about the "wisdom of Solomon," what immediately comes to mind?

• Invite participants to read aloud 1 Kings 3:5-9 from at least three different translations. How do the various translations and paraphrases present Solomon's request in verse 9? (NRSV has "understanding mind"; NIV has "discerning heart"; CEB has "discerning mind"; The Message has "God-listening heart"; Good News has "wisdom.") Ask participants to describe the differences among these various phrases.

• Ask participants to read 1 Kings 3:11-14 aloud from various versions. Do you think the additional gifts to Solomon ("riches and honor" in NRSV; "wealth and fame" in CEB) are a blessing or curse? Why?

• Invite a volunteer to read the paragraph "Money Matters" in the Introduction. The author goes on to say that money matters for our souls and that wisdom is more valuable than money. Invite participants to respond to these ideas.

Learning Together

Video Study and Discussion

Pastor and author Jim Harnish introduces John Wesley—Christian theologian, evangelist, and founder of the Methodist movement—and Wesley's advice to "earn all you can, save all you can, give all you can." Harnish talks about the wisdom and challenges in that advice with three pastors: Justin Coleman, Judi Hoffman, and Erica Allen. Discuss:

• What are the biggest financial challenges faced by people in your community, church, and family? Give examples.

• How are those people coping with the challenges, and how can the church help?

• To the extent that you feel comfortable sharing, what are some examples of financial challenges, past or present, in your own life?

• What is your own experience regarding stewardship programs in churches?

Bible Study and Discussion

Throughout Chapter 1, the author examines biblical references to wisdom. Invite participants to form pairs. Each pair will take five minutes to read one of the following passages and share what it teaches about wisdom. It is unlikely that you will assign all the passages; assign at least the readings from Proverbs 2 and Matthew 7, and expand from there as your group size permits:

• Proverbs 1:5-8

• Proverbs 2:1-6

• Proverbs 3:5-10, 13-14

• Proverbs 9:7-10

• Matthew 6:19-21

• Matthew 6:25-33

• Matthew 7:24-29

• Matthew 24:45-51

• Philippians 4:12-13

• James 1:5-10

Invite the pairs back to the larger group to share insights from their conversations. If the group wants to add any new ideas or insights to the posted group "definition" of wisdom, invite participants to do so.

Book Study and Discussion

Money and Wisdom

In the opening section of Chapter 1, the author points to a commercial about "Stanley Johnson" and his relationship with money (consider viewing the brief video, which is available on YouTube; search for "Stanley Johnson commercial"). Harnish then shares some money-related concerns he encountered as a pastor.

In preparation for the conversation to follow about money and wisdom, ask participants to review Harnish's examples of money-related concerns ("As a pastor, I've seen ..." through the five bullet points) and consider how those examples relate to their own lives and their experiences with money. After a time of silent reflection, invite responses to one or more of the following questions:

• What is your happiest memory in connection with money?

• What is your...