Kerby Anderson
Nearly every recent survey documents the need for Christians to get sound, biblically based instruction on finances. One way to maximize your resources for God’s kingdom is to get a copy of Enduring Wealth: Being Rich in This World and the Next by Raymond Harris.
He asks many questions throughout his book and begins with an important one. Are you rich? You probably don’t think you are because you know others who are wealthier. But he reminds us that compared to most of the world’s population, you are very rich. He also reminds us that the wealth that we have is a gift from God (1 Chronicles 29:12)
One chapter reminds us that it is OK to be rich, and another provides biblical advice for the rich. Solomon underscored the inability of wealth to provide security (Proverbs 23:4-5). Jesus warned of the folly of chasing temporary wealth (Matthew 16:26-27).
A very significant chapter talks about developing economic engines. In the future, we will need to develop other ways to fund missions and ministries apart from typical fund-raising activities. He is concerned that as nonprofits and ministries proliferate, the clamor for kingdom dollars will intensify. Developing a business project that can finance God’s kingdom work is something he has not only thought about but accomplished in many parts of the world.
He also has wise advice for businesspeople, who need to see themselves as stewards. He even suggested that the new missionary will be the businessperson. They will need to understand the difference between the world’s economy and God’s economy. We all need to remember, as he says in one chapter, that life is hard, and time is short.
I recommend Enduring Wealth because it will remind you what is important and encourage you to use all your wealth (time, talent, treasure) for God’s kingdom.

Kerby Anderson
Some of the challenges the U.S. will face in the future will exist no matter who is elected in November. But it is also true that sometimes one candidate or policy can make a bad problem worse. The continued funding of Social Security is a good example.
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) declared that to fund Social Security, the payroll-tax rate will have to be raised 35 percent. The CBO estimates that revenue for Social Security will remain stable for the rest of the century. But Congress will have to raise the payroll tax rate from 12.4 percent to 16.7 percent (a 35 percent increase).
However, the revenue for Social Security might not be enough if Donald Trump is able to get legislation through Congress that would eliminate the income tax on Social Security benefits. The CBO estimates that the payroll-tax revenue would decline over time but assumes that would be offset by an increase in income-tax revenue from beneficiaries.
On the other hand, Kamala Harris would like to increase Social Security benefits. Since the CBO assumes that revenue would be relatively stable for the rest of the century, any increase in benefits would make Social Security insolvent, unless Congress decides to increase the Social Security payroll-tax by more than 35 percent.
The other variable is Congress. It is questionable whether newly elected members of Congress would be willing to increase the payroll-tax rate. Their opponent in the next election would accuse them of raising taxes on the American people.
As you can see, who you elect to the presidency and who you elect to Congress will determine the financial future of Social Security. Unfortunately, they will probably decide to do nothing, and “kick the can down the road.”