Find More Money: Increase Your Income to Tackle Debt, Save Wisely, and Live Generously

Praise for Find More Money

Every once in a while, a game-changing conversation comes along. I believe this is one of them. In Find More Money, Art Rainer gives leaders who feel stuck financially some brilliant strategies that I think can change the future, not just the future of families, but the future of the kingdom. You can only cut so much. If you’re ready to start adding or multiplying, this book is for you.

Carey Nieuwhof, author and founding pastor of Connexus Church

One of the harder things of pastoring was knowing how many of our church attendees that struggled financially. Regardless of why—whether it was their fault or not—they simply were not able to find a way forward financially. Sadly, it impacted everything and everyone around them, including their desire and ability to support the mission efforts about which they were passionate. If that’s your story, or you know someone who has that story, this book is for you! With Find More Money, Art provides another practical, easy-to-understand, yet entertaining financial book. You will actually enjoy learning how to increase your income and obtain financial health for the sake of advancing God’s kingdom.

Ron Edmondson, CEO, Leadership Network, author of The Mythical Leader

Art Ranier’s new book, Find More Money, will help you to establish the right goals, provide insights on how to accomplish the right goals and the motivation to complete them. Buy it, read it and put it into practice!

Chuck Bentley, CEO, Crown.org, author of Money Problems, Marriage Solutions

Without question, Art has a passion for seeing people obtain financial health for the sake of advancing God’s kingdom. In Find More Money, Art focuses on the other side of the financial equation—the income side. Like his other books, Find More Money can be enjoyed and understood by all. If cutting your budget no longer cuts it for you, this is your book.

Rob West, president, Kingdom Advisors

Sharing Art’s passion for helping believers with money, I am thrilled that he wrote Find More Money. The wide array of ways to increase our income is unlike any other time in history, and Art does a masterful job of practically guiding us on how to do just that. I have no doubt that God’s kingdom is going to be greatly advanced by the message of this book!

Bob Lotich, founder of Seedtime.com

Praise for The Marriage Challenge

The Marriage Challenge is an excellent book to help couples find oneness in their finances. The story format makes the book a fun read for both the husband and wife. God has designed your marriage to showcase the gospel. Don’t let financial issues get in the way of a great marriage. Read The Marriage Challenge!

Daniel L. Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, North Carolina

I have known and worked with Art Rainer for several years and have always been encouraged by his infectious, 360-degree vision for mission in every part of life. This fuels his works on careful thinking and management of money—from personal devotion to marriage, from raising kids to leadership, the local church, education, and understanding the world. I am pleased to recommend this to you.

Keith and Kristyn Getty, modern hymn writers, authors of Sing!: How Worship Transforms Your Life, Family, and Church

Art Rainer is the new voice in personal finance for Christians. His writings and podcasts are awakening believers to grasp more completely God’s plan for the money He has entrusted to us. His latest book, The Marriage Challenge, is an incredible resource for all married couples from engaged couples to newlyweds to those married for many years. Get it and apply its principles immediately!

Thom S. Rainer, president and CEO, Church Answers

Whether you are newly married or have been married for years, this book is for you! Art provides clear, practical steps toward financial health, and addresses underlying issues couples experience that present themselves in their finances. Both your marriage and your bank account will be stronger by applying the principles found in this book! Art Rainer’s writing style is like having your own personal marriage and financial counselor and advisor. His personal and often entertaining approach helps to break down barriers for couples creating the opportunity for greater unity and success in their approach to money. This book is guaranteed to positively impact the reader!

Selma Wilson, former senior vice president of LifeWay Christian Resources

Praise for The Money Challenge

Art has written an incredibly practical, readable, useful book on living openhandedly with our finances. The Money Challenge offers practical steps to live as God has designed us to: as channels of His great generosity, to advance His kingdom. I highly recommend it!

Matt Carter, pastor of preaching and vision, The Austin Stone Community Church, Austin, Texas

I can’t wait for you to read Art’s book. It is so good. Art encourages and equips you in The Money Challenge. Not only will you learn a lot, but you will also enjoy his captivating writing style.

Derwin L. Gray, lead pastor, Transformation Church, Indian Land, South Carolina

Sometimes the hardest part of wise financial stewardship is knowing where to start. That’s where Art’s book comes in—his relatable stories and practical steps break down a seemingly impossible goal to simple, faith-filled steps. Join him in this thirty-day challenge and watch as God uses this book to propel you into a lifestyle of generous giving. Around The Summit Church we always say, Live sufficiently, give extravagantly. This is how to start.

J.D. Greear, PhD, pastor of The Summit Church, Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, and author of Gaining by Losing: Why the Future Belongs to Churches that Send

The Money Challenge is a hopeful, gospel-oriented primer on using finances for the sake of the kingdom. Everyone can benefit from the biblical wisdom here, regardless of financial or social background.

Russell Moore, president, Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission

Copyright © 2020 by Art Rainer

All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America

978-1-5359-7107-2

Published by B&H Publishing Group

Nashville, Tennessee

Dewey Decimal Classification: 248.6

Subject Heading: CHRISTIAN LIFE / STEWARDSHIP / TIME MANAGEMENT

All Scripture quotations are taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

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To my brothers, Sam and Jess.

I love you guys.

Acknowledgments

As any author knows, producing a book takes a team. Behind the lone name on the cover are a host of people working hard to get a book into the hands of those who need it. So to everyone involved, I am incredibly grateful for you.

To my wife, Sarah, thank you for your love and support. Thank you for sacrificially caring for our boys. Most importantly, thank you for putting your love for Jesus and others on full display. I am blessed because you are my wife.

To Nathaniel, Joshua, and James, you all bring me such happiness. I love you. I am proud of you. And I am glad that you are my sons.

To the rest of the family—the Rainers, Dues, and Halls. Thank you for your continued encouragement. Dad and Mom, I love you.

To the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary family, I love being on mission with you all. I thank God that I get to work alongside such Great Commission-minded men and women. Rachel Lambert and Amy Whitfield, your involvement with this book was invaluable.

To the B&H team, thank you for your work and ministry. Devin Maddox, Taylor Combs, and Jenaye White—I could not have asked for a better group.

To those who shared their side gig story, thank you for inviting others in, encouraging readers to find more money and advance God’s kingdom.

Of course, I am grateful for my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I don’t deserve the gift I have received. The gifts of grace, mercy, and kindness God has freely given me are overwhelming. I don’t understand why such a holy God would save such a sinner like me.

Yesterday

It was Saturday. A half-eaten chocolate and vanilla marble cake sat on the round kitchen table. White plastic cups were sporadically perched on counters, bookshelves, the microwave, and, of course, on the table next to the marble cake. Eight pink and light-blue helium-filled balloons still levitated above the chair to which they were anchored. Shards of light-blue confetti littered the apartment’s den carpet.

Brooklyn was pregnant with a boy. He was their first child.

Yesterday was a day of celebration. Yesterday happiness-infused shrieks resounded. Yesterday glee-induced tears trickled down a new mom’s cheek. Yesterday elation elevated everyone, as men and women jumped up and down.

Yesterday there was laughter, hugs, and high fives. Yesterday family and friends crowded the modest two-bedroom townhouse.

Yesterday was a good day.

But that was yesterday.

Today is different.

Today it’s quiet in the townhouse, located just outside Raleigh, North Carolina. The only sounds are coming from the hum of the overhead fan and an occasional car driving down the street behind their humble backyard. Austin and Brooklyn sit next to each other on their small, navy couch. With one hand Austin holds Brooklyn’s. With the other he holds a piece of paper. Never before have the young couple been so filled with excitement and yet, so paradoxically, filled with fear.

What are we going to do? questions Brooklyn, searching Austin’s face for some form of reassurance. All she finds is an expressionless daze.

Today Austin and Brooklyn are still excited about having a son. That hasn’t changed. But another reality brought along a new competing emotion.

The opening of a bill sometimes seems mundane. The envelope is torn, and the bill is removed from its encasing. After a quick glance at the bill, the piece of paper is often set aside to be paid later that day or week.

But the opening of this bill was anything but mundane for Austin and Brooklyn. The event was not ordinary but nerve-racking. The opening of the bill that Austin now held turned a knot inside his stomach and brought a different kind of tears to Brooklyn’s eyes, tears not motivated by overwhelming happiness but tremendous concern. There was no quick glance at the bill, just a long solemn stare.

Austin finally answered Brooklyn’s question, but it wasn’t what Brooklyn wanted to hear, and it wasn’t what Austin wanted to say.

I don’t know. I just don’t know.

Austin and Brooklyn feared this day would come, but they kept hoping that somehow their finances would work out, that everything would be okay.

But everything was not okay. And this bill made that reality abundantly clear.

We’re broke, said Austin with a deep sigh.

Again words Brooklyn would rather not hear, especially now that they had a baby on the way.

We can’t pay this, continued Austin. We don’t have any more money.

Austin let go of Brooklyn’s hand, holding the bill with both hands. He leaned forward, studying the paper, looking for something, anything, to help but knowing he would find nothing.

He set the bill down on the coffee table in front of them.

Austin shook his head. We just can’t do this anymore.

Brooklyn wanted to disagree, but she couldn’t. Austin was right. They could not do this anymore. Something had to change.

When Cutting Your Budget No Longer Cuts It

Austin and Brooklyn seemed like the ideal couple. In some ways they were. Their parents had the same idea when it came to names. Austin got his name because he was born in Austin, Texas. And Brooklyn got her name because she was born in Brooklyn, New York.

They met in college while serving at their church. Austin and Brooklyn were some of the courageous few who dared to serve in the middle school ministry, and it wasn’t long after they met that they started dating.

They loved God, ministry, and each other. The couple married the summer after college graduation.

Austin had a strong desire to one day be a pastor. After Austin and Brooklyn were married, they both went to seminary and got degrees that would help them serve a local church.

Upon graduating from seminary, a small church outside of Raleigh, Little Creek Community Church, asked Austin if he would be their youth pastor, ministering to the church’s middle