Financial Advisors Offer Biblical-Based Planning for Christian Clients

A group of financial advisers is taking a fresh approach to financial planning and advice with the launch of Bible-based guidelines.

The Association of Christian Financial Advisers (ACFA) has launched 'Biblical Principles of Financial Planning' in a bid to help their advisers deal with their Christian clients in accordance with their faith.

ACFA chairman Simon Webster says the principles were developed after wide-ranging consultation and are designed to encourage consistency of advice from each member.

He said: "The difference between a Christian adviser and any other adviser is that we would expect Christian advisers to be able to speak to their clients from a biblical perspective."

Webster added that the traditional role of a financial adviser is to make as much money for their clients as possible, whereas Christian advisers also need to tackle the issues of giving and generosity as these are key biblical principles.

He said: "It is widely understood that money pressures, both striving after more and debt problems, are at the root of many family difficulties. Perhaps, surprisingly, the Bible talks even more about money than either faith or prayer, and yet many churches tend to shy away from teaching in this vital area.

"ACFA hopes that the launch of these documents will provide a valuable resource on the whole subject of Christians' dealing with money and that they will provide a platform on which an advice framework of can be built."

Its principles, ACFA explain, are based on passages from the Bible and include "the need to plan ahead (Proverbs 6:6), spend less than you earn (Ecclesiastes 5:10) and establish a savings plan (Proverbs 13:11)".

ACFA said it was set up with the commission to support financial advisers, will writers, accountants, tax advisers, debt advisers, mortgage brokers and lawyers. It also provides a facility for Christians to "Find a Christian adviser" who shares their faith.

The guidelines are available to the general public from members of the Association or as a download from the ACFA web-site, www.christianfinancialadvisers.org.uk