Christian financial teacher Dave Ramsey is shown during his widely distributed radio broadcast. Several area churches plan to offer courses based on Ramsey’s financial guidance in the new year.
The man who regularly dispenses advice on money matters to millions today once desperately sought wisdom for his own financial mess.
In fact, in 1988, Dave Ramsey and wife Sharon were earning $20,000 monthly in the real estate business, but were deeply in debt. So deeply, in fact, that they declared bankruptcy.
“I didn’t have any answers,” Ramsey has said about that heartache. “(And) I was the guy that had all the answers.”
These days, his Ramsey Solutions outreach that grew out of that hardship has seen 10 million people enroll in his Financial Peace University course — just one of the helps amid books, podcasts (with more than 17 million listeners) and more amid all that his spiritually based business offers.
With the new year about to begin, a few area churches are offering in-person sessions of the nine-week course. It covers topics such as emergency funds, investing, saving, paying off debt, understanding insurance, buying a house, and other subjects.
Here are the upcoming classes listed at ramseysolutions.com:
- First Christian Church, 531 Fifth St., Columbus. Class begins 6 p.m. Jan. 10.
- Immanuel Lutheran Church, 605 S. Walnut St. in Seymour. 4 p.m. Sundays, beginning Jan. 14.
- The Ridge, 2800 Bonnell Road, Columbus. 4 p.m. Sundays, beginning Jan. 28.
Also, other area churches — such as Ogilville Christian — point out on their websites that Financial Peace University is offered regularly. The course also is offered at various times online.
Testimonials from course graduates include those who have paid off thousands of dollars in debt, step by careful step.
Greg Schmelz last taught a Financial Peace University class at St. Bartholomew Catholic Church in Columbus two years ago. He likes the program’s broad reach that he believes can help anyone with money management, budgeting, saving and more.
“This program has become very popular because it has been proven to work for people in all types of situations and of all income levels,” Schmelz said. “The baby steps are simple to understand. The difficult part is having the discipline to do the steps.
“Dave Ramsey’s book ‘Baby Step Millionaires’ documents how ordinary people can build wealth with the principles he teaches.”
Local class organizers through the years have touted the course’s bottom line: results. The average household that completes the course pays off $5,300 in debt and saves $2,700 in the first 90 days, according to the Ramsey ministry’s website, ramseysolutions.com/debt/take-control-of-your-money-financial-peace-university.
“This course isn’t magic,” reads the website background information. “It just gives you the foundation of knowledge you need and the motivation to put in the hard work. You are the magic.
Ramsey, whose radio program is broadcast locally on WCSI 98.1 FM and 1010 AM, says personal finance is 80% behavior and 20% knowledge.
