Over the last several years, I have been helping clients learn how to manage their finances in light of the gospel. I have read many books about faith and finances that have helped me in my coaching practice, however, I have found that there are a select few books that I am continuously returning to and referencing. These books are what I might consider the best books for Christian financial counselors because they do a fantastic job reminding me, as a counselor, how I can help my clients integrate their faith into their personal money management journey.

Redeeming Money: How God Reveals and Reorients Our Hearts by Paul David Tripp

This is probably my favorite faith and money book. I came across it soon after I created my financial coaching program, and it has shaped a lot of the way I help teach people about biblical finances. As the title suggests, this book does an amazing job of truly reorienting your heart toward the way you view and use money. One of the main lessons Tripp teaches is that our money problems do not stem from overspending, but rather from discontentment and that the solution to our money problems does not come from more education, or a new budget, but rather a total surrender to the original design for money, given to us by our Creator.

God And Money: How We Discovered True Riches At Harvard Business School by Gregory Baumer and John Cortines

Originally titled, Through the Needle, this is one of the first books I read about faith and finances. It is written by two Harvard MBA students who discovered God’s design for money. This exploration brought them to the conclusion that being generous and giving away their money is the path to true riches. I love that this book focuses on living a life focused on being as radically generous as possible. One of the other interesting parts in the book is when they walk you through setting a “finish line” for both personal consumption and net worth. They offer a lot of resources and examples of ways that this generous, God-centered, financial lifestyle can be lived out.

Your Finances God’s Way: A Biblical Guide to Making the Best Use of Your Money by Scott LaPierre

Managing money and following God may at times feel like they are on two ends of one spectrum. As Christians, we tend to see things like budgets, savings, and investment accounts as secular. When we do this, we dig ourselves into a deep hole of financial despair full of pain and extreme stress. This is not what God wants for us. Written by a pastor who knows his stuff, Scott does an amazing job starting the book, as well as each chapter, with Scripture. He backs up all his claims about finances with Bible verses and does an incredible job connecting the links between New and Old Testament lessons about money.

The Marriage Challenge: A Finance Guide for Married Couples by Art Rainer

This is one of my favorite books on money and marriage that incorporates biblical principles. Like his popular book, The Money Challenge, Art Rainer does an incredible job of making high-level financial concepts easy to understand and apply through his book. Each chapter has challenges for couples to accomplish together. The challenges are crafted in such a way as to help the couple get on the same page together with God. I love referencing this book because it is laid out like a map and I can easily refer back to the exact chapter I need in order to take out the examples that I find most applicable for my clients.

Inheritolatry: The Final Obstacle to Completing the Great Commission by James Wise

This is such an inspiring book, and the book I have read most recently yet I know will continue to leave a lasting impact on the way that I view and teach about money to my clients. One of the best ways to describe this book is in the words of Ron Blue, who wrote the forward of Inheritolatry. Blue said that James Wise is not only a good teacher but also an incredible practitioner, meaning that James not only provides good biblical advice about money but also practices what he preaches. James teaches four biblical inheritance principles that encourage us to align our estate plans with God’s wisdom and commit part of our wealth to completing the work of the Great Commission.

About the Author: Katie Jones is the founder of Agape Investing, where she helps young professionals learn excellent money management skills that are rooted in the gospel so they can free their money up to pursue their unique calling.