Photos by Ralph Freso
Before John Moore built a large faith-based financial service company, he recalled a telephone call in which he was unsuccessful in communicating with an employee at a since-defunct stock brokerage company.
After expressing his frustrations, Moore said he slammed down the telephone and walked off.
Unbeknownst to Moore, a female worker witnessed his diatribe and replied, “Is that the Christian way to handle it?”
A stunned Moore immediately prayed and asked for forgiveness.
“People always watch what you’re doing and expect you to be different,” Moore told Grand Canyon University students during Monday’s T.W. Lewis Speaker Series talk, titled “Managing God-Given Resources: A Biblical Worldview on Finances, Charitable Giving and Wealth Transfer.”
Ron Blue, founder and ambassador of the Ron Blue Institute, and Moore, founder of John Moore Associates, shared their experiences in the financial world and their biblical wisdom before a packed crowd at the Colangelo College of Business lobby.
The college’s dean, John Kaites, moderated the one-hour session, asking Blue and Moore about the origins of their faith and how it was integrated into their business while giving examples of their generosity.
Blue shared a story about speaking before a U.S. Senate subcommittee about 30 years ago during which he was asked how American families should manage their finances.
Blue, who started biblically based financial planning in 1979 and created Kingdom Advisors, a company that grooms advisors to bring biblical financial wisdom to their clients and the community, disclosed his five biblical habits.
- Spend less than you earn
- Avoid debt
- Build liquidity
- Set longterm goals
- Give generously
Blue expected to be laughed at, only to listen to committee chair Christopher Dodd reply that this would seem to work in any market.
“Right, including the United States government,” Blue replied.
Moore, the son of a pastor, said he accepted Christ when he was 7 years old but loved flying fighter jets in the U.S. Air Force. He thought he was fulfilling his dream job when God said, “No, I want you to get into financial planning.”
“I wrestled with it for seven days, six hours a day, and prayed,” said Moore, who showed no regrets over his decision.
Blue said he was on the “success trail” when he started a CPA firm. Then his wife, Judy, a Christian, became ill.
After conducting research, Blue concluded that resurrection was an issue. He read Scripture, and after a successful round of golf, decided to surrender to the Lord.
“Lordship isn’t a one-time transaction,” Blue said. “… I’m still growing.”
In the midst of the holiday seasons, Moore and Blue gave examples of how generosity can help those in need.
Moore shared his wife Connie’s “Power of the $5 tip” slogan, which he quipped could be adjusted to $20 to account for inflation.
Several years ago, Moore and his friends would organize a holiday gathering at a hotel in which they would each bring a $100 bill. They would arrange with the hotel that a server would receive between $1,200 and $1,400.
Last year’s recipient used the funds to buy holiday gifts for her children that she once could not afford.
“It’s amazing that a simple act of generosity (can generate) immediate feedback,” said Moore, who advised students they can earn tax credits by making donations to specific schools and organizations.
Blue took his son to a Chick-fil-A restaurant and wondered if he could tip the server directly. The server confirmed she could receive money directly.
“I reached for a $20, and my son called me a cheapskate,” Blue said.
So Blue rolled up about $100 in $20 bills and handed it to her, only to return a week later.
The server informed Blue she needed a set of new tires but that her daughter’s classmate lost her entire belongings in a house fire, so the money went toward helping the classmate.
“I gave money out of abundance, she gave money out of her own pocket,” Blue said. “It continues to impact me.”
Moore advised students interested in a faith-based financial career to explore Christian Financial Advisors (CFA) programs. He once spent three days under Blue’s tutelage, in which Blue taught those interested in earning Kingdom Advisors certification.
“I thought I knew biblical finance until I learned CKA (Certified Kingdom Advisor),” said Moore, who also suggested students read Larry Burkett’s “Business by the Book: The Complete Guide of Biblical Principles.”
“That book set me straight,” Moore said.
GCU senior writer Mark Gonzales can be reached at [email protected]
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