When I first heard Larry Burkett on the radio over 30 years ago, I was hooked. He taught me many of the principles that I now teach in my book (Say No! To College Debt), on my blog, in my classes, and in speaking engagements. What he taught revolutionized our marriage. If Larry had allowed debt-free screams on his radio program, we’d have done one in 1996 from implementing what we learned from him.
As time went on, I became an official volunteer teacher and budget coach for Larry’s ministry, helping others learn the same principles. I then became a full-time staff member for his organization (then called Crown Financial Ministries). Another person and I were tasked to create and run a college-aimed part of the ministry.
After Larry died, the ministry took a monumental step to reach out to the poorest of the poor. That changed the ministry direction, the college outreach was phased out, and my buddy and I went different directions, with me still reaching out to colleges. The only difference was that I (with complete agreement of my wife) was doing it independently. I lost track of what was going on with Crown until recently.
This week, I participated in the Crown Annual Gathering (virtually). I was blown away at some of the things that Crown is doing overseas to help those in poverty of the kind that we in America can hardly conceive. The Gathering was recorded and put online for others to see. Check out https://youtu.be/PVWs-yuUOuE. The video is less than one hour long, and the ministries they are doing are amazingly impactful. They fit right in with God’s admonitions to care for the poor. You’re probably asking what this has to do with saying no to college debt. If you have a heart for missions, or ministry, or nonprofit work, or even just to be flexible in your efforts to help others, you can’t be buried in debt. It doesn’t matter where your heart is to help others less fortunate; you need to be free of the bondage of debt. Look into the idea of getting through college without debt. It’s possible. I did it.