Book Review: 'Money Talks'

MONEY TALKS: A Biblical Take on Earning, Saving, Spending and Giving

By Callie Picardo and Rosario Picardo

I’m always on the lookout for books about stewardship and generosity that will give me ideas I can pass on to local church leaders. I was getting ready to participate in a Generosity Summit with a great lineup of speakers when I noticed a book by Callie and Rosario Picardo titled Money Talks. I was impressed by Rosario’s previous book, Funding Ministry with Five Loaves and Two Fish, so I jumped at the opportunity to order this new one -- co-written with his spouse, Callie. (I learned in her brief bio she is the Vice President of Development at United Theological School.) I was excited to learn of this new book about raising money by two young leaders in the church. When I got my copy and started to read it, I realized raising money is not the subject of the book they wrote, but what they did write was even more exciting.

Money Talks deals with money the way Jesus did; it focuses on the spiritual life we all long for and how money can become an idol or a false god in our lives. Money can deceive us into believing that we have the power, not God, and that we can spend our way to happiness.

One of the readers who provided comments for the back cover was my friend Sue Nelson Kibbey, who captured in one sentence how I’ve been feeling reading their book: “Reading this content-rich, spiritually endowed book was like receiving a warm, personal mentorship for the journey of financial discipleship.”

There are lots of very good books out there on how to raise money, how to run a successful campaign, how to manage the money the church already has. It’s much rarer to find a book that explores how we live a life of discipleship and devotion with the money we keep.

I recommend this easily readable book for personal reading, but its four basic chapters with numerous scriptural examples and reflection questions throughout make it a wonderful journey for a small group. You won’t regret it.

Click here to check out the book.