Did you know that God wants you to be debt free? Well, according to the Reverend Billy Talen at St. Mark’s Church in Manhattan, He does! This from an article on CNNMoney.com titled Stay away from the mall, say Hallelujah! that profiles Reverend Talen’s unique ministry. As the founder of the Church of Stop Shopping (yes, I am serious), the message is as spirit-filled as it would be with any other modern Evangelical congregation but the message is about how to free one’s self from the hell and suffering of finances run amuck.

This idea of regaining financial control through the vehicle of faith is one that is attractive to many people who are drowning in debt, so much so that crusades have been cropping up from coast to coast. This phenomenon is not so surprising, however, when you consider that anywhere from 7-21% of the population is vulnerable to ‘excessive’ buying. As the extreme of this is ‘compulsive’ buying, which is a psychiatric disorder, it is not a stretch to see how something psychological could be rooted out in the complexly psychological realm of the church. The second thing that would make sense is that the church is a safe haven for people who are struggling financially and likewise vulnerable to the many unscrupulous debt management companies who promise the stars and the moon, but only leave the hapless debtor worse off.

So what is it that causes this need in people to shop and spend money to the point where it damages their lives? According to Talen,

“They’re feeling a kind of knowing emptiness and they don’t know why. So they keep buying more and more, trying to fill the hole in the soul. We say: Stop shopping and start living.”

This is a good point as most addictive behavior emanates from that same process of trying to ‘fill a hole in our souls’. In this case, Talen and others like him simply equate such a ‘hole’ to that proverbial ‘God-sized’ hole that people in recovery often reference.

Reverend Billy’s partner April Benson, founder of Stopping Overshopping, offers three practical Rules for Soulful Spending.

1. Thou shalt not shop alone. Bring a friend who can talk you out of making rash decisions.
2. Thou shalt take a break. Each time you approach a checkout counter, pause awhile.
3. Thou shalt be efficient. Limit the number of trips per week by planning ahead.

Whether or not God floats your boat, these three ‘commandments’ are certainly sound advice for anyone who is one purchase away from the poorhouse. Read the entire post at CNNMoney.com.

Tags | addictive behavior, be debt free, billy talen, compulsive buying, Debt, debt free, debt management, debt management companies, debtor, drowning in debt, finance, money, phenomenon, psychiatric disorder, psychological realm, reverend billy, safe haven, shopping