Asbury Dual Credit Course Offers Financial Literacy for High School Students

March 25, 2024

Asbury University is helping Kentucky high school juniors and seniors fulfill their financial literacy requirement while earning college credit. The 16-week online dual credit course, BU 281: “Give, Save, Spend: Personal Finances God’s Way,” includes financial literacy from a biblical perspective, is open to public, private, and home school students and available for free through KHEAA Dual Credit Scholarship funds.

“We are being proactive with the next generation by teaching financial literacy through a biblical lens,” said Dr. Dan Lewis, who serves as Lecturer in the Dayton School of Business at Asbury and teaches the course. “We have the privilege to partner with Compass, a financial discipleship ministry founded by Howard Dayton, to implement their curriculum in the coursework along with other resources.”

The course covers practical topics such as family budgeting, savings for emergencies, banking, insurance, financial loans, credit cards, income tax, investment principles, and retirement. Implementing hands-on financial tools and exercises, students also get to memorize scripture for each lesson (there are 2,350 verses in the Bible on money!). Non-Kentucky residents can take the course for only $279 and earn three hours of college credit. 

“This course was a passion for Asbury President Emeritus Dr. Sandra Gray, who wanted every Asbury student to understand God’s principles about finances and stewardship,” Lewis said. “We are incorporating time-tested Bible-based material from Howard Dayton and continuing Dr. Gray’s legacy of exposing every student to God’s way of handling His money.”

Nick Garnett ’22 shares his experience taking the class: “Give, Save, Spend was one of my favorite classes at Asbury University. It provided a practical view about how the Bible and God teach us to view money. Dr. Lewis offered real-life examples and made every student feel truly seen and heard.”

Lewis has dedicated his career to reaching 17-22-year-olds and teaching them important truths before they begin making financial decisions that will be tough to make up for later in life. 

“Embracing God’s economy is a game changer for these future leaders of the Church and for the Church itself,” Lewis said. “Talking about money God’s way creates opportunities to share with students about Jesus and lordship.”                        

This course remains available through Asbury Academy, a dual enrollment program for high school juniors and seniors that provides general education requirement opportunities at the University level (100- and 200-level online and on-campus courses), enabling students to simultaneously complete high school and earn University credit through dual enrollment.

“Asbury Academy provides high school students the opportunity to take college courses from a biblical perspective,” said Director of Online Admissions Kristi Boss. “Dual credit courses are available on campus, online, and in many Christian high schools in Lexington, Louisville, and surrounding counties.”

Learn more about the course at: https://www.asbury.edu/admissions-aid/academy/give-save-spend/. For questions, email academy@asbury.edu.