Knowing that money is not what brings most people lasting joy, the Choose Christian FI community believes that by achieving Financial Independence (FI), we’re able to make money less important, focusing instead on what we value most in life:

By achieving FI sooner, rather than later, money becomes a valuable tool we use to buy back our time, resulting in a much more abundant, joy-filled life.

Choose Christian FI (CCFI) is part of the FIRE Community (Financial Independence – Retire Early). We originated in 2022 after stumbling onto a financial podcast that easily explained, in ways we never could, how we had already been living our lives for several years. The podcast is Choose FI. A huge thanks to Brad and Jonathan for providing that spark that pushed us into existence. While our names are very similar, we are only connected in our core FI values – at least most of them. We entertained several different names but ultimately decided on Choose Christian FI. 

The obvious difference is in our name. We are Christians, pursuing financial independence, while staying true to our biblical principles. We pick up where Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University (FPU) leaves off. Having gone through FPU, I’m convinced that it can benefit a lot of people, but ultimately, once debt has been paid off, people are left asking, “now what?” The FIRE community identifies actionable steps that can be taken to reach financial independence long before societal norms tell us we’re allowed to. In addition, the “why” behind doing so takes center stage. In the FIRE community, the “why” is the ability to focus on what we value most in life. At CCFI, we take it a step further and put those values in three specific categories:

If money was not an issue, and I was no longer required to stay at my current job….

• what would I fill my day doing?
• what would be on my bucket list?
• how would I give back?

The answer to these questions not only tells us what we value most in life, but it also provides us the all-important “why” behind achieving financial independence. For a lack of a better term, the “why” is our compass. It keeps us focused and motivated during our journey to FI and gets us back on the right path when we stray a bit. 

Currently, there is one small group based out of the Fellowship of the Parks church (Northlake Campus). The intent is to add additional small groups throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and beyond.