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Uh Sports betting is exploding across the country, and with online platforms, it's more accessible than ever. Hi, I'm Rob West. What many see as harmless fun can quickly become a trap that distorts our view of money, stewardship, and even our neighbors. Today, we're talking with pastor and author Kyle Worley about the real spiritual stakes behind this growing trend and how believers can navigate it with wisdom and conviction. And then it's on to your calls at 800-525-7000.
This is Faith and Finance, biblical wisdom for your financial journey. Our guest today is Kyle Worley, lead pastor of Mosaic Church in Richardson, Texas. He's also the co-host of the Knowing Faith podcast and the author of Home With God: Our Union with Christ. Kyle, great to have you in the studio today. Really glad to be here, Rob.
Thanks for having me. Kyle, you have an insightful article in our Faithful Stewart magazine on how dramatically online betting has changed things. It's everywhere, broadcasts, ads, social media, and easier than ever to access. I want to start with why you think online sports gambling raises the stakes so significantly for Christians today, especially when so many people view it as harmless entertainment.
Well, that's a great question. I mean, I think that sports betting is uniquely deceptive in that it plays on the impulses of freedom that come with play. You know, for a lot of folks, sports, either participating in sports or watching sports is a communal thing. It connects with childhood memories. There's a real deep sense of play that is involved in sport.
And so, unlike other forms of gambling that don't have the kind of nostalgia factor, sports betting kind of slides in and connects with things that for many people are deeply rooted in their first opportunities to be with other people and play environments. And it really counts on that nostalgia factor for a huge reason why it's able to draw people so effectively. Oh, I think that is very well said and really a key reason why we were so excited about getting this article into the magazine.
Now, you point out that scripture doesn't explicitly condemn gambling the way it does other sins, which leaves many Christians asking: so, is it really wrong? How do you help believers think biblically about this in a way that feels clear and grounded rather than abstract? It's a really fair question. And as a pastor, to people that are kind of dealing with these real life ordinary things, I think it's always important to come back to: well, what does God's word say about this? And when you look at God's word, there are clear warnings, clear exhortations against the pursuit of wealth gained in a hasty manner.
And so, if scripture is not precisely clear about the binary right or wrong of gambling, it is strongly commending against any approach to trying to gain wealth or pursuing wealth in a very hasty manner. And certainly, gambling is an endeavor to try to pursue wealth gained hastily.
Now, I do think that 1 Timothy comes closest to a command in 1 Timothy 6:9 through 10. It warns that those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. This idea of the hasty accumulation of wealth being something that tempts people into traps. And leads them into foolish practices. I think 1 Timothy is getting the closest to something called gambling or something like gambling, this kind of very foolish endeavor to try to gain wealth in a fast way.
But it is, we want to be honest with what the Bible says. You're not going to be able to find a single verse that says you can't bet $15 on a hand of Texas hold them. Although I would really question the wisdom of betting $15 on a hand of poker. Yeah, well, I couldn't agree more. And I think you're right to point out the nuances here, but quickly going back to scripture to help us understand that this is potentially a pathway to destruction.
And there's another side of this because it's not only what is it doing to us, but it's what is it doing to our neighbors. And when we come back from this break, I want to unpack that important consideration as we think about where these prophets are coming from. Are they particularly coming? from the vulnerable and how do we love our neighbor in the midst of gambling? And is that even possible?
We'll unpack all of that just around the corner. We're talking with Kyle Worley today. He's lead pastor of Mosaic Church in Richardson, Texas. He's written an article for us in the latest edition of the Faithful Steward magazine specifically on the dramatic rise of sports betting and gambling. You're seeing it everywhere and that's why we want to talk about it today.
We'll unpack this much further just around the corner. This is Faith and Finance. I'm Rob West. Our goal to help you live as a wise and faithful steward. Stay with us.
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Visit ChristianCreditCounselors.org or call 800-557-1985. Mm-hmm Yeah. The hidden costs of sports betting. We're talking about the rise in sports, betting, and gambling here on Faith and Finance today. With me, Kyle Worley.
He's lead pastor of Mosaic Church in Richardson, Texas. He has an insightful article in the latest edition of our magazine, Faithful Steward, on this really powerful phenomenon. And you took us into God's word, Kyle, and talked about the potential pathway to destruction that we see in 1 Timothy when we try to get rich quick and we're hasty about seeking profit. But let's talk about the implications for others because gambling systems are built to profit from the vulnerable. And why is that such an important consideration for Christians who are thinking about this?
Well, that's a great question. You know, Bruce Waltke, the Old Testament scholar, he says, commenting on Old Testament law that the righteous man disadvantages himself for the sake of the community. The unrighteous man advantages himself at the sake of the community. And I think that actually is a really good commentary, not just on the Old Testament law and how it functioned in Israel's life, but on the ethics of gambling. Let's say there is a Christian person who says, Listen, it's really of no consequence to me on whether or not I lose, you know, $100 on a sports bet that it's just for fun, it's just for play.
Well, this $100 that somebody is willing to wager on a given football game or basketball game or something, it may be inconsequential to them, but it may not be inconsequential to their neighbor. And the very same portals by which they can wager an insignificant bet of $100 are the very same portals that will take advantage of their neighbor's very significant $100. And we already know that the bulk of these sports gambling portals, websites, apps, uh, Controllers are absolutely willing to prey on the vulnerable. If you begin to win through any of these channels on sports gambling, they will give you worse and worse yield on worse and worse odds, meaning they're going to make it incredibly difficult. And if you keep winning, they're going to shutter your account.
Now, if you're losing and you continue to have a pattern of losing, they'll give you better and better odds, but they will also be willing to take more and more of your money. You are losing. And so I think it's important to see that, you know, a chainsaw is appropriate for me as a 35-year-old man to go out into my backyard with. It's not appropriate to give to my seven-year-old daughter. And some of these things that we feel like, wow, they're really not that harmful for someone who knows how to control them.
Well, those very same avenues are being used to exploit those who do not know how to use them effectively. If an effective use is even possible with these tools and portals. Yeah. And at the core of this is both an addictive model as well as a predatory model. Is that right?
Absolutely. And anytime you'll find the vice of gambling, you will find wherever that sets into a society or culture, the vices of other forms of human exploitation. are trafficked. There is absolutely no doubt at all that as we see the rise of sports gambling in the global west, we will continue to see other forms of human exploitation, most notably human trafficking. When you talk to civil law enforcement in areas or in cities that host the Super Bowl, any major sporting event, they will tell you that the rise in human trafficking and human prostitution goes up disproportionately over the course of that time.
I think that we should be careful to realize that while the Bible may not draw firm, stark lines on the right or wrong nature of gambling, it does draw those lines on other forms of human exploitation. And where you find the growth of gambling and the growth of this wagering, you will find other forms of human exploitation that the Bible does address explicitly. We should be mindful about that as Christians. There's no question of About it, and it's becoming normalized for even the youngest of kids because you know the sports betting is slapped onto NBA tournaments and it's all throughout the ESPN ads. And so we're preconditioning our kids that this is just normal behavior when, in fact, it's anything but that.
Now, you mentioned, of course, we want to go to scripture.
Some believers, Kyle, point out the use of casting lots in scripture as evidence that gambling is neutral, maybe even permissible. Draw the distinction there. Yeah, well, when they're casting lots in the Bible, and certainly it's an ancient practice that raises a lot of questions, but the casting of lots in ancient Israel can sometimes be used as Christians as a kind of like, hey, look, you know, they were willing to, you know, leave things up to randomness and chance. And there are mysteries that surround the practice. You know, some suggest that the Urim and Thurim that the high priest carried were used for the casting of lots.
But we should realize that the casting of lots in the Bible were there as a way of placing trust in God through a religious enactment. They were not there or accompanied by a wager or any sort of profiteering bet of any kind.
So the idea that casting lots might be a little bit confusing to us is not surprising. It is a little bit confusing to modern sensibilities, and it's good for us to continue to study what it was. But what it absolutely wasn't was any sort of wage-making bet or any sort of action for profiteering. It was there as a very practical way for Israel. Israel and for God's people to place their trust in God through a religious ceremony or ritual.
It wasn't there in order to garner or to gain a wage of any kind.
So it can be confusing, but what it absolutely isn't is support for modern gambling in any sense of the term. That's helpful.
Now, as a pastor, Kyle, I'd love for you to speak to how Christian leaders can navigate this wisely. You've said the churches need to speak more clearly and consistently, not only about money in general, but this issue as well.
So what's your counsel there?
Well, I mean, I think, yeah, the big part of it is talk about money. I mean, truthfully, one of the ways that churches fail in their discipleship strategy is that Christians have no positive conception of wealth.
So if they have excess money, they just don't have any positive vision. Most Christians are told two things about wealth. It's bad to have and make sure you use it well. That's not a very robust understanding of wealth management. And the Bible has so much more to say.
So talk more about money. Your people are looking for counsel on money and they need godly counsel on it. The second thing is to speak. To respectable and fun vices. This is something the church has to be willing to do: not just address things that are easy to address or that are commonplace, like lust, but to address things like the improper stewardship of wealth and of resources.
You know, the book of common prayer talks about we want to confess to God what we have sinned against him in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We need to address vices that are the undoing of good things. And gambling is certainly the undoing of wise stewardship. The third thing and the last thing, Rob, is I think that one of the reasons sports gambling is so appealing is that men in our congregation specifically are looking for opportunities to connect with other men through proper and healthy play, recreational play. And I think churches need to begin to think through their discipleship strategy and how do they create places for fraternal fellowship among men?
Because one of the main draws of sports gambling is: I want to be able to do something with other men that's fun. That's engaging and that allows us to talk to one another socially. And churches can be a conduit of that, that's better than what the world has to offer. Oh, this is so good, Kyle. We're going to have to have you back real soon.
We've only got about 40 seconds left. How does someone, given the dramatic rise in this space, navigate the tension between this cultural moment and biblical conviction? It requires wisdom. It requires wisdom, and wisdom is best exercised in community with other believers. Be a part of meaningful community with other brothers and sisters in Christ, and bring these questions of is it right, is it wrong, into the light of fellowship with other believers under the authority of God's word.
Well said.
Well, folks, at the end of the day, the question isn't simply: is gambling allowed, but does this help me love God and my neighbor well? Our financial choices need to reflect God's character, our love for others, and a heart anchored in contentment rather than quick gain. Kyle, thanks so much for being with us today. Glad to be here. That's Kyle Worley, author of The Real Stakes of Sports Betting, featured in our latest issue of Faithful Steward magazine.
If you want to know how you can get a copy each quarter, head to faithfy.com/slash partner. Your calls are next to 800-525-7000. I'm Rob West, and you're listening to Faith and Finance, biblical wisdom for your financial decisions. We'll be right back after this break. What if your money struggles aren't really about money at all?
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Here in our final segment today, we're taking your calls and questions. I've got room for maybe one more question today, in addition to those holding. The number is 800-525-7000. Let's go to Indiana. Hi, Kenny.
Go ahead.
Okay, it's about the Irmas packs. I'll be 63 this year. And I've been making some good money and I want to make sure I'm not going over the limit. Ah, got it. Yeah, that's great.
Well, it's a good thing that you got some income and income is up, but you're right, it does affect the income-related monthly adjustment amount related to Medicare.
So give me just kind of a rundown, Kenny, of what happened this year that was out of the ordinary.
Well, work has gotten really busy and has blessed us To where I'm now making six figures for the last three or four years. And uh I'm looking at about one hundred and eighteen thousand this year. And my wife makes probably about 60 to 70,000 a year, and I didn't know if that was going to bump us up past the Irma amount or not.
Well, I think the key to understand is that it has to do with The income you have from two years prior, and it only applies once you're on Medicare, usually at age 65.
So when you turn 65, Medicare will look at your income at age 63.
So if we just take those numbers, let's say you have a combined modified adjusted gross income of about $188,000.
So at $188,000, you would be below that threshold, meaning that you would have the standard Medicare Part B and D premiums and no Irma surcharge. Good. Like hearing that.
Well, the one thing to remember, though, is if your income rises above that threshold before age 65, it could apply later. A lot of times it comes because maybe there's a large IRA or 401k withdrawal or a Roth conversion, or maybe you sell a business or an investment property, something like that, a one-year spike that can cause the IRMA for a full year. But apart from that, you know, you just need to be intentional with any large income events, spread out withdrawals the best you can, and coordinate retirement income with Medicare planning. But it sounds like based on the trajectory you're on, you shouldn't have much of an issue.
Okay, great. I don't expect that big of a raise.
So, hopefully, we can stay below the mark. All right. Very good.
Well, listen, thanks for your call, Kenny. We appreciate you being on the program, sir. Call anytime. Let's go to Ohio. Sandy, go ahead.
Um, yeah. It has to do with my parents' home. They're both still living, but There's four of us siblings, and I think they have it willed to go to all four of us. But nobody wants the house but us. Like we want to keep it as a house and they want to sell.
So how do I go about handling this because there's no way we could buy the three out to keep the house? Yeah, the problem is, I mean, you can't Force equality through the will alone if one child keeps the house but cannot buy the others out. The will states who gets the house, but it can't create cash for the other siblings.
So, you know, you can leave the house to one child and balance it out with other assets, but that would require that they have other assets to be able to balance things out. And, you know, that obviously is not always the case. Another way would be to use life insurance.
So, if the estate is house heavy, they could leave the house to you in this case and then purchase life insurance where the death benefit goes to the other three children. You could, you know, the will or trust could say that all four children inherit the home equally. One has the right to live there for a set period, who pays the taxes and the insurance, and then the home is sold later and the proceeds are split. But that may not work if you all want to just keep it indefinitely. The other option is to put the home into a living trust rather than just a will.
And the trust avoids probate, defines who's going to get the house. And pay the expenses, and what happens if the terms aren't met? But at the end of the day, you know, if you want to keep it and you can't, they're not able to do one of those other things, like balancing it out with other assets or buying life insurance or allowing you all to live there and pay the expenses for a set period of time, then the only other way would just be you all take on a mortgage equal to the amount that would allow you to buy the other three out, but you'd have to have the ability to service the debt. Does that make sense? It does.
And the first option would be good that you said that they would give it to us and then they could give assets to the other kids. But it's already in the will, so they have to go change that, correct? Yeah, they really have to. They already have it like the offer.
Okay, okay. All right. Thank you so much. I just want to know how to handle it with them. Yeah, no problem.
And this might be a case where it's worth, you know, having a living trust, which would just give you a little bit more flexibility over it. It's going to be a little more expensive to set up than a will, but, you know, it could bring more definition to this. And, you know, just you'd have to retitle the home in the name of the trust and all the other assets as well. But yeah, in either case, they're going to have to redo their estate plan to make sure this is done in a way that allows you all to get the house for them to treat everybody equitably, but also acknowledge that there's no intention for anybody else to want the home. And therefore, we're going to deal with their inheritance another way.
Okay, great. Thank you so much. You're welcome, Sandy. Thanks for your call today. Let's see.
We're going to head to Georgia. Michelle, go ahead. Yes, sir. We currently have approximately $100,000 in savings. We're completely debt-free.
No cars, no nothing. I do not work. My husband's still working. We're 60. I'm looking to find out the best way to enhance that money so that we'll have it to live on for retirement.
Okay, yeah.
So, do you have any retirement accounts right now that you're contributing to? I do not.
Okay, do you have access to one?
Okay. Yeah, I would say as much as we can start plowing into his retirement account would be best because, although we could invest this right now, and assuming this is beyond your emergency fund, if it's not, I would set aside three to six months' worth of expenses out of this $100,000 and only talk about dealing with the rest because we don't want to get you illiquid. We want you to be able to deal with the unexpected. That means you got to have an emergency fund. But let's say that was $25,000, you had $75,000 left.
I'd want you to try to get that into a retirement account. And if it's already in savings, One way you could do that would be to max out Uh you know, his uh let's see as a 401k. If he maxed out his 401k contribution for 2026, which for this year, you're going to be able to put away quite a bit of money, $24,500 for most participants under age 50. If it's 50 or older, you can add 8,000 to that. And even if that meant that that wasn't gonna leave you with enough.
To cover your bills because you're dramatically increasing the amount going into retirement?
Well, you could supplement that from your savings.
So you're essentially taking it from one bucket and moving it to the other. Which is what the idea is because we want to get as much of that into a tax-deferred environment as you can.
So I'd look at trying to fund a 401k or IRA with this money. And if you need an advisor to help, go to findacka.com. Thanks, Michelle. Big thanks to Taylor, Tahira, Lisa, and Dan. We'll see you tomorrow.
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