BTO 103
Personal Financial Literacy & Biblical Stewardship
Foundations CoreFoundations Core24 contact hours8 sessionsCost: No tuition. All materials are provided.
“Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.” — 1 Corinthians 4:2
This course equips you to manage your own money wisely after release. You will build a budget on an entry-level income, learn how banking and credit work, plan for fines, fees, and obligations, avoid predatory lending and scams, and set up saving and giving habits. Practical skills are paired with biblical principles of stewardship and contentment. (Students who want to go further can choose the Faith-Based Financial Stewardship certificate.)
Syllabus
Course Syllabus
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Course | BTO 103 · Personal Financial Literacy & Biblical Stewardship |
| Program | Bridge to Opportunity · Foundations Core (required) |
| Contact Hours | 24 hours · 8 weekly sessions of 3 hours |
| Format | Online to start; in-person once facility clearance is granted |
| Prerequisites | None. BTO 101 Module 5 (spreadsheets) is helpful but not required. |
| Cost | No tuition. All materials are provided. |
| Instructor | ________________________ |
| Meeting Time | ________________________ |
Course Description
This course equips you to manage your own money wisely after release. You will build a budget on an entry-level income, learn how banking and credit work, plan for fines, fees, and obligations, avoid predatory lending and scams, and set up saving and giving habits. Practical skills are paired with biblical principles of stewardship and contentment. (Students who want to go further can choose the Faith-Based Financial Stewardship certificate.)
Faith Integration
Everything we have belongs to God; we are managers, not owners. Faithfulness with a little prepares us for more (Luke 16:10). In this course we learn to handle money with honesty, planning, contentment, and generosity, and to trust God's provision without fear.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Explain the biblical principle of stewardship and apply it to everyday money decisions.
- Build a realistic monthly budget on an entry-level income.
- Open and manage a checking and savings account and avoid common fees.
- Read a credit report, explain what affects a credit score, and make a plan to build or rebuild credit.
- Organize fines, fees, restitution, and child support into a manageable plan and know where to get help.
- Recognize predatory lending and financial scams and choose safer alternatives.
- Set up an emergency fund, a savings goal, and a giving plan.
- Create a first-year financial stewardship plan.
Course Materials
- This student workbook
- Calculator (provided)
- Pen or pencil
- Sample bank statement, credit report, and pay stub (provided in class)
Weekly Schedule
| Week | Module | Assignment Due |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | God Owns It All: Foundations of Stewardship | Stewardship Inventory |
| 2 | Building a Budget on an Entry-Level Income | My Release Budget |
| 3 | Banking Basics | Banking Plan |
| 4 | Understanding and Rebuilding Credit | Credit Action Plan |
| 5 | Fines, Fees, and Obligations | My Obligations Plan |
| 6 | Avoiding Predatory Lending and Scams | My No-Predatory-Debt Plan |
| 7 | Saving, Emergency Funds, and Giving | Savings and Giving Plan |
| 8 | Planning for the Future | Final Project Submission |
How You Will Be Graded
| Component | Weight | What It Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Attendance & Participation | 15% | Being present, prepared, and engaged in discussion and group work (Participation Rubric) |
| Reflection Journal | 15% | Eight weekly entries connecting the lesson to your life and faith (Journal Rubric) |
| Module Assignments | 25% | Eight weekly assignments (Module Assignment Rubric) |
| Module Quizzes | 10% | Eight short quizzes, each given at the start of the next session (Module 8's is given with the final exam) |
| Final Exam | 10% | Given in the last session; covers all eight modules |
| Final Project | 25% | A practical project that brings the whole course together (Final Project Rubric) |
To pass this course: earn 70% or higher overall and attend at least 80% of sessions.
Classroom Covenant
- We begin and end each session in prayer. Participation in prayer is always welcome, never required.
- What is shared in class stays in class. We protect one another's stories.
- We speak with respect, listen without interrupting, and disagree with grace.
- We come prepared, do our own work, and ask for help when we need it.
- We follow all facility rules. Safety and security come first.
- We believe the best about one another and about what God can do.
Support & Accommodations
If reading, writing, vision, hearing, or any other need makes a part of this course harder, tell your instructor privately. Materials can be read aloud, enlarged, or completed orally. Missed sessions can be made up using the module pages. If you are transferred or released, your completed work stays on record and you can finish online.
Welcome
Welcome
Money can carry a lot of weight: fear, shame, pressure, hope. This companion walks beside you through BTO 103 with a weekly reading, five devotions for the days between sessions, and a take-home Quick Guide with the numbers, steps, and resources you will need in your first year home. This is not legal or financial advice; for your specific situation, talk with legal aid, a VITA site, or a re-entry specialist.
How to Use This Companion
- Read the weekly reading after each class session. It takes about 10 minutes.
- Reflect on the questions. These are for you; you do not have to turn them in.
- Meet with God through the five daily devotions between sessions.
- Keep the Quick Guide at the end to carry home after release.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.— Psalm 119:105 (KJV)
Course Modules
Final Project, Rubrics & Final Exam
Course Materials
Materials for this course are coming soon.