By CAROLINE CARMICHAEL / Staff Writer

New Life Community Church is beginning a weekly seminar providing financial wisdom and advice to teenagers ages 13 to 18 each Sunday at 4 p.m., beginning Sept. 24.

The seminar uses Generation Change teachings by author and speaker Dave Ramsey, which much like Ramsey’s adult Ramsey Solutions, caters financial advice to the specific needs of teenagers.

Church elder Alan Childress, along with his wife Lesia, traditionally teach a biannual adult finance seminar called Financial Peace.

This fall, the couple is handing over the Financial Peace reins to another couple, instead partnering to teach Generation Change, supplying to teenagers financial advice that so many adults wish they had been taught at the same age, Childress said.

In the nine-week seminar series, teenagers will be instructed in money-handling concepts, such as balancing a checkbook, using a balance sheet, saving money and avoiding or managing debt.

Childress said teaching these concepts will “help them be aware of how to budget their money as they move forward in life.”

Additionally, Childress said “they’ll approach topics like understanding that teens don’t have to conform to the world — they can be themselves — give them principles from the Bible about being themselves, and it’ll help them be realistic about the pressures that their parents are under financially.”

Cost of registration for the seminar is $30.

“But if that’s an issue,” Childress said of the cost, “we can work around that and try to find some scholarships for someone if they’re really interested and they can’t afford it.”

Childress said students who miss a seminar can schedule a time with Childress to be caught up.

“We’re trying to change the community, but we’re trying to do it as the community will let us,” Childress said. “And we’re just asking for an opportunity to share some principles with them that will — whether they’re Christians or not — it will totally change their life.”

New Life Community Church is located at 1618 Seventh Street North in Clanton.

For more information about the church, check out its Facebook page or visit ClantonNewLife.com.