Practical, biblical financial wisdom—free for churches
Professionally led, judgment-free workshops and resources for Bay Area believers.
For greater confidence, less anxiety, and greater generosity.
More money doesn’t usually meanmore peace for your people
Your church is filled with high-capacity leaders who genuinely want to honor God with their success.
But many are stuck in a foggy uncertainty about what faithful stewardship looks like in their current season of life.
They have the heart for generosity, but they lack a strategic roadmap for modern stewardship.
To lead them well, we must move beyond inspiration and provide a proactive, practical path that turns their success into Kingdom impact.
Here’s what many Bay Area pastors say they’re navigating:
- The Discipleship Dilemma: Reclaiming stewardship as a transformative spiritual practice rather than a burden of painful obligation
- The Trust Barrier: Hesitancy to bring in “experts” who might turn a ministry moment into a sales pitch
- The Boomer Exit: Navigating Baby Boomers moving out of the Bay Area. Research shows it takes 10 Gen Z giving units to replace just 1 Boomer unit, and many Boomers feel unseen and underserved by the local church
Sound familiar? You’re not alone.
We created the Seek First Foundation to provide free, professional financial wisdom that helps believers trade their worry for peace and accelerate their church’s ministry together.
Our stewardship.His story.
Seek First Foundation equips Bay Area believers to be faithful stewards of their resources so God’s story can thrive in their lives and our city.
Retirement Wisdom Workshop
An inspiring 90-minute Sunday afternoon workshop for adults 50+ that offers practical guidance on navigating the financial complexity and spiritual direction of this important life transition.
This workshop focuses on:
- The financial questions successful families ask before retiring
- Designing a purpose-driven retirement for your time, talent and treasure
- Proactive tax strategies for an efficient retirement (and tax pitfalls to avoid)
- Kingdom-minded estate planning for a legacy that lasts
Financial Wisdom Workshop
A crowd-favorite 90-minute Sunday afternoon event that combines Biblical wisdom with practical financial guidance. There’s something for everyone with teaching on budgeting, investing, and generosity.
This workshop focuses on:
- A Biblical framework for money
- Tools to create financial margin
- Practical habits for wise stewardship
- Tax-efficient generosity strategies
Practical Resources
We’ve curated a list of trusted resources to support and equip Christians on their financial stewardship journey, especially in the Bay Area:
- Best apps for budgeting
- Tax & Estate Referrals: A curated list of professionals known to our community
- Resources for wise stewardship
- The Pastor’s Financial Toolkit podcast
- Pastor’s Housing Playbook
- And more
Where professional expertise meets a heart for God’s mission
Scott Pearring, Executive Director
After 16 years as a CFP® for high-capacity Christian families, Scott noticed a pattern: without a strategic roadmap for retirement, even the most faithful believers see their engagement and generosity begin to drift.
Since 2010, Scott’s mission has been to bridge that gap by turning God-given vision into practical solutions for the local church through the Foundation. He is driven to see financially healthy congregations, joyfully generous believers, and a generation of retirees who trade “disengagement” for a season of deep Kingdom impact.
Seong Chan, CPA, is a tax strategist with over 30 years of experience in finance. She has a deep commitment to strengthening the local church from within. Her passion is helping believers operate with clarity and confidence so that pastors can focus on the mission.
Judy Copenbarger, JD, CFP®, is an estate planning attorney with over 35 years of experience. She specializes in estate and legacy planning for churches and Christian families. She is committed to helping believers steward their lifetime of blessing in a way that creates lasting Kingdom impact for generations to come.
What your people will learn from Seek First Foundation
- A Biblical framework for stewarding wealth
- Practical strategies for tax-efficient living and giving
- How to retire with clarity, confidence, and calling
- How to avoid spiritual drift in the second half of life
- How to prepare for “The Great Wealth Transfer” as $140 trillion in assets shift from Baby Boomers to younger generations
Why churches trust us
Wisdom for wealth
We’re the ministry arm of Seek First, a faith-based financial planning firm with over a quarter of a billion dollars under management, which gives away 100% of our profits each year.
Financial wisdom is our profession, but serving the local church is our calling. Our goal isn’t just better financial planning; it’s a more vibrant, generous, and mission-ready church.
Passion for His purpose
We’re here to inspire believers and help them unlock what God can do through them.
It’s not about shaming them into giving more. It’s about following God’s invitation to live with open hands.
100% free for churches
We exist to serve Bay Area churches. As a fully and privately funded foundation, our workshops and resources are free of charge and free from obligation. This allows your church to offer these resources to your people without financial concern or hesitation.
Hear from churches we’ve served
Stories
“After our Financial Wisdom Workshop, we had about 40–50 people start asking important questions around finances, stewardship, budgeting, financial planning, and how to think about those things in a Biblical way.”
“The room was packed! Everyone, from older people to younger people and everyone in between, left with something to chew on and implement in their finances.”
“Scott was able to bring something for everybody to the table… He also offered follow-ups with our people, which several took advantage of.”
“Our workshop covered a broad spectrum of financial wisdom and stewardship issues—spending and saving, giving and investing. It was super helpful and a great win for our church.”
Hear from churches we’ve served
Stories
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“After our Financial Wisdom Workshop, we had about 40–50 people start asking important questions around finances, stewardship, budgeting, financial planning, and how to think about those things in a biblical way.”
— Pastor Daniel Atondo, Eden Church
“The room was packed! Everyone, from older people to younger people and everyone in between, left with something to chew on and implement in their finances.”
— Pastor Brad Brucker, Epic House Church
“Scott was able to bring something for everybody to the table… He also offered follow-ups with our people, which several took advantage of.”
— Pastor Brian Eldridge, Mountain View Community Church
“Our workshop covered a broad spectrum of financial wisdom and stewardship issues—spending and saving, giving and investing. It was super helpful and a great win for our church.”
— Pastor Justin Buzzard, Garden City Church
The impact
How to bring a workshop to your church
We make it simple to serve your people well.
Let’s start with a conversation.
Every church is different. We’ll jump on a call to hear about your mission, your people, and your goals. Then, we’ll identify the right workshops to serve your community.
We’ll handle the heavy lifting.
We provide turn-key workshops designed to be low-friction for your team. From professional promo kits to session materials, we provide everything needed to make the event a success—all you need to do is provide the space.
We’ll equip your people.
We bring the expertise and the energy. We’ll invest our time equipping your people with Biblical wisdom and practical tools to grow in stewardship and generosity.
We work around your calendar and other church programs
We'll provide:
- A Complete Promo Kit: Ready-to-use videos which disarm any awkwardness around money and excite your people to grow in stewardship
- Strategic Communication: Suggested “plug-and-play” language for your emails, social media, and stage announcements
- Professional Content: A polished slide deck with clear teaching and resources for your people
- Expert Guidance: Based on our experience, we’ll share best practices to promote the event to ensure the right audience is in the room
You provide:
- The “Green Light”: Your leadership’s voice to champion the event and invite your congregation into this opportunity to grow in stewardship
- Clear Communication: 4–8 weeks of runway to ensure the best results for your people
- The Basics: A room, a screen, a microphone and pens
Is Seek First Foundation right for your church?
You’re a great fit if:
Location: Your church is in the Bay Area
Goal: You want to disciple your people in faithful stewardship, not pressure them for funds
Size: Your church has established momentum (300+ people)
If this sounds like your church, we’d love to connect. The conversation is free, no pressure, and built entirely around what’s best for your people.
Your people: equipped to live free and make a difference
Help your people understand how to manage, plan, and invest their resources with open hands.
Together, we can all grow in wisdom and help accelerate God’s vision for the local church— So that our stewardship tells His story.
Let’s bring the Seek First Foundation to your church!
Ready to give your congregation a practical, Biblical foundation for faithful stewardship? Request a free workshop below, and Scott will be in touch within a few business days to schedule a discovery call.
Is there really no cost?
Yes. Seek First Foundation is fully and privately funded. There are no honorariums, no product sales, and no fundraising asks. Our goal is to strengthen the local church, not extract from it.
Will you try to recruit our members as clients?
No. Our purpose is to serve the church, not extract from it. We do not make sales pitches or promote financial products during workshops. On the rare occasion that an individual independently requests private financial guidance, that conversation happens separately and respectfully. The Foundation itself is ministry-focused and wholly separate from Seek First Financial.
How long are the workshops?
90 minutes and hosted on Sunday afternoons.
Having spoken in 140 churches, we’ve learned that Sunday after the last service is the ideal time to engage and equip your people
Do you only serve Christian churches?
Yes. Our mission is explicitly Kingdom-focused and aligned with the local church. All content is rooted in Biblical stewardship and designed for Christian communities.
What are your workshop capacities?
Our church-wide Financial Wisdom Workshops typically range from 30 to 150 attendees. The Retirement Workshop is most effective in smaller groups of 20 to 80 for deeper engagement.
What’s your average lead time needed to book a workshop?
Six to eight weeks is ideal, allowing for proper promotion and alignment. In some cases, shorter timelines may be possible depending on availability.
How do you handle sensitive donor conversations?
We approach generosity and retirement transition with humility and confidentiality. Our goal is to equip, not pressure people to give. Conversations about personal finances are always private and initiated by the individual, not the church.
What happens after the workshop if we want deeper support?
If the church desires further engagement, we can discuss leadership retreats, additional teaching sessions, or strategic planning conversations. Every next step is collaborative and aligned with your church’s mission and capacity.