By John Ashworth
Chief administrative officer, The Baptist Foundation of Alabama
If you turn on the news, look online or read the paper, you know investing is one of the most talked about topics you will find. And this should not come as a surprise: it is estimated that 52% of Americans are invested in the stock market today.
But as Christians, are we called to think about investing differently than the world?
Traditional investing says make as much money as you can, almost without caring how you made it. And then, if you’re a Christian, take a percentage of what you earned and give it away. But so many Christians may unknowingly be profiting from or supporting industries like gambling, tobacco, pornography and abortion — working against God’s plan for humanity. Could one of them be you — or your church?
You may be thinking, “Our church would never invest in pornography.” But consider this: Because of the popularity of less transparent, fund-style investments, many Christians don’t really know which companies they own. The truth is, most have never given much thought to their portfolio as a whole — besides the return it would generate.
At TBFA, we believe that there is a better way to invest.
- We remove companies in our portfolio engaging in activities that are in direct conflict with Christian principles.
- We seek out companies that are engaged in social and environmental impact.
- We intentionally invest in positive-impact-making companies led by Christians who are living out their faith in the marketplace.
Pleasing the Lord
Through this Kingdom Impact Investing, as we call it, you can achieve social, economic and spiritual returns — while not sacrificing your financial returns.
As 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” And at The Baptist Foundation of Alabama, this includes our investment portfolio.
We believe you should feel 100% confident that your investments are leveraging your resources, honoring your faith and pleasing the Lord.
If you are unsure about your current investment strategy, let us show you how wise stewardship of your portfolio can lead to much more than a financial harvest — it can lead to the expansion of God’s kingdom!
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