Faith-Based Investing
Eventide Asset Management Co-founder, Jason Myhre
on investing in businesses, not the market
Invest in Businesses, Not Markets
Your financial decisions reflect your priorities and values. As followers of Jesus, we have the opportunity and responsibility to invest in a Biblically responsible manner while helping our clients do likewise.
Can investing be an act of worship? Absolutely. Faith-based investing can please and glorify God as a vital act of worship, allowing you to steward God’s resources responsibly.
Why Faith-Based Investing Matters
Could you, as a follower of Christ, invest God’s money in causes that go against God’s teachings? For a more in depth perspective, read Christian Investing – My Story. This model of investing is valuable because of the principles on which it is founded. These principles are:
Ownership
Whatever measure of wealth we happen to have, it all belongs to God. We are stewards of His resources who must one day prepare to give him an account of how we managed it. God cares about how we invest our money.
“The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world, and all its fullness.”
Psalm 24:1
“For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required….”
Luke 12:48
Motivation
Why is someone seeking to invest? Examining our motivation is important, and Scripture has much to say about our handling of money. Luke 18 tells us of the young man who had wealth and thought he had done well in walking according to what God expected of him, but when challenged by Jesus to relinquish wealth for the good of the poor, he struggled.
In another instance, when Zacchaeus in Luke 19 finds Christ welcoming to him, he openly proclaimed that he would give to the poor and restore money to those he’d cheated. Even Judas, who held the moneybag and dwelt with Jesus throughout his earthly ministry, found his heart more motivated by money than the Savior.
What/Whom is Supported
When investments are poured into mutual funds, it’s difficult to know what your money is supporting. In light of Scripture, we ought to have some interest in supporting God’s agenda in the world with the resources He places in our control. It can be shocking to learn the money you’re investing in “the market” is being supplied to businesses with agendas including abortion, pornography, and violent video games. These and many other business interests are antithetical to what God seeks to accomplish in the world.
Funds structured for faith-based investing intentionally screen out these kinds of stocks from the investment mixes offered under its umbrella. This way you can be confident knowing your investment dollars are not supporting such legal, but patently God-dishonoring, activities.
If faith-based investing is important to you, our team would love the opportunity to talk with you more about how we can help align your wealth with Kingdom expansion.