Christian Investments

This topic is constantly on my mind these days as I work on the book on Biblically Responsible Investing. The distinction here is that BRI is tactical measure in the big picture of what Christian Investments would encompass. Every believer who has placed funds in something that is expected to bring in a return is trying to follow the parable of the talents and not bury their talents and resources in the ground for fear of losing them. But there is much more involved here.

Last week I found a blog while Googling with the words Biblically Responsible Investing and what I read was an eye opener. The sarcasm of this blog was over the top in their contempt for all Christians and their attitude of superiority in moral issues but even greater was their distaste and distrust of all things “Christian” because of the sins of many of our fallen icons of days gone by. What struck me most is that for some people, the word Christian even in America is a symbol of doubt and distrust, while for others it symbolizes everything they believe is good about a dark and troubled world. With this contrast, how is a believer to discern what is Christian about investing?

Perhaps it is most important to dwell on the Christian INVESTOR as opposed to the Christian Investment. Since we are all sinners, saved only by the grace of God, it must be true that there can also be NO single investment that taken by itself is an act of Christian obedience. But the sum total of what a believer does with his life is the essence of how we have been changed by being in the army of Jesus Christ and working in the marketplace investing, developing, and governing. Without being judgmental as the world would do to scrutinize our lifestyles and actions we too, need to be able to examine the fruit of our efforts to see if it is good fruit or rotten fruit.

Some time back, Joseph Stowell, the former head of Moody Bible Institute and now a writer, author, and public speaker, shared with the body of Christian Financial Professionals Network (CFPN) that their were eight (8) steps to true prosperity in his studies. All of them involved a spirit of generosity and all of them were framed properly with a regular dose of spiritual influence from prayer and Bible study. But these steps will help you to get closer to the mark of finding “Christian Investments” in your walk:

1. Examine your passions and what motivates you
2. Embrace contentment and generosity
3. Focus on what life is really about, not the daily close of the NYSE
4. Acknowledge God as the real source of your wealth
5. Show some form of Godliness in your life
6. Determine how much is enough, and give the rest away both now and in your will
7. Respond to the reality of immediate needs…God brings those people to you
8. Live in accountability to God, the world’s standards will all change

I challenge you as this challenges me to seek God’s will for your portfolio as well as all other aspects of your life. If He has converted you, and saved you have you converted all your assets to His will as well?

Sent August 21, 2006

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