Investing - Money with a Mission

Investing as a financial disciple comes with a unique set of principles and values that go beyond just financial gain. One of the most significant aspects of responsible Christian investing is having a clear mission and purpose. This mission serves as a guiding light, ensuring that investments align with your beliefs and values.

First and foremost, having a mission when investing as a Christian helps maintain a spiritual, moral and ethical compass. The Bible places a strong emphasis on living a righteous and virtuous life. Investing with a mission allows individuals to avoid investments in companies or industries that go against their beliefs. For instance, Christians may choose to avoid investing in businesses involved in activities such as gambling, pornography, or weapons production, which they view as incompatible with their faith. This deliberate approach to investment ensures that one's money is not being used to support or profit from activities that contradict Christian values.

Furthermore, being on a mission in Christian investing encourages stewardship. Christians believe that they are stewards of God's resources, and this includes their financial assets. Investing with a mission prompts individuals to consider the impact of their investments on society, the environment, and the well-being of others. They are more likely to seek out investments that promote social responsibility and sustainable practices, thus contributing positively to the world.

A mission-driven approach to investing also helps Christians to avoid the pitfalls of greed and materialism. The Bible warns against the love of money and the pursuit of wealth for its own sake.

By having a clear mission that emphasises responsible and ethical investing, Christians can prioritise values such as generosity, charity, and helping those in need. This allows them to strike a balance between financial success and their spiritual well-being.

Moreover, investing with a mission provides a sense of purpose and fulfilment. It allows investors to feel that their financial decisions are contributing to a greater good, which can be deeply satisfying. Knowing that your investments align with your faith and values can bring peace and contentment, even during market volatility or economic uncertainty.

Our predicament

This shows a predicament we, as financial disciples, are facing. Many of us invest through retirement accounts or funds managed by others, so we don't know where our money is being utilised. This raises a question: If we believe that it all belongs to God, should we trust unknown institutions with God’s money and not know how it's being used? If we care about certain values, we might find out that our investments support companies which go against those values, doing harmful things or mistreating people. Realising this can make us rethink our investment choices based on our Christian principles.

On a larger scale, this uninvolved investing can put money that doesn't align with what society needs. For example, investing heavily in gaming, weapons, or media companies may not reflect our true desires for a healthy society due to concerns about mental health and relationships.

As I am writing this, I realise that I have a sizeable investment in a company whose goals and services I later realised that I shouldn’t be supporting as a Christian. I will get out of this position as soon as I can.

Investing with a mission

Investing as a financial disciple comes with a unique set of principles and values beyond financial gain. One of the most significant aspects of responsible Christian investing is having a clear mission and purpose. This mission is a guiding light, ensuring investments align with your beliefs and values.

The mission of money as a financial disciple will reflect the three great commands we have been given.

The first is the “creation Mandete” to work the earth and use its resources to benefit and promote human flourishing. Invest to enable people to sustain and enjoy their God-given life, while caring for the environment.

The second is the “Great Command” to love God and our neighbour. Money should be invested to serve God and those in need. Invest to promote human flourishing, fight poverty, promote employment, while practising principles of love, compassion, stewardship, and an eternal perspective,

The third command is to “Great Commission” to make disciples in all nations. Invest to help people find and follow Jesus in every area of their lives, making an eternal impact.

The book “Invest - to Live, Love and Last” by Peter J. Briscoe, explains how we can practically fulfil these aspects of God’s mission for our money. The book gives a Biblical perspective on financial planning and the different investment vehicles.  Available on Amazon or here.