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by Mark Regier

The phrase “What would Jesus do?” or “WWJD” emerged in American consciousness during the 1990s as motto for many Christians seeking to regularly reflect on how the moral teachings of Jesus could be reflected in their daily lives. As is the way of our modern culture, the reflective purpose of this cue soon became obscured by our collective passion for marketing and merchandise in all its many forms.

Whether one participates in organized religion or not, the idea of finding a mechanism that calls us to step outside of our personal situation to view things from a different, morally-grounded perspective can have many benefits. This was the original intention of WWJD.

This also appears to be the intention of many of the parables shared by Jesus throughout the New Testament. He is frequently presented responding to critical—even tricky—questions with stories that cause reflection, rather than answers that reflect or refine the religio-political rules of the day, as most expected. These parables were all the more disruptive by their inclusion of persons—women, children, tax collectors, slaves, etc.—in roles and situations that challenged the status quo and current thinking on what was “good” and “right.” The parables seemed designed to pull listeners out of their presuppositions and self-assuredness.

So what does all of this have to do with how we, as people of faith or good will, approach investing? And more importantly, how do we do this when we may not all agree on how it is to be done?

Both less and more than you might think!

Less, because the Parables and many similar religious teachings are not necessarily about “how to do” something, but more often about “how to be” in a situation. These stories challenge certainty about rules, righteous action, and our place in the world with a focus on right relationships–between people, classes, ethnic/racial groups, genders and with Creation itself. And it is this centrality of relationships that makes such teachings more relevant to the increasingly contentious and conflicted environment in which many values-based investors find themselves.

One parable that seems particularly relevant to the current SRI investment arena is that of the Good Samaritan. What is both ironic and even more timely is that this parable was offered in response to a question posed to Jesus asking, “And who is my neighbor”? It is a question of inclusion and value that echoes with importance through the centuries to America’s reality today.

Found in Luke 10:25-37 [1], this story—at least in its simplest form—has practically become baked into American culture. In short, the Samaritan (from an ethnic group often looked down upon by the dominant culture Jesus was a part of) stopped to help a man wounded by robbers while two religious leaders (a priest and a Levite) passed him by, presumably not stopping because touching the wounded man would have made them unclean according to the religious rules of the day.

When Jesus flipped the question to questioner, asking “Which of these three…was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?”, the answer was “The one who showed him mercy.” One can easily replace any of these characters with modern stand-ins (and people have!) and get a similar reflective opportunity. The point is to step out of what we think we know and ask how our “answers” fit in a broader, moral frame—particularly when that challenges our current world view and objectives.

What then might we learn, applying reflection from the story of the Good Samaritan, to our collective work in faith-based, SRI/ESG investing? Here are my takeaways:

Relationships matter—For me, this is the overarching message of this Parable (and many others). Understanding the human component, motivations, objectives and needs in any situation—especially one of conflict—is critical. How can we first see what we share, not where contrast? No strategy, marketing opportunity, or clever taking of the intellectual high-ground is worth sacrificing community and collaboration in your wake. Being “right” (often a less certain thing than we think at the time anyway) should not preclude being in right relationships with those around us—even those we think are in opposition to us.

Remember the shared goal—One reason why relationships should and do matter, is that we often have shared goals, whether we choose to focus on them or not. It is unlikely the religious leaders thought the wounded man should die. Rather they chose to place their own rules and priorities above the shared goal—mandated by religious teachings–of caring for those in need. In the end, we all need to decide if it is the path or the goal that is more important.

The work is often messy—The issue of “purity” or remaining “clean” runs deep in the Good Samaritan Parable. This theme seems to echo within both the faith-based and SRI investment world as well today. While an important—and potentially valid–point of values reflection, avoidance rarely brings the solutions we want and need. Getting to our shared goal demands the ability to engage, understand, challenge, and compromise (practically a four-letter word in our current culture) with those of a different perspective. Whether corporation, investor or activist (or combinations thereof), achieving justice and sustainability has nearly always been messy.

There may be a cost—The Samaritan invested his own time and resources in caring for the wounded man, in both the short and long term. The Holy Grail of SRI—and particularly ESG—has been to prove that one can do demonstrable good for the world and deliver competition-topping performance. Incredible strides have been made, materiality demonstrated, and successful claims put forward. Yet in many cases there remain a number of asterisks, requiring a fuller look at the details to understand the complete picture. Perhaps the more important point to consider—whether approaching the investment task on behalf of the environment or a set of faith-driven values—is how much cost is too much and is the cost worth it in the end.

Being “wise” (or smart or clever or right) doesn’t trump mercy—In a culture and communication environment dominated by selective information, passion-driven marketing campaigns, and the need to find enemies/opponents, the question our community (really any community) increasingly faces is whether or not to engage in the popular “wisdom” of the marketplace or stick to the values that unite us. It is a hard choice to make with friends and competitors alike chanting “fight fire with fire.” And it is one we must all choose for ourselves.

In the end, the value of a moral reflective cue—like “What would the Good Samaritan do?”—is to cause us to stop and think about how our situation and related actions look from a different perspective, or in the context of diverse values that we claim to support. It wouldn’t surprise me if no two people respond to my own reflections in exactly the same way. I think that’s the point of parables anyway. All I can do is repeat Jesus’ suggestion—“Go and do likewise.”

Article by Mark A. Regier, Vice President of Stewardship Investing for Praxis Mutual Funds and Everence Financial (https://www.praxismutualfunds.com), a leading provider of faith-based financial products in the United States and a ministry of Mennonite Church USA. Mark has been involved in the field of ethical and socially responsible investing at Everence for more than 20 years. He oversees the company’s work in socially responsible investing (including investment screening, ESG integration, proxy voting, corporate engagement and community investing). In addition, Mark works with products and programs throughout Everence to strengthen their creative integration of faith and finances. In 2015, Mark assumed leadership of the sales and marketing efforts for the Praxis Mutual Funds.

Mark has served as a member of the Board of Directors for the US Social Investment Forum, the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, Partners for the Common Good, the International Working Group (USSIF), The Isaiah Fund for Disaster Recovery Investing, and the Highland-Good Steward SRI hedge fund. In 2006, Mark received the SRI Service Award, the US social investment industry’s highest honor.

With over 25 years of service to the church and a background in ethics and theological studies, Mark is often a resource to national and international media and organizations on faith-based and community investing issues.

This article was originally published here.

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by Kristin Brown

Is wealth creation godly or greedy?

The Bible teaches that the creation of wealth is both a godly gift and a command. Unfortunately, the biblical role of wealth creation is misunderstood in many churches today.

The good news is that there’s a global movement of Christians that are seeking to resurrect this topic in the church around the world.

We interviewed Mats Tunehag, a writer and consultant based in Sweden, who has served for many years as a senior leader in developing the concepts of Business as Mission in both the Lausanne Movement and World Evangelical Alliance.

Most recently, Tunehag served as the convener of the “Global Consultation on the Role of Wealth Creation for Holistic Transformation” in 2017. Out of this gathering of 30 business, missions, and academic leaders from 20 nations around the world came the “The Wealth Creation Manifesto.” Below is our discussion with Tunehag about the purpose of the Manifesto and what kind of response it is receiving:

IFWE: What is the Wealth Creation Manifesto and why was it developed?

Mats Tunehag (MT): The issue of wealth creation is often overlooked. The idea of wealth sharing sounds more “Christian” and generous—and we talk about that more in the church.

But there is no wealth to be shared unless it has been created. Thus, we wanted to explore and discuss wealth creation from biblical, historical, global, and practical perspectives.

The Wealth Creation Manifesto is a summary of the Global Consultation on the Role of Wealth Creation for Holistic Transformation of People and Societies. Out of the gathering, seven papers were peer-produced and peer-reviewed, looking at various aspects of wealth creation. We also produced an educational video with study guides.

A major focus for the Consultation was wealth creation and the poor. What really helps the poor, and what does history teach us? As we wrote in Christianity Today,

It is a fact that aid—wealth distribution—does not lift people and nations out of poverty. Wealth creation does. The biggest lift out of poverty in the history of mankind has happened in our generation. This has been achieved not through aid but by trade; wealth creation through business. As is demonstrated by the escape of hundreds of millions from dire poverty in both India and China since the 1980s, one cannot tackle poverty without a determined pursuit of wealth creation.

We often ask what causes poverty. But the real question is, how do people create prosperity for themselves, their family, and their community? Instead of asking what causes poverty, we need to ask, what causes wealth?

IFWE: What kind of conversations have been started around the Manifesto?

MT: The Wealth Creation Manifesto was quickly translated and is now available in 14 languages. That is one indication of the keen interest in the issue around the globe.

It is also important to point out that this was not the first time that the biblical call to wealth creation, especially through business, has been addressed. The Consultation was built upon similar consultations and documents, like the BAM Manifesto 2004, the Wheaton Declaration 2009, and the Atabaia Statement 2014.

IFWE: What biblical principles have been the most effective in helping people understand God’s call to wealth creation?  

MT: The first three statements of the Wealth Creation Manifesto assert the following:

1. Wealth creation is rooted in God the Creator, who created a world that flourishes with abundance and diversity.

2. We are created in God’s image, to co-create with Him and for Him, to create products and services for the common good.

3. Wealth creation is a holy calling, and a God-given gift, which is commended in the Bible.

We also produced a Wealth Creation Manifesto with Bible References document. The Manifesto is based on, among other things, lessons learned from the Bible. So, we listed some initial scripture references regarding issues dealt with by the Consultation and expressed in the Manifesto.

IFWE: Where have some people had trouble understanding the Wealth Creation Manifesto? Has there been pushback?

MT: Some people mistakenly assume that wealth creation is about making some people rich or that the Manifesto teaches the prosperity gospel. However, the full title of the Consultation indicates a wider understanding of the purpose of wealth creation: “The Role of Wealth Creation for Holistic Transformation of People and Societies.” The prosperity gospel is not only heretical, but it also cannot achieve the goal of personal and societal transformation.

Pope Francis has also spoken to the worthy goal of wealth creation:

Business is a noble vocation, directed to producing wealth and improving the world. It can be a fruitful source of prosperity for the area in which it operates, especially if it sees the creation of jobs as an essential part of its service to the common good.

Others who have struggled with the Manifesto wrongly embrace the Malthusian idea of fixed and limited resources which must be divided into smaller and smaller pieces because of a growing world population. Thus, some call for a universal renunciation of wealth or for all Christians to pursue “simplicity” as a response to wealth hoarding. The Wealth Creation Manifesto takes a more nuanced approach:

Wealth hoarding is wrong, and wealth sharing should be encouraged, but there is no wealth to be shared unless it has been created. …There is a universal call to generosity, and contentment is a virtue, but material simplicity is a personal choice, and involuntary poverty should be alleviated.

The Consultation and its papers and educational video show that we can increase valuable resources—like food—and actually feed more people now than ever before.

We also show that businesses do provide essential solutions to the world’s most pressing issues, including environmental challenges.

The conversation between Professor Ron Sider’s article and BAM Global in Christianity Today is a good example of this discussion on the biblical and economic principles espoused in the Manifesto.

IFWE: What are the next steps for the Wealth Creation Manifesto? What are you working on now?

MT: We are doing more research and writing on wealth creation and creation care, building upon the paper “Wealth Creation and the Stewardship of Creation.” The plan is to present an expanded paper at the BAM Global Congress in 2020.

by Vip Vipperman

Wealth and influence – it’s a topic that comes up regularly in the business and nonprofit worlds, whether it is expressly mentioned or just thought about silently at networking events.  It’s important in the world, whether you are a believer or not, and it’s important to God.

And with this importance comes questions. What do we do with the wealth and influence we have? How can we get more of both? Are we wrong to want more? And ultimately, what would God have us do with both the wealth and influence we have and our desires for more? 

Using Wealth and Influence for Good: a Biblical Example

Throughout the Bible, we see how God calls people to use their wealth and influence to achieve His purposes. Most people know the stories of Abraham, Moses, David and the 12 disciples, but you might not know about Barzillai.

Hidden in the chapters of 2 Samuel is the story of a wealthy man named Barzillai, a believer in God and a supporter of King David – even when it wasn’t convenient or beneficial to be a supporter of the King.  In this portion of David’s story, he and his entourage are running away from his rebellious son, Absalom, who had staged a coup against his father and taken over Jerusalem.  But Barzillai remained loyal and hosted David and his men during this trying time, which was risky and expensive (2 Sam 17:27-28).

Eventually, Absalom died, and the rebellion ended, leaving David ready to head back and take his place back as the rightful king in Jerusalem. But before he crossed the river to head home, he paused to invite his patron Barzillai to come back with him so he could be given the royal treatment for the rest of his life.  Who wouldn’t want that?  Actually, Barzillai.  He already had wealth and influence.  He was content with where he was, and all he wanted was to return home to his land and his family and rest in peace.

However, he didn’t just decline the invitation and move on. Rather, he decided to use his influence to elevate another, his buddy Chimham, and made a move that changed Chimham’s life forever. He asked David to allow Chimham to take his place, to receive the place of honor David had offered to Barzillai.  In a way, Barzillai became a sponsor for Chimham’s career, opening up doors that he never could have opened without Barzillai using his influence on his behalf.

Barzillai’s influence and sponsorship of Chimham placed him in a position of wealth, prominence, power and influence unparalleled as one who sits at the table of the King. Chimham crossed the river with David and headed back to Jerusalem as one of the King’s inner circle.

Wealth, Influence and you

So, let’s bring this to present day.  How does this apply to us?

If you are a Barzillai – an investor or someone established in your career – you have an opportunity to lift up entrepreneurs in business and nonprofit worlds as well as those in the beginning stages of their careers, to introduce them to patrons, to share your influence and network so that they can be propelled and accelerated along in the process of growing their businesses, establishing their careers and impacting the world for Christ. 

For those who have recently exited a business, there is an opportunity to stay engaged in business after “retiring.”  Consider being a part of lifting a future leader up, taking them under your wing and allowing them to benefit from your wisdom, experience and influence.

If you are a Chimham – a new entrepreneur or someone just starting out – be praying for and actively looking for those potential Barzillais that might be a sponsor for your future, and don’t forget to pay it forward as you become more established. We all have something to give, no matter the season we are in.

So, how will you be a Barzillai to the Chimhams in your life?  How will you leverage the position, experience, power, influence and wealth you have gained over the years?  It’s an important question to consider because we know we can’t take it with us when our time here is done.

We asked a question at the beginning of this – what would God have us do with our wealth and influence? This story only partially answers that question by giving an example of what God has done with wealth and influence in the past, but Barzillai is just one story. We all have something to offer, and God will do something with what we offer Him.

So how will you use what God has given you to lift up others?  And how will your wealth and influence be remembered in the footnotes of these pages?  Will it be remembered as a tool to increase your own status and glory or a tool that lifted others up and brought honor and glory to God?

If you want to learn more about how you can be a Barzillai, contact vip@thelionsdendfw.com

With the help of faith friends from our gathering of Faith Driven Investors, we’ve begun drafting a set of Unifying Principles. Our hope is that we can begin to come together under these thoughts and ideas to work toward a more full vision of what it means to let our faith drive our investments.

If you have thoughts, questions, concerns, things you’d change or add, please let us know! We’re relying on you, our community, to make this resource the best it can be.

So much of investing is focused on the “how” and “where.” But for the Faith Driven Investor, the biggest question we can ask is “why?”

While it’s the hope of this movement that dozens if not hundreds of new investment vehicles will be created across a wide variety of asset classes, breadth of selection will never be the most important result of our work, nor will the aggregate amount of money invested. Those will be important signposts of progress, but our hope is that every Christ follower sees each investment decision as a chance to hear from God.

The “how” we invest (seeking God) that is more important than the “where” of we invest. Even more important than the “how” and the “where” is the “why” of investing. We believe that when we come to understand the value of the gift of life, both now and eternal through the abundant generosity of God, that the natural response is one of worship and gratitude. Heart posture is the aspect that puts us in the best position to be successful in our investing.

This heart posture stems from a gratitude for the gift we’ve been given and an eagerness to serve God with it. We believe that God cares less about the size and strategy of your investment and more about your heart behind investing at all. So, before we start wondering how and where, we have to first ask why. We have to look in and up before we can go out.

Using Scripture as Our Guide

• Psalm 27:4 One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.

• Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

• Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

• Psalm 16:8 I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

• Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

• John 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

• Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

This article was originally published here.

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by Hugh Whelchel

Are wealthy people greedier than others?

According to a report in the Los Angeles Times, wealth breeds greed and other vices:

The rich really are different from the rest of us, scientists have found—they are more apt to commit unethical acts because they are more motivated by greed.

Is this reality or a stereotype? Has the media contributed to a perception that wealth and capitalism equal “greed”?

In the 1987 movie Wall Street, Gordon Gekko proclaims that “…greed—for the lack of a better word—is good.” Oliver Stone’s film sent a message that the free market system promotes greed and gives unscrupulous businessmen, like Gekko, a vehicle to line their pockets at the expense of others.

Real life events in the last 30 years have also reinforced this image, from Michel Milken and Enron to the subprime mortgage crisis.

The reality is that we are all susceptible to greed, rich and poor alike. Greed arises from man’s fallen nature. This fallen nature impels man to satisfy his desires with the least possible expenditure of effort, which often requires his satisfaction at the expense of others.

Cultural vs. Biblical Definition of Greed

Webster’s Dictionary defines greed as “a selfish and excessive desire for more of something (as money) than is needed.” Although most people, including many Christians, embrace this definition, where do we draw the line regarding “more of something than is needed” or what do I “deserve”?

Many have slipped into a relativistic definition of greed. Who decides not only what is needed, but when someone has more than enough? Who decides what one needs and deserves? Most of these cultural definitions of greed don’t address these questions.

In the New Testament, the Greek word pleonexia, originating from the Greek πλεονεξια, is the word that is most commonly translated as greed or covetousness (see Colossians 3:1–11; Luke 12:13–21; 1 Thessalonians 2:5; 2 Peter 2:3).

Biblical commentator John Ritenbaugh describes greed as a “ruthless self-seeking and an arrogant assumption that others and things exist for one’s own benefit.”

New Testament Greek scholar William Barclay describes pleonexia as an “accursed love of having,” which “will pursue its own interests with complete disregard for the rights of others, and even for the considerations of common humanity.”

There is an important thread that runs through the biblical definition that further qualifies the typical definitions of greed. It is the idea that greed fosters the taking of something that is not rightfully ours. Our culture’s current relativistic definition of greed does not address this component.

Yet, even with the biblical definition of greed, many still have a problem with the reason many have become wealthy in a free market system: self-interest.

A Biblical View of Self-Interest

There is a very clear difference between greed and self-interest. Self-interest is the willingness to do something of value for others to secure the things that benefit oneself.  In other words, our self-interest, or pursuing and using our own gifts, talents, and resources, informs how we will be useful to others. Without responding to our self-interest, we might wander fruitlessly trying to find a vocation.

The Scottish moral philosopher known as “the father of modern capitalism,” Adam Smith, wrote in The Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations that,

It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest.

This is a very biblical concept.

Yet today, many associate the word “self-interest” with selfishness. Dictionary.com defines self-interest as, “Regard for one’s own interest or advantage, especially with disregard for others.” That second clause is problematic.

“With disregard for others” was not the way Smith understood the term “self-interest,” nor is it true to the biblical definition. Smith’s position, and the Bible’s, is that you serve your self-interest when you serve the self-interest of others. The idea of wanton pursuit of unrestrained desires would have been objectionable to Smith, and should be to us as well.

The Bible does not condemn the pursuit of legitimate self-interest. Philippians 2:4 makes this very clear when Paul says,

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Echoing Paul’s admonition, Scott Rae, a professor of Christian ethics, writes that self-interest isn’t unbiblical, but must be balanced by love for others:

…there is a place for legitimate self-interest, to which the bible periodically appeals, only it must be balanced by a compassionate concern for the interest of others.

In his booklet, The Spirit of Democratic Capitalism: Thirty Years Later, the late Michael Novak explains that “self-interest” is not evil in and of itself; it manifests in different ways depending on the heart of the individual:

… “self-interest” is a morally neutral word. Sometimes it stands for something transcendently good: “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” [Matthew 8:36] It is more in our self-interest to love our neighbor as ourselves and to love God above all. …Some self-interests are evil, some are neutral, and some are very good.

So, while the Bible cautions that self-interest can devolve into the sin of selfishness and greed, biblical self-interest enables us to become well-functioning, contributing members of God’s community.

This is the way God made us, and it is important for us to understand self-interest in the context of our work. The biblical idea of self-interest, rightly understood, allows us to work creatively, using all our God-given gifts in a way that serves our own needs whileserving the needs of others.

This video was originally published here.

Synergy Village started when Loren and Adele Funk invited homeless people to participate in a Christmas celebration. After singing carols and handing out gifts though, they found out that there was something more these people needed—homes.

Watch this video to find out what happened next in their story…