• Home
      • Shareholder Account Access
      • Open An Account
      • Advisor Access
      • Advisor Dashboard
    • About
      • Our Story
      • Our Screens
      • Our Team
      • Our Community
      • Our Timeline
      • Contact Us
    • Funds
      • Request Information
      • Prospectus & Reports
      • Application Packets
      • Fund Summaries
      • Fund Managers
      • Performance
      • Type of Accounts
    • ETFs
      • Prospectus & Reports
      • US Large Cap Core ETF
      • High Dividend Stock ETF
      • International ETF
      • US Small Cap Core ETF
    • Resources
      • Literature
      • Investor Reports
      • FAQ
    • Blog
  • Home
    • Shareholder Account Access
    • Open An Account
    • Advisor Access
    • Advisor Dashboard
  • About
    • Our Story
    • Our Screens
    • Our Team
    • Our Community
    • Our Timeline
    • Contact Us
  • Funds
    • Request Information
    • Prospectus & Reports
    • Application Packets
    • Fund Summaries
    • Fund Managers
    • Performance
    • Type of Accounts
  • ETFs
    • Prospectus & Reports
    • US Large Cap Core ETF
    • High Dividend Stock ETF
    • International ETF
    • US Small Cap Core ETF
  • Resources
    • Literature
    • Investor Reports
    • FAQ
  • Blog

The Power of Faith-Based Investing

August 15, 2019

A new book aimed at financial advisors and their clients and focusing on the growing field of faith-based investing has just been released.

Published by The Signatry, a Kansas-based global Christian foundation that specializes in financial stewardship, the book, “Investing & Faith: The Impact of Faith-Based Investing,” was edited by Signatry President Steve French.

The 169-page book leads off with a history of the field by Timothy Plan Founder and President Art Ally.

“You don’t have to be a Christian to want to invest your money in companies that make the world a better – not a worse – place,” writes Mr. Ally. “But Christians and Jews have additional insight through the Scriptures that all our money – and our time – belongs to God, not just the money we tithe, or the time we spend in worship.”

Beginning with John Wesley (1703-1791), Mr. Ally chronicles various figures in history who counseled Christians to put their money where their values are.

How Timothy Plan Came to Be

He then tells his own story about how the Timothy Plan became the first Biblically Responsible Investing mutual fund:

“In 1992 I had a very nice practice going in Orlando (Covenant Financial Management) and a 14-year career as a financial consultant and branch manager, but I felt called by God to make a change. I was very active in the pro-life community but wanted to do much more for God’s Kingdom.

“My hot button was the fact that, while pastors in denominations often had decent retirement plans, the pastors from independent churches were left high and dry. So, I began to put together a retirement program geared to helping them on a national scale.

“I soon realized that I could not use companies that trafficked in sin when these pastors were preaching against the evils of abortion and pornography from the pulpits. I looked around for a system that would screen out offenders and allow for building biblically responsible portfolios, not only for pastors but also for other Christian investors. But I found little that reflected biblical principles. A few socially screened funds excluded alcohol and tobacco, but none screened for issues such as abortion and pornography.

“After two years of research and development, in March 1994, we launched the Timothy Plan, a mutual fund based on a founding commitment that we would never compromise biblical principles. We have been true to that vision throughout, and I believe that’s why God has allowed us to proceed and grow.”

In addition to Mr. Ally and Mr. French, the book has 13 other contributors, including Cassandra Laymon, Hillary Sunderland, Jason Myhre, Jeff Rogers, John Silverling, Rachel McDonough, Mark Regier, Chad Horning, Dwight Short, Loran F. Graham, Brian Cohoon, Harry Pearson and Bill High. Here are a few more excerpts.

Taking the Abortion Issue Personally

Rachel McDonough, a Certified Financial Planner and a Certified Kingdom Advisor, tells her own story about how she gravitated toward Faith-Based Investing.

“Many of the Faith-Based Investing concepts were new to me, but I couldn’t claim total ignorance,” she wrote, noting that she recalled discussions about how vulnerable people were to vices such as alcohol abuse and tobacco during hard times.

“Then there was the issue of abortion. If any issue hits close to home, it’s this one. My grandmother was raped in the 1950s. She was not a Christian at that time. Still, she courageously fought to keep that baby. … she had the righteous determination to protect the unborn life of my mother, no matter what it cost her personally. So how was it that I only two generations later, could be so indifferent to her legacy that I didn’t even bother to ask if some of the profits in my portfolio might be coming from the business of terminating unwanted babies?

“The cold, hard truth was extremely uncomfortable. I had been investing God’s money in the campaigns of His enemy, businesses that preyed upon human weaknesses and exploited the poor through slave labor.”

Over the next four years, she “integrated biblical wisdom into my practice” and never looked back: “Praise God for His mercy and grace!”

Surprised in Africa

Steve French had been a longtime successful investor and owner of a legal auditing firm, but felt himself called to do more for God’s Kingdom. He joined a board of a nonprofit ministry that trained missionaries and provided it office space in his building.

“While it’s a much longer story, my wife Debbie and I found ourselves investing in missions work in Africa,” he writes. “Before you think this was some noble effort, let me tell you I had no interest or desire in going to Africa. None. But I had some friends who tricked me into going… they convinced me that I was the only one who could go and solve an existing problem …The trip opened my eyes to the developing world and its Kingdom needs in a way that changed my family forever!”

He eventually went on to join The Signatry, which was founded by Bill High. Mr. French notes that “my business needed to be aligned with my Kingdom investments. For only one of these will last.”

A Huge Opportunity

Brian Cohoon, a Kentucky-based Certified Financial Planner practitioner, shares how he became convicted after reading Randy Alcorn’s book “Money, Possessions and Eternity.” He also studied the Scriptures with fellow advisor Dan Hardt, a pioneer in Faith-Based Investing who helped popularize the term Biblically Responsible Investing.

Noting that the United States has 105 million self-identified Evangelicals, 68 million Catholics and 4.6 million mainline Protestants, Mr. Cohoon says the opportunity to effect change through morally-centered investing is huge.

“There is nearly $10 trillion in portfolios owned by Evangelicals living in the United States, $6.5 trillion owned by Catholics and $4.6 trillion owned by mainline Protestants,” he writes. This combined $21.1 trillion in investments supports “abortion, pornography, and other activities that do not align with biblical values. Imagine the impact if we could align these portfolios with God’s priorities.”

Honoring God

That was exactly what Art Ally had in mind when he pioneered Biblically Responsible Investing with Timothy Plan’s launch in 1994.

“You can’t give if you haven’t got,” he writes in “Investing & Faith. “Now we can earn returns on our money without being vested in things that are contrary to the love and mission of Christ. With the options available today and the knowledge of those options, you’re either working for God or against Him. God enables us to allocate His resources, but it is our responsibility to allocate funds in a way that honors God.”

Robert Knight

A writer for Timothy Partners, Ltd. He is a regular weekly columnist for The Washington Times and Townhall.com and is frequently published by AmericanThinker.com, DailyCaller.com, OneNewsNow.com, and others. He has authored the following books: “A Strong Constitution: What Would America Look Like If We Followed the Law” (D. James Kennedy Ministries, 2018), Invested with Purpose: The Birth of the Biblically-Responsible Investment Movement, and A Nation Worth Fighting For: 10 Steps to Restore Freedom.

Post Views: 568
Share

Biblically Responsible Investing  / Culture

  • Recent Posts

    • A Businessman Who Really Did Give it All Over to God
      September 28, 2022
    • A 'Screwtape' Approach to Keeping Christians from Biblically Responsible Investing
      September 21, 2022
    • Both Inflation and Inaction Are Unbiblical
      September 14, 2022
    • Misunderstood in the Neighborhood
      August 18, 2022
    • Billy Graham was the inspiration for the new Biblegraph
      August 9, 2022
  • Categories

  • Instagram

    In challenging moments and times of uncertainty, i In challenging moments and times of uncertainty, it's natural to feel disheartened. However, as devoted followers of Jesus Christ, we are encouraged to prioritize seeking the Lord in every aspect of our lives, especially during tough circumstances.

As Hurricane Milton approaches Florida, remember the importance of relying not on our own understanding but rather anchoring ourselves in God's eternal word. The Scriptures remind us that even when storms rage around us—both literally and metaphorically—our faith can remain steadfast.

By immersing ourselves in prayer and scripture our hearts will be firmly planted in the truth of Christ’s promises. Trusting Him provides peace amid turmoil and assurance that we will endure with unwavering faith through any trial. #faith #HurricaneMilton #StaySafeFlorida #InChrist
    In light of the impending Hurricane Milton, we ext In light of the impending Hurricane Milton, we extend a heartfelt prayer from Timothy Plan for all individuals and families in Central Florida who may be affected by this powerful storm.

As communities prepare to face potential challenges brought on by high winds and heavy rainfall, our thoughts are with those facing uncertainty. We encourage everyone to stay informed through local news sources and official weather updates, ensuring that safety measures are taken seriously.

We pray not only for protection but also for a swift recovery for anyone impacted by this potentially catastrophic storm. Together, we stand strong as one community—ready to support each other before, during, and after the storm passes. #Prayer #InChristAlone #HurricaneMilton
    What matters to God, is what matters most! "Guard What matters to God, is what matters most! "Guard against greed, and remember that life is not measured by how much you own." Luke 12:15 #GodsWord #Jesus #Investing #Faith #Finance #Bible
    Instagram post 17990800526562988 Instagram post 17990800526562988
    Instagram post 18013476379868531 Instagram post 18013476379868531
    Instagram post 17974569377604264 Instagram post 17974569377604264
    Instagram post 17893244957825010 Instagram post 17893244957825010
    Instagram post 18033054436593905 Instagram post 18033054436593905
    Instagram post 17987921465193414 Instagram post 17987921465193414
    Load More... Follow on Instagram


  • Biblically Responsible Investing

    Investing involves risk, including the potential loss of principal.

    Before investing, carefully consider the fund’s investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses of the investment company. This and other important information can be found in the fund’s prospectus. To obtain a copy, visit TIMOTHYPLAN.COM or call 800.846.7526. Read each prospectus carefully before investing.

    Because the Timothy Plan Funds do not invest in excluded securities, the Funds may be riskier than other funds that invest in a broader array of securities. There are risks when a fund limits its investments to particular sized companies, and all companies are subject to market risk. The Fund recently experienced significant negative short-term performance due to market volatility associated with the Covid-19 pandemic.

    MUTUAL FUND INVESTOR

    To read more about our mutual funds, please click this link to access fund information, including the prospectus, fact sheets, performance, and holdings for each fund.A prospectus is available from the Fund or your financial professional that contains more complete, important information. Please read it carefully before investing. Mutual Funds distributed by Timothy Partners, Ltd. Member FINRA.

    HEADQUARTERS: 1055 Maitland Center Commons, Maitland, FL
    (800) 846-7526  |   Send an email  |   View our map
    MUTUAL FUND SHAREHOLDER SERVICES: c/o Ultimus Fund Solutions, Post Office Box 541150, Omaha, NE 68154-1150
    (800) 662-0201  |   Account Access

    ETF INVESTOR

    To read more about our ETFs, please click this link to access fund information, including fact sheets, performance and holdings for each fund. A prospectus is available from the Fund or your financial professional that contains more complete, important information. Please read it carefully before investing. ETFs distributed by Foreside Fund Services, LLC, Member FINRA. Timothy Partners, Ltd. is not affiliated with Foreside Fund Services, LLC.

    ETF SHAREHOLDER SERVICES: Contact your financial advisor for information regarding your account.

© Copyright TIMOTHY PLAN. All rights reserved.