By Tim Russell, CFP®, CKA® (President & Wealth Manager) at Life Financial Group
Originally shared on the Life in the Markets podcast — 2/1/2026

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

 

 

 

*Note: you will get the most out of this update by watching the video above*

If you haven’t watched part 1 of this 2-part series, please click here.

How Investing Can Make the World a Better Place

Biblical Stewardship, Capital at Work, and Human Flourishing

Investing as a Biblical Calling

This is the second post in our series exploring the biblical command to invest. Last week, we talked about the biblical trajectory of Scripture: we begin in a garden and we end in a city. From the very beginning, God creates mankind and gives us work to do. Adam is placed in the garden “to cultivate it and keep it”—to develop, steward, and bring forth fruit from the world God created.

That mandate didn’t disappear with the fall. It continues today. God calls His people to be actively involved in the world, creating, building, investing, and stewarding, for the flourishing of humanity and the glory of God.

Today, we want to answer a practical question:
How does investing actually help make the world a better place?

 

Is There Really a Biblical Mandate to Invest?

Let’s begin with an important clarification. When we say there is a biblical mandate to invest, we don’t mean that owning a 401(k), Roth IRA, or brokerage account is a requirement for salvation—or that it’s sinful not to have one. Those tools are extra-biblical.

However, Scripture clearly teaches that God’s people are meant to participate in productive economic activity, develop resources, and steward what He provides. The Bible consistently affirms engagement in business, work, and investment as part of faithful obedience.

 

The First Layer: Investing Through Your Vocation

The most fundamental way we “invest” is through our daily work.

Whether you’re bussing tables, preparing tax returns, writing software, managing people, or working in the corporate world, your labor contributes directly or indirectly to the creation and delivery of goods and services that help the world function.

The key question is not, “Is my job glamorous?”
The key question is, “Does what I do contribute to human flourishing?”

When we work in faith, seeking the good of those we serve, the good of those we work alongside, and the glory of God, our labor becomes an act of worship.

 

The Second Layer: Creating Businesses and Solving Problems

Another way we fulfill the creation mandate is by starting businesses or developing services that unlock the raw creative potential God placed in the world.

This doesn’t mean everyone must farm or garden. It can include:

  • Developing technology that improves lives
  • Creating software that reduces friction and inefficiency
  • Offering services that solve real problems

The curse brought thorns and thistles into the world, but part of our calling is to weed the garden. We push back against brokenness by creating order, beauty, productivity, and solutions wherever God places us.

 

The Third Layer: Investing Capital to Do Good

For many people, the most practical way to invest is by putting excess capital—income beyond our immediate needs—to work in companies that are doing good in the world.

When you invest in businesses that:

  • Treat illness and disease
  • Develop helpful technologies
  • Provide essential goods and services

…you are participating in God’s ongoing work of cultivation and care.

“Does My Investment Really Matter?”

You might ask:
“If my $50,000 mutual fund investment is spread across hundreds of companies, does my small portion really make a difference?”

Individually, no single investment changes a multinational corporation overnight. But collectively, the answer is absolutely yes.

Globally—and especially in America—Christians control a significant portion of the world’s wealth. When believers intentionally align their capital with biblical values, it sends powerful signals to markets, businesses, and corporate leadership.

Capital matters. Ownership matters. And God cares about how we steward both.

Why Ownership and Stock Investing Still Matters

Some argue that buying stocks on the open market doesn’t help companies directly since the money goes to the previous shareholder. While technically true, it misses an important reality: stocks represent ownership.

Ownership:

  • Confers influence
  • Determines valuation
  • Supports ongoing operations
  • Reflects moral endorsement

When Christians own companies, even indirectly, we participate in their success. That means we should ask:
Are these companies making the world better or worse?

 

Biblically Responsible Investing at The Life Group

At The Life Group, we offer biblically responsible investment (BRI) models that seek to align financial stewardship with Christian convictions.

We aim to avoid investing in industries such as:

  • Tobacco
  • Alcohol
  • Gambling
  • Pornography

By aligning capital with values, we:

  • Encourage ethical business practices
  • Support companies that promote human flourishing
  • Signal to markets that faith-driven investing matters

When enough investors act this way, it reshapes incentives across the financial world.

Returns, Risk, and the Parable of the Talents

Christian investing is not anti-return. Scripture teaches that faithful stewardship expects growth. The parable of the talents makes it clear: investing wisely is commended, while burying resources is not.

That said, biblically responsible investing does not guarantee superior returns or immunity from market downturns. Historically, BRI returns have been comparable to non-BRI strategies, though there may be periods of underperformance, especially when certain large tech companies dominate market gains.

The real question is not just “Will this outperform the S&P 500?”
The deeper question is: Is this faithful?

 

Proxy Voting, Worldviews, and Why It Matters

One often-overlooked issue is proxy voting. Large asset managers vote on corporate decisions based on their worldview, not yours. When your money is invested through organizations that do not share your convictions, you may be indirectly supporting agendas that contradict your faith.

This is why, over the past 20 years, The Life Financial Group has increasingly partnered with faith-focused investment organizations, firms that seek not only financial return but moral alignment.

 

Is Biblically Responsible Investing Worth It?

Biblically responsible investing may mean:

  • Missing out on some short-term gains
  • Avoiding certain high-flying tech stocks
  • Accepting periods of underperformance

But it also means:

  • Investing with integrity
  • Aligning wealth with faith
  • Trusting God with both means and outcomes

Our encouragement is simple:
Put your capital to work in companies that do good, and trust the Lord with the results.

 

Final Encouragement and Invitation

God is doing a good work in this world. Through investing, you have the opportunity to participate in that work—for human flourishing, for your own provision, and for His glory.

If you’d like to explore what biblically responsible investing could look like for you, we invite you to schedule a free stewardship review at thelifegroup.org. We would be honored to walk alongside you.

 

 

Stay Connected

Have questions or topics you’d like us to cover in a future episode? Email us at contact@thelifegroup.org with “Life in the Markets” in the subject line.

✅ Like, comment, and subscribe on YouTube
🎧 Listen to the audio podcast wherever you get your shows
📘 Pick up a copy of The Good Steward to grow in your financial discipleship

 

 

The topics discussed in this podcast are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendations.  Investing and investment strategies involve risk, including the potential loss of principal. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.  All information herein is from sources believed reliable but is not guaranteed for accuracy or completeness.The team assumes no liability for any errors, omissions, or actions taken based on this material. Information is as of the date stated and subject to change without notice. Securities and advisory services offered through GWM, Inc, Member FINRA/SIPC