A Different Review of 2021
Read Time / 3 Minutes
Theme / Behavioral Finance
A search for “2021 in review” on the internet returns a litany of topics: famous people we lost, the year in pictures, best cookbooks, the year in sports, best podcasts, favorite video games, notable news events, and even the most popular political cartoons of the year. Of course, there are many reviews of the stock market’s performance, including projections for the future.
However, we thought we’d take a different approach to reviewing the investment landscape. At Christian Wealth Management we focus on Biblically Responsible Investments, which means we help clients invest for competitive returns while making a positive impact on lives. But what impact did our investments make on lives in 2021? It is a relevant question since the Boise office of Christian Wealth Management manages over $40 million in investments for hundreds of clients, which translates into doing a lot of good in the world.
When we help clients invest, we use investment firms that are selective in what companies they invest in. These investment firms seek to honor the Lord by evaluating the products, practices, and philanthropy of companies. By investing in companies that pass the screening process, our clients impact lives for good around the world. But to take it a step further, the investment firms we use also use their profits to help others.
One investment firm we use donates a portion of their profits to strive to end abortion with the support of legislation, pregnancy centers, and community outreach, fight for stricter laws and awareness of child labor and sex trafficking, protect the rights of Christians all over the world, prepare biblical entrepreneurs as they enter the marketplace, and support family values in our culture’s entertainment.
Another investment firm we use donates a portion of their profits to provide people with a clean water source, reach people with the gospel, give Bibles to the persecuted Church, deliver Operation Shoebox gifts, counsel women considering abortion, and provide legal representation for the oppressed. This investment firm even projects the impact that a $250,000 portfolio (using an expected annual return of 7%) can make over 20 years, estimating that 63,056 babies may be spared through pro-life counsel.
A third investment firm we use is applying a portion of their profits to launch a Center for Faith and Investing, “with the goal of inspiring an authentically Christian practice of modern investing.” Through an on-line journal, the investment firm plans on publishing articles and interviews exploring the theology and practice of faithful investing. The firm will also offer courses to educate both individuals and financial advisors on a biblical approach to investing.
It is good for us to reflect on the past and learn from it. When Moses spoke to the nation of Israel before they entered the promised land, he encouraged them to “Remember the days of old” (Deuteronomy 32:7) because he was afraid the Israelites would forget how God cared for them. In a similar vein, it is important for us to review the performance of our investments in 2021, but it is just as important to consider what impact our investments made in the world. Let us not forget the Lord in our investments!
Doug Hanson, MBA
Wealth Advisor
208.697.3699
doug@christianwm.com
