Biblically Responsible Investing: My Story
By: Wade Johnson
It was fast approaching Christmas 2000, and I was making my strategic annual trip to the mall. Malls in general are not a place I feel at home, so I attempted to make this once a year trip at a time when the store crowds would be of reasonable size, and only after I had compiled a list of specific gifts to buy. I was making good time through the mall when a new store caught my attention. It wasn’t that I was allured by clever Christmas marketing in the store window; I saw a store in which I had just purchased stock. As the dot com bubble was bursting at that time, a teenage clothing store seemed like a defensive position that might provide some shelter from an overall down market. I understand that young teenage girls don’t accept cuts in their allowance during economic downturns.
As I walked into the store, it took me a moment to understand what I was looking at. Immediately, I noticed a theme: it appeared that I had just purchased stock in a clothing store that catered to girls that don’t eat enough to stay healthy, and don’t respect their bodies enough to fully clothe themselves. Even without the experience that I now have (of being married and having a daughter), I somehow felt dirty. Could my investment be promoting eating disorders and immodesty in our culture.
Suddenly, my eyes were opened to the responsibility that I had as a Christian to invest in a way that brings glory to God and does not contradict His principles. While no person or company is perfect, I made a decision from that point on, that those kind of evaluations would be part of my future investment decisions. This was God’s way of introducing me to the concept of Biblically Responsible Investing.
What’s your BRI introduction story? If you would like to learn more, check out our special report: How Your Investments Can Positively Impact the World. We’d love to help you on your Stewardship Journey!
Disclaimer: This article must not be construed as investment advice or a buy/sell recommendation.