The Faith and Investing Podcast

After our interview last week with Andy Crouch, ECFI’s Editor-at-Large Amy Sherman sat down with Executive Director Jason Myhre to reflect on Crouch’s insights. Listen in as they unpack his metaphor of a “bubble on top of a sinkhole,” challenge conventional views of profit, and offer a compelling vision for faithful investing.  On this episode: Matt Galyon , Associate Director, ECFI Jason Myhre ,...

Andy Crouch sits down with Editor-at-Large Amy Sherman to discuss the Biblical teaching on Mammon, combating greed with generosity, and how financial advisors can invest with redemptive aim. On this episode: Matt Galyon , Associate Director, ECFI Andy Crouch , Partner for Theology and Culture, Praxis   Notes & Links : View our Courses The communication herein is provided for informational purp...

There are many realities of twenty-first century life, like social media, Artificial Intelligence, or investing—that are not directly addressed in Scripture. For these modern cultural developments, we cannot point to a singular “chapter and verse” of Scripture to define what faithfulness looks like. So how do address these developments from a biblical perspective?  To engage wisely in these areas,...

Why did God make gold? If you were to survey a number of people on the street with this question, you’re sure to get some interesting answers. One may say he created it to give us a material to express beauty through art or fashion. Another might say that it was created to tempt us to love and worship something other than him. Still another, say someone who works in the investment world, may say h...

In 1941, Oxford professor C.S. Lewis revealed that he had, through some mysterious chain of events, come into the possession of a collection of letters from one of the devil’s senior agents named Screwtape. The letters, which were addressed to his young apprentice nephew Wormwood, offered Screwtape’s crafty expertise in the art of temptation, which Wormwood then employed on his “patient.” Recently...

In 1992 a book was released that offered transformation and happiness through discipline, accountability, and persistence. It attacked the idols of consumerism and workaholism and bemoaned their devastating consequences on our pursuit of joy and purpose in life.  The book was Your Money or Your Life, and it ended up being the match that lit the flame of the modern day FIRE movement.  FIRE in the p...

Economic activity is the result of human labor. Though technology has increasingly depersonalized economic exchange, it is still a fundamental truth that work cannot be separated from the worker. The two exist in a symbiotic relationship. We often acknowledge one side of this relationship: work as a product of the worker. We see quality cabinetry as the product of a skilled carpenter and a beautif...

Today we are back with the second installment of Winn Collier’s two-part piece, “Shepherding Clients | Pastoral Wisdom for Financial Advisors.” In his first piece, Winn encouraged financial advisors to view their work as a ministry by keeping God at the center, listening well, and inviting clients into a larger story. This work, however, is not always easy. As important and fulfilling as it may be...

If you are a financial advisor, or a client of one, then you likely know that good advising requires a certain level of relationship with the client. To understand how to wisely steward a client’s resources, the advisor must understand the client themselves. For the Christian financial advisor, this patient pursuit of wise personal guidance shares a—perhaps surprising—resemblance to pastoral work....

In a previous episode , New Testament professor Jonathan Moo pointed out the connection between the words ecology, economics, and stewardship. Moo noted that "ecology" is derived from the Greek word oikos which means “home.” "Economics" is derived from "oikonomia" which means "management of home." And "steward" is derived from "oikonomoi,&quot...

Today, we are pleased to present the final podcast in our series centered around James K.A. Smith’s thesis that our habits and practices shape our hearts.   Last week, Amy Sherman and Jason Myhre dove deeper into the relevancy of this idea to our cultural practices in the world of investing. But you may be wondering how it impacts your own life.  In today’s article, Dr. Amy Sherman takes a look at...

In this episode, ECFI's Jason Myhre and Amy Sherman reflect on our recent interview with James K.A. Smith. Listen for more on how Christian educational institutions can redirect their language and images from cultural idols of investing, what it can look like for financial advisors to act as spiritual directors for their clients, and a preview summary of Amy's upcoming journal article. O...

James K.A. Smith has written extensively on how our hearts are—often unintentionally—formed by our habits. In this interview, he shares investing habits we may be participating in that could be subtly shaping our view of money. On this episode: Matt Galyon , Associate Director, ECFI Amy Sherman , Editor-at-Large, ECFI James K.A. Smith ,  Author Notes & Links : View our Courses These communicat...

The book of Romans has been praised by theologians as a masterful explanation of the doctrine of salvation. Martin Luther in fact called the book “the clearest gospel of all.” The bulk of Romans, chapters 1-11, consists of Paul explaining how God has acted in Christ to reconcile sinners to himself and grant them eternal life through his Spirit. But in chapter 12, Paul get’s practical for the belie...

Over one third of the Psalms are laments: songs or prayers that cry out in an expression of sorrow, mourning, or regret.  Many of these laments are outward expressions of inward suffering, like in Psalm 25 when King David cries out, “The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses.” Yet that is not the only kind of lament we see. Like Psalm 10, some laments are outward cries o...

In Mark 12:31, Jesus says that the second greatest commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself. This call to neighborly love, along with the preceding primary command to love God with mind, body, and soul, is a beautifully succinct summation of the moral law. Yet despite its rhetorical simplicity, the practical application of this command can often feel impossibly complex.  This is especially...

God’s story for humanity begins in a garden but ends with a city. Have you ever stopped to contemplate the overarching trajectory of the biblical narrative from garden to city? In the garden, we see God’s good and beautiful natural creation, in a city, we have the cultural embodiment of human development. Why does the picture of God’s place with his people change in this way from original creation...

One helpful way for developing a biblical worldview is by comparing and contrasting cultural idols with the biblical story. When it comes to the economic and financial domain, two dominant cultural idols are that of convenience and greed. In today’s article from Will Sorrell, Will analyzes the ways these cultural idols manifest within our lives and then provides two biblical themes that help us co...

When you hear God's command to cultivate creation, what do you think of? Many people may think of agriculture, innovation, or even art. But very few people probably think of wealth. In today's episode, Dr. Jordan Ballor explores how capital, and the supply of that capital through investing, is actually a very powerful way we are able to participate in the creation mandate.  On this episo...

In this episode, Tim Weinhold sits down with Jonathan Moo to discuss his recent series for the ECFI journal. Dr. Moo discusses some of the root causes for why he believes much of the church has ignored or been wary of conversations around environmental issues. He then proceeds to explain how the whole Bible, from start to finish, shows a concern for the material world and its creatures. Toward the...

Old Testament laws given in the agrarian context of ancient Israel have much to teach us about how God intends us to care for creation.  Learn how these laws apply to modern day investing in the second part of Jonathan Moo's series "Ecology, Economics, and our Common Home." On this episode: Matt Galyon , Associate Director, ECFI Jonathan Moo , Professor, Whitworth University Notes &...

What does our place in the creation order tell us about how to care for the world, and what are the implications for our investing practices? In this two part series, Jonathan Moo explores these questions with the help of two recent books on environmental stewardship. On this episode: Matt Galyon , Associate Director, ECFI Jonathan Moo , Professor, Whitworth University Notes & Links : View our...

We welcome you to join the summer semester of our six-lesson course for Christian financial advisors called "Discover God's Story for Investing." On this episode: Matt Galyon , Associate Director, ECFI Notes & Links : View our Financial Advisor Course These communication herein is provided for informational purposes only and was made possible with the financial support of Eventi...

Early in his career, Loran Graham was following the world's story for investing. Now, he views wealth management as a form of worship. In this interview, Loran shares how God transformed his view of investing—and what that looks like in his advisory practice. On this episode: Matt Galyon , Associate Director, ECFI Loran Graham , Founder, CEO & President of Loran Graham Company Notes &...

Hear the second part of Winn Collier's two-part series "A Stockbroker's Tale." In this piece, "The Questions We Never Ask," Winn reflects on his experience working in finance on 9/11—and the quick financial rebound that followed. What can this teach Christians about the need for reflection in such a fast-paced industry? On this episode: Matt Galyon , Associate Directo...