The Faith and Investing Podcast

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. Our next two episodes feature articles from former financial professional turned pastor Winn Collier. In these articles, Winn seeks to come alongside financial advisors and show them how they can shepherd their client. To borrow the language from the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 4:12, these pieces hope to “equip the [financial advisor] saints for the work of ministry.”If you’re not an advisor, we encourage you to listen along as well, as Winn’s counsel to financial advisors regarding their clients can apply more broadly to bringing a ministerial mindset to all of our relationships.On this episode:Matt Galyon, Associate Director, ECFI Winn Collier, Director, Eugene Peterson Center for Christian Imagination, Western Theological Seminary Notes & Links: View our Courses These communication herein is provided for informational purposes only and was made possible with the financial support of Eventide Asset Management, LLC (“Eventide”), an investment adviser. Eventide Center for Faith and Investing is an educational initiative of Eventide. In some cases, information in this communication may include statements by individuals that are current clients or investors in Eventide, and/or individuals compensated for providing their statements. In such cases, Eventide identifies all relevant details of the relationship, the compensation, and any conflicts of interest, within the communication which can be found at faithandinvesting.com.  Information contained herein has been obtained from third-party sources believed to be reliable. Statements made by ECFI should not be interpreted as a recommendation or advice pertaining to any security. Investing involves risk including the possible loss of principal.

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," the one who is entrusted with managing the home.It is this more expansive meaning of the word stewardship—and the implications it has on how we think about investing—that we’re going to hear about today. For more background on the broader understanding of the scope of "home" in oikinomia, see: What Did the Ancient Greeks Mean by Okonomia? | by Dotan Leshem Oikonomia as "Ethical Accommodation" in the Fathers, and its Pagan Backgrounds | by J. Reumann On this episode:Matt Galyon, Associate Director, ECFI Jason Myhre, Executive Director, ECFI Notes & Links: View our Courses These communication herein is provided for informational purposes only and was made possible with the financial support of Eventide Asset Management, LLC (“Eventide”), an investment adviser. Eventide Center for Faith and Investing is an educational initiative of Eventide. In some cases, information in this communication may include statements by individuals that are current clients or investors in Eventide, and/or individuals compensated for providing their statements. In such cases, Eventide identifies all relevant details of the relationship, the compensation, and any conflicts of interest, within the communication which can be found at faithandinvesting.com.  Information contained herein has been obtained from third-party sources believed to be reliable. Statements made by ECFI should not be interpreted as a recommendation or advice pertaining to any security. Investing involves risk including the possible loss of principal.

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 a number of common modern day financial behaviors and their subsequent effects on our heart. What is the spiritual impact of constant market-monitoring? What about the pursuit of profit above all else? After exploring the ways these cultural financial liturgies can shape the human heart, Amy offers up some alternative practices: counter-formational activities that depart from the world’s patterns and direct our hearts toward the ways of God instead.On this episode:Matt Galyon, Associate Director, ECFIAmy Sherman, Editor-at-Large, ECFINotes & Links:View our CoursesThese communication herein is provided for informational purposes only and was made possible with the financial support of Eventide Asset Management, LLC (“Eventide”), an investment adviser. Eventide Center for Faith and Investing is an educational initiative of Eventide. In some cases, information in this communication may include statements by individuals that are current clients or investors in Eventide, and/or individuals compensated for providing their statements. In such cases, Eventide identifies all relevant details of the relationship, the compensation, and any conflicts of interest, within the communication which can be found at faithandinvesting.com.  Information contained herein has been obtained from third-party sources believed to be reliable. Statements made by ECFI should not be interpreted as a recommendation or advice pertaining to any security. Investing involves risk including the possible loss of principal.

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.On this episode:Matt Galyon, Associate Director, ECFIJason Myhre, Executive Director, ECFI Amy Sherman, Editor-at-Large, ECFI Notes & Links: View our Courses These communication herein is provided for informational purposes only and was made possible with the financial support of Eventide Asset Management, LLC (“Eventide”), an investment adviser. Eventide Center for Faith and Investing is an educational initiative of Eventide. In some cases, information in this communication may include statements by individuals that are current clients or investors in Eventide, and/or individuals compensated for providing their statements. In such cases, Eventide identifies all relevant details of the relationship, the compensation, and any conflicts of interest, within the communication which can be found at faithandinvesting.com.  Information contained herein has been obtained from third-party sources believed to be reliable. Statements made by ECFI should not be interpreted as a recommendation or advice pertaining to any security. Investing involves risk including the possible loss of principal.

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, ECFIAmy Sherman, Editor-at-Large, ECFIJames K.A. Smith,  AuthorNotes & Links:View our CoursesThese communication herein is provided for informational purposes only and was made possible with the financial support of Eventide Asset Management, LLC (“Eventide”), an investment adviser. Eventide Center for Faith and Investing is an educational initiative of Eventide. In some cases, information in this communication may include statements by individuals that are current clients or investors in Eventide, and/or individuals compensated for providing their statements. In such cases, Eventide identifies all relevant details of the relationship, the compensation, and any conflicts of interest, within the communication which can be found at faithandinvesting.com.  Information contained herein has been obtained from third-party sources believed to be reliable. Statements made by ECFI should not be interpreted as a recommendation or advice pertaining to any security. Investing involves risk including the possible loss of principal.

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 believers in Rome. Commentator Douglas Moo, says that in chapters 12-15 Paul “urges Christians to manifest the power of the gospel in specific areas of day-to-day life.” It is within this context that we find, in Romans 12:9 a key admonition toward gospel living: “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.”In today’s article, Matt Rusten explores how this admonition towards gospel living applies to our immediate day-to-day lives in the world of investing. What does this admonition have to say about the way we allow the gospel to transform our lives as investors?On this episode:Matt Galyon, Associate Director, ECFI Matt Rusten, President, Made to Flourish Notes & Links: View our Courses These communication herein is provided for informational purposes only and was made possible with the financial support of Eventide Asset Management, LLC (“Eventide”), an investment adviser. Eventide Center for Faith and Investing is an educational initiative of Eventide. In some cases, information in this communication may include statements by individuals that are current clients or investors in Eventide, and/or individuals compensated for providing their statements. In such cases, Eventide identifies all relevant details of the relationship, the compensation, and any conflicts of interest, within the communication which can be found at faithandinvesting.com.  Information contained herein has been obtained from third-party sources believed to be reliable. Statements made by ECFI should not be interpreted as a recommendation or advice pertaining to any security. Investing involves risk including the possible loss of principal.

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 on behalf of the suffering and injustice we see in the world. In today’s article, Dr. Amy Sherman explores what it would look like to bring this type of lament to the world of business and investing. On this episode:Matt Galyon, Associate Director, ECFI Amy Sherman, Editor-at-Large, ECFI Notes & Links: View our Courses These communication herein is provided for informational purposes only and was made possible with the financial support of Eventide Asset Management, LLC (“Eventide”), an investment adviser. Eventide Center for Faith and Investing is an educational initiative of Eventide. In some cases, information in this communication may include statements by individuals that are current clients or investors in Eventide, and/or individuals compensated for providing their statements. In such cases, Eventide identifies all relevant details of the relationship, the compensation, and any conflicts of interest, within the communication which can be found at faithandinvesting.com.  Information contained herein has been obtained from third-party sources believed to be reliable. Statements made by ECFI should not be interpreted as a recommendation or advice pertaining to any security. Investing involves risk including the possible loss of principal.

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 true when it comes to financial and investment decisions: how do we economically love our neighbors?In today’s episode, we feature an article by Dr. Tom Nelson that seeks to try and help us answer this question by looking at four strategies we can consider for increasing our capacity for neighborly love.On this episode:Matt Galyon, Associate Director, ECFI Tom Nelson, President, Made to Flourish Notes & Links: View our Courses These communication herein is provided for informational purposes only and was made possible with the financial support of Eventide Asset Management, LLC (“Eventide”), an investment adviser. Eventide Center for Faith and Investing is an educational initiative of Eventide. In some cases, information in this communication may include statements by individuals that are current clients or investors in Eventide, and/or individuals compensated for providing their statements. In such cases, Eventide identifies all relevant details of the relationship, the compensation, and any conflicts of interest, within the communication which can be found at faithandinvesting.com.  Information contained herein has been obtained from third-party sources believed to be reliable. Statements made by ECFI should not be interpreted as a recommendation or advice pertaining to any security. Investing involves risk including the possible loss of principal.

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 to new creation? And what are the potential implications on what we produce in culture and support with our investments?Further Resources on Transformation of Creation:https://www.faithandinvesting.com/journal/creation-care-part-2/https://www.faithandinvesting.com/journal/creation-care-douglas-moo-jonathan-moo/ Ashford, Bruce Riley and Craig G. Bartholomew. 2020. The Doctrine of Creation, 306-334. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.On this episode:Matt Galyon, Associate Director, ECFI Will Sorrell, Director of Values-Based Investing, OneAscent Notes & Links: View our Courses These communication herein is provided for informational purposes only and was made possible with the financial support of Eventide Asset Management, LLC (“Eventide”), an investment adviser. Eventide Center for Faith and Investing is an educational initiative of Eventide. In some cases, information in this communication may include statements by individuals that are current clients or investors in Eventide, and/or individuals compensated for providing their statements. In such cases, Eventide identifies all relevant details of the relationship, the compensation, and any conflicts of interest, within the communication which can be found at faithandinvesting.com.  Information contained herein has been obtained from third-party sources believed to be reliable. Statements made by ECFI should not be interpreted as a recommendation or advice pertaining to any security. Investing involves risk including the possible loss of principal.

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 combat these idols and pursue freedom and flourishing under God’s economy.On this episode:Matt Galyon, Associate Director, ECFI Will Sorrell, Director of Values-based Investing, OneAscent Notes & Links: Part 1 of The Economy of God Series, "A Tale of Two Economies" View our Courses The communication herein is provided for informational purposes only and was made possible with the financial support of Eventide Asset Management, LLC (“Eventide”), an investment adviser. Eventide Center for Faith and Investing is an educational initiative of Eventide. In some cases, information in this communication may include statements by individuals that are current clients or investors in Eventide, and/or individuals compensated for providing their statements. In such cases, Eventide identifies all relevant details of the relationship, the compensation, and any conflicts of interest, within the communication which can be found at faithandinvesting.com. Information contained herein has been obtained from third-party sources believed to be reliable. Statements made by ECFI should not be interpreted as a recommendation or advice pertaining to any security. Investing involves risk including the possible loss of principal.An employee of One Ascent has an equity interest in Eventide. This individual does not have an active role with the company; however he does receive profit sharing distributions based on his equity ownership giving him an incentive to support sales of Eventide's investment products and services.