If you believe the highest goal of investing is simply to earn a high return, you may be overlooking a deeper purpose—how our money can be used for good.
As investors, we’ve been given resources to manage, not just for profit, but in alignment with God’s will and values. It’s easy to see investing through a purely earthly lens, but God invites us into a much greater story. Today, Robin John joins us to explore that bigger vision.
Robin John is co-founder and Chief Executive Officer at Eventide Asset Management, an underwriter of Faith & Finance. He’s also the author of the forthcoming book, The Good Investor: How Your Work Can Confront Injustice, Love Your Neighbor, and Bring Healing to the World.
If you believe the highest goal of investing is simply to earn a high return, you may be overlooking a deeper purpose—how our money can be used for good.
As investors, we’ve been given resources to manage, not just for profit, but in alignment with God’s will and values. It’s easy to see investing through a purely earthly lens, but God invites us into a much greater story. Today, Robin John joins us to explore that bigger vision.
Robin John is co-founder and Chief Executive Officer at Eventide Asset Management, an underwriter of Faith & Finance. He’s also the author of the forthcoming book,
The Good Investor: How Your Work Can Confront Injustice, Love Your Neighbor, and Bring Healing to the World
.
A Vision for Redemptive Investing
Eventide’s tagline—“Investing that makes the world rejoice”—is more than marketing. It’s a biblical conviction inspired by Proverbs:
“When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices, but when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.” – Proverbs 11:10
Righteousness, in this context, refers to those who seek the good of others. The righteous prosper by looking out for the people in the city. But the wicked prosper through exploitation, especially of the poor. That leads to groaning, not rejoicing.
For Eventide, investing is about more than avoiding harm. It’s about actively investing in companies whose products and practices bring tangible good into the world—serving real needs, not exploiting vulnerabilities.
Can You Do Good and Do Well?
A common concern among faith-based investors is whether aligning values with investments means sacrificing returns.
Romans 12 tells us “not to conform to the patterns of this world but be transformed by the renewing of our minds.” That means we should be willing to make sacrifices if necessary. But that doesn’t mean underperformance.
Research from the Biblically Responsible Investing Institute, drawing on a 19-year study, compares values-based screening (which excludes companies involved in activities such as abortion, pornography, and tobacco) with the S&P 500 and yields equivalent long-term returns.
It’s a myth that you must compromise performance to honor your faith. At Eventide, they don’t just avoid the bad—we seek out the good.
The Ultimate Question, as posed by Bain consultant Fred Reichheld, also found that the most successful companies are those that best serve their customers and employees. Serving people well is good business, and it often leads to long-term outperformance.
Why How You Make Money Matters
John Wesley once said, ‘Make all you can, give all you can, but make all you can without hurting yourself or your neighbor.”
Proverbs 1:19 also warns against partnering with those who gain through unjust means. It’s not just what we give—it’s how we earn that matters to God. Ill-gotten gain is not pleasing to Him.
Generosity isn’t limited to charitable giving. A teacher choosing to serve children instead of pursuing a higher-paying career is living generously, even without writing a check.
The Good Investor doesn’t stop at money—it’s also a book about purpose and calling. Don’t assume your calling means you have to start something new. Many Christians are exactly where God needs them to be. The real challenge is to recognize your work as valuable to God and do it in a way that reflects His goodness.
Psalm 1:3 emphasizes that the blessed life is rooted in delighting in God’s Word and walking in His ways:
“That person is like a tree planted by streams of water...whatever they do prospers.”
This is a must-read for any Christian who wants to rethink investing through the lens of God’s Kingdom—and rediscover the purpose and power of their everyday financial decisions.
On Today’s Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:
I have a 401(k) from my old school district job with approximately $7,000-$8,000 in it. I'm 55 and want to know if I should roll it over into my new company's retirement plan and what I should do with my IRA.
I remarried after my first wife passed away. If I die, can my late wife's kids force my new wife out of our house, and how can I protect her?
Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on the Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. Visit our website at FaithFi.com where you can join the FaithFi Community and give as we expand our outreach.
