“For the eyes of the Lord go to and fro throughout the whole earth to find someone whose heart is fully devoted to Him so that He can display his great power by helping them.” Who wouldn’t want to be one on whom God’s gaze rests, who receives help from God, and who helps display God’s glory? This verse appears in 2 Chronicles and is about someone who might have received God’s help, but who foolishly chose a different way.

Have you been troubled by some of the content on our streaming platforms, TV, and movie screens? As we look at the Arts and Entertainment sector today, we see that segments of this industry are pulling our culture away from God. But we, as Steward Investors, can prayerfully consider investing in specific enterprises that shape culture in a way that makes the world rejoice in the goodness of our God.

What drives your investment strategy? As a Christian, do you ask the Holy Spirit to guide how and where to invest your retirement accounts and after-tax money? Are we blindly following the pattern of the world in our portfolio? What would it look like to be truly led by the Spirit in our investments?

This month, I would like to draw your attention to the following brief read written by Larry Sharp. Larry, a long-time missional business founder and IBEC Ventures missional business coach, agrees with me that we must abandon the notion that charity is sacred and investments are secular. Since investment capital is the lifeblood of business enterprise, we believe that investments, not donations, are the primary component needed to catalyze impact.

This month’s post is from Derek Kessen, Managing Partner of Heron Ventures. He wrote this story shortly after his trip to Africa earlier this year. A meaningful exchange with company founders led to convictions about stewardship and the need to make sure we are pursuing God’s plans and not just our own.

Matthew’s gospel tells us one of Jesus’s many intriguing parables, the parable of the talents. Like many parables, this one makes us think and reflect as the story unfolds in unexpected ways. In the parable (found in Matthew 25:14-30), Jesus tells of a man who goes on a journey, entrusting three different amounts of money to three different servants according to their ability.

It fascinates me to think of how the screen can entertain and educate. As a follower of Jesus and a father of three, I pay close attention to the things we watch in our home. The film and media that entertains us, educates us, instills fears, or inspires us can have lasting impact. My wife and I want that impact to be for God’s glory and our good.

One of the most beloved and theologically rich Christmas carols is “O Holy Night.” The powerful lyrics of the third stanza boldly proclaim: “Chains shall he break for the slave is our brother, and in His name all oppression shall cease.” What if this isn’t just a nice thought we contemplate at Christmas time, but an invitation for us, as Christian investors and ambassadors of God’s kingdom, to actively take a stand for justice in the way we position our investment portfolios?

What does it look like to be in, but not of, the world? From Abraham to Jesus, we see biblical figures wrestle with living according to God’s word in a dominant culture that does not follow His principles. Jesus, of course, lived it perfectly and prayed His followers would figure it out (see his High Priestly Prayer in John 17), but my personal favorite example is Daniel.

Meet a Tanzanian company that provides natural skin care products for all people, but especially for those whose skin has been affected by working daily in the sun, bathing in dirty water, and the resulting irritations. Most people in Tanzanian villages and interior areas do not have soap, petroleum jelly, and lotions, and those that exist are chemically based.

Investor decisions are often motivated by fear and greed. While the terms fear and greed may seem harsh, they often fuel investment decisions that seek to minimize risk and maximize financial return for a single stakeholder. In contrast, investing as God’s steward requires that investors seek to optimize the interests of other stakeholders. This mindset requires an understanding of living by faith, holding tightly to God and holding loosely to our expectation of returns.

You’ve heard about The Great Commission—Jesus telling his followers to “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel”— and you know of many wise and courageous efforts to go into all nations through the centuries to tell the world about Jesus. But have you heard about Great Commission companies?