By Jeffrey K. Presley, CKA®

Do you feel that subtle tension when investing? Your portfolio might be supporting industries or practices that don’t line up with your Christian beliefs. Alcohol, gambling, weapons manufacturing, abortion services, and companies with anti-family agendas can all show up inside mainstream mutual funds and index funds without any warning label. Christian investing exists precisely to solve that problem, but knowing where to start and how to do it without sacrificing financial performance is where most people get stuck.

This article walks through how to screen investments for alignment with biblical values, where Kingdom-focused opportunities exist, and how to build a portfolio that serves both your financial future and your faith.

What Is Biblically Responsible Investing?

Biblically responsible investing (BRI) is a framework for building a portfolio that reflects Christian values by screening out companies whose business practices conflict with scripture and intentionally including companies that support human dignity, family, and community. It goes beyond simply avoiding harm, it actively pursues investments that reflect stewardship of God’s resources.

This is different from ESG investing, which is driven by environmental and social criteria that often reflect secular progressive values and can include companies that conflict sharply with Christian ethics. BRI uses a distinct screening process rooted in biblical principles, not political or cultural trends.

How Does a Faith-Based Portfolio Screen Out Conflicting Holdings?

Screening is the foundation of a faith-aligned portfolio, and it operates on two levels: negative screens that exclude harmful companies and positive screens that identify companies worth supporting.

Common negative screens include:

• Abortion and abortifacients: Companies that manufacture or distribute abortion drugs or fund abortion services
• Pornography: Companies that produce, distribute, or profit from adult content
• Gambling: Casinos, online gambling platforms, and lottery operators
• Alcohol and tobacco: Producers and major distributors
• Anti-family advocacy: Companies that actively fund or lobby against traditional family values
• Predatory lending: Financial institutions that profit from exploitative loan structures

Positive screens look for companies with strong records on human rights, fair labor practices, family-supportive workplace policies, and community investment. Some faith-based investors also prioritize companies led by Christians or those with explicit commitments to corporate integrity.

The practical challenge is that most investors hold mainstream funds that have never been screened. 

A standard S&P 500 index fund almost certainly contains holdings across several of these categories. A thorough portfolio review is the starting point, understanding what you currently own before deciding what to change.

Does Faith-Based Investing Sacrifice Financial Performance?

No, and this is one of the most persistent and damaging misconceptions in the space. Research on biblically responsible and faith-based portfolios has increasingly demonstrated that screening for ethical alignment does not systematically reduce performance, and in some cases, companies with strong values-based governance have outperformed their less-screened peers over time. 

A portfolio built on biblical principles is not a financial compromise, it’s a different set of priorities applied to the same goal of long-term wealth stewardship.

What Are Kingdom Investment Opportunities?

Kingdom investing directs capital toward ventures that actively advance God’s purposes in the world, moving faith-based investing from avoidance to intention. 

Beyond screening out harmful companies, Kingdom-focused investors actively seek out places to deploy capital that generate both financial return and eternal impact.

Kingdom-focused opportunities include:

• Microfinance funds that provide small loans to entrepreneurs in developing countries, supporting dignity and self-sufficiency
• Community development financial institutions (CDFIs) that reinvest in underserved communities
• Faith-based real estate ventures that develop affordable housing or support ministry infrastructure
• Impact bonds tied to outcomes like workforce development, education access, or addiction recovery programs
• Christian business funds that pool capital into privately held companies led by Christians operating with biblical business principles

What Does Christian Investing Look Like in a Retirement Portfolio?

Biblical stewardship in a retirement portfolio means managing assets as a faithful trustee and making decisions that reflect that responsibility across income, giving, and legacy.

For pre-retirees and retirees, stewardship in practice means building a portfolio that generates reliable income in retirement without funding industries that conflict with your values, planning a legacy that reflects your faith priorities, and making giving a structural part of your financial plan rather than an afterthought.

Qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) are an effective tool for philanthropically minded retirees, allowing IRA owners 70½ and older to donate directly to ministry or charity, satisfying required minimum distributions without the distribution counting as taxable income. 

For a retiree with a $1.2 million IRA, a $25,000 QCD to a Kingdom-focused nonprofit reduces taxable income dollar for dollar while advancing the causes they care most about.

Start Aligning Your Portfolio With Your Faith

A faith-aligned portfolio starts with a thorough review of what you currently own, identifying the conflicts, and rebuilding with intention. Many investors are surprised to discover how many problematic holdings are buried inside funds they’ve held for years without ever examining the underlying companies.

At Mountain PEAK Wealth Advisors, we help Christians align their investments with their convictions without losing sight of their financial goals, retirement income, legacy planning, and long-term wealth stewardship. 

If you’re ready to work with a Christian financial advisor who puts your interests first, offers a personalized, fee-only approach, and integrates a values-driven perspective into every decision, I invite you to reach out. 

To schedule a meeting, call (260) 435-1200 or email jeff@mountainpeakwealthadvisors.com. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Christian investing help me avoid companies that conflict with my faith?

Yes. Christian investing uses biblically based screening criteria to identify and avoid companies involved in activities that may conflict with Christian values, such as abortion services, pornography, gambling, or other practices investors find inconsistent with their beliefs. A Christian investing strategy can help align your portfolio with your convictions while still pursuing long-term financial goals.

How do I know if my current investments align with Christian values?

Many investors are surprised to learn that mutual funds, ETFs, and retirement accounts may contain holdings that do not reflect their faith-based priorities. A portfolio review can help identify underlying investments and determine whether they align with your values. At Mountain PEAK Wealth Advisors, we help clients evaluate their current holdings and explore Christian investing strategies that support both their financial objectives and biblical principles.

Can Christian investing be part of a retirement plan?

Absolutely. Christian investing can be integrated into retirement planning by combining faith-based investment selections with income planning, tax strategies, charitable giving, and legacy planning. Mountain PEAK Wealth Advisors works with individuals and families to build retirement strategies that seek to provide financial confidence while keeping their investment decisions aligned with their Christian values.

About Jeff

Jeffrey K. Presley, CKA®, is the President and Chief Compliance Officer of Mountain PEAK Wealth Advisors in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he provides wealth management, retirement planning, and faith-based financial guidance. Drawing on decades of financial planning experience and leadership roles at several respected firms, he also operates Presley Tax Services, LLC, to offer separate tax preparation and advisory services. A Purdue University alumnus, Jeff integrates biblical principles into his practice and is an active member of Pathway Community Church.