By Colin Chance, November 24, 2023

The Westminster Catechism was written in 1647 by leaders in the Presbyterian church to lay a foundational set of doctrines. Using the scriptures, they came up with over 100 questions and answers to be used as guideposts for believers to live out their faith. They started with this question: What is the chief end of man? Their answer: Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever. 

What does the Westminster Catechism’s first question have to do with investing? I’d like to propose that it has much to do with every aspect of a Christian’s life. If glorifying God and enjoying him forever really is the chief end of man, then knowing this “end” should influence the “beginning” of all of our decisions; even and perhaps especially investing. 

If the Christian’s goal in investing should also be to glorify God, how then do we invest in a way that accomplishes this end? Over the next three weeks, we will unpack three helpful tips to aid in your effort to glorify God in your investing. 

Tip number one: Be an accountant. 

One of my favorite “accounting” stories in the Bible comes from Jesus telling the story of the lost sheep. He says, “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?” (Luke 15:4 ESV). This story is not directly a story about accounting. Jesus is emphasizing God’s delight in a sinful person repenting. One accounting nugget that we can take away, though, is that a good shepherd knows how many sheep have been entrusted into his care. The shepherd knew that all his sheep were not accounted for and thus went looking for the one.

You may not be a CPA, but we are all stewards of our money. And no one can properly invest a percentage of their money without knowing the full amount of resources at their disposal. Having a concrete understanding of your current income, savings, and assets, as well as your monthly expenses, is a great first step. In Part 2, we’ll cover how much of your income should go toward savings/investing. For now, we do the work of understanding how much we have.

If you’re not great at numbers or budgeting, no worries. We’re all gifted in different areas. Get help from a friend who is or perhaps someone in your church who stewards their wealth faithfully. If you are a little funny about letting someone into your personal finances, I get it. I have been at times as well. However, letting a faithful brother or sister in Christ see how you spend your money can be great accountability. We’re all prone to wander at times. And a trusted friend can help provide guard rails to ensure we glorify God in our investing. 

When doing your accounting, it’s important to know that God does not need our money. We do not invest in fear that the Great Commission is in jeopardy if we do not see outsized returns. Yes, we use our resources for the advancement of the gospel. But as Christians, we must remember the chief end of man. It may even be helpful to ask, “What is the chief end of our investing”? I would submit to you, dear reader, it is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.