Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Faith Driven Investing: Every Investment Has an Impact--What’s Yours?

Rate this book
You can choose where you live, serve, learn, and give. What about where you invest? What if you could align your investments with God’s heart? Imagine the impact that you could have.

As Christians, we seek to make God a part of every decision that we make―the way we parent, lead, serve, and spend. But what if God has a purpose and plan for the investing dreams that he has given you? A community of ministries, businesses, entrepreneurs, investors, and fund managers have all experienced God awakening a movement, and it’s bigger than simply avoiding “sin stocks.” This movement is all about investing in human flourishing and driving capital into initiatives that stand for something significant. Faith Driven Investing defines this movement and helps you envision how your capital can grow and fund God’s purposes in this world.

Join other Faith Driven leaders and investors on this

Faith Driven Investing will inspire you to join small groups with other professionals who are on this same journey with you. See your investments from God’s perspective and learn how to steward your investments for His kingdom.
Each book purchase includes access to the eight-session Faith Driven Investing video series, a discussion guide to encourage conversation among peers, and an invitation to join a Faith Driven Investing Group to meet other like-minded investors.

240 pages, Hardcover

Published January 3, 2023

7 people are currently reading
189 people want to read

About the author

Henry Kaestner

6 books2 followers

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
32 (36%)
4 stars
36 (41%)
3 stars
16 (18%)
2 stars
3 (3%)
1 star
0 (0%)
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
Profile Image for Zach Forehand.
48 reviews2 followers
Read
December 21, 2025
Though it functions more like a primer than an in-depth treatise, this book is a helpful introduction for those who are new to values-based or faith-based investing. I had the honor of meeting Dr. Kuruvilla (author of Chapter 4) when I interned at his asset management company. He has quickly become a leader in the values-based investing space, and his company (Eventide Asset Management) is doing great work.

Pros:
- Per usual, Tim Keller’s contribution (Chapter 1) is timely, wise, and biblically grounded.
- Chapters 11 & 12 are phenomenal. They demonstrate the practical effects and tremendous benefits of investing in businesses and entrepreneurs in emerging markets like Africa. These businesses are quite literally lifting people out of poverty and providing sustainable modern resources for impoverished communities.
- The book as a whole is helpful for advisors and individual investors who are thinking through how to align their investments with their values and beliefs but have never done so.

Cons:
- At times it can feel generic.
- There isn’t much research backing a lot of this book, but that’s mainly because all of the contributors are simply drawing on their years of experience, expertise, and deep industry knowledge. Therefore, the need for in-depth research is not quite as pertinent here, especially since the book is merely a primer.
- Chapters 6-8 are a little rough theologically speaking. (We’ll show grace, haha.)
Profile Image for Conrade Yap.
376 reviews8 followers
November 11, 2022
There are many Christian books teaching us how to disciple, live, serve, give, and how to exercise various other Christian virtues. However, when it comes to investment and investing, resources are few and far between. Apart from the Word-of-Faith adherents or the Health-and-Wealth gospel proponents, the rest of the evangelical world remains cautious when it comes to things related to money, stocks, and wealth-making capital investments. From a conservative biblical standpoint, that is understandable because of the belief that the love of money is the root of all evil. Yet, there are parables that teach us to be faithful with our gifts and talents as well, such as the parable of the talents and the shrewd manager. This book fills in the gap to show us that it is possible to have "Faith-Driven Investing." The "Faith Driven Investor Team" aims to help believers become better stewards of their gifts, talents, and various financial resources. All of these have one common theme: Faith. The team's conviction is that our faith affects the way we invest. The contributors come from all walks of life. Not only are there business professionals, and investment gurus, but there are also stories from entrepreneurs, leaders, teachers, preachers, and others. The contributors deal with questions like:

- What is the standard of excellence for a Christian investor?
- What does the Bible say about investing?
- What types of returns make for a great investment?
- What about the role of risk in investments?
- How do eternal mindsets influence the way we work, live, and invest?
- ... and many more.

Part One of the book looks at who "Faith Driven Investors" are. Tim Keller believes that such investors derive their identity from Christ instead of getting their identity through their work. Andy Crouch helps us distinguish between serving God and serving Money before showing us how to resist the temptations of Mammon. Obie McKenzie goes to the source of Faith-Driven Investment: The Bible. Finny Kuruvilla reminds us that with great wealth and influence comes great responsibility. Luke Roush looks at the laws pertaining to rules and regulations and shows us the importance of cultural engagement. He shares some stories about meaningful work derived from faith convictions. Cathie Wood shares her story of "disruptive innovation" to find creative ways to invest in opportunities often discarded by others. Greg Lernihan redefines returns beyond mere financial numbers and exhorts us toward biblical living, hiring the marginalized, and learning from faith-filled leaders. 3

Part Two looks at the consequences of Faith-Driven Investments. John and Ashely Marsh help us see the beauty in broken things. More importantly, God fixes broken people as well. Henry Kaestner uses the parable of the talents to help us understand the difference between reckless and wise investments. Will Thomas shares the story of "Ambassador Impact Network" to provide faith-based entrepreneurs with help in integrating faith and work. Efosa Ojomo and Richard Okello take us toward global investments, with a particular focus on Africa. Jessica Kim looks at the critical relationship between entrepreneurs and investors. Bryce Butler tells us about "One-Pocket Investing" and invites us to ask questions about the link between our investing and our values. Casey Crawford ends the chapter with a renewed focus on eternity.

My Thoughts
===============
This book boldly urges us to let our faith do all our investing. It affirms the need for us to steward the financial resources that God has given to us. It warns us about the dangers of letting money do all the talking. No. Our faith should be the one that is talking. It is the conviction of the authors that our faith informs the way we work, live, and invest. The famous phrase in this world is: "Money makes the world go round." Indeed, people point to how money matters can drive people to do the most incredible or insane things. For the sake of money, people uproot their families or make drastic lifestyle choices. Some sell their bodies while many sell their souls. Christians often face a stark choice: Choose either the ways of the world or the Way of Jesus. In fact, if we are not for God, we are for everything else that is against God. Sounds drastic? Not really. There is no such thing as neutral. For all of us in the world have already sinned against God. Refusal to choose God explicitly means we are still in sin.

The contributors justify their approach by referring often to biblical teachings about money, stewardship, and the faithful use of the resources God has given to us. With stories that link their faith to their work, readers will find the book an encouraging read. The stories also tell us the human side of the contributors. With the wide range of people sharing the common goal of faithful investment, I believe there is at least one story that readers will identify with. There are many ways to invest our time and resources and this book essentially gives us a respectable range of testimonies to inspire us in our work. Our faith matters to our work. There is no dichotomy between faith and work. For Faith-Driven Investing is the link for us to practice our faith in whatever we do. Let this book guide even the most skeptical hearts to consider once again the redemptive and restorative aspect of Faith-Driven Investing.

Henry Kaestner cofounded the Faith Driven Entrepreneur, Investing, and Giving ministries, where he seeks to serve faith-driven investors, funds, partners, advisers, and entrepreneurs through content and community. He is also a cofounder and partner at Sovereign’s Capital.

Timothy Keller is the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan. He is also the chairman and cofounder of Redeemer City to City (CTC), which starts new churches in New York and other global cities, and publishes books and resources for ministries in an urban environment.

Cathie Wood is the founder and CIO/CEO of ARK Invest. With over forty years of experience identifying and investing in innovation, Cathie founded ARK to focus solely on disruptive innovation while adding new dimensions to research.

Rating: 4.25 stars of 5.

conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of Tyndale Momentum Publishers and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.
Profile Image for Lindsey Varble.
407 reviews2 followers
September 7, 2025
Ricky and I read this together, and there were definitely some good insights and examples here, but it was not as practical as we hoped it would be. Also, each chapter is written by a different author, so it felt a bit disjointed and didn’t really build. A few take aways:
•investments can sometimes do more good in the world than charitable contributions
•don’t just seek to avoid investing in sinful/harmful industries; intentionally seek out businesses that are doing good in the world and invest in those
•tithe on income, and every once in a while, tithe 10% of your assets to help break the hold that money has over us
•when talking about finances, talk about your resources as “God’s money.” It really is, and framing it this way for yourself makes it easier to treat it as such.
17 reviews
February 7, 2023
Good testimonies and wisdom in this book regarding a subject that be confusing.
Profile Image for John Elliott.
179 reviews8 followers
May 13, 2023
A solid 3.5 stars. Thankful they didn’t try turning a gray issue into one that is black and white, as Christians love to do. That was reflected in the diversity of perspectives represented.

My favorite chapter was written by Jessica Kim where she points out that “ making something people want is very different from making something people want that will also lead to their flourishing.” Don’t just acquire customers, she says, but care for them. Such an important distinction that doesn’t get talked about enough IMO.
Profile Image for Reader Views.
4,666 reviews327 followers
May 1, 2023
Faith Driven Investing,” is a collaboration of essays written by various Christ-centered believers to share insights and knowledge with those who wish to become involved in meaningful investing. These are people who have experience in investing, but it’s not a step-by-step instruction book, but rather a book that can help you understand the many types of investing for Christians. Some of the many collaborators include Timothy Keller, Andy Crouch, and Cathie Wood. Each essay discusses investing from that individual’s perspective and some entries provide inspirational content to help you understand why we should invest with God in mind.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I could relate to some authors more than others, but I felt each in their own way shared a lot of insight and value with me. Some authors emphasized why it’s important that our hearts be in the right alignment through personal testimonies, others shared flaws that God helped them discover which led to a breakthrough, and others provided helpful links and information. Whether your investing desires are big or small, chances are someone in this book has already done something similar and can inspire you.

I learned a lot about the different ways we can invest in God’s kingdom, and not all of them have to do with money. This book has examples of people investing small and locally, investing time and prayer, or even going so far as to creating ministries to help people in other countries. The entries that spoke most to me were the scripture-based ones with suggestions for how we can provide for ourselves while also providing help and guidance to those in need. I made a lot of notes while I was reading so I won’t forget the important points and I plan to put much of what I learned into action.

I highly recommend “Faith Driven Investing” by Timothy Keller, Andy Crouch, and Cathie Wood to all Christian investors who want to see examples for how we can manage the money God has given us. This book isn’t so much a “how-to” book, but a book of examples to help you understand different ways to contribute. As I said, some entries resonated more with me than others, but I now have a good base for how to make decisions and determine how to invest that’s right for me.

I think anyone who is curious about how to invest in the church can learn something from these wise investors who have been through many trials and found their way forward through their divine connections to God. This book helped me start a path towards investing for God, and I know if that’s your desire too, it can help you as well. This book is probably best read by people who believe in the Bible and want to serve God with their finances, but if you’re open-minded and curious, I recommend this book to you as well.

Share this:
Click to share
Profile Image for Katie.
116 reviews3 followers
September 13, 2023
bless this book. offered a totally different view of investing that not just integrates faith– it makes it the forefront. it establishes the foundation of investing as first having an identity secure in God, recognizing that all money is God's, and that impact should be measured through the kingdom vs. financial returns (what world values). memorable takeaways:

1. charitable giving is also kind of investing, where the focus is investing on the beneficiaries (eg. childrens in schools are also investments). that said, most money is in capital markets (~$200 trillion) vs. charitable endowments ($1.5 trillion) so we must engage in those spaces too.
2. "if I invest more now, it'll compound and I can give more in the future” --> sure, but the other side of the equation is true. like in above example, if we invest in students now, their education and skills will compound to can help their family/community
3. investment = partnerships (don't just invest in a business for profit. invest in the whole person. see them as a child made in God's image, not just a tool for financial gain)
4. personally, this led to an investment philosophy that includes giving through 3 things: finances (money) + service (time) + prayer (faith).
5. at the end of our lives, we aren't accountable to investors for financial returns. we are accountable to God for what we did for Him with what He entrusted us

10/10 would recommend to anyone thinking about money/investing/social impact through faith POV.
178 reviews6 followers
December 16, 2023
This book is a solid introduction to investing in a way that is aligned with one's faith with guidance from a number of different Christian folks. The name that drew me to this book was the late Dr. Timothy Keller's because I have held his books and sermons in high regard. His section didn't disappoint and was familiar as he had told about much of this in his preaching, which speaks to his integrity if nothing else. This book does not have much about the nuts and bolts of investing, but that isn't the point of this book. If you identify as a Christian and have investments (or are just curious about how investing and Christian faith can even co-exist), definitely give this book a read!
10 reviews2 followers
January 4, 2024
Takeaways:

1. Timothy Keller - People can be caught up in what they do and make their work/skills their identity. Such that when you offend or comment on their work, they see you as offending or commenting on who they are. We must deliberately keep our hearts from resting in our self-created identities, in our success. The real success is that because of what Christ has done, our names are written in heaven.

2. Tithing 1/10th of net worth occasionally to avoid love of money? - Food for thought
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Isaac Arnold.
73 reviews9 followers
June 19, 2023
It was okay. Perhaps my expectations were too high. I thought the book was quite generic with little novel insights.

The FDI podcast is consistently a gem packed with interesting people, insights, and opinions -- this just seemed much drier and more vanilla that what I had expected.

Nonetheless, I'll likely recommend this to others; albeit to those less saturated in the existing content of the FDI ecosystem.
Profile Image for Chuck Cova.
252 reviews5 followers
November 16, 2022
Lots to think about. While I don't have big money to invest, and don't lead an organization such that I'd dictate the type of Kingdom principles espoused here, I did get several great take-aways for how I could improve my money mindset in both my personal and professional life.
Profile Image for Josh.
168 reviews3 followers
January 31, 2023
I started listening to this expecting another "Building Wealth God's Way" book. I was pleasantly surprised to find a Kingdom focus throughout, and it has impacted the way I view money. Definitely recommend it.
17 reviews
May 20, 2023
This is a great book. The authors challenge your perspective and ways of thinking by reminding us we are only stewards of the money we possess. It is with that money we can build the kingdom of Gods through our assets and investments. I now know I was thinking too small!
17 reviews
April 9, 2024
Good qualitative advice for believers who have Capital and want to invest it in alignment with the Lord’s kingdom. Somewhat lacking in quantitative advice.
12 reviews
November 12, 2024
Interesting collection of essays. Some more provocative than others, but overall, it is a really interesting and well based book.
Profile Image for Annette Ridenour.
246 reviews1 follower
June 23, 2025
Love, love everything these guys are doing right now. This one was fun too with the different authors breaking up chapters. Definitely one to revisit.
Profile Image for Ali C.
131 reviews1 follower
January 10, 2023
I really enjoyed this collection of essays from faith driven investors. Honestly have never devoted much thought to investing and how it lines up with my faith, but I am really glad I got to read a copy of this book, which challenged and encouraged me. I don't believe there are many resources like this book that are widely available, which is an anomaly in today's world where anyone can publish anything. I was grateful to get to hear from a variety of authors about their experiences and their convictions when it comes to investing. I plan to reference this book in the future and would recommend it to any Christian who has an interest in investing money.

Thank you to NetGalley for the free advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.