A Christian buys an S&P 500 index fund and unknowingly owns a fractional stake in companies that manufacture abortifacients, distribute pornography, finance payday lending at 400% APR. Supply weapons to authoritarian regimes. The dividend cheque clears either way. The portfolio outperforms either way. But does the Christian who profits from those revenues bear any moral relationship to them?
This is the question Biblically Responsible Investing (BRI). Also called faith-based investing or values-based investing. Exists to answer.
This guide walks through what BRI is, the biblical case for it, how the major screens work, how BRI compares to secular ESG. Which, fund families are currently leading the space. How to actually move your portfolio without sacrificing the diversification Scripture also commends.
Foundational reading
Start with our biblical stewardship guide and Christian investing primer before making fund-family decisions.
What BRI is — and what it is not
Biblically Responsible Investing applies a moral filter to a portfolio. The filter excludes companies whose primary business activities directly contradict Scripture. In its more sophisticated forms it also tilts toward companies whose products and practices align with biblical values. Honest labor, stewardship of creation, fair treatment of workers, support of family.
BRI is not prosperity gospel, it is not a guarantee of higher returns. It is not a claim that owning stock equals endorsing every action of every company.
It is the application of 1 Corinthians 10:31 — "whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God". To the part of the Christian life that most Christians never examine: where their retirement money is invested.
The biblical case in five passages
- 2 Corinthians 6:14 — "Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers." The yoke metaphor is partnership and shared direction. Long-term capital ownership is a quiet form of partnership.
- Ephesians 5:11 — "Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them." Owning shares in a company is taking a small part in its work.
- Proverbs 13:11 — "Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it." BRI is a long-horizon, patient discipline, not a get-rich-quick screen.
- 1 Timothy 5:22 — "Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure." Paul's category of "taking part in the sins of others" is exactly the BRI question.
- Matthew 25:14–30 — The Parable of the Talents. Investing is praised; burying the talent is condemned. BRI is investing with discrimination, not refusing to invest.
The standard BRI screens
Most BRI fund families screen out companies with significant revenue (typically more than 5%, sometimes 1% or 0%) from these categories:
- Abortion — manufacturers of abortifacient drugs and devices; abortion-clinic chains.
- Pornography — producers, distributors, hotel chains with on-demand adult content.
- Predatory lending — payday lenders, title loan companies, "buy here pay here" lots at usurious rates (Prov 28:8).
- Gambling — casino operators, online sportsbooks, lottery contractors.
- Tobacco and recreational marijuana — primary producers, not retailers carrying a small product line.
- Alcohol — most BRI funds exclude only producers, not restaurants; some Reformed-leaning funds include alcohol as morally neutral.
- Weapons sold to authoritarian regimes — distinct from defense contractors selling to free democracies, which some BRI funds permit.
- Human rights violations — companies using forced labor (Uighur, child labor in cobalt mining) or operating in jurisdictions with severe oppression.
The screens vary by fund family. Inspire Investing and Timothy Plan run tighter screens; GuideStone (Southern Baptist Convention) and Eventide use slightly broader thresholds; Praxis (Mennonite) emphasizes peacemaking and creation care more than the standard BRI list.
BRI vs ESG — the critical distinction
BRI and Environmental, Social. Governance (ESG) investing share a structural similarity. Both apply non-financial filters to a portfolio. They differ in moral foundation and in practice.
ESG screens are set by secular institutions (MSCI, Sustainalytics) and reflect mainstream progressive priorities: climate action, board diversity, labor practices, executive compensation.
Many ESG funds rate Planned Parenthood-aligned pharmaceutical companies as high-ESG.. Because they score well on workforce diversity and environmental disclosures, even though their products are precisely what BRI screens out.
Some ESG funds penalize defense contractors and oil companies that BRI funds consider morally neutral.
The practical implication: BRI and ESG are not interchangeable. A Christian who wants a portfolio aligned with biblical values should pick BRI funds explicitly. An ESG label alone does not deliver biblical screens.
There is overlap (both exclude tobacco. Both attend to labor practices). The moral foundations and exclusion lists diverge sharply on the issues Scripture speaks to most directly.
The leading BRI fund families in 2026
- Timothy Plan — Pioneer (1994). Mutual funds with tight BRI screens across US equity, international, fixed income, and bond strategies. Expense ratios 1.0–1.4%, higher than index funds but consistent with active management.
- Inspire Investing — ETFs (lower cost than Timothy mutual funds, typically 0.45–0.85%). Inspire BIBL (US large cap), GLRY (international), ISMD (small-mid cap). Uses the proprietary Inspire Impact Score that screens out exclusions and tilts toward companies blessing customers and communities.
- GuideStone Funds — Run by the Southern Baptist Convention's investment arm since 1918. Broad lineup of mutual funds and target-date funds. Slightly broader BRI screens than Inspire/Timothy. Available in many 403(b) and 401(k) plans for ministry employees.
- Eventide — Investment philosophy of "investing that makes the world rejoice." Concentrated active funds across healthcare, gilead, and broad strategies. Expense ratios in the 1.0–1.4% range.
- Praxis Mutual Funds — Mennonite tradition, run by Everence. Emphasizes creation care, peacemaking, and community development alongside standard BRI screens. Lower-cost option than Timothy or Eventide.
The performance question
The most common objection to BRI is that excluding "sin stocks" sacrifices returns. The academic and industry evidence is mixed.
Some studies show small positive or neutral long-term performance versus broad indexes. Others show slight underperformance during periods when excluded sectors (tobacco, gambling, alcohol) outperform.
The performance gap is small over long horizons. Typically within 50–100 basis points per year. And disappears entirely in some studies after adjusting for sector and factor exposures.
The biblical answer is sharper than the academic one. A Christian who profits handsomely from pornography is not made righteous by the higher return.
Matthew 16:26 — "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?". Is the rebuke to a portfolio strategy that optimizes for return without reference to moral content.
BRI accepts a possibly small performance cost in exchange for a portfolio that does not require a Christian to root, however indirectly, for the success of evil.
How to start in 4 steps
- Audit your current portfolio. Most Christians do not know what is in their index funds. Look up your fund's top 10 holdings. If you own VTI, VOO, or any S&P 500 index, you own meaningful positions in the screened-out categories above.
- Start with one BRI fund as a core position. Inspire BIBL ETF or GuideStone's flagship equity fund are reasonable defaults. Move 25–50% of new contributions there while you research the rest.
- Coordinate with your 401(k) plan. If your employer's plan does not offer BRI funds, ask. Many plans now offer GuideStone or Inspire options on request. If they will not, focus BRI in your IRA and use the closest available "ethical" option in the 401(k).
- Hold long-term and rebalance annually. Proverbs 13:11 — "little by little." BRI is a 30-year discipline, not a trading strategy.
Continue your study
Read our biblical stewardship guide, the Parable of the Talents. biblical saving principles. To map your tithe and giving alongside your investment plan, run the tithe calculator and the generosity calculator.
All Scripture quotations from the English Standard Version. This article is for educational purposes and does not constitute investment advice. Fund families, expense ratios. Screen criteria change. Verify current details at each fund family's website and consult a fee-only financial advisor before significant portfolio decisions.