Jim Lake, a devout Christian in Washington state, said his religious beliefs have always made him opposed to practices such as abortion, transgender transitions or embryonic stem cell research. But until this past year, it didn’t cross the retiree’s mind that he could put his money to work with his faith.
A financial adviser switched Lake’s portfolio over to a handful of faith-friendly funds, one of which was run by GuideStone Funds, a 106-year-old investment firm in Texas that oversees some $24 billion in assets. The company caters to Southern Baptist retirees and, increasingly, newly active faith-based investors such as Lake and his wife.
GuideStone is part of a nascent coalition of conservative Christian investors that are starting to flex their muscles and use their shareholder clout to counter progressive corporate policies such as funding Pride parades or covering employees’ travel costs for abortions. They’re also zeroing in on banks for allegedly closing customer accounts on political and religious ground