What is a Christian financial advisor?

“When considering receiving counsel in our lives, whether relationally or financially, we believe it’s important that we share core values. No value is more foundational to us than our faith as Christians. Blue Trust combines practical experience with biblical wisdom. We feel that Blue Trust not only prepares our family to steward our finances well – it does so in a way that prepares us to give generously both in the present and future.”

– Clayton & Allegra
Hollywood, CA

Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.

Proverbs 15:22

Defining Christian Financial Advice

Bible-Based Financial Planning

What is a Christian financial advisor? Financial planning & wealth management based on biblical wisdom to steward your legacy.

Financial advisors play a major role in helping investors in all stages of life, from defining financial goals to creating personal cash flow targets and selecting investments. Working with a Christian advisor adds a foundation of biblical principles to this process.

Christian financial advisors don’t just handle the technical side of investing, like investment selection, asset allocation, and tax strategies. They also offer a biblical viewpoint on money, how to steward your net worth wisely, and help ensure that your financial decisions align with your values and priorities.

The role of a Christian financial advisor is to…

  • Help people make better financial decisions by teaching and applying biblical principles of money.
  • Help hold clients accountable to their financial decisions so each client can have peace of mind in every area of their financial life.
  • Provide consistent biblical financial advice that helps lead to storing up eternal treasures.

God owns it all.

The world tells us to be materialistic and to hold on to the money we have with a tight fist, keeping as much for ourselves as we possibly can. But the Bible tells us to be generous, rich in good works, and ready to share.

The Bible has over 2,000 verses on money, making it one of the most discussed topics in the entire text. From the Old Testament to the New, the Bible lays out very clear principles for money and for the stewardship of God’s resources – yet many people forget to include such principles in their planning. At Blue Trust, we integrate them into every aspect of our financial advice.

Blue Trust strongly believes that one of the core principles of a biblical perspective on money is that “God owns it all.” If God owns it all, we are simply stewards of his blessings and resources.

“Stewardship is the use of God-given resources for the accomplishment of God-given goals.”

– Ron Blue

Our Definition of Stewardship

  • Oversight of resources that have been entrusted to us
  • Utilizing and managing all resources God provides for the glory of God and for the betterment of his creation
  • Managing everything that God brings into my life in a manner that honors Him

Materialism vs. Treasures in Heaven

“Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to set their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.”

 – 1 Tim 6:17-19 (Blue Trust Firm Verse)

Today’s world is full of many complex choices. A worldly view on money drives many people to take unnecessary risks, overspend on material items, and focus on making money at all costs, even at the cost of closeness to family and God.

Everything is Connected

A Christian worldview looks through a stewardship lens and the advisor knows that even the small financial decisions we make have lifetime implications. For instance, lifestyle and taxes affect cash flow. Cash flow affects investments and net worth. And net worth affects your estate and legacy.

True financial planning from a Christian outlook requires a holistic view of these issues. It also needs a measured and grounded response to the world’s challenges.

Does your financial advisor…

  • Incorporate biblical principles into the financial planning process?
  • Share your value system and understand your worldview?
  • Strive for obedience to God and high moral standards?
  • Prioritize your best interests and callings over his or her own bottom line?
  • Have an eternal perspective on money?
  • Encourage generosity over simply building up assets?
  • Pray with you and for you?

What are the Benefits of Working with a Christian Financial Advisor?

Distinctive Benefits

  • Clarified Decision Making. An advisor who applies a Christian viewpoint can help you make decisions that build both spiritual and financial capital in your life. In fact, he or she can help you make choices that reflect your values and personal mission.
  • Meaningful Conversations. Money can be an emotional matter, and a Christian financial advisor can help you discuss your finances in a meaningful way, and if married, lead to better harmony.
  • A Biblical Perspective on Money. A Christian financial advisor knows that financial decisions are really spiritual decisions. By combining biblical principles with the financial planning process, they can help you navigate complex situations and changing markets wisely.
  • An Emphasis on Charitable Giving. All financial advisors seek to help their clients protect and grow their money. But a Christian financial advisor also looks at ways to maximize giving and use wealth to serve Christ by serving others.
  • A Shared Vision. It is reassuring to know that your viewpoints, values, and priorities are aligned with your financial advisor’s.

What is Investment Management?

Investing to Meet Your Financial Goals

Investing plays a major role in the overall stewardship process. For instance, it can help individuals provide for their families, do good works, and be generous. Our goal in investing is to manage your investments to meet your financial goals and have financial peace of mind. We manage investments using a principles-based decision-making process, combining our investment philosophy (wisdom) with thorough investment research (knowledge) and time horizons.

A Christian Philosophy

Biblical Wisdom – Wisdom from Scriptures that can be applied to investing.

  • Diversify (Ecclesiastes 11:2)
    Diversify your investments to reflect humility and invest across multiple asset types, countries, industries, and companies.
  • Time is a tool (Proverbs 28:20)
    Do not make investment decisions focused on getting rich quick.
  • Do not be anxious (Philippians 4:6)
    Invest in a way that promotes clarity and confidence rather than anxiety.

What Is Financial Planning?

Wisdom for Wealth. For Life.

We believe that a good financial plan allows individuals to better understand their finances, make better decisions, and provide direction and purpose. It also helps individuals provide for their families, improve their financial future, and engage in good works. Our financial planning process seeks to provide clients the wisdom, knowledge, and tools needed to achieve their financial goals, make sound decisions, and have clarity and confidence around their finances.

Keys to Biblical Financial Planning:

  • Spend less than you earn
  • Avoid the use of debt
  • Diversify your investments
  • Set long-term goals
  • Be generous

A Comprehensive Approach

We believe that there are no independent decisions in life, and financial planning requires an ongoing comprehensive approach. Blue Trust’s proprietary and multi-disciplinary financial planning software, BluePrint, provides us an opportunity to better understand each part of a client’s financial picture and life.

Our financial plan provides details, projections, and recommendations in many areas of life, which could account for important financial questions regarding living expenses, investments, taxes, giving, insurance, debt management, estate planning, education costs, business issues, retirement, and life events. Understanding how these many factors mix with each other helps foster prudent decision-making and more effective stewardship.

A Christian Philosophy

Biblical Wisdom – Wisdom from Scripture that can be applied to financial planning.

  • Ownership (1 Chronicles 29:11)
    We are stewards of His resources. He gives us the resources we need to accomplish His objectives.
  • Accountability (Matthew 25:14-30)
    We will give an account for the decisions we make and how we steward the resources that God has entrusted to our care.
  • Intentionality (Ephesians 5:15-17)
    We should be intentional and wise about the allocation of resources to specific needs and objectives. A financial plan provides direction.

What is the Value of a Blue Trust Financial Advisor?

Objective Advice Delivered by a Fiduciary Advisor

Now more than ever, sound financial advice is vital to navigating changing and complex markets. Proverbs 15:22 says, “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisors they succeed.” It is often wise to have a trusted financial advisor help us navigate today’s financial world and the endless choices we face as we move through our different stages of life.

At Blue Trust, we train our advisors to combine biblical principles with technical expertise. We strongly believe in the value of the advisor-client relationship and that objective advice offers many financial and spiritual benefits. Our fee-only services allow us to provide objective advice, and as a regulated fiduciary advisor, we are required by law to do what is in our clients’ best interests. Below are some of the benefits that clients may experience when working with one of our nearly 100 advisors across the country.

Financial Knowledge and Competency

“I need someone to give me proactive advice. I can’t keep up with the ever-changing financial world, and it’s not the best use of my time to try.”

Not everyone has an interest in Wall Street’s day-to-day events or how global markets are performing. In some cases, investors would prefer to have a trusted advisor who knows their goals and monitors their investments for them. Usually, a like-minded, professional financial advisor can add value to your financial situation or investment portfolio. They can also offer technical expertise and keen insights on financial planning, investment strategies, tax planning, and how to handle the ups and downs of the market.

 Accountability and Guidance

“I need accountability to ensure I’m following through on my plans and not reacting hastily to current events. I want someone to help me apply financial biblical principles, give generously, and hold what God has given me with an open hand.”

Our financial advisors act as your accountability partners for your financial goals and investments. When life, or the market, becomes turbulent, investors may feel discontent and uncomfortable to the point that they consider abandoning their investment plans and financial goals at a time when they should stay the course. Our advisors help keep you focused on what matters most when it’s most important.

Comprehensive Advice

“I need someone to give me comprehensive advice from an independent perspective; I can’t see my own situation objectively.”

In addition to providing asset allocation and financial coaching, a Blue Trust advisor provides an objective and holistic view of your financial situation. This approach often includes recommending and working with third-party CPAs and estate attorneys to offer wisdom on tax planning and estate issues.

Our Distinct Approach

A Legacy of Biblical Advice

“I need someone who understands my family and our goals who can help facilitate important conversations within my family.”

Blue Trust advisors serve clients across the wealth spectrum at all ages and stages of life. As a fiduciary advisor, we provide objective financial advice rooted in biblical principles. We help new graduates get started on the right financial foot. In addition, we help guide families in the accumulation phase to help accomplish their goals. Finally, we help retirees develop a plan to pass their assets and their values in a thoughtful way that is designed to preserve their legacy.

At Blue Trust, we know it’s easy to have blind spots when it comes to managing your own finances. For this reason, and the reasons we have already mentioned, every advisor in the company has their own financial advisor.

Talk to a Christian financial advisor today about financial planning & wealth management based on biblical wisdom to steward your legacy. Call us: 800-987-2987

A note on the text: We define the term “Christian financial advisor” to be someone who has received special training (such as that received in the Certified Kingdom Advisors (CKA®) Educational Program) in applying biblical principles to financial technical expertise. Because these financial principles come from both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible, a book whose timeless wisdom has been applied to business and financial matters for thousands of years, we refer to these principles as “Biblical Financial Principles,” and the advisors that have been trained in them as “Christian financial advisors.” Across the globe, people with different faiths, beliefs, and backgrounds use these principles in the management of their wealth.

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