How do I use Capital for Kingdom purposes?

We live in an ideal time to explore this question. People who have faith arguably have more wealth than at any other time in history and people generally are tuned into the topic of virtuous capital. While the aspirations are broadly recognized it is not an automatic that capital in the hands of Christians will result in it being used for “Kingdom purposes.” Why is this?

First, much of the capital is sitting in the wrong investment vehicles supporting companies that are doing no good. Second, we are inundated with two-pocket Christians who have one pocket for charity and the other for optimized returns. Third, we are still developing metrics that gives us an integrated dual return: for today and for eternity. Fourth, we think we are doing God a favor when we settle for concessionary returns and woolly impact investing.

There’s a bigger reason, however: we have unfairly defined capital too narrowly as being money. We have not given the right weight to relational, environmental, social, intellectual and spiritual capital, to name just some other types of capital. Consequently, we have not comprehensively capitalized investments, and we have elevated finances to a saving role. We have tipped the scales towards Mammon.

A final quick thought: our current day organizing principles for investing do not work “for kingdom purposes.” We have funds focused on technologies or asset classes: we have not yet learned how to measure “your kingdom come” in a nation or people-group and hence measure a ROI that is based on societal transformation.

Interested in finding out more? Visit the following links:

1. Repurposing Capital
2. Kingdom Economics