In this episode, Mike Hatch walks us through the basis of Biblical investing - how our thoughts about God shape and control our thoughts on money and investing.
We hope this episode allows you to have a better understanding of what the Bible calls, "just weights and measures" - outlining for us what investing looks like for people pursuing a life of stewardship and integrity. The following is an outline on the topic of money and currency that Mike leads us through as we take a deeper look at the foundational principles of Biblical investing.
PART 1:
I. It All Starts with Trust in God
A. Parable of the Talents (Matt. 25)
B. Genesis 1:28 - "be fruitful and multiply"
C. George Gilder (Author - "The Scandal of Money"): "Money is the central information utility of
the world economy"
1. Money is the critical vessel of information about the conditions of markets around the globe.
II. Money from a Biblical Perspective
A. Money is Seed
1. Seed is a by-product of production, being "fruitful."
2. As seed, money is meant to be planted/invested (Prov. 11:24; Ecc. 11:6; 2 Cor. 9:6-11).
3. Money is not meant to be hoarded or stock-piled.
B. "Just weights & measures" (Deut. 25:13-16)
1. Because money is vital to communicating information in markets it is critical for it to be "honest" or reliable (e.g. ruler). This is why God emphasized "honest weights & measures."
III. Money from a Worldly Perspective
A. 1971 - The Dollar is Taken off the Gold Standard
2. Unfortunately money became dishonest, or unreliable in communicating information about markets since 1971, when the dollar was removed from the gold standard. We don't have money any more, we have fiat currency.
B. A Distorted Signal
3. This fiat currency has made it much more difficult to discern "the signal from the noise." Instead the herd simply follows the next inflated asset and very little is learned as the entrepreneurial process was abandoned, by and large.
4. So, how do we invest our currency (not money) in a God honoring way? The bible has the answers!
NOTES/ MENTIONS:
The Scandal of Money - George Gilder
Mike Hatch's course on Redemptive Economics: www.mikehatch.thinkific.com