Invested With Purpose: The Birth Of Biblically Responsible Investing

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Timothy Plan Founder Art Ally And Invested with Purpose Author Has a Passion for Biblically Responsible Investing That Permeated the Entire Industry

New Book, ‘Invested with Purpose,’ Tells the Story of the Start of Timothy Plan and the Birth of BRI That Has Impacted Millions of Investors

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ORLANDO, Fla.—Over the 25-year history of the Timothy Plan family of biblically responsible mutual funds, trials, blessings and miracles were abundant. And the other constant that remained was founder Art Ally’s passion for biblically responsible investing (BRI).

In 1994, Ally launched a mutual fund that gave Christians an alternative to worldly investing. The term “biblically responsible investing” didn’t exist at that time, but was sometimes called “values-based investing,” “morally responsible investing,” “biblically based investing” or “faith-based investing.”

And Ally’s passion for this new and unique field at the time permeated an entire industry, thousands of financial planners and millions of Christian investors.

Invested with Purpose book

The story of Ally and Timothy Plan is detailed in the new book, “Invested with Purpose: The Birth of the Biblically Responsible Investment Movement,” which outlines Ally’s life and work as the BRI pioneer and tells the story of how one man’s vision led to a revolution.

“Over the years, Art took risks,” according to “Invested with Purpose.” “He moved his family all over the U.S., reaching higher at every turn without compromising his convictions. In 1992, at the age of 52, he risked everything. When he and Bonnie decided to move in faith, sell their house, sell his financial practice, and start the first biblically responsible mutual fund, it was an uncertain time. But that is the definition of faith. And without faith, it is impossible to please God.”

In part, the BRI gained more awareness in December 1997, when Ally and Mark Minnella of Integrity Investors co-launched the National Association of Christian Financial Consultants (NACFC), along with the passion of Dan Hardt of Dan Hardt Financial Services, and the term “biblically responsible investing” stuck. This new association gave Christian advisers a forum to come together, worship and figure out how to change investors’ ideas about investing.

Fast-forward to 2004, when during Timothy Plan’s struggles, Ally felt called to take a leave and write a guide for people to truly understand what God says about money. During this time, he authored the Biblical Stewardship Series, utilizing material from fellow leaders in the field. Ally was so passionate about the series that he sold the six-book set at cost after extensively training advisers to teach it to others. Today, the series is impacting the lives of home-schoolers in hopes of transforming the next generation.

Invested with Purpose - G-d and money

Decisions and moves like that gave Ally the reputation of being a “rifter”—a quality that provides the magic behind entrepreneurial success.

“Art is a rifter,” said Dave Hart, who runs Timothy Plan’s online Biblical-based screening tool, eVALUEator, and has worked with Ally since 1999. “Walt Disney was a rifter—someone who finds a rift or gap in the status quo of business life and bets everything he has on it. Typically, they are very focused, driven people.”

That “rift” was in the non-denominational church community. Ally wanted to start a retirement plan for these pastors because Southern Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians and Catholics all had access to something similar.

“Pastors can be so driven that they work their whole lives, giving away most of their money and wind up with nothing,” according to “Invested with Purpose.” “They generally don’t retire because they can’t, since they have nothing to retire on. Art felt pastors needed some type of retirement fund.”

Ally began putting together a retirement plan for pastors, and discovered—every time—that the available investment products were involved in something he could not ask a pastor to invest in. As a result, Ally took leave from his business and started looking at company activities. He spent two years developing a solution and realized the best option would be to start a mutual fund, which involved finding investors to help fund its launch.

ETF

The investors did indeed come on board, and now, 25 years later, Timothy Plan, has helped advisors and investors achieve their financial goals through a pro-life, pro-family approach to faith-based investing—not only to benefit the investor but the broader culture. The first of its kind, Timothy Plan birthed the trend of BRI, which is growing rapidly and extensively. In fact, Timothy Plan’s mutual funds currently have over $1 billion of assets under management. The family of mutual funds and ETFs is firmly committed to operating with the integrity, excellence and wisdom that brings honor and glory to Jesus and is a beacon for godly stewardship in the financial community.

Invested with Purpose officially launched last month at the 2019 Nehemiah Week, a gathering of business leaders in Washington, D.C. Providing the preface for “Invested with Purpose” was Patrice Tsague, Founder and Chief Servant Officer of Nehemiah Project International Ministries, which published the book. “Invested with Purpose” was written with the assistance of Robert Knight, a longtime professional journalist, author and Communications Director for Timothy Plan. Learn more about the book or order here.

Disclaimers

PAST PERFORMANCE DOES NOT GUARANTEE FUTURE RESULTS AND YOU MAY LOSE MONEY. You should consider the fund’s investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. This and other important information can be found in the fund’s prospectus. To obtain a copy, visit timothyplan.com or call 800.846.7526. Read the prospectus carefully before investing or sending money. Mutual Funds distributed by Timothy Partners, Ltd., member FINRA. ETFs distributed by Foreside Fund Services, LLC, MEMBER FINRA and SIPC. Timothy Partners, Ltd. is not affiliated with Foreside Fund Services, LLC.

For more information on Timothy Plan, visit timothyplan.com or connect on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, InstagramPinterest, Vimeo or YouTube. View the media page for Timothy Plan here.

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