Does it matter if the electrician who comes to work at my house has a bumper sticker on the back of his truck that I find offensive? Does it matter if my hairstylist shares my political views? Does it matter if my favorite baker would or would not serve a same-sex couple? Does it matter if the county where I serve has two huge Confederate flags flying at both boundaries of the county on the interstate? Does it matter if I buy a car from a dealership that proclaims it conducts business employing Christian values? Do the protesting college students have a right to call for their universities to divest themselves from companies the students deem as offensive?
What are the criteria I should adopt when I am transacting business? When does it matter? If I only conduct business or invest in companies that agree with me in all social issues, I might as well become a hermit. Big businesses are becoming increasingly conscious of their social identity. Is that an expression of a moral conscious or is it just marketing?
Jay Robison
I cannot say I am totally settled on when I may need to make a statement in how I spend my money and when I am getting carried away. However, a few months back I did have an encounter that caused me to take a stand in protest.
For all my adult life, which now has encompassed a few decades, I have invested in my retirement with the Annuity Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, which has become Guidestone. Guidestone always has prided itself in offering funds with high moral character. No sin stocks were in the portfolio. That meant there were no investments with companies producing alcohol, tobacco and so forth. They did have a struggle with Disney a few years back, but for the life of me I cannot remember if the mouse ears were voted off the island. I admit feeling good about investing in companies that are making the world a better place.
Guidestone and I carried on quite nicely until I called seeking information about buying some additional insurance. After I explained what I was looking for, the representative first asked me to answer four questions. First, do I believe that Scripture has God for its author, salvation for its end and truth without any mixture of error for its matter? Second do I believe the local church has the primary task of proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ? Third, do I believe there is no salvation apart from personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord? Fourth, do I believe God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society? That it is comprised of persons related to one another by marriage, blood or adoption? That marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime? That the husband and wife are of equal worth before God since both are created in God’s image? And, finally, that children from the moment of conception are a blessing and heritage from the Lord?
“Suddenly I had to prove myself to a company that has been cashing my checks for decades.”
Suddenly I had to prove myself to a company that has been cashing my checks for decades. In all those quarterly reports I received they never mentioned this new requirement for being worthy of their help.
Does that matter? Should it? Baptists in our best days always have had unity on essentials, with some liberty regarding nonessentials, and charity in all things. I have enjoyed challenges to my perspective by expressing a view different than mine. I firmly believe that approach has made me a better Christ follower.
Now I was confronted with a new litmus test I had to pass to do business with Guidestone, who has cashed my checks for years. Well, that does matter to me. Regardless of whether I agree with the implied responses to any or all their questions, I am offended that a ministry I have been part of for years, and who says they are there to serve me, would now question me. That does matter.
I have divested the majority of the funds I had invested with Guidestone and they are now residing with the CBF Church Benefits Board. I am thankful for this resource where I can partner with other Baptists — because that does matter to me.
Jay Robison serves as pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Valdese, N.C.