Whether a person has $100 million, $10 million, $1 million, $100,000, $10,000, $1,000, or less, the principles remain the same.
The only difference is the amount of time, prayer, and due diligence required before making a major investment in a ministry, mission organization, or kingdom opportunity.
The question is not only, “How much can I give?”
The deeper question is:
“How can I invest what God has entrusted to me for the greatest eternal impact?”
Earthly Investing and Eternal Investing
Most of us understand the importance of analyzing earthly investments.
We research stocks, mutual funds, ETFs, bonds, CDs, real estate, or business opportunities. We compare returns, risks, leadership, strategy, track records, and future growth potential.
Some of us spend many hours studying financial investments. Others pay advisors to help us make wise decisions.
But what about our eternal investments?
What about the money God has entrusted to us for the spread of His kingdom?
Author Alan Gotthardt, in his book The Eternity Portfolio: A Practical Guide to Investing Your Money for Ultimate Results, offers a simple but comprehensive approach to maximizing eternal yield. His approach is similar to how a prudent investor would evaluate a stock, business, or mutual fund—but he applies those same principles to evaluating Christian ministries and mission organizations.
In other words, we are not just giving emotionally or randomly. We are learning to give wisely, prayerfully, strategically, and eternally.
A Challenge to Christian Investors
As investors, many of us spend a great deal of time analyzing our earthly investments.
We ask questions such as:
Will this grow?
Is the leadership trustworthy?
Is the strategy sound?
Is there long-term potential?
Is this a good use of capital?
I want to challenge you—and myself—to spend even a small fraction of that same time analyzing our eternal investments.
Read. Research. Pray. Meditate. Ask the Holy Spirit to direct your steps.
And remember: this is not just about earthly returns.
This is about eternal rewards.
Jesus said:
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven…”
— Matthew 6:19–20
Start With What You Are Already Giving
Many of us already have a list of ministries, churches, missionaries, and faith-based organizations we support.
That is a good place to begin.
As you read, pray, and think more deeply, other organizations may come to mind. You may remember ministries you once supported. You may become aware of new opportunities. You may sense the Holy Spirit leading you in a fresh direction.
Just as with earthly investing, it may be wise not to spread your giving so thin that you cannot follow what is happening.
For larger kingdom investments, it may be helpful to narrow your list to perhaps 10 or so organizations that you can monitor, pray for, evaluate, and support intentionally.
This does not mean we never give spontaneously. There is a place for generosity in the moment.
But there is also a place for thoughtful, prayerful, long-term kingdom investment.
Business Person—Did You Come Across This by “Accident”?
Maybe you are a business person and came across this post by “accident.”
Maybe this is not an accident at all.
The principles are not entirely different from making a wise business decision. You evaluate leadership, mission, vision, opportunity, strategy, financial integrity, measurable outcomes, and long-term potential.
But eternal investing adds something much greater.
It asks:
What is God doing?
Where is the Holy Spirit leading?
Where can one investment help multiply gospel impact?
Whenever we sense the Holy Spirit leading us in a new direction, it is always good to stop and pray:
“Lord, what are You calling me to do?”
Scripture reminds us:
“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
— Ephesians 2:10
God has prepared good works for us to do. That includes our time, gifts, abilities, experience, influence, and yes—our financial resources.
Why Emphasize Unreached People Groups?
For the past 20 years, as an alumnus of Perspectives on the World Christian Movement, my passion for world missions has grown.
Perspectives helped me see the Bible not only as a book about personal salvation, but as the unfolding story of God’s purpose to bless all nations.
The final sections of Perspectives, especially on the strategic perspective, helped me think more carefully about where kingdom resources are going—and where they are most needed.
That is why I often emphasize least reached and unreached people groups.
Many Christian churches support missions, and we should be thankful for that. But not all mission giving is focused on the places and peoples with the least access to the gospel.
There are millions of people in the world who still have little or no access to a Bible, a local church, or a clear witness to Jesus Christ.
When we understand the why behind investing in unreached people groups, the how becomes easier.
This kind of giving is not a replacement for regular tithes and offerings to your local church. It is over and above normal church giving.
But it may be one of the most strategic ways to invest for eternity.
The Combustion Principle
Alan Gotthardt includes a chapter in his book called “The Seven Golden Keys to Investing for Eternity.”
One of those keys is what he calls The Combustion Principle.
The idea is to look for ministry opportunities where one small spark can lead to an explosion of results.
Think of starting a massive avalanche with one small rock. But the rock must be pushed from a strategic high place, where the right conditions already exist to create a disproportionately large result.
Your eternity portfolio investment may be that “little rock.”
Gotthardt compares this to looking for an investment early in its life cycle. If correctly identified, that opportunity may generate the highest long-term return with the smallest initial investment.
In kingdom terms, this means looking for opportunities that can result in exponential growth, not merely incremental growth.
One example might be a church-planting movement spreading across a country or region. Another might be Bible translation, leadership training, evangelism among unreached people groups, or support for indigenous leaders who are already seeing unusual openness to the gospel.
The question becomes:
Where could a relatively small investment produce a large kingdom result?
Shark Tank and Eternal Returns
On the television show Shark Tank, investors are looking for opportunities that can explode.
They want growth. They want multiplication. They want a return far greater than the original investment.
Christian investors should be thinking even bigger.
We are looking for returns that are literally out of this world.
The difference is that our goal is not personal profit.
Our goal is the glory of God, the spread of the gospel, the strengthening of Christ’s church, and the blessing of people who need to know Jesus.
Jesus said:
“Open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.”
— John 4:35
The question is:
Where are the fields white for harvest today?
Do Not Overlook Your Local Church
While I am emphasizing unreached people groups, we should not overlook opportunities close to home.
If your local church has a clear vision to plant a new church, support it.
If your church is reaching immigrants, refugees, international students, or under-reached communities in your own city, consider that deeply.
There are unreached and under-reached people in our own neighborhoods, workplaces, schools, and cities.
A kingdom investor asks:
Where is God already at work, and how can I join Him?
The Parable of the Talents
This entire subject reminds me of Jesus’ parable of the talents in Matthew 25.
The master entrusted resources to his servants. Two invested wisely and multiplied what had been entrusted to them. One buried what he had been given.
When the faithful servants returned, the master said:
“Well done, good and faithful servant.”
— Matthew 25:21
Isn’t that what every follower of Jesus longs to hear?
Not because we earned our salvation. We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
But because we want our lives—and everything God entrusted to us—to count for His kingdom.
Our money is not really ours.
Our time is not really ours.
Our gifts, abilities, experiences, and opportunities are not really ours.
They are entrusted to us by God.
The real question is:
What are we doing with what He has placed in our hands?
Due Diligence for Kingdom Giving
The rest of my original post included a due diligence checklist from Alan Gotthardt’s book, The Eternity Portfolio Illuminated: A Practical Guide to Investing Your Money for Ultimate Results.
I originally used this material in a prior blog post several years ago, with permission from the author. I had the privilege of meeting Alan Gotthardt in Atlanta in 2013.
His book specifically addresses how to be a good steward and how to use God’s money wisely in Christian nonprofit ministry.
These principles apply whether someone is giving hundreds, thousands, or millions of dollars.
The larger the investment, the more careful the due diligence should be.
But the heart issue remains the same:
Lord, how do You want me to invest what You have entrusted to me?
A Personal Challenge
Here is my challenge to you.
Take time to review your giving.
Make a list of the ministries and organizations you currently support.
Pray over that list.
Ask:
Are these ministries faithful to Scripture?
Do they have a clear mission and vision?
Are they reaching people who need the gospel?
Are they multiplying disciples?
Are they transparent and accountable?
Are they focused on eternal fruit?
Are they reaching the least reached, the under-reached, or the unreached?
Then ask the Holy Spirit:
“Lord, is there anything You want me to change?”
Maybe He will confirm what you are already doing.
Maybe He will lead you to increase your giving.
Maybe He will lead you to support a missionary, a church plant, a Bible translation project, a ministry to unreached people groups, or a local outreach.
Maybe He will lead you to reduce scattered giving and become more focused.
Maybe He will lead you to invest in something with combustion potential—one small spark that could help ignite a movement for the kingdom.
Final Thought
We cannot take our earthly wealth with us.
But we can send it on ahead.
We can invest in people, missions, churches, evangelism, discipleship, Bible translation, church planting, and ministries that proclaim Jesus Christ to the world.
Whether the amount is large or small, the principles remain the same.
Pray.
Research.
Evaluate.
Listen to the Holy Spirit.
Invest wisely.
Give generously.
And live with eternity in view.
One day, by the grace of God, may we hear:
“Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Happy investing—for eternity.
Closing Prayer
Father, everything I have belongs to You.
Teach me to be a faithful steward of the money, time, gifts, and opportunities You have entrusted to me.
Give me wisdom to invest not only for earthly needs, but for eternal fruit.
Open my eyes to the fields that are white for harvest.
Guide me by Your Holy Spirit toward ministries and opportunities that glorify Jesus Christ and reach people with the gospel.
Help me live with eternity in view.
And one day, by Your grace, may I hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
