When you think about aligning your investments with your Christian values—what we call Biblically Responsible Investing (BRI)—it is easy to assume you have to pay a “conscience tax.”
It is a completely natural assumption. Our brains are wired to believe that more options always equal more efficiency. Because of this, we easily fall into the trap of thinking that if we voluntarily exclude certain companies or industries from our portfolio, we are mathematically bound to experience subpar, “charitable” returns. We tend to view faith-based investing as a nice moral gesture, but ultimately a sacrifice of our family’s long-term financial growth.
But does choosing to invest ethically actually cause a performance penalty?
To understand what is really going on, let’s take a side-by-side look. We will compare the traditional gold standard of the U.S. stock market, the S&P 500 Index, with a biblically responsible equivalent, the Inspire 500 ETF (PTL).
Head-to-Head: PTL vs. The S&P 500 Index
Before we look at the numbers, let’s establish a necessary foundation:
Educational Purpose Only: This comparison is for educational and illustrative purposes. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. All investments involve risk, including the potential loss of principal. Share price, principal value, and investment return will fluctuate.
To ensure we are comparing clean, standardized, and compliant data, the table below displays the audited total return figures as of the calendar quarter ending June 30, 2026:
Average Annual Total Returns (As of June 30, 2026)
| Fund / Benchmark | 1-Year Total Return | Since PTL Inception (Annualized)* | Net Expense Ratio |
| Inspire 500 ETF (PTL NAV) | +26.53% | +18.68% | 0.09% |
| Inspire 500 ETF (PTL Market Price) | +26.36% | +18.63% | 0.09% |
| S&P 500 Index (Total Return Benchmark) | +22.32% | +18.87% | N/A (Benchmark) |
*PTL Inception Date: March 25, 2024. Performance data is net of fund operating fees but gross of advisor-level management fees.
When you look at the actual data, the results are virtually neck-and-neck. In fact, over the last 12 months, the faith-screened PTL actually outperformed the traditional S&P 500 benchmark by over 4%.
The True Goal: Incentivizing Biblical Businesses to Succeed
Because PTL filters out companies that actively work against biblical values, the two portfolios will never be exactly identical. For example, PTL currently holds 483 companies and has zero exposure to the “Magnificent 7” mega-cap tech stocks that heavily dominate standard index funds.
But we aren’t trying to penalize performance by screening out certain corporate actors. Quite the opposite.
As believers, we absolutely want our investments to grow. But we also want to incentivize businesses that operate with biblical values to succeed. The ultimate goal is to see ethical, value-driven companies flourish, expand, and bless their workforces, customers, and communities.
These numbers serve as a powerful proof of concept: being ethical does not mean being uncompetitive. You can pursue competitive, market-rate growth with a clear conscience.
Why the “Almighty Dollar” Isn’t the Ultimate Measure
Let’s take this a step deeper. Even if there were a scenario where unethical companies earned slightly higher returns than ethical ones, we have to ask ourselves: Why do we assume that the almighty dollar is the highest measure of importance?
If exploitative companies make more money, it is only because we, as a society, are failing to actively discourage unethical behavior.
To understand this, we only have to look at our own history:
- The Old Way: Historically, factories could capture massive “efficiency gains” by ignoring working conditions, utilizing child labor, and forcing employees into highly dangerous situations.
- The Shift: As a society, we eventually decided that human safety and dignity were vastly more important than a slightly cheaper product. We outlawed those exploitative practices.
- The Adaptation: Did businesses collapse? No. Companies took a temporary “adaptation hit,” evolved, and built safer, highly competitive modern workplaces.
We got rid of unsafe environments because we valued human life over minor efficiency gains. The same logic applies to where we direct our investment capital today.
When you choose Biblically Responsible Investing, you are refusing to let the search for an extra fraction of a percent compromise your values. You are choosing to support businesses that honor God, care for their workers, and bless their communities. And as the data shows, you don’t have to sacrifice your financial future to do it.
AAMS & CKA Perspective:
As financial advisors, we look at investing through the lens of stewardship. God doesn’t ask us to be poor stewards of the resources He has entrusted to us in the name of “feeling good.” We are called to multiply those talents competitively, with wisdom, diligence, and integrity.
You do not have to choose between a clean conscience and a strong portfolio. You can pursue competitive, market-rate growth with clean hands.
If you want us to look at your portfolio, schedule a brief call: