"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
Romans 12:21
Dear Kingdom Builders,
In the early months of 2025, America's largest bank rewrote its code of conduct to explicitly bar religious and political discrimination after years of complaints that it and other banks were “debanking” customers over their faith and politics, including abruptly closing the a religious-freedom group's account.
It wasn’t due to new management, new laws, or a court decision.
The change was the result of Christian shareholders who led a coalition to voice their concerns to JPMorgan Chase and persuaded the bank to publicly change its position.
Not customers. Not protesters. Owners.
Few people realize that Christians were among the pioneers of modern shareholder engagement.
In 1971, the Episcopal Church filed what is widely regarded as the first faith-based shareholder resolution on a moral issue in the United States, urging General Motors to withdraw from apartheid South Africa. Although the resolution failed, it helped launch modern faith-based shareholder engagement and was later credited for its contribution to the anti-apartheid movement.
Today, Christians face no shortage of moral questions in corporate America. What activities do they directly engage in? Who/what do they support?
What should a Christian do when discovering that a company he or she owns is facilitating something morally wrong?
We have a choice:
Should we walk away from ownership or should we engage management and seek Christ-aligned change?
Each circumstance calls for discernment, and there's a case for both.
The Episcopal Church could have simply divested. Instead, they believed ownership gave them both the opportunity and the responsibility to seek change.
We get a great insight into how to engage in Luke 19. Jesus invites himself into the home of Zacchaeus, a tax collector, not to affirm him, but to form a relationship with him and call him to repentance and restitution.
There's an interesting parallel here. As shareholders, we expect management to faithfully steward the companies we own. We hold them accountable because we are the owners. Our faith turns that relationship upside down. God is the Owner. We are the managers. And one day, we too will give an account for how we stewarded what he entrusted to us.
This week, I got to speak with Jerry Bowyer. He was one of the architects behind the victory with JPMorgan Chase. In fact, we discussed that case specifically among many other stories and the theological thinking behind it. He believes shareholder engagement may be one of the most overlooked tools Christians have for influencing the marketplace.
I definitely encourage you to give it a listen. If you have ownership, you have a voice and often a vote. Ownership is responsibility. How are you using yours?
Have a blessed week!
Matt
Nationally recognized economist and corporate engagement leader, Jerry Bowyer, author of The Maker Versus the Takers discusses:
Why most shareholders vote against their own convictions without knowing it.
How corporate engagement went from eye-rolls to daily victories.
Why he separates companies from bad ideas instead of attacking them.
The one demand every investor should make of their advisor.
Federal prosecutors allege that an Arlington man defrauded more than 50 investors of $3.2 million by promising profits from church-related real estate projects, Christian concerts, and ministry programs, then using the money for personal expenses.
Planned Parenthood and two smaller abortion providers may once again bill Medicaid for non-abortion services after a federal funding restriction expired, following nearly a year of clinic closures and reduced patient services.
30-Second Investment Terms and Strategies
Rule 14a-8
Rule 14a-8 is the SEC rule that gives shareholders the right to place proposals on a company's proxy ballot for a vote at the annual meeting. In simple terms, it's the formal doorway through which even a small shareholder can put an issue directly in front of a company's board and fellow owners.
What it is: A federal securities rule allowing eligible shareholders to submit proposals for inclusion in a company's proxy materials. The threshold is lower than most people expect, as little as $2,000 in stock held for three years.
Purpose: Ensures that owners, not just management, can shape what gets discussed and voted on. It formalizes a core principle of ownership: the people who own the company have a voice in how it's run.
Where it's used: At publicly traded companies of every size, from small caps to trillion-dollar giants. It's the primary tool behind the shareholder engagement movement.
Why it matters: Most investors never learn this right exists, which is one reason corporate policy has been shaped by so few voices. A proposal doesn't need to win a majority vote to create change. Many are resolved through dialogue before a vote ever happens. Understanding 14a-8 is the first step toward seeing your shares as a voice, not just a value.
DISCLAIMER: This material is provided for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute investment, legal, tax, or other professional advice, nor is it an offer or solicitation to purchase or sell any security. “ChristianAlts” is a media publication operated by HoneyHive Capital Partners LLC. HoneyHive Capital Partners LLC is not a broker-dealer, investment adviser, or funding portal and does not offer or sell securities. The author is a registered representative and investment adviser representative operating through separate, regulated entities, including Execlitrax LLC (d.b.a. HoneyHive Capital), which conducts investment banking and securities-related activities under the supervision of Finalis Securities LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. This publication is not issued on behalf of, or supervised by, Finalis Securities LLC or any affiliated broker-dealer. Any securities-related services or transactions are conducted only through the appropriate regulated entities and are offered solely by means of formal offering documents, including, where applicable, a confidential offering memorandum, and in accordance with federal and state securities laws. The views expressed herein are solely those of the author and are based on internal research, opinions, and publicly available information that has not been independently verified. No representation or warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of the information. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that may cause actual results to differ materially.
