Threading the Needle

Faith Driven Consumer™ (FDC) is dedicated to a specific mission: empowering you to leverage the marketplace and change the culture for greater acceptance of Christians. We aim to do so by equipping Faith Driven Consumers with tools that enable informed consumer decisions based on faith driven convictions. It’s what we strive to accomplish at FDC, focusing our efforts toward realizing this goal and achieving our mission. Even though we have a specific mission and a determination to avoid getting distracted from it, there are many aspects of what we do that run adjacent to cultural and political issues. What is FDC’s approach to walking this tightrope? How do we thread the needle of making a difference in the culture and standing for Christian values, without becoming sidetracked from our mission? And why do we feel we need to do this in the first place?

Let’s start with the last question: why do we feel the need to make sure we “stay in our lane,” so to speak, and not get too involved in the areas outside of our stated mission? This is a good question. It’s not obvious at first glance that we shouldn’t be a political group. In fact, there are a lot of political organizations doing great things that are compatible with our beliefs at FDC. The reason, however, is that our mission intends to represent and serve as many Faith Driven Consumers as possible. As such, we want to avoid unnecessary division that political debates naturally create. By sticking to the core values of biblically orthodox Christians, we make sure, as much as possible, that our witness doesn’t become distracted nor corrupted by politics. It also ensures we remain committed to being biblically faithful, not politically expedient.

That said, we also recognize it’s seemingly impossible to avoid taking any stances or ever supporting causes that are politically adjacent. Everyone has to believe in something. As bible-believing Christ followers, we unapologetically support many beliefs that some may consider “political” (although we understand them to be first and foremost biblical). We wouldn’t be the “business with a mission” that we proclaim without these specific values, beliefs and goals. The difference, however, is that our primary focus is not to serve a political end. We aren’t here to publish partisan talking points, nor do we exist to lobby congressman to pass legislation consistent with our beliefs. What we are here to do is make the marketplace, workplace and culture a more welcoming place for Faith Driven Consumers to inhabit.

Indeed, what makes us different than other organizations engaged in these kinds of, often-political, activities, are our motivations and our methods. Our motivation isn’t to win a political battle or punish our cultural “enemies.” It’s to make an impact in a culture that would truly benefit from the values and beliefs that our Community has to offer. And we can’t sully that witness or waste that opportunity by falling into the temptations of political fights and divisive behaviors. As followers of Christ, our methods should look very different from these types of actions, which we unfortunately see far too often. FDCs can have a host of different political opinions, stances and voting records. But we should all be united in the core values that make us Faith Driven Consumers, and the goals we share as a result of those values. We recognize that keeping this spirit of unity and focus is central to us accomplishing our mission and realizing our vision.

So, after considering a couple important questions: why does FDC avoid political debates when possible? and how does FDC strike the balance of standing on convictions without getting distracted? – we hope you understand a little bit better why we focus on the things we do. Sure, there will be times where we wade into political topics, if we believe that action to be directly relevant to our goals (in fact, we will publishing an article on the Equality Act very soon). However rare those instances may be, we will always remain committed first and foremost to our primary goal. This is to serve Christ while representing and empowering you, the Faith Driven Consumer, to leverage the marketplace, make an impact, and transform the culture into a welcoming environment for biblically faithful Christians. We hope that you share our commitment to avoiding divisiveness and distractions in pursuit of the incredible opportunity in front of us.

Part II of II: The Decision-Making Process

Last week we posed the question regarding how a Faith Driven Consumer can practically navigate all the different decisions involved in everyday purchases. While we at Faith Driven Consumer™ (FDC) aim to increasingly arm you with resources that help enable choices that align with your values, no easy, straightforward playbook exists. (If you haven’t gotten a chance to read part 1, check it out and then head back over here to read part 2) Before getting into the practical discussion of what that decision-making process may look like, it was important to cover why we should not be burdened by the massive amount of information and countless choices available. Being a Faith Driven Consumer should not mean that you meticulously obsess over every purchase and fret over the destination of each penny. Instead, we should remember that we aren’t going to change the world overnight: it’s a marathon, not a sprint.  As such, we should keep the main thing the main thing, and not become like the Pharisees in our attempts to steward our finances and Purchase with Purpose™.

Even still, taking these reminders to heart while remaining grounded in our faith and not our works, we still face a myriad of choices and questions concerning potential changes in our buying habits and the products we purchase. How do we navigate these questions, and what obligations do we have? Should you change products if your favorite is not rated Compatible, or even Acceptable by our Faith Equality Index? Is it ever ok to just say, “Well, it may not be the best company, but I love (fill in the blank) too much to change!” These are all questions you may ask yourself as a Faith Driven Consumer.

In the Part 1 blog, we gave an example of purchasing toothpaste to highlight some of these questions. We imagined your favorite toothpaste being Crest, a Proctor & Gamble product that currently receives an Incompatible rating with our FEI. We imagined you, as a Faith Driven Consumer, discover this fact and now have a few potential decisions to make. Let’s pick up where we left off and see if we can add some clarity to this decision-making process. Questions you may ask yourself include: Am I going to change toothpastes? Am I doing something wrong if I don’t? If I do change, can I just change to Colgate which is rated Acceptable? Or do I need to pick Arm & Hammer or another product that is also Compatible? What if I don’t like those toothpastes? What if I think another product that is less faith compatible is better at keeping my teeth clean, healthy and looking great?

There simply aren’t any easy, universal answers to these questions. Your responses will not change your faith, nor your salvation.  The Bible provides us with many words of wisdom on stewarding well and honoring the Lord with what we have been given, by giving back to Him and to those less fortunate. But it’s largely silent on the specific issues addressed in the questions above. We no longer live under the letter of the law in the Old Testament, although many rich truths and lessons remain to be learned from it. And the context of the New Testament is so alien to our current culture, which exhibits unique features due to modern economic factors like capitalism, industrialization, (comparatively) incredible wealth, (mostly) free markets, and many other features that were not a part of the context for New Testament writers or first-century believers.

That’s both the good news and the bad news. The bad news is, we don’t have clear biblical answers to these questions like we might have for other moral ones such as, “Should we murder?” Spoiler alert: we shouldn’t. But the good news is that there aren’t a host of rules we have to follow in this uncharted territory. That means, instead of viewing being a Faith Driven Consumer as a minefield of biblical commands to avoid breaking, you have the freedom to make these judgments for yourself and do something utterly positive. You are empowered to employ the biblical truths you have discovered, the conviction of the Holy Spirt, and the common sense the good Lord gave you. Armed accordingly, you can develop a decision-making approach that makes the most sense for you, your family and the current situation of life in which God has placed you in His infinite wisdom.

Alas, we admit it: we don’t have an easy answer for you on the toothpaste question. We aren’t here to tell you that being a Christian means throwing away the Crest and searching for your previously discarded coupons for AIM. But it’s also possible that might be exactly what you feel is right for you. We’re just here to help provide you with resources for decision making and subsequently, with our (very rapidly) growing Community, to help influence and change things for the better. And that’s ultimately our goal: informing, incentivizing and assisting you in making any and all faith driven decisions about what you buy and why you buy it. We’ll leave the rest up to you.

Part I of II: It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

At Faith Driven Consumer^TM, you’ll find access to many different resources and information on various brands and businesses. There’s a good chance some of your favorite brands and products have already been evaluated by our grading system, the Faith Equality Index (FEI). If not, rest assured we’re constantly adding more weekly. These resources enable you to make the most informed, and hopefully the best, consumer decision for you and your family. But, YOU still have to make this decision. And, further, it’s not just one decision, but ongoing decisions due to the many different kinds of products you buy.

After you’ve done some digging as a Faith Driven Consumer, and utilized the various resources available to understand where your dollars are going and if you’re being welcomed in return, how do you actually go about the decision-making process? How do you decide, for example, whether or not to switch from Crest to Colgate toothpaste? Or better yet, should you switch to Arm & Hammer or AIM?* What if you don’t really like those toothpaste choices as much, or even at all? Then there’s the health and hygienic question of which one is actually the best (if there even is a best toothpaste). And that’s just toothpaste! Comparatively, it’s a pretty simple product, but it is just one of the many essential products you use every day.

You’re probably asking, “How in the world do I keep up with all of the decisions that being a Faith Driven Consumer entails?” It’s a fair question and can seem like a daunting task. But, before we look at how to practically approach these decisions, and in order to help prevent you from getting overwhelmed, it’s important to be reminded of a few key truths for us as Faith Driven Consumers.

First, it’s important for us to remember that we aren’t going to change the world overnight. We should be excited about the opportunity to make a difference in our culture through the choices we make. And, obviously, we at FDC believe in the importance of this goal and have a mission and vision focused on helping this succeed. But just as Rome wasn’t built in a day, neither will we transform the commercial industry overnight. Our culture didn’t turn away from traditional principles in one fell swoop. Instead, it was a gradual move away from the kinds of beliefs and values that we, as Faith Driven Consumers (FDCs), hold. Ultimately, the values our culture has adopted were established through committed and consistent voices and choices, leveraging their worldview and their interests against the marketplace to ensure they were heard. When the community of FDCs eventually succeeds in turning the tide of marketplace, workplace and culture back toward a fair and welcoming place for Christians, it will be through the same methods: commitment and consistency in our voices and our choices.

Remember: it’s a marathon, not a sprint.

Second, and even more important than the reminder above, is the warning we repeatedly see in the New Testament from Jesus himself: don’t be like the Pharisees. The Pharisees were Jewish teachers of the law who did everything “right.” They were professional Christians that always had their ducks in a row and always followed the rules. But Jesus repeatedly says, “Woe to you Pharisees.” (Matthew 23) and cautions us not to behave as they did. If we want to heed Jesus’ warning to not be a Pharisee, we have to apply this to our efforts as FDCs, as well. We have to keep the main thing the main thing and not get caught up in moral checklists and rule-following which can distract us from the most important aspects of the Christian life.

Being a Faith Driven Consumer is not about earning moral or spiritual credit through meticulously and legalistically obsessing over every decision we make, nor is it about punishing or judging others who don’t make similar decisions. Being a Faith Driven Consumer is about living out your faith – specifically your faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ – in a way that demonstrates grace and love, producing real change in our marketplace and community. If we do this, and keep the main thing the main thing, we’ll end up finding a healthy balance in how we go about stewarding our finances, supporting brands that welcome us, and fulfilling all the other responsibilities that life throws at us. Achieving this balance also enables us to avoid the temptation to become overwhelmed by unnecessary and unhealthy legalistic obligations, which can keep us from being effective in our many other faith driven activities. Consumer decisions shouldn’t feel like a burden; instead, we should see them as an amazing opportunity to make a real difference as a Faith Driven Consumer and as an agent for the gospel.

* FEI scores of brands mentioned above can be found here: https://faithdrivenconsumer.com/review/

• Crest (Proctor & Gamble): Incompatible
  Colgate: Acceptable
  Arm & Hammer, AIM (Church & Dwight): Compatible

Proverbs 3 Devotional

*Please see Disclaimer at the bottom of this page. 

As Christians, faith is central to who we are and what we do. Specifically, faith in God and the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ are what drive our mission and values at Faith Driven Consumer™ (FDC). While we aren’t a substitute for discipleship or spiritual formation in your local church and ministry communities, we, nevertheless, hope that we can encourage you in God’s word and provide you with scriptures to explore, helping us grow together. We aren’t biblical scholars, and we aren’t here to preach to anyone. We intend this devotional to be the first of many to encourage you and communicate the truth of God’s Word and love. We certainly need more of it in our culture today.

In light of this, we want to share and focus on the passage below from the book of Proverbs, in the Old Testament. Chapter 3, verses 9 and 10:

Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine. (ESV)

You may have read this passage before or heard it referenced in sermons on why people should tithe – donate some portion, usually 10%, of income – to the church or other religious organizations*. However, this passage goes beyond that, revealing something not just regarding what we should do with our money, but also how we should view and understand the resources, monetary and otherwise, with which God has provided us. It shouldn’t be written off as “the tithe passage,” nor should we dismiss it as another inconvenient reminder, or worse yet, a plea to anyone’s guilt, that we should be giving part of our paychecks away.

Instead, we should allow the Holy Spirit to illuminate the truth of what is being communicated through God’s eternal and true Word, and not condense it to a “rule” we should be following but will probably put off until “I’m in a better financial place to do so.”

In this passage, the command to give back to the Lord is wrapped in language of honoring the Lord. To show honor is to show respect, reverence and ultimately love for someone. As such, when we give, we do so because we love God and want to express that in tangible ways, such as, giving of our resources and wealth, however little or much that may be. We do so, not because God needs it. In fact, Scripture tells us it is all His anyway. Instead, we are blessed with what we have, because God is a good and loving Father who blesses His children in countless ways.

That said, just as blessings from God are evidence and expressions of His great love for us, so too are the gifts we give back to God. If we truly, even if not fully, while here on earth, understand that magnitude of God’s love and blessings for us, how could we not joyfully have the kind of attitude that Proverbs 3 urges us to have? How could we not, upon receiving the “firstfruits of the produce,” joyfully and willingly give them to God to honor Him and help further His kingdom here on earth? And sure, you might not be a farmer or own a winery, but the example holds true today, as it never was about the “rule” you should be following, or the percentage of your income you give away. It’s always been about understanding the blessings of our gracious Father, and then responding with overwhelming thankfulness, honoring Him in return with all that we are and all that we have.

The Scriptures tell us that if you do this, God will bless you. BUT, before we start thinking we can treat God like a cosmic vending machine, where we put a few coins in and get a sweet prize in return, we must remember the specific command at the beginning of the verse: “Honor the LORD.” God will surely bless us, but only when we love Him for who He is and how He loves us. We do this when we respond in gratitude and thankfulness with a willingness to give of ourselves, our time and our resources to whatever degree is required. THEN, God will bless us in these ways.

At FDC, we understand that as Christians, how we steward our finances and manage our spending is a way to appreciate God’s goodness to us in our lives. Our response to Him is an opportunity to show Him honor and further His kingdom. Saving, spending and investing are all opportunities to honor the Lord with what we have. We are so excited to be even just a small part of helping you do this. We look forward to applying these Scriptures within our lives and alongside yours in order to grow, making our lives and communities #faithdriven.

*Faith Driven Consumer does not seek donations of any kind. This devotional is intended to encourage readers and communicate God’s Word and love.

If you spend any time on our website, reading our blogs or listening to our podcasts, you’ll probably hear us use the phrase “leverage the marketplace.” We say things like “leveraging the marketplace for the interests of Faith Driven Consumers” or “we want to help you leverage the marketplace to make an impact on culture and create a more welcoming environment for Christians.” So, what exactly do we mean when we use this term?

It means that you as a consumer, hopefully a Faith Driven one, have something that thousands of businesses and brands are working 24/7 to get from you. Commercial industries spend millions of dollars hiring marketing teams, assembling focus groups and acquiring your data to get a few things they need desperately from you: your money, your time and your approval (and ultimately your time and approval are just means to the end of getting your money). And don’t get us wrong, there is not anything inherently unethical about this pursuit. In fact, we think it provides great opportunities both for businesses and consumers alike. Even here at Faith Driven Consumer™ (FDC) we need to consider and take advantage of many of these opportunities to succeed as a business and make a positive impact for the Lord and for Faith Driven Consumers.

All of these mega corporations and the millions of dollars plus countless hours they spend to get you to make a certain decision is really just a testament to one really important fact: they need you. You, the consumer, are invaluable to them. The mom buying groceries for her family… The dad booking a beach vacation for the family… The grandparents purchasing life insurance… The college student buying books for the coming semester… Every one of these individuals and contexts have something in common. They all have leverage. We are fortunate enough to live in a society where we get to choose from a variety of products and services. And, what everyone above has in common is their freedom to choose which products they will buy and ultimately who they will support with their money.

When we talk about leveraging the marketplace we mean exactly this: making choices about what you buy and where you spend your money that have real and significant implications for the marketplace. Making these decisions affords you freedom as a consumer as well as an opportunity to shape the marketplace. The marketplace, in turn, greatly influences the culture we live in and have a stake in as Christians. Faith Driven Consumers have the privilege of making a difference by simply living our lives and buying the kinds of items and services we already use. But every privilege has a corresponding responsibility, and that is to steward this opportunity in a way that is compatible with our values, ethics and beliefs as Faith Driven Consumers.

While this is a weighty responsibility, the good news is that you don’t have to navigate the vast world of commerce and make these decisions alone. This opportunity to leverage the marketplace stands at the center of FDC’s vision and mission. We want to assist you in your best efforts to steward your finances and use your wallet in ways that are compatible with your faith and make a difference in your community. We’re here to provide you with an opportunity to become informed in accessible and convenient ways and enable you to Purchase with Purpose™. You’ve been leveraging the marketplace for as long as you’ve been buying things, and you might not have even known it. We’re here to inform and remind you of the significance of this opportunity. But mostly, we at FDC are here to help you leverage the marketplace and maximize the effects of those efforts. And if you’ll allow us to help you with this responsibility, we’ll promise to help you save money in the process. Together, we can leverage the marketplace and shape it into a place that welcomes and celebrates Faith Driven Consumers as a vital and cherished community.