Values First Advisors

TRUST, TRUST, TRUST

By Dan Celia

"How do we find a financial advisor in whom we can trust?"

I often mention on the radio program that one of the mostfrequent questions I hear when I travel about speaking - doing seminars or town hall meetings - is "How do we find a financial advisor in whom we can trust?" It has always been one of the more difficult questions I have been asked, because it is one of the few questions to which - in the past 25 years - I have never had a real solid answer.  I certainly have lots of opinions as to what makes up a sound financial planner.  But having opinions as to what makes up a good planner, and actually finding one, are two different things.

The main goal of this ministry is to help people be good stewards of that which God has given them.  I feel that it is important for me to have sound places (in which I have confidence and trust) to which people can go for various kinds of financial-related advice or services.

As you know, one of my current sponsors is Values First Advisors.  Values First Advisors is the only organization which I have ever recommended for your financial help.   First of all, one of the things that is important to me is that you have an investor behind you who is like-minded and biblically-minded, and who understands not only "value" kinds of investing, but who also understands that the money you are investing is actually God's money - that He has entrusted you with it to be good stewards of that money.  If we take the attitude that our money is God's, then surely God would not be very pleased with us investing in various mutual funds (through which we are in fact taking ownership in industries that support abortion, pornography, alcohol and gambling, as well as violent, vulgar or sexually-explicit entertainment, embryonic stem-cell research, homosexual activism, or something else yet). I think it is important for us to screen the companies into which we are investing God's money.  I have no desire, in my investment management, to invest in any of those things with God's money.  Because of that, I have always steered clear of mutual funds - because it is very difficult to be in any mutual fund that is not investing money in, or supporting, one of those industries.

I believe this is one of the reasons that the individual accounts, donor-advised funds and charitable trusts which I managed for many years, have done well.  For the past 25 years, I have managed hundreds of millions of dollars for individuals and organizations, and I have always done well in my management philosophy - which is to steer clear of all of those things.  I know that many Christian financial advisors have somehow rationalized in their minds that it is okay to be invested in these kinds of mutual funds or annuities.  Without going into all their rationalizations and reasoning, I have not been able to do that - and frankly, I have no desire to do so.

I get emails week after week from people writing to ask me about different financial advisors, or different financial advisory firms.  I have a very simple answer. I am sure there are others but, I have only found one who is like-minded and has the same heart that I have and whom I happily recommend.  That is Values First Advisors.  I am proud that with Values First Advisors, we were able to reach an agreement for them to help sponsor the radio program.  But keep in mind that this ministry receives no financial help or additional monies or fees for any money that they manage which comes out of our radio ministry.  That was very intentional on my part.  I do not want to be in the position of selling any products or services. I still manage some individuals and I now feel very comfortable with the fact that, if the Lord were to call me home, those people whom I care about and whose money I have managed (some for 25 years) would be in the hands of someone I completely trust and whom I know would continue to manage with the same heart.  I only want to be in the position of recommending those products, companies, or organizations in which I deeply believe, and which meet my moral, ethical, and biblical convictions.

Now having said that, let me point out that we live in a day in which technology has made the world a very small place. I trade institutionally around the world with the 'click' of a mouse ...amazing.  We truly live in a world where it is very commonplace to email people and talk to them on the phone, as a part of all the interactions we do in life.

I know numerous people who have had financial advisors who actually live in their same neighborhood, yet they only see them perhaps once every couple of years - all of the business is conducted via phone or email, and through their financial statements, yet they feel comfortable because they are "close." That is not what should make you comfortable. It is really rather irrelevant where the home-base is of any financial advisor.  I manage money for a Pakistani Bible College, as well as for a Missions Ministry which is home-based in London (and has directors around the world).  I have managed individuals and funds in Seattle, Washington, Portland, Maine, and Miami, - all around the Country through the phone and via the internet, yet the confidence is there to know that I am making right decisions for their accounts. See, the only things that matter are comfort and trust - don't get hung up on where an advisor is located. It's un-important. Whether they live next door or live across the Country, chances are that the only way you will have continuing contact with them is through the telephone.  Do not use a geographical location as a screening method in choosing your financial advisor.  The only factor that really matters is trust. It is about trust and comfort, and knowing that God's money is being invested in areas that will be pleasing to God.  It is about knowing that their investment services are unwavering and uncompromising in their biblical convictions.  You do not want someone who just claims to be Christian, but rather someone who is putting your money where your convictions are.

I cannot begin to tell you the research that went into my decision as to who was going to be one of the sponsors of the radio program - someone whom I could recommend for financial services.  I received offers from gold companies, life insurance companies, mutual fund companies, annuity companies, and still (as of last week) continue to get offers from people who want access to my audience so that it would 'appear' that I was endorsing their products or services.  My audience now reaches over 300 radio stations across the Country, and I have a deep sense of obligation to help my listeners to do the right thing.  I have turned away far more sponsors than I have ever considered for sponsorship of this radio program.

You know I am not a big fan of high fees and trying to manage God's money yourself (Proverbs 3:5).  Rely on God's help as you ask for discernment, and know that Values First Advisors is an organization in which I deeply believe.  It is an organization that is the only one of its kind which I wouldever recommend to anyone.  Wherever you live around the globe, they are only a telephone call away - and again, I go back to "It is really aboutTrust."  It is interesting that when you truly trust someone to handle the money that God has entrusted to you, you find yourself needing to talk to them less and less.  Where they live is irrelevant - what they BELIEVE in is everything.