What if the way we invest our resources could become an expression of our faith? Most of us think carefully about where we give, yet we spend far less time considering where our money is invested and what it is doing while it rests there. And those investments have the power to shape companies, communities, and the future we are helping to build.

This week on the Igniting Imagination® podcast, Rev. Lisa Greenwood welcomes two leaders who have devoted their careers to the intersection of faith, investing, and long-term stewardship. Jake Barnett is managing director of sustainable investment strategies at Wespath, where he leads a team focused on investment stewardship and ESG integration, works closely with partners across The United Methodist Church, and helps faith-based investors align their portfolios with their deepest values. He is joined by Derek Casteel, director of investor services at Wesleyan Impact Partners and Texas Methodist Foundation, who supports churches, nonprofits, and endowment committees as they steward resources for both mission and financial health.

Together, Lisa, Jake, and Derek reframe investing as an act of participation in God's work of human flourishing. They explore what faith-based investing actually means, how to match assets to a congregation's purpose, and how the practices of investing can shape real outcomes, from affordable housing to worker safety. Listen for a hopeful look at the generational and worldwide shifts opening new possibilities for faithful stewardship, and practical first steps any leader can take.

Timestamps

00:00 - Intro

06:00 - What Drew Them Into Faith and Investing

08:18 - Defining Faith-Based Investing

11:31 - Matching Assets to Mission and Purpose

16:02 - Impact Investing That Improves the Human Condition

19:26 - Invest, Engage, Avoid: A Framework for Stewardship

28:51 - Generational Shifts Giving Hope

34:35 - A Worldwide Perspective on Stewardship

38:05 - Rapid Fire: One Faithful Step

Guest

Jake Barnett

As the managing director of sustainable investment strategies for Wespath and its subsidiaries’ investment programs, Jake Barnett leads a team that focuses on investment stewardship and ESG integration. In addition, he interacts with key partners in The United Methodist Church to foster collaboration and coordinates Wespath’s preparation for General Conference. Jake currently serves as the North American Steering Group representative of the Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance and is a board member for the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility.

Derek Casteel, CFA

Derek joined Wesleyan Impact Partners and Texas Methodist Foundation as director of investment services in 2018. He is primarily responsible for the management of institutional client relationships and the pursuit of growth opportunities. Prior to his current position, he served as a managing director at Wespath Institutional Investments, where he led the team responsible for growth and the retention of institutional assets under management within Wespath investment funds. Derek was also senior vice president at Community Capital Management, where he marketed the firm’s fixed income strategies to nonprofit institutional investors and their investment consultants.

Connect

Igniting Imagination® podcast: https://ignitingimagination.org/

Igniting Imagination YouTube: / @wesleyanimpactpartners

Rev. Lisa Greenwood: / lisa-greenwood-5419772a

Wespath: https://www.wespath.org/

Wesleyan Impact Partners: https://www.wesleyanimpactpartners.org/

Texas Methodist Foundation: https://www.texasmethodistfoundation....

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