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Matthew 5:14 – You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

To reflect the above scripture,  we have decided to change the name we are known by from ‘CIS Wealth Management’ to ‘Christian Financial Advisors®’ to bring more clarity to the hundreds of people searching online daily across our country for a Christian Financial Advisor to serve them.  This new name also goes with our popular nationwide podcast, Christian Financial Perspectives now with over 95 episodes.

Nothing else will change. The firm is still owned by Christian Investment Advisors, Inc. (Bob Barber), with the same staff, location, phone number and email addresses. We’re here to serve you.

You do not have to do or sign anything because all your investment accounts are still with Christian Investment Advisors, Inc as the advisor. The only difference is Christian Investment Advisors, Inc. will be “doing business as” (dba) Christian Financial Advisors® instead of CIS Wealth Management.

Our new logo is represented below so you can be on the lookout for the new design on our website, emails, and other materials.

Christian Financial Advisors® Statement of Faith

 

If you have any questions or comments about our name change we would love to hear from you.

Sincerely,
Bob Barber
President of Christian Investment Advisors, Inc dba Christian Financial Advisors® (formally CIS Wealth Management)

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By Bob Barber, CWS®

Proverbs 21:5 “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.”

The Rule of 72 is a mathematical formula I think everyone needs to know and understand when it comes to investing. This rule is extremely powerful and can be used to determine how often a lump sum will double or compound. It’s important to know how the Rule of 72 works because it can mean the difference in having tens of thousands, or even hundred of thousands, of dollars over a lifetime of investing and saving, as well as what it can cost you when taking premature withdrawals from an investment portfolio.

The formula works like this: 72 divided by an annual “average rate of return” of an investment equals the “amount of years” the lump sum invested will double.

Examples:

1) A $10,000 investment making an average annual rate of return of 2% would double to $20,000 in 36 years:
72 / 2 (percent) = 36 (years)

2) A $10,000 investment making an average annual rate of return of 6% would double to $20,000 in 12 years:
72 / 6 (percent) = 12 (years)

$40,000 in 24 years and $80,000 in 36 years

3) A $10,000 investment making an average annual rate of return of 8% would double to $20,000 in 9 years:
72 / 8 (percent) = 9 (years)

$40,000 in 18 years, $80,000 in 27 years, and $160,000 in 36 years

You get the picture. The better the annual average rate of return you can make, the faster an investment can compound and double, and those extra doubles really mean a lot over an extended period of time.

You can use the Rule of 72 in so many different scenarios, like how much a lump sum could grow to at a certain average rate of return over many years or what it could monetarily cost you in lost returns by withdrawing money from an investment growing at an average stated rate of return to buy a depreciating asset.

Example: Let’s say you withdraw $30,000 from an investment portfolio to buy a new car. If the $30,000 you withdrew was averaging a rate of return of 6%, over the next 12 years that would lower what would have been in your investment portfolio by $60,000 or in 24 years $120,000. What would the car be worth in 24 years? I bet not anywhere worth that.

Personally, understanding how the Rule of 72 works and applying it to just about every financial decision I have made over the last 30 years has not just meant tens of thousands of dollars but tens of hundreds of thousands of dollars to my net worth. I learned the Rule of 72 when I was very young, and I still remember to this day the “light” going off in my head of what it could mean to my future if I applied it. I’m so thankful that I did and that someone taught me the Rule of 72 years ago.

My hope is that you will apply this rule to your own financial decisions as well, stay disciplined, and stick to the plan because it’s worth it.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row top=”20px” bottom=”20px”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

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[vc_row top=”20px” bottom=”20px”][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”11249″ img_size=”Full” alignment=”center”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]Shawn Peters is a Wealth Associate with Christian Financial Advisors®. Shawn has 5 years of experience in the financial industry, which includes portfolio and investment management, client and technology support, data reconciliation and analysis as well as acting as an Investment Advisor Representative and Financial Advisor. Shawn is currently studying to become a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ to provide a holistic financial approach for our clients.

Shawn was a three year Summa Cum Laude graduate of Liberty University in 2008 with a degree in finance and is married to Bob and Rachael’s oldest daughter, Jenna (also a Liberty University graduate) who has been working with Christian Financial Advisors® for many years, produces our podcast, “Christian Financial Perpectives”, and is head of marketing and design. Shawn has a positive can-do attitude, loves people, and most of all, loves our Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Savior. Both Jenna and Shawn are very involved in the New Braunfels community in different aspects, as well as helping to start a new church a few years ago in New Braunfels that is thriving today with an average attendance already of over 200.

Favorite Movie: Avengers: Endgame
Favorite Book: Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Favorite Sports Team: Does CrossFit count?
Favorite Bible Verse: Psalm 139:23-24[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row top=”20px” bottom=”20px”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

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By Bob Barber, CWS®

Counterproductive – something that has the opposite of the intended affect or that goes against what you are trying to achieve.

Polarization – division into two sharply contrasting groups or sets of opinions or beliefs at the same time.

Adding one and taking away one = nothing

Does being counterproductive, polarized, or going forward and backwards or right and left at the same time make sense? Of course it doesn’t. It’s expelling energy without a positive or negative affect. But, this very thing will happen in just a few months as millions of conservatives vote right while unknowingly investing left at the same time thereby polarizing or making their votes counterproductive.

Ask yourself, “Why do you vote?” Is it because of your beliefs? It is for me. I vote for candidates that hopefully align with my pro-family, pro-life, and pro-marriage values. I vote for candidates that believe in freedom and free enterprise, limited government and limited taxation and will abide by the United States Constitution.

A few weeks ago a headline appeared on the CNBC.com financial website about how the majority of employees that work at large tech firms, including the CEO’s and their leaders are for some reason financially supporting liberal candidates whose values align with socialism.
This is counterproductive when it’s free enterprise that allowed these companies to get to where they are today. Here is a link to the CNBC article if you would like to read it yourself:

https://ciswealth.link/CNBCTrump

In the next few months many of us will be voting for either conservative or liberal candidates that will take America down a path of freedom or socialism, free enterprise or more government control, less or more taxes.

Millions of conservatives will be voting one way while unknowingly supporting another way. How can this be? Conservatives unknowingly invest millions of dollars every day in major companies that support liberal candidates and agendas through their retirement plans, brokerage accounts, banks and financial advisors. For a conservative voter this IS totally counterproductive, polarizing and makes no sense at all.

Welcome to Values Based Investing where conservative voters can align how they invest with how they vote. Values based Investing is always looking to invest in companies that are making a positive impact in our society.

So how can your vote align with your investments? Values and Faith based Investing.

For over 25 years Christian Financial Advisors® has been committed to helping those who vote for pro life, pro family, candidates to invest the same way with these same values in their retirement and savings plans. There are more choices today than ever before as conservatives continue to find out they CAN ACTUALLY invest the same way they vote and believe. CIS continues to be committed solely to Valued Based Investing and as long as I’m the CEO you can rest assured it will stay this way because I hate being counterproductive.

Matthew 12:25 – Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.

Psalm 1:1 – Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row top=”20px” bottom=”20px”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

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By Mary Jo Lyons, CFP®

A friend recently asked me “exactly how does the Bible address financial planning and investment management principles?” I provided a short summary of the principles below but my response was not as polished as it should have been. I vowed to be able to answer this in a more thoughtful and concise way going forward. As both a Certified Kingdom Adviser® and a Certified Financial Planner™ Practitioner this message should be muscle memory. Off I went to do a little research. I know it’s in there!

Good financial advice has its roots in Biblical Wisdom. Money is one way we work out our belief system: values, goals and priorities, thus financial advice really is spiritual advice. The reason we stress financial stability is to encourage folks to become better stewards of their God given resources.

There are actually 2,350 passages in the Bible dealing with money and money management. Check out the Education Center on our website www.ciswealth.com for a list of Bible verses that provide scriptural guidelines for handling money. You will find passages on ownership, tithing, giving, debt, saving, investment, honesty and best of all, seeking wise counsel. Two of my favorites:

Psalm 24:1
The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world and all who live in it…

Proverbs 15:22
Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisors they succeed.

The Bible provides many answers but also poses many questions including this one: Do you believe God owns it all? See the answer above from Psalm 24:1. In the Bible God has provided us with 6 transcendent planning principles and 5 observable Symptoms of Stewardship:

Transcendent Planning Principles

  1. Spend less than you earn | Proverbs 13:11
  2. Avoid the use of debt | Proverbs 22:7
  3. Build Reserves or Margin | Proverbs 6:6-8
  4. Set Long-Term Goals | Philippians 3:14
  5. Develop & maintain an eternal perspective | Psalm 24
  6. Rejoice in generosity | II Corinthians 8:9-11

Observable Symptoms Of Stewardship

  1. Giving in proportion to income
  2. Living a controlled debt free lifestyle
  3. Taxes are paid with integrity and thanksgiving
  4. Husbands and wives set financial goals together
  5. Accountability

 

To help you look at your own financial situation check out “The Four Hs of Financial Wisdom”. Give us a call at (830) 609-6986 to request your free copy. Rooted in Scripture and focused on helping you live as a steward of God’s resources, this tool will help you assess where you are today and encourage you to live out biblical principles in your finances tomorrow. The four H’s include Heart, Health, Habits and Hope.

This one page document is a great tool available to us in our work as Kingdom Advisors and made available from our partners at the Ron Blue Institute. Take a few minutes to complete this exercise. Consider doing it together with your significant other, if married or in a committed relationship. We encourage you to spend time in prayer as you think about the changes that you may need to make. If you are already doing these things then be grateful that you are on the right track and pray for continued discipline and focus.

Dr. David Jeremiah was quoted for saying “Contentment is looking back without regret, looking at the present without envy and looking at the future without fear.”

Financial contentment can only come when couples work together in spousal unity. They share a “theirs” rather than a “his and hers” mentality and agree it’s better to have more cash flow than more stuff. Working with a trusted financial advisor can help you be accountable to a long term plan.

God wants us to be content. His word tells us so:

Satisfied to the point of where I am not disturbed or disquieted. – Philippians 4:11
Let your character or moral disposition be free from love of money. – Hebrews 13:5
A sense of inward sufficiency. – 1 Timothy 6:6

If you are looking for wise counsel to help organize your financial life in a way that is consistent with your faith, we are here to help.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row top=”20px” bottom=”20px”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

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[vc_row top=”20px” bottom=”20px”][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”8872″ img_size=”Full” alignment=”center”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]Come learn about having brakes on your portfolio to possibly reduce losses in a runaway market using tactical investment management. Please join us for an informative evening.

Feel free to invite a guest (or two!) to join you who could benefit from this information as well.*

Guest Speaker: Pete Matter, CMFC
Regional Vice President, W.E. Donaghue & CO., LLC

*No products or services will be offered for sale and there is no obligation.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row top=”10px” bottom=”10px” bg_color=”#545454″][vc_column][vc_column_text]

AVAILABLE AT 2 LOCATIONS

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NEW BRAUNFELS
3/1/2018 at 6:30pm

Adobe Cafe
124 IH 35 Business
NB, TX 78130

RSVP by 2/27

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HOUSTON
3/6/2018 at 6:30pm

Mamacitas NASA
515 E NASA Rd 1
Webster, TX 77598

RSVP by 3/2

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What Is Values Based Investing?

Values based investing integrates Biblical guidelines with an investment portfolio. This method looks for companies to invest in that are making a positive impact on our society, as well as applying screening processes to avoid those that do not.

Helping Clients Make Informed Decisions

Christian Financial Advisors® provides potential and current clients with the information that they need in order to make an informed decision when it comes to Values Based Investing and their current investments. It is important to know the status, views, and beliefs of various public companies. In essence, when you invest in a company, you are also supporting what that company invests in as well. This is where Christian financial advisors like Christian Financial Advisors® come into play. We sit down with each and every client to educate them on Biblically Responsible Investing and to determine where their convictions lie. If you are new to investing, we can help you set up a complete investment profile that lines up with your values.

Supporting Responsible Companies

When you invest in a values based portfolio, you are avoiding supporting companies that are intentionally involved in immoral agendas that violate Biblical principles.

Investing With Values In Mind

If a company traded on an exchange is publicly known to violate Biblical principles, Biblically Responsible Investing strives to stay clear from buying those companies directly or indirectly through a separate managed account or mutual fund.

Not all investments and investment platforms can be screened, but we strive to do the best we can given the available investment options and platform limitations. Christian Financial Advisors® uses third party sources to screen investments.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row top=”20px” bottom=”20px”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

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[vc_row top=”20px” bottom=”20px”][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”8697″ img_size=”Full” alignment=”center”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]One of the commitments of Christian Financial Advisors® has been to make investment recommendations to each client which reflects their specific long term financial goals, investment temperament, allowance for market volatility, and risk tolerance.

This means each client’s portfolio is tailored specifically to them, and will look dissimilar from their friend or neighbor’s who has a different set of financial goals, investment temperament, and tolerance for market volatility and risk. It also means that returns from a personal portfolio will look different from the returns of a stock index like the Dow Jones, S&P 500, or NASDAQ.

Depending on your personal long term financial goals, investment temperament, ability to handle market volatility, and risk tolerance we make sure to put you in a portfolio that matches you, not a stock index. Stock indexes can rise and fall much more dramatically than a diversified portfolio of stocks, bonds and alternatives. Our strategic portfolios include a wide range of value and growth stocks consisting of small, midsize and large companies across many industry sectors and countries for the greatest diversification. The proportion of stocks we put someone in depends on their personal risk tolerance and fall into four different risk models. These models are conservative, balanced, growth, and aggressive growth.

Snapshot of Christian Financial Advisors® risk based portfolio allocations:

 

AGGRESSIVE GROWTH
10 year time horizon

 

GROWTH
8-10 year time horizon

 

BALANCED
5-7 year time horizon

 

CONSERVATIVE
2-4 year time horizon

Understanding the difference of stock market returns vs personal portfolio returns

Let’s look at a Balanced Portfolio for a client who wants to take some risk but is uncomfortable with full exposure to the risk of the markets:

Let’s say this Balanced Portfolio is 50% stocks, 50% bonds.

What about in a down stock market?

 

In order to have a true comparison that yields legitimate results, the items compared need to be exactly alike. Comparing the returns of a diversified conservative, balanced, or growth portfolio which are not entirely made up of stocks, to the returns of the Dow Jones, S&P 500, or NASDAQ, which are indexes entirely made up of stocks, is like comparing apples to bananas. It is not an accurate comparison as they are extremely different.

An expectation to make the same returns of an aggressive portfolio if one has a balanced or conservative portfolio, is also not accurate, since the amount of risk taken is different for each portfolio. Greater risk should equal greater reward. If one is taking less risk they should not expect the same return as one taking more risk. Otherwise, why would anybody ever take more risk if they are not rewarded more for doing so?

Here to Serve

We are here to continue to serve our clients and help them pursue their personal financial goals. If you have any questions about your risk tolerance and how to correctly compare your particular portfolio to the index benchmarks, feel free to call the office at 830-609-6986.

 

* Investors cannot invest directly in indexes. The performance of any index is not indicative of the performance of any investment and does not take into account the effects of inflation and the fees and expenses associated with investing.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][ess_grid alias=”dec-2017″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row top=”20px” bottom=”20px”][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”7109″ img_size=”Full” alignment=”center”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]We are pleased to announce Mary Jo Lyons, Certified Financial Planner (CFP®), has joined Christian Financial Advisors® as a Wealth Advisor to serve the Houston and Corpus Christi areas beginning June 1st.

With over 20 years of experience in the investment industry and as a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) since 2004, Mary Jo brings extensive expertise in designing financial strategies for individuals, families and small business owners.

Prior to joining Christian Financial Advisors®, Mary Jo served clients in several corporate settings gaining expertise in complex financial planning scenarios, retirement planning processes, income strategies and wealth management issues.

Mary Jo is a Texas native and graduate of Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi. She and her husband Mike live in Missouri City, near Houston, TX. Together they love spending time on the water in and around Rockport, TX, their home away from home. They attend New Hope Church near Houston and First Presbyterian Church in Rockport.

If you are in the Houston or Corpus Christi area, call 830-609-6986 to speak with Mary Jo for your complimentary initial consultation.

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Investment Advisor VS Wealth Advisor

People often view financial advice through a single lens, as investment advice. However, there’s a big difference between simply managing your investment portfolio (one aspect of your overall finances) and a holistic approach to coordinating your entire financial picture.

Only a full-service, independent financial advisor provides the critical planning services and advice you require across your financial life to eliminate any conflicts and create alignment between your various strategies. This can make the difference between remaining on track and falling short of your financial objectives or timeline.

Below are just 10 of the many ways a wealth advisor can help you move closer to your financial goals by:

1. Formalizing, prioritizing, and documenting your goals

2. Coordinating your investment, insurance, tax, retirement, and estate planning strategies

3. Reviewing and adjusting strategies to maintain alignment with your goals over time

4. Proactively managing risk across all aspects of your financial life

5. Measuring and reporting progress against your goals

6. Monitoring changes in your life and family situation and recommending adjustments to your strategies as needed

7. Remaining up-to-date on economic, tax, and financial market changes and legislation

8. Developing tax-advantaged wealth transition strategies for retirement and estate planning

9. Serving as a single point of contact to coordinate services and expertise across multiple disciplines, such as mortgage services, insurance, employee benefits, trust services, business succession planning, etc.

10. Working with your tax and legal advisors to coordinate and implement advice

Christian Financial Advisors® helps our clients in all these ways and more!

If you’d like to learn more about the advantages of working with an independent, full-service wealth advisor, give us a call at 830-609-6986.

* This communication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information on the subjects covered. It is not, however, intended to provide specific legal, tax, or other professional advice. For specific professional assistance, the services of an appropriate professional should be sought.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row top=”10px” bottom=”10px” bg_color=”#163463″][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1495646808960{padding-top: 5px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;}”]

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