These changes take effect January 14 and are designed with the goals of improving diversification, reducing costs, and strengthening the long-term foundation of the portfolio.
There is no guarantee that a diversified portfolio will enhance overall returns or outperform a non-diversified portfolio. Diversification does not protect against market risk.
Core Portfolio Update – Embracing the Whole Market
In our core investment portfolio, used by most clients, we’re making a small but meaningful adjustment to better reflect our long-term, passive philosophy.
Equity Update – From Tilt to Total Exposure
Added: SPYM
Removed: SPHQ
SPYM provides broad, low-cost exposure to the S&P 500, representing roughly 80% of the total U.S. stock market.
The S&P 500 is a stock market index tracking the stock performance of 500 of the largest companies listed on stock exchanges in the United States. Indexes are unmanaged and cannot be invested in directly.
SPYM is designed as a simple, efficient building block – owning the market rather than emphasizing a specific factor.
SPHQ, by contrast, focused on a quality tilt, selecting a subset of companies based on profitability and balance sheet metrics.
Why the change:
- Lower cost: Reduced internal expenses
- Greater diversification: Full market exposure rather than a narrowed slice
- Philosophical alignment: Reinforcing our belief in long-term, passive ownership of the market
The Big Picture
This shift isn’t about predicting winners—it’s about participation, discipline, and patience. By owning more of the market at a lower cost, we lean into a strategy designed with a goal of compounding quietly over the decades.
Simple. Broad. Intentional.
Biblically Responsible Portfolio Update – Investments That Make The World Rejoice
As part of our ongoing commitment to thoughtful stewardship, we’re making a few measured adjustments to the Biblically Responsible Investment (BRI) portfolio.
Biblically Responsible Investing (BRI) investing has certain risks based on the fact that the criteria excludes securities of certain issuers for non-financial reasons and, therefore, investors may forgo some market opportunities and the universe of investments available will be smaller.
Equity Update – Broader Reach, Lower Cost
Added: PTL
Removed: ETILX
PTL provides exposure to the largest 500 U.S. companies that pass faith-based screening, with a market-cap–weighted approach and a very low expense ratio. By contrast, ETILX focused on a smaller group of companies.
Why the change:
- Cost efficiency: PTL (0.09%) vs. ETILX (0.95%)
- Diversification: PTL (~500 holdings) vs. ETILX (~44 holdings)
This shift keeps the portfolio aligned with biblical values while broadening exposure and reducing internal costs that quietly compound over time.
Fixed Income Update – Balance Between Breadth and Quality
Added: IBD
Reduced (not eliminated): ETIRX
IBD serves as a core, investment-grade bond holding, offering broad exposure to higher-quality U.S. corporate bonds and acting as a steady workhorse within the fixed income allocation.
The market value of corporate bonds will fluctuate, and if the bond is sold prior to maturity, the investor’s yield may differ from the advertised yield.
We intentionally kept a portion of ETIRX in place. While ETFs like IBD offer efficiency and diversification, they can sometimes tilt more heavily toward the most indebted issuers. Retaining some exposure to a quality-focused, values-driven bond fund helps balance that risk.
Why the change:
- Improved cost structure and diversification
- Maintained emphasis on credit quality and ethical business practices
The Big Picture
These updates reflect a simple principle:
Wise investing isn’t about chasing what’s new—it’s about quietly improving what matters.
Lower costs. Broader diversification. Values intact.
Content in this material is for general information only and not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. ETFs trade like stocks, are subject to investment risk, fluctuate in market value, and may trade at prices above or below the ETF’s net asset value (NAV). Upon redemption, the value of fund shares may be worth more or less than their original cost. ETFs carry additional risks such as not being diversified, possible trading halts, and index tracking errors.