About
Eternal Investment Venture (E.I.V.) is a venture label and network (much like B-Corp), that supports Christian entrepreneurs who are seeking eternal reward above temporary reward. These entrepreneurs will get a digital badge on for their website (which links customers to a "this is an E.I.V. business" page), as well as additional resources for encouragement in bringing Jesus's teachings into every aspect of business.
It's a great way to showcase to the world that you're seeking God's Kingdom above your own. This is becoming increasingly harder to maintain faithfully as darkness and selfishness seem to rise around us.
We're here to encourage and equip you in this sojourning of heaven-bound faith. A key teaching of Jesus' that drives the E.I.V.'s mission can be found in Matthew 6:19-34 (ESV):
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
"The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."
These words were not just true then, but they're also true now. Especially now! And while many try to find all sorts of interpretations for these words, we're most excited to support entrepreneurs who are radically seeking to faithfully obey theses teachings (and others) in their business. For these entrepreneurs, the result will no doubt be a wave of inspiring creativity and Christ-likeness that others may glean from.
E.I.V. is also a resource for allowing your visitors and customers discover more about what you believe and why you conduct business the way you do.
But above all, E.I.V. is here to encourage everyone (whether entrepreneur or customer) to use our time, talents, relationships, and resources toward that which will never fade. Our businesses will one day be gone. The things we buy and build will one day cease to be ours. But God's word, God's ways, and God's reward will always stand, and His Kingdom is truly the best investment we can ever make. We must only learn from Jesus and follow him (check out John 14).
Created For...
E.I.V. was created for fellow Christian entrepreneurs that want to follow the ways of Jesus, even into the marketplace, and want an intriguing way for your customers to learn the heart behind your business. It almost doesn't even matter what industry your business is in:
Clothing store
Insurance
E-commerce
Community / membership groups
Freelancers
Home Improvement
Logistics
Consulting
Almost anything!
What does matter is that you're committed to following Jesus' teachings (and its implications for doing business) with love and real abandon.
Because our primary resource is digital, you'd need to have a website. However, you can still apply, even if you don't have a website! We have skills, resources, and partners who may be able to get you started on a website inexpensively (or perhaps for free).
You'll also get periodic encouragements via email, that together we may not "grow weary in doing good".
And finally, you'll get specific invites to group events and video calls, where we'll pray and encourage each other to that end "face-to-face". For some, these events/calls may be a taste of the Jesus-centered entrepreneurial community many of us crave and need! So if you want interactions with other like-minded business owners, this could be great for you!
Getting Started
If you think E.I.V. is something your business aligns with, you're invited to apply on our website (click "Apply" at the bottom of the homepage)!
Here's an overview of the process:
Apply online by reading the written sections and filling out the form
Detail for us how you actively hold to Jesus' instructions in your business on the form
We'll reach back out to you via email to set a time to talk about the goal of E.I.V. more in-depth
If it's a good fit all around, we'll email you a link to your E.I.V. resources
You'll get additional access to our periodic events, video calls, and emailed encouragements
Support
Looking for the website badge? You should have received an email with a direct link to your resources. However, if you're having trouble, please don't hesitate to email us at [email protected].
Need help customizing the badge for your particular website's needs? We'll happily explore that with you directly! We do ask that you don't make any edits on your own, but letting us make adjustments may also help provide more options for the other E.I.V. members! Just reach out to Travis at [email protected].
Have a concern about one of the E.I.V. businesses? Feel free to shoot any feedback our way via email! We don't micromanage businesses, their interactions, or their marketplace practices. But we do support them with encouragements toward faithfulness to the words and teachings of Jesus! So, where appropriate, we can happily pass on critiques and concerns. However, we'd definitely want you to reach out to them directly first and foremost. 😊
Still need help?
Contact us