A vision that began nearly two decades ago at a financial conference is now becoming a reality in Lynchburg.
Kurt Cornfield, associate professor at Liberty University and a Registered Investment “Robo” Adviser, is preparing to launch a Christian-based investing app called Harvest alongside Liberty alumnus Jeff Wilson.
The website is available for investing now, whereas the app is expected to be available on the App Store in the coming weeks. The main goal centers around one core belief: “Invest like God owns it all… because he does.”
Cornfield traced the vision for Harvest back to 2009, when he attended a Kingdom Advisors conference. At the time, he had already spent over a decade at Morgan Stanley and more than two decades at Merrill Lynch.
“It was like a lightbulb moment,” Cornfield said. “I was 50 years old getting this biblical financial wisdom, and I thought ‘How incredible would it have been to learn this at 20?’”
That moment eventually led him to Liberty, where he helped establish a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) program in 2010. What began as a group of just four graduates has grown to 65 students graduating this year. Over the past 16 years, hundreds of Liberty students have attended Kingdom Advisors conferences, deepening their understanding of faith-based finance.
Those conferences sparked bigger conversations, including one about technology.
As technology-driven investment platforms grew in popularity, students began asking whether technology would replace financial advisors.
Cornfield’s answer was consistent. He said technology would not replace advisors, but it would change the industry.
The idea for faith-based investing is simple. If God owns everything, Christians should be intentional about where their investment dollars go.
Many faith-based funds screen out industries like pornography, gambling and abortion. More recently, impact investments have emerged that actively support companies advancing Christian values and kingdom-focused initiatives.
Cornfield began asking a new question: What if there were a Christian robo-adviser?
That question in particular stuck with Wilson, who attended a Kingdom Advisors conference as a student and later returned as a graduate assistant. After gaining experience in both financial services and technology, Wilson felt called to build what Cornfield had envisioned.
“I saw how financial technology could scale,” Wilson said. “And I felt God stirring in my heart to help build a Christian robo-adviser.”
A year ago, Wilson left his job in Colorado and moved with his family to Lynchburg to work on Harvest full-time. Since then, the company has competed in pitch competitions and built a functioning platform. The mobile app is currently wrapping up development.
Unlike many investing apps whose messaging focuses on getting rich, Harvest’s message is rooted in Scripture.
“If God owns it all, he’s trusted us to invest for his money,” Cornfield said.
The platform includes a free Learn feature that teaches biblical principles about money, stewardship and wealth. Users can both invest and learn through the app and will soon be able to give as well.
“We’re teaching something very different,” Wilson said. “Not ‘This is your money, go get rich,’ but that God owns it all, and he gives you the ability to produce wealth.”
Cornfield believes the Christian financial conversation has evolved from debt-reduction movements led by figures like Dave Ramsey to increased generosity initiatives. Now, he says, the focus is shifting to something even broader: stewardship of the entire balance sheet.
“We want to capture (investors) on the front end of their investing journey,” Cornfield said. “To invest in God’s kingdom right from the beginning.”
While some advisors feel threatened by artificial intelligence, Harvest is designed to work alongside advisors.
The goal, Wilson said, is collaboration, not competition.
“We truly believe that God is a god of abundance,” Wilson said.
Harvest is headquartered in Lynchburg, something both founders view as strategic. Rather than launching in a major financial hub, they chose to stay near Liberty’s campus, hoping to build long-term partnerships with students.
“We want Liberty students to be raving fans,” Wilson said. “We see it as a technology company first.”
As the Harvest app prepares for its public release, its founders say the mission remains simple: unlock access to faith-based investing for all believers.
“The world is the Lord’s, and everything in it,” Cornfield said, referencing Psalm 24:1.
For more information about Harvest, visit https://www.harvest-app.co/landing.
Edwards is a feature reporter for the Liberty Champion.