Why some Christians pitch crypto at church

“My destiny is to lead God’s people to wealth,” she said. Sitting at the beginners’ table, Hill took note. The retired bank employee and his grandmother left with a plan to buy Bitcoin.

“I don’t want it to start creeping back up and I miss that climb,” she later told NBC News. For Hill, the possibility of crypto leading to wealth piqued his interest.

“I’m not hungry, but there are other things I want to do,” she said. She mentioned traveling with her husband to Singapore and substitute teaching to give back as some of the ways she wanted to spend her days.

She prayed, and some time later, a church member told her about Renee, she said.

“I’m just kind of sensitive to the spirit,” Hill said. “I don’t think it was just me going out alone. I have to trust God and pray about it.”

A few months later, when the price of bitcoin was below $70,000, she said she had yet to make a purchase, after seeing the market crash and controversy swirl around the Trump family’s crypto projects. In the meantime, she continued to learn and set aside funds to be ready to begin.

“I’m only going to invest what I can lose,” Hill said.

Even though American churches have been quick to adopt new technologies, the fact remains that most Americans do not own any cryptocurrency. Dave Ramsey, one of the nation’s most prominent Christian financial experts, remains skeptical.

Worshipers from the 2000s may remember the days when small groups gathered at Financial Peace University in Ramsey in hopes of achieving a debt-free life. Some places of worship have helped worshipers cover course costs.

On his radio show, Ramsey likened buying crypto to investing in Beanie Babies.

When a caller struggling with debt said God was the reason she invested in crypto, Ramsey seemed incredulous.

“It may have been a spirit, but it wasn’t the saint,” Ramsey growled.

For decades, Ramsey, known for viewing personal decisions as the root of most financial problems, encouraged investments in mutual funds such as 401(k)s, prioritizing building an emergency fund and following a strict debt repayment schedule.

Others have warned that cryptocurrency poses something worse spiritually than a financial risk. On TikTok and YouTube, videos are devoted to the question of whether crypto could be a sign of the Antichrist.

Gatewood acknowledged that some Christians “are afraid of Bitcoin. They think it’s the mark of the beast,” she said.

“It’s okay,” she said. “We were scared when we first heard about it. We thought it was a scam.”

Faith in the midst of decline

While some devotees wonder what to make of cryptography, Renée has discovered that at least one pulpit is welcoming.

“I think I was drawn to it because of his faith,” Tappin said. “Because of my faith, I believe God put me in this space with her. It’s up to me to do the work.”

Tappin first heard Renee speak at a conference in 2021. She started buying Ethereum, but said she lost hundreds after her digital wallet was hacked. Ready to give cryptocurrency another chance, she started attending Renee’s workshops again last year.

During one of the day’s breaks, Tappin won a gift bag containing a flat iron after correctly answering a question. One participant, who won a silver coin, remarked that she would have preferred the straighteners.

In the months since, Tappin has been busy buying bitcoin during the decline, even as the price of bitcoin slipped into the 60s.

For Tappin, who wonders what her cryptocurrency portfolio might have looked like if she hadn’t taken a break from investing, now is not the time to take a break. “Talk to me in 2028,” Tappin said. “I’ll let you know how it went.”