Why do we need a Christian bank?

This article first appeared in the Summer 2026 edition of InTouch, which you can download here.

One of the questions we are asked most frequently at Kingdom Bank is ‘why do we need a Christian bank?’ The idea of a bank being explicitly Christian is a new concept for many, so it’s a valid question! Here are five key reasons why we think it’s essential for Christians to have an ethical, gospel-focused banking option.

1. Rental insecurity for churches

One of the big issues facing UK churches today is having somewhere to meet. Demand for lending has surged, with many churches facing rental insecurity and rising costs. Churches across the UK still rent space week to week: community halls, schools, leisure centres, even commercial venues. Rents have risen sharply in many areas and availability can be fragile. Congregations can sometimes face lastminute cancellations or longer-term refusals of space when venue owners become uncomfortable with a church’s teaching or Sunday activities. Owning suitable premises can transform stability, local visibility, and ministry impact. As an illustration of this trend, in 2020, we lent just over £5 million. In 2025, we lent just over £28 million¹ in mortgages that help churches secure permanent homes for worship, outreach and evangelism and help Christian workers to secure housing. With the need for church property rapidly growing, it’s important for gospel ministries to have a Christian bank that is familiar with their work and finances, with staff who understand their requirements and mission.

2. Ethical banking

The conversation about ethical banking has been gathering momentum, with more consumers thinking carefully about where to hold their money. Money Saving Expert helpfully explains: “When you deposit money into your current account or savings account, it doesn’t just pile up in a big vault somewhere. The bank makes a profit by investing your money in businesses, for example, or by giving loans to individuals or charities. When you choose a bank specifically on its ethics, you’re having a say in what your money helps to fund.”²

Whether customers’ savings are being used to invest in practices or businesses that align with their values is already a conversation in the secular world – so how much more important is it for Christians to be stewarding their resources in a way which glorifies God? How can God’s generosity to us instruct and inform how and where we save? Our banks are investing our money, so it’s up to us to decide if their investment practices align with our faith.

3. Stewardship beyond giving

Many Christians will give a portion of their monthly income away to their church and other causes. A Christian bank provides the opportunity to also put the money you set aside in savings to work for the gospel. All banks will invest their customers’ money in something, so it makes sense for Christians to ensure their money is invested in supporting ministries and Christian outreach with an eternal impact.

4. No compromise on regulatory responsibility

Though there are many ethical investment options available, not all of these are regulated by the FCA and PRA in the way that a bank is. It’s important for Christians to know that the appropriate protections and safeguards are in place when they are entrusting their money to a financial institution.

Banks are typically also part of the Financial Services Compensations Scheme (FSCS) which means that, should your bank fail, your money is protected up to £120,000 per eligible saver. This gives savers a peace of mind that may not be available with other investment funds.

5. Financial conversations with a gospel focus

We believe there shouldn’t be a sacred/secular divide when it comes to finance. We want Christians to be informed and to engage with big questions about money in a way which connects with gospel truths. As a Christian bank, we’re able to be on the financial frontline and understand the issues facing Christians and churches, helping facilitate relevant and timely conversations about topics such as inflation, national debt, and government budgets, as well as on themes of stewardship, such as encouraging generosity in children, and whether it’s wrong for Christians to buy a bigger house. We believe that our status as a Christian bank makes us uniquely placed to facilitate these conversations; what a blessing it would be to have a generation of stewards who are actively engaging in theological discussions about finance!

In summary, we believe it’s incredibly important for UK Christians to have access to a regulated bank which is aligned with their beliefs, helps them to thoughtfully engage in the world of finance, and provides vital mortgages for Christian ministries who need space to grow.

1. Unaudited figure. ↩︎
2. Rosie Hamilton, ‘Ethical Banking’, Money Saving Expert, 2 October 2025: https://www. moneysavingexpert.com/banking/ethical-banking/. Accessed 9 March 2026. ↩︎