From churches allowing congregants to tithe with digital coins to blogs promoting bitcoin as biblically sound, there’s an emerging Christian crypto subculture. Todd and Janet Gatewood launched their Nashville-based radio show “God, Freedom and Bitcoin” in January, blending their passion for cryptocurrency with their strong faith. Then the market crashed. At roughly $69,000 on Thursday, the price of the cryptocurrency is down by 45%, struggling to recover and nowhere near the $126,000 high it reached in October.
But the couple sees the slide as a blessing. Janet, a realtor in the Nashville area, told her husband and a guest appearing on a Feb. 9 show that she hoped to close on more houses, so she could buy bitcoin at a lower price. “This is what we call ‘on sale,’” she said. “Buy the dip. If you’ve ever heard anything in the bitcoin space, this is when you want to buy.” The Gatewoods are among a diverse group of Christian financial influencers, entrepreneurs and even pastors working to pitch the faithful on digital currencies.
Their positions vary — some are bitcoin hardliners. Others dabble in meme coins — crypto assets that are quickly spun up and traded around memes and cultural moments. During this time of volatility, some of the Christian investors who are following them are doubling down. “It’s not phasing me at all,” said Alicia Tappin, 55, who has purchased bitcoin during the dip. “I’m not emotionally tied to it right now — if I was I would be a wreck.” Tappin said she follows updates from a Christian businesswoman named Michelle Renee, whose firm charges $499 a year for a VIP membership which provides access to webinars, its “cryptocurrency watchlist” and a Telegram chat.
Michelle Renee, the founder and CEO of In4ormative Services, is among a group of Christian entrepreneurs and finance influencers embracing cryptocurrency. But some Christian finance influencers have faced backlash and scrutiny for their takes and predictions, as the market, once peaking under an industry-friendly White House, now flails. Viewers have recently challenged the optimistic outlook of Jebb McAfee, a YouTuber whose Crypto Jebb channel has 248,000 subscribers. The 25-year-old describes himself as “a Christian who loves bitcoin and promotes financial sovereignty.”
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