The Finish Line Podcast

Tom Lawrence always knew his calling had to do with money. Growing up in Southeast London, England, Tom convinced his parents to help him get work experience in hedge funds and investment banks at the young age of twelve. But a few years into his teens, Tom had an amazing encounter with Jesus which turned his whole perspective on life upside down. His passion for money remained, but instead of feathering his own nest, Tom began to see money in the light of funding for the Kingdom.   As an adult, Tom spent about ten years as a wealth manager for private banks and wealth management organizations and his views on Kingdom finances grew and matured with him. Suddenly, Tom found himself without a job, and he soon realized that this was an opportunity to know God as Jehovah Jireh, his Provider. During this time, Tom began an intensive study of what the Bible really says about money. That journey reshaped everything—how he understands ownership, stewardship, and the call the pursue true riches.    Out of that 200 hours of Bible study, Tom founded the Biblical Financial Masterclass, a 12+ hour course that helps Christians build their financial house using God’s blueprint from Scripture. Now, Tom equips Believers, churches, and organizations to heal their relationships with money and to rethink their financial lives from the heart outward, grounding principles in Scripture and pointing people towards Gospel transformation. Tune in for a fantastic dive into how God’s Word radically reshapes our relationship with money.   Major Topics Include: Three dimensions of money and faith Biblical financial insights from 200 hours of study Commonly misunderstood money scriptures Developing his course Equipping to handle what God wants to give you Getting your heart right in relationship with money The Christian motivation for generosity  What is “serving Mammon?” Peeling back the layers of Mammon in our lives The truth about extravagance in giving Challenges in engaging the local church in financial conversation QUOTES TO REMEMBER “I was just as passionate about money after I got saved and it gave me a reason why I should be rather than just feathering my nest, which was my main ambition at 13 or 14. Between 15 and 17, I began to see it as an opportunity to fund the Kingdom.” “One of the greatest things that we can do is handle money that’s not ours, in line with Somebody Else’s will, for Somebody Else’s glory in order that it would be redeemed and bring about salvation in people’s lives.” “More than 10% of the entire Bible is given over to talking about money, finances, wealth, and stuff in some form of another. And about 1 in 6 of Jesus’s parables touches on it.” “Do not assume you are outside of God’s will just because you’re going through something difficult.” “Fundamentally, the entirety of the Bible is a display of generosity. It’s a love letter to humanity from God.” “How much money is too much money? It’s any amount that replaces our trust in God.” “Cheerful giving comes down to heart preparation.” “When we avoid talking about money, we are not sparing our congregations awkwardness, we are leaving a gaping hole in their discipleship.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW Biblical Financial Masterclass Stewardship (UK Ministry) The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW Luke 16:1-13 | The Parable of the Dishonest Manager   Haggai 2: 6-7 | The Coming Glory of the Temple   For thus says the Lord of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts.    Deuteronomy 8:18 | God Give the Power to Get Wealth   You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.   Psalm 24:1 | Everything Belongs to the Lord   The earth is the Lord‘s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein,   Proverbs 10:22 | Blessings without Sorrow   The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.   Luke 6:38 | Give and It Will Be Given   give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”   Genesis 22:8a | The Lord Will Provide   Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.”   Genesis 8:22 | Seedtime and Harvest   While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”   Romans 12:2 | Be Transformed   Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.   James 1:5 | Generous Wisdom from God   If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.   James 4:8a | Draw Near   Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.   1 Corinthians 10:13 | Overcoming Temptation   No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.   2 Corinthians 9:1-6 | The Cheerful Giver   2 Corinthians 8:12 | According to What You Have   For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.   1 Chronicles 29:14 | All Things Come from You   “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.

Dave Schwartz had all the signs of worldly success. He was a high-level officer with a Fortune 500 company in the insurance and financial services industry for 25 years before starting a breakaway firm with a friend which grew to a hundred employees in three different states. Life was good. But after some deep, personal valleys—including two open-heart surgeries—God got Dave’s attention in a powerful way and helped him to see that a check-the-box religion wasn’t cutting it and something needed to change. Inspired by his now-wife’s deep contentment and relationship with God, Dave also began to pursue a deeper relationship himself.   Selling interest in the company he helped start, Dave transitioned to the nonprofit sector where he vetted partners and handled donor funds. He then was invited to lead the missions programs at their church. Little did Dave know that this was laying the foundations for a God-sized vision on the other side of the world.   Dave and his wife became close with a Liberian family from their church, and in 2021, they had an opportunity to travel to Liberia, the eighth poorest country in the world. Experiencing the extreme poverty at an orphanage there planted a strong desire to do something to uplift the children of Liberia without just giving out hand-me-downs.   Now, after a few years of divine connections and miraculous generosity, ground will soon be broken for the Agape Empowerment Center, a 15-acre campus designed to raise Christ-centered Liberian leaders through housing, education, and holistic care. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to build a vision from scratch, this episode is for you.   Major Topics Include: Becoming envious of contentment How the God-sized vision came together Governance, structure, and transparency  Giving a hand up without creating a cycle of dependency Building a culture one grade at a time Involving locals in the mission A hopeful view of the next 5 to 10 years How this experience has deepened Dave’s faith The vision for agricultural and manufacturing enterprise zones Building community through collaboration Examining the ROI of philanthropic dollars QUOTES TO REMEMBER “Laying in the hospital in 2012, recovering from my second open-heart surgery, I realized it was time to make a change.” “What is a true relationship with our Savior versus a religious ‘check-the-box’?” “As I started to change from religion to a relationship with Jesus, contentment started to creep into my life and I had never really experienced that before.” “Liberia is the eighth poorest country in the world. Per person income on an annual basis is $530 USD.” “I made the very Western throw-away comment of ‘Gosh, Honey, someone’s gotta do something about this.’ Without missing a beat, my wife says, ‘What about us?’ And that’s how the Agape Empowerment Center got started.” “If we want them to become the best and to be Christ-centered children, well-educated, then let’s start treating them like the best and stop just giving them our hand-me-downs.” “In five or ten years, I see children with joy and hope in their lives.” “I have learned that I absolutely have no control. I think I do, but I don’t. And at the end of the day, this is God’s plan or it’s not. I just hope to be able to help implement it.” “I’m not going to retire, I’m going to re-fire.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW Agape Empowerment Center When Helping Hurts (see our interview with coauthor Brian Fikkert) Convoy of Hope The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.

Doug Cobb, founder of The Finishing Fund, is passionately convicted that we could see the fulfillment of the Great Commission in our generation. In 1994, Doug’s life was changed when he joined Paul Eshleman and the Jesus Film Project for a trip to Nigeria where he caught the vision to see completely unengaged people groups reached with the Gospel. Utilizing his background in startups and venture capital, Doug eventually founded The Finishing Fund, a venture capital fund for the Great Commission, connecting donors to projects intended to reach the unengaged with the Gospel for the first time. In the last eight years, The Finishing Fund has helped get the Gospel to about 800 people groups who had never heard it before.   In his most recent book, The Sprint to the Finish, Doug discusses three major finish lines that need to be crossed to fulfill the Great Commission—seeing a first Believer in every known people group, a Bible translated into every language, and a church established in every village on Earth. To date, there are only 20 unengaged people groups left in the world, and by God’s grace, The Finishing Fund and its collaborative partners have a shared goal to see the entire world reached with the Gospel by 2033.   Doug’s conviction is simple but bold: The mission Jesus gave us can be completed in this generation, and God is already making it happen. If you want a front row seat to what God is doing around the world right now, you won’t want to miss this episode.   Major Topics Include: Three finish lines to completing the Great Commission The current state of Gospel work in the world Comparing approaches—church planting and disciple making Stories of signs, wonders, and miracles drawing people to Jesus Fueling the Gospel spark in a community The biggest obstacles to fulfilling Great Commission What operational collaboration looks like The evangelistic power of a new Believer The Great Wealth Transfer and the Great Commission Looking forward to the return of Jesus QUOTES TO REMEMBER “The statistics tell us that most Christians sitting in churches can’t even tell you what the great commission is, much less can they tell you anything about what’s happening.” “I think we’re within a year or two by God’s grace of seeing the work begun in every people group.” “God is preparing people of peace in these places and it’s almost like the Spirit is there tapping His toe and waiting for us to show up to close the deal. He’s already working in the hearts and minds of people to prepare them.” “When God’s people are willing to go, Jesus will go with them.” “Why would the Spirit not do today what He did way back then to validate the testimony of Paul and the other apostles?” “I don’t think it’s coincidental that God has created this wealth in the last days at a time when it’s needed, and that creates an enormous responsibility for our generation.” “This generation has more than we need to complete the Great Commission.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW The Sprint to the Finish by Doug Cobb The Finishing Fund (see our interview with founder Doug Cobb) Jesus Film Project (see our interview with Executive Director Josh Newell) Finishing the Task (see our interview with FTT Global Church Planting Strategist Dan Hitzhusen) IllumiNations Bible Translation Alliance (see our interview with Todd Peterson or John Chesnut) ACHIEVE Alliance New Covenant Missions Coalition of the Willing Jim Wise, Financial Advisor with Ronald Blue Trust (see our past interview here) The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW Luke 16:10a | Faithfulness   One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much,   Matthew 28:19 | The Great Commission   Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,   Matthew 24:14 | Then the End Will Come   And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.   Revelation 7:9-10 | Every Nation, Tribe, and Tongue   After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”   Acts 1:8 | Power to Witness   But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.

Ray Chung grew up in a faithful Christian home in Malaysia, watching both sides of his family run businesses that shaped the fabric of their communities. Even as a kid, he sensed that business carried real power, but it wasn’t until his own encounter with deeper faith that he began wrestling with how work, calling, and impact could fit together. College only fanned that flame, awakening a vision for business as a living witness to the Gospel. Years later, Ray would spend significant time with HOPE International, where a healthy, Christ-centered culture left a lasting mark on him. For more than twenty years, he has been helping leaders and teams reorient their hearts toward the way of Jesus. Now a senior consultant with Rising Sun Consultants, Ray walks alongside organizations as they build cultures formed by servant leadership and spiritual maturity. Then in 2021, Ray faced a radically personal invitation to generosity when he sensed God asking him to give one of his kidneys. His story is full of wisdom on surrender, Christlike culture, and what it means to faithfully steward the life God has given you. Major Topics Include: The theology of work An example of a healthy organizational culture Why an organization’s culture is important Words of wisdom about the non-profit model Assessing an organization’s board, leadership, and financials The five elements of servant-leadership Prioritizing intimacy with God as a busy leader Practical tips for spiritual rest Being called to give his kidney Stewarding your story, experience, and relationships in a way the points others to Jesus QUOTES TO REMEMBER “Work is a channel of grace to display the glory of God in meeting needs, ours and our neighbors, as we generate resources that can be shared in the redemptive work of the Gospel.” “Business can be a powerful force for God’s transformation” “God has been at work in these communities long before we show up.” “Organizational culture is really hard to fake long term.” “Culture requires intentionality and accountability.” “Do I believe that the more I work, the more I can advance the mission? Or do I really think that God is at work here?” “Sometimes we need to remember how to be a human being rather than a human doing. I try to give myself permission to be about more than work.” “I used to believe the lie that I am what I perform. But I’m learning to believe the truth that I am loved by the Creator and that alone is enough.” “Our life is not our own when we are surrendered to God.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW Hope International (see our interview with founder, Jeff Rutt or CEO, Peter Greer) Jesse Casler (see our past interview here) Lead with Prayer by Ryan Skoog, Peter Greer, and Cameron Doolittle (see our interview with the authors here) Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer Lectio 365 App Caleb Breakey, founder of Renown Publishing (see our past interview here) Kate Gardner, co-host of the Ascendants Podcast and co-founder of Magnify (see our past interview here) Alan Barnhart (see our past interview here) Julie Wilson, President of Women Doing Well (see our past interview here) Dana and Bill Wichterman (see our past interview here) The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW Psalm 46:10 | Be Still   Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!   Luke 3:11 | Share What You Have   And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.”   John 13:35 | Love One Another   By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.   Ephesians 3:20 | More than We Can Think to Ask   Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.

Christin Fejervary serves at the National Christian Foundation, where she helps understand generous Christians and the patterns shaping their stewardship. Coming from a background in research before joining NCF, Christin has helped execute numerous large studies which have helped shape the current understanding of Christian givers.   This past year, Christin helped lead NCF in some of the most comprehensive research on millennial Christians through the NextGen Stewardship Study, a comprehensive study focused on how young Christians, particularly Millennials and Gen Z, approach wealth and generosity. Christin explains the enormity of the Great Wealth Transfer, projected at $124 trillion to be passed on to these generations by 2048, and the need to understand their unique characteristics and motivations.    Her work highlights how agency, shared family values, and hands-on involvement are shaping this rising generation, as well as the unique opportunities emerging as women inherit a growing share of global wealth. She also describes the practical ways families can cultivate unity through generosity and why younger Christians are eager to bring their whole lives, not just their finances, into God’s work.   Whether you are a next generation giver or are navigating how to enable the next generation yourself, you’ll find this episode packed with insight.   Major Topics Include: How agency shapes stewardship and spiritual growth Differences between wealth creators, inheritors, and hybrids Generational contrasts in trust, involvement, and giving patterns The rising influence and needs of next-gen women Family unity formed through shared passions and giving Tips for preparing for the Great Wealth Transfer wisely Practicing stewardship through small, hands-on decisions Unlocking whole-life generosity beyond liquid assets Advice for organizations who are trying to engage multiple generations God’s invitation to women in stewardship QUOTES TO REMEMBER “I was learning how to pursue a relationship with Jesus in the everyday. It wasn’t just about going to church on Sundays. It was really about bringing Jesus into every part of my life.” “In my 20s, when I started to understand this relationship with Jesus, it was something where I could actually have conversations with Jesus and ask for help.” “God just showed up. He provided so much in those early years when we didn’t feel like we had much money.” “Faith is the guiding principle in stewarding wealth for all generations.” “The attribute that was most correlated to positivity about wealth was seeing it as responsibility, that it’s about God’s work in the world and joining God’s work in the world.” “Taking action helps your faith. It helps you grow closer to your family. It helps you grow closer to your purpose.” “Women at large and the cohort of next-gen women are more likely to be collaborative, they’re more likely to do giving circles, and they’re looking for a journey more than a transaction.” “Women and mothers are the biggest influences of generosity in the home.” “Women, especially women inheritors, struggle to find their voice. They don’t feel like they have a voice at the table of wealth transfer and those conversations.” “Younger generations want to see the data. They want to see the impact and the numbers. They want to get personally involved because they feel they can make the difference.” “We’re seeing more and more people give from the ninety percent of their wealth, not just the ten percent they hold in liquid assets.” “I think God is showing up in tangible ways and urging people to give from all of their wealth and not just their liquid assets.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW National Christian Foundation (see our interview with President Emeritus, David Wills) The NCF Next Gen Stewardship Study Julie Wilson, President of Women Doing Well (see our past interview here) Generous Giving (see our interviews with cofounders Todd Harper and David Wills and CEO, April Chapman) Impact Foundation (see our interview with Founder, Aimee Minnich) The Millennial Impact Report Lilly Family School of Philanthropy – Lake Institute on Faith & Giving The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW Luke 21:1–4 | The Widow’s Offering   Luke 8:1–3 | Women Supporting Jesus’s Ministry WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.

Rick Allen was raised in an Irish-Catholic family, but he made his profession of faith some time after graduating college. From there, his journey of faith and his career path progressed side-by-side. Over time, Rick went from volunteering at church to pastoring a church plant, and from software salesman to CEO of a development company. Then with his ministry experience and leadership skills, Rick transitioned to become president and CEO of MedSend, an organization that has mobilized over 750 Christ-following, disciple-making healthcare professionals into 103 nations.   MedSend doesn’t just send doctors overseas, it helps train native physicians to care and witness within their own communities. Under Rick’s leadership, MedSend’s National Scholars Pathway is equipping African, Asian, and Middle Eastern doctors with advanced medical and biblical training so that they can heal physically and introduce people to Jesus right where they live. Rick is passionate about seeing nations transformed with the love of God through well-equipped, Christ-following medical professionals. Millions of lives have already been touched, and MedSend has a vision to reach millions more with fully equipped Christ-centered hospital systems and networks. If you want to learn how faith, medicine, and missions can fuse in sustainable ways, this episode is for you.   Major Topics Include: Learning to trust God when you can’t see what’s ahead The desperate need for well-trained health care professionals globally Raising up medical professionals to minister to their own people ROI of investing in a national missionary physician Training medical professionals to share the gospel and disciple others Extending impact through partnership Helping medical missionaries care for themselves through the longevity program MedSend’s long-term goal to transform nations through hospital systems and networks QUOTES TO REMEMBER “And I knew immediately that I wasn’t trusting God.” “What does it look like for a Christ-following man to trust and surrender?” “I got to see God at work across the table and across the world, and it transformed my understanding of who God is.” “If you approach God with an open mind and and open heart and say, ‘if you’re real, show me,’ God will show up every time.” “These individuals are taking the love of Christ and a vision for compassionate care into their own healthcare systems and transforming them in the love of Christ.” “We anticipate that an individual physician will touch about 100,000 lives during their career. So we’re training up people that will bless and share the knowledge of Christ with 100,000 people in a lifetime. That level of investment pays off over decades.”  “This is not about building healthcare capacity. This is about building Christ-followers who see healthcare as a means to share the love of Jesus Christ.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW MedSend Institute of Global Healthcare Missions Christian Medical & Dental Associations Samaritan’s Purse ROI Ministry (see our interview with founder, Tim Barker) The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.

Jessica Ullrich grew up watching her parents live open-handedly, their home and resources always available for God’s purposes. Those early lessons in faith and giving deepened during her college years on the mission field, where she saw how generosity could open doors for the Gospel in ways words alone could not. Though she began her career in social work, Jessica soon felt God redirecting her toward the place where ministry and organizational leadership meet, preparing her to guide others in generosity from a broader perspective.   Now, as Director of Programs with Generous Church, Jessica helps disciple-making networks around the world integrate generosity into their core training. Drawing on her cross-cultural experience and administrative insight, she equips leaders to tell stories of giving that fit their people’s rhythms and languages. Her work has sparked movements where generosity becomes both a testimony and a tool for transformation.   Jessica’s journey offers grounded insight for those discerning how to lead others in generosity that reflects God’s heart and multiplies Kingdom impact.   Major Topics Include: How Stations of Generosity works for oratory cultures Similarities and differences between Stations and Generosity Design Lab Identifying people groups that would be a right fit for Stations Memorable stories of positive impact in the Field Salvations through simple generosity The challenge of generosity discipleship across cultures The necessity of prayer in the generosity movement An invitation to simple generosity QUOTES TO REMEMBER “The networks we get to serve and connect with are heroes in discipleship in the field.”  “Our metric is getting networks to the place of empowerment. If our logo, name, and involvement can be completely stripped away, then that is our highest success.” “We lean on the networks that we partner with as the experts of their context so that we don’t have to pretend to be.” “Even with all the regional nuances and complexities, truth sets people free.” “Prayer is the most significant fuel of the generosity movement.” “As long as we have something to eat every day, we have something to give to God every day.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW Generous Church (see our interview with founder Patrick Johnson) Stations of Generosity Generosity Design Lab The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW Matthew 6:33 | Kingdom First   But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.

Raised in Los Angeles by Korean immigrant parents, Jean Park spent years chasing the markers of success her family valued, only to find herself empty in the process. When she encountered Christ, God redirected her ambitions toward the deeper work of healing and restoration. Leaving corporate America for the field of psychology, Jean discovered a calling that wove together her gifts, story, and faith into an integrated purpose rooted in generosity and grace.   Now a therapist, coach, and co-founder of the Abide Gathering, Jean helps others—especially within Asian communities—experience freedom from generational patterns that keep them striving instead of giving. Through her work, she shows how inner healing can open hearts to live generously, not from duty but from wholeness, and how alignment with God’s design brings peace, clarity, and joy in stewardship.   This conversation offers clear, hope-filled guidance for those seeking to live and give from a place of healed purpose and wholehearted trust.   Major Topics Include: Gaining perspective on your purpose Letting your life story speak to your calling Discerning when to persevere and when to pivot Jean’s healing journey Perspective through healing invisible wounds The gift of being triggered How generosity facilitates healing The long game of heart transformation Tips for discovering your integrated purpose QUOTES TO REMEMBER “I felt the Holy Spirit say to me, ‘You need to wake up!’” “God wastes nothing.” “Are you running from something or towards something?” “Oftentimes, our wounds are things we can’t see, and we don’t know how much they are hindering the flow of what God wants to do in and through us.” “If we are invited to face these wounds, I believe it’s a gift from God, pointing us to things that have been keeping us stuck.” “When we heal our wounds, then we are able to freely live into the flow and the way that God has created us to live.” “The thing about heart transformation is that God is in the long game. He is not in the ‘quick behavior transformation’ game, and that’s the beauty and kindness of who He is.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW Julie Wilson, President of Women Doing Well (see our past interview here) Let Your Life Speak by Parker Palmer Secure Coaching Abide Gathering Young Life Global Cities We Want More The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW Matt 6:19-21 | Lay Up Treasures in Heaven   “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.   Psalm 139 | Search Me, O God, and Know My Heart WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.

Heather Larson, founder of the philanthropy advisory firm LiveGive, traces her calling to early encounters with need and two decades of church ministry where God used her to build compassion and justice work and steward significant generosity. Those years formed a simple conviction, real change grows when giving is personal, prayerful, and connected to faithful people on the ground. Today Heather comes alongside families, foundations, and ministries to clarify passion areas, align spouses and generations, and shape practical “giving dream” plans. Drawing on years of leadership with local and global initiatives, she helps givers move from scattered gifts to strategic portfolios, set gracious expectations with partners, and engage meaningfully beyond the check. We also explore where metrics help and where they can hinder, and how a clear plan can free a family to give thoughtfully together. This conversation offers steady, practical wisdom for anyone seeking to steward God’s resources with discernment and joy. Major Topics Include: Heather’s heart-wrenching stories from the mission field Helping families develop a giving dream plan Narrowing down a family’s passion areas Exploring a family’s values to help select organizations to give to The importance of spousal alignment  Diversity and growth in philanthropic conversations Navigating missed expectations with donors and organizations Encouraging meaningful engagement with passion points Considerations for impact metrics QUOTES TO REMEMBER “God, help my heart to always break for the needs in Your world and don’t let me get calloused.” “It’s the local church in a community that can really help meet long term needs and bring about transformation.” “Even for the most data-driven person, their deepest passions are almost always connected to story.” “Once you know a family’s causes and their values, then you can look for great organizations that line up with that criteria.” “It will never become a family legacy if it’s one person’s drive. If it’s going to be a family legacy, it’s going to be shaped by all the family members coming together and everyone having a voice.” “In our world, there is a need for crisis response and immediate relief services, and there is opportunity for long-term transformation.” “If you really want to see transformation and you want to engage well with organizations, it does take intentionality and hard work.” “Keep building your giving muscles!” LINKS FROM THE SHOW LiveGive American Red Cross The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group   WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.

Andrew Clark, founder of the Jeremiah Fund and co-creator of the Lion’s Den, felt drawn to both business and ministry from an early age and soon discovered he could faithfully merge the two. His path has spanned multiple industries as an entrepreneur and investor, where he learned the power of linking arms with other Christians in the marketplace. Through it all, one question has anchored his work: How do you steward influence and capital for eternal impact? That pursuit led to the Lion’s Den, a Shark Tank style forum that connects Christ-centered founders with values-aligned investors. More recently, he launched the Jeremiah Fund to venture differently, pairing capital with discipleship and Kingdom partnership. Andrew is a thoughtful builder with practical frameworks for viewing business, investing, and eternity. His insights will sharpen how you think about faithful stewardship in the marketplace.   Major Topics Include: The story of the Lion’s Den What God’s doing in impact investing Historical examples of Christian business networking  Considering impact as a Christin investor  Three axis of considering impact: the intensity of the mission, the amount of expected return, and the time of expected return Balancing “showing” and “telling” Finding alignment in faith-driven investing Spirit-led investing when you may not see the fruit Navigating Christian relationships through the ups and downs of business Encouraging and ministering to struggling founders through the Jeremiah Fund The difference between a driven person and a called person Encouragement for business leaders to be open about their faith QUOTES TO REMEMBER “All of life is ministry. So what are you going to do for ministry in the working world?” “How do we live out our faith in our work in a way that people want to be drawn into the place where we’re worshipping the Lord?” “Let’s try to create an environment where we can encourage collaboration and encourage growth.” “The best thing we did in the Lion’s Den was try to provide a place where people could fellowship and learn, and we weren’t prescribing actions, but we were describing what could be possible.” “There is beauty in the diversity of the Body of Christ, and the more we take stock of that and actually listen the more we see the beauty of the Lord and who He is.”  “The more you encourage the opportunity for the Lord to be present and to be shown, the more He will bless it, whether it’s successful or not.”  “Christian investing has three parts: charity, philanthropy, and reinvestment.” “Relationships are so important in encouraging Christians in an early stage of this journey.” “A called person realizes that it’s not ultimately their job alone, but God is with them. And it’s not about a performance, but about learning who God is and who they are.” “When you understand who you are and what God’s given you, you will understand more what you can do practically and for the Lord.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW Lion’s Den Jeremiah Fund Regional Advantage by AnnaLee Saxenian Lead with Prayer by Ryan Skoog, Peter Greer, Cameron Doolittle The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW Matthew 25:14-30 | Parable of the Talents WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.

Alan Barnhart grew up in Memphis, where his parents ran a small crane and rigging company. After college he sensed a call to missions just as his parents invited him and his brother to take over the family business. As he wrestled with the decision, God’s answer was clear; Alan’s full-time ministry was the business world. From day one, the brothers regarded the company as God’s. To guard against the spiritual risks of wealth, Alan set a “lifestyle finish line,” capping his personal income at the level of a ministry worker. They also committed to give 50% of annual profits to God’s Kingdom. Over the next 39 years, the once-small firm grew toward a billion-dollar enterprise and now channels millions each year into gospel work. Later, Alan and his brother formalized their conviction by transferring 100% of their ownership to a charitable trust, while continuing to lead the company. Alan’s example has inspired a generation of givers to steward their families, businesses, and resources with wisdom and courage. You won’t want to miss this story. Major Topics Include: Avoiding the dangers of wealth Finding freedom in a financial finish line How God led him to give away his company while still being it’s steward Thinking though what to do with profit Developing relationship with the recipients of your generosity  Generosity decisions as a group Responsive giving vs. strategic giving Differences between giving from business capital and giving from personal capital Making difficult decisions in generosity  Relational aspects of being as a business and generosity leader Managing a capped lifestyle with children Thinking through company succession Stewarding your generosity story QUOTES TO REMEMBER “God, I’ll go wherever you want me to go.” “My full time ministry was going to be in the business world.” “Jesus warned about money more than He warned about anything else.” “Contentment doesn’t come from stuff, it comes from enjoying what you already have.” “Holding things with an open hand has led to freedom.” “God isn’t trying to extract something from us. He doesn’t want our money, He wants us.” “Generosity breaks the power of greed.” “We say no to 99% of giving opportunities so we can give a big yes to the 1% we support.” “We want to be as strategic in our giving of money as we are in our making of money.” “What does God want us to do with His money?” “There is work to being a steward.” “What we’re doing is not crazy.” “We didn’t see the company as ours, so our kids never saw it as theirs.” “Be a steward of your story as much as you are a steward of your money, because your story may change someone else’s life.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW Young Life Journey to Generosity (JoG) with Generous Giving (see our interviews with cofounder, Todd Harper and CEO, April Chapman) Rich Christians in the Age of Hunger by Ronald J. Sider National Christian Foundation (see our interview with President Emeritus, David Wills) The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW Matthew 19:23 | A Warning for the Rich   And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven.   Matthew 6:24 | Choose Your Master   “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.   Matthew 6:19-20 | Treasures in Heaven   “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust[e] 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.   Luke 12:13-21 | The Parable of the Rich Fool   1 Timothy 6:6-7 | Godliness with Contentment   But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.   Luke 21:1-4 | The Widow’s Offering   Matthew 5:16 | Your Good Works Give Glory to the Father   In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.   Matthew 6:3-4 | A Time for Giving in Secret But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.

Bruce Wydick is an economist, professor, and author of Shrewd Samaritan: Faith, Economics, and the Road to Loving Our Global Neighbor. As his faith deepened throughout his college career, Bruce developed an unexpected passion for economic development and the role of the Church. The more he researched, the more he realized a great need for Christian NGOs to be able to measure the impact they’re having on the people they’ve been called to help.   Bruce helped start the Collaborative for Econometrics and Integrated Development Studies (CEIDS), which has grown into a network of more than 100 development economists, public health experts, and other related fields from all around the world. Together, they work to support the relief and development arms of Christ’s global Church by helping Christian NGOs develop tools and built-in programs so that they and their donors can know where, how, and why they’re truly being effective.   Bruce brings a rare blend of heartfelt, Spirit-led generosity and a data-driven focus on high impact giving to help followers of Jesus love our neighbors with wisdom by investing resources in ways that truly change lives for the Kingdom. Bruce shares stories from his research and his own journey of faith, emphasizing that generosity isn’t just about good intentions but about stewarding God’s gifts so that they bear lasting fruit.   Major Topics Include: Blending faith and economic development  The Story of Mayan Partners in Guatemala The biblical picture of human flourishing The challenge of impact measurement for Christian NGOs Making informed, Spirit-led giving decisions Stages of a heart-progression on world problems: The Six i’s—ignorance, indifference, idealism, investigation, introspection, impact Developing an identity with those you’re called to serve Understanding poverty traps as a giver Measuring impact through randomized control trials and quasi-experimental designs How givers can use AI to research the most impactful interventions Examples of the most effective and ineffective interventions QUOTES TO REMEMBER “The Kingdom works the opposite of the way that economics says the world should work.” “We should not only be good Samaritans, but shrewd Samaritans, that we actively think about what we do, as well as we pray and feel led by the heart.” “The poor are important enough to Christ that we owe them an informed decision on how we give and not just a feeling-based decision.” “What is the role that God has placed me in?” “It’s not about one person saving the world. It’s about one person listening to God and His calling on our lives to serve where He wants us to serve.” “If we understand where there’s a need and then see where our gifting lines up with that need, God will bring about His biblically-based human flourishing in that intersection.” “Providing cash is almost always better than providing stuff.” “The earlier you intervene in a child’s life, the more impactful it is.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW Shrewd Samaritan by Bruce Wydick Collaborative for Econometrics and Integrated Development Studies (CEIDS) Social Impact Analytics Course at University of San Francisco Compassion International Children of the Nations International Care Ministries Mayan Partners Hope Walks The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.

Mary Clayton Crow’s life has been marked by radical generosity from the very beginning. After coming to faith in the Jesus Movement of the 70s, Mary Clayton’s parents freely shared all they had while living in community with other Believers, regularly opening their home to missionaries, and eventually becoming missionaries themselves behind the Iron Curtain. This model of radical generosity set a strong foundation for Mary Clayton’s adult life as she lives to “give generously, expecting nothing in return.”   Mary Clayton has a rich passion for relational, spontaneous generosity, often giving away personal items admired by others as a way to express God’s love while resisting the trap of materialism. She is also passionate about collaborative giving, and takes part in several giving communities that invest in local ministries, not only with their finances, but with their time and talents as well.   Major Topics Include: Making generosity your own Being stretched and challenged in generosity Wrestling the “elder brother” mentality What does it really mean to expect nothing in return? A Lenten generosity challenge Resisting materialism with generosity  Modeling generosity to your family The power of community giving to local ministries  Guarding against generosity burnout Hearing from the Holy Spirit through other people Creating a visual reminder to give generously QUOTES TO REMEMBER “You can never outgive God. It’s going to come back to you 10-fold, 20-fold, 30-fold, 100-fold. And it may not be in dollars and cents, but it will be in joy.” “I love generosity because it makes sharing the gospel so easy.” “Expecting nothing in return means releasing the result and putting it in the Lord’s hand.” “We need to detach ourselves from things owning us so we can be stewards of the things God has given us.” “Generous tipping is one of the easiest ways to be an evangelist.” “I’m excited to chase God.” “I’m looking forward to God disrupting my life for new adventures.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW Julie Wilson, President of Women Doing Well (see our past interview here) Young Life One Hundred Shares The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW Luke 21:3-4 | The Widow’s Offering   And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”   John 3:16 | The Ultimate Giver   “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.   Luke 15:11-32 | The Prodigal Son   Matthew 20:1-16 | The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.

Taylor Standridge, production manager at FaithFi, is passionate about creating engaging content that makes an impact for the Kingdom of God. Taylor developed a love for radio in his early years which grew into a passion to see more Christian programming on radio and podcasting platforms. Today, Taylor has an extensive background in radio and media production, as well as a seminary degree from Dallas Theological Seminary which combines to create and deliver deeply impactful content, particularly in the generosity space.   As production manager, Taylor walks through the Faith and Finance radio program and podcast from beginning to end, as well as their one-minute program on 1900 signals across the nation, to share the message of God as our ultimate treasure. He’s a frequent content creator for the FaithFi team and has much wisdom to share on many topics surrounding faith, generosity, and personal finance.   Major Topics Include: Taylor’s discoveries about wealth in the Scriptures Approaching investing through a theological lens  Viewing every dollar as an opportunity to be generous A biblical view of eternal reward The “my value is in my money” identity crisis Practical steps for aligning your finances with the Kingdom Knowing God through Scripture for Kingdom-aligned financial decisions QUOTES TO REMEMBER “When it comes to managing money God’s way, it’s not just attaching a Bible verse to a financial principle and calling it biblical. But it’s looking deeply at the story of the Bible and finding out what it has to say about money and how we relate to it.”  “I approach everything that comes through our accounts as belonging to the Lord and everything is an opportunity to be generous.” “We often think of eternal rewards as being merit based, but when we look at how God speaks about obedience in Scripture we realize that obedience is not our gift back to God, it’s actually God’s gift to us.” “It is God’s grace that enables us to obey Him.” “If our ultimate treasure is not God Himself and we’re more excited about what we’ll get from Him, I think we’re still fundamentally making the same mistake as worshiping money instead of Him.” “When we get to Heaven, I think we’ll find that we didn’t sacrifice at all, we simply let go of what was not eternal.” “God is our treasure. We utilize everything else as a tool to accomplish His purposes.” “Money promises us everything that God does, but doesn’t deliver on any of them.” “If we realize that our ultimate value is in God, we don’t see our money or assets as indicative of our value. But we recognize that we’re so valuable that God Himself died on a cross for us.” “God doesn’t need us, but He chooses to involve us in His work.” “I don’t think you can understand God’s heart for the world until you know God’s story.” “Debt obligates you to the past and prevents you from opportunity for the future.” “Peace-of-mind and security should never come from money.” “Financial security is a feeling because God knows my needs more intimately than I do. And if He can feed people with manna from Heaven, I think I’ll be fine.” “There’s currently 22 trillion dollars worth of assets managed by Christians in this country. Christians here have tremendous influence and opportunity to make God known.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW FaithFi FaithFi Podcast and Radio Program Kingdom Advisors (see our interview with founder, Ron Blue) Insight for Living More than Money Podcast with Art Rainer Ronald Blue and Co., CPA (see our interview with founder, Ron Blue) Eternal Perspective Ministries (see our interview with founder, Randy Alcorn) The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey Simple Money, Rich Life by Bob Lotich Undue Medical Debt The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW Proverbs 13:22a | A Lasting Inheritance   A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,   Malachi 3:10 | Put Me to the Test   Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.   Philippians 2:13 | God’s Grace for Obedience   for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.   Matthew 13:44 | The Parable of the Hidden Treasure   “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.   Luke 6:35 | Give Freely   But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.  Matthew 20:1-16 | Laborers in the Vineyard   Ephesians 2:8-10 | By Grace Through Faith for Good Works   For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.   2 Timothy 3:16 | God-Breathed Scripture   All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,   Ephesians 3:20-21 | More than We Could Imagine   Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.

Madison Illges, Executive Director of Mite, was brought up in a large family that modeled a heart of generosity. Before Madison was even born, her father experienced a simple but life-changing moment of joy in giving—a spark that would one day grow into a vision for helping others celebrate generosity in community. That vision became reality in 2016 when Mite was launched with a mission to make giving better. Mite is a giving fund that helps donors connect with trusted global projects while removing the guesswork that so often makes giving complicated. Their team researches and vets development projects around the world—spanning education, health, child development, disaster relief, and more—so that givers can confidently support causes they’re passionate about. And as those projects are completed, Mite goes the extra mile to bring the stories home, showing donors how their generosity has impacted real people and communities in more than 25 countries. Madison stepped in as executive director at a young age and for nearly a decade she has seen God use technology, creativity, and faithful obedience to multiply impact and remind us that generosity is ultimately a celebration of what He is doing around the world. Major Topics Include: The Watermelon Party Story How advancing technology brings donors to the field  The impact of the widow’s mite story on Madison’s life A deep dive into the vetting and reporting process How Mite discovers healthy organizations to partner with  Analyzing an organization’s theory of change The beauty of community in generosity Celebrating God in generosity QUOTES TO REMEMBER “Generosity loosens greed, provides an opportunity to cultivate joy, and aligns us with God’s Kingdom values.” “Jesus made note of what the widow gave. And it had nothing to do with how much the widow was dropping in, but it had everything to do with where her heart was in her giving.” “There are thousands of fantastic organizations out there that just need financial backing and a cheerleader to come alongside them and help their mission succeed. So we didn’t feel the need to reinvent the wheel.” “Project at Mite isn’t considered completed until it’s been filmed.” “People have different passion areas which may change with the season they’re in, so people can generally find a Mite project that interests them now and in the future when their interests shift.” “Mite is doing our best to build community within what we do, but I have also seen as I visit our donors that they are building little pockets of community on their own with what their doing, and Mite just happens to be one of the vehicles they’re using.” “Generosity is an opportunity to celebrate with God in the work He’s doing on Earth.” “We know that if you start being generous when you have little, you’re highly likely to be generous when you have much.” “What we are after is what Jesus was after with the widow—we’re after the heart in generosity, not the amount that they’re giving.” “Don’t wait to arrive. Give now and watch what God can do with your giving.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW Mite The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer Impact Africa The Power of Moments by Chip Heath and Dan Heath Journey to Generosity (JoG) with Generous Giving (see our interviews with cofounder, Todd Harper and CEO, April Chapman) Simple Charity (see our interview with CEO Brian Grasso here) Gospel Patrons (see our interview with founder John Rinehart) The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW Mark 12:41-44 | The Widow’s Offering   Matthew 6:21 | Treasure from Your Heart   For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.   John 3:16 | God, The Ultimate Giver   “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.

Mike Perez, a seasoned financial advisor and author of Faith and Finances, didn’t start his career thinking about generosity or Kingdom impact. He began in accounting, building a solid professional foundation, but deep down, something felt incomplete—both professionally and spiritually. A series of God-ordained encounters drew Mike into the world of financial advising and, more importantly, into a place of full surrender to Christ. From that point on, his question became: What would it look like to truly live out my faith through my finances?   Over the last 33 years, that question has shaped Mike’s entire career. Today, he carries a special passion for helping those in or near retirement “finish their race strong” by aligning their financial plans with their spiritual calling. In Faith and Finances, Mike distills decades of wisdom to help believers embrace biblical principles for financial success and radical generosity. Along the way, he offers profound insights on discovering your personal calling, setting a financial finish line that frees you to give boldly, stewarding your time and resources with eternal purpose, and building a legacy that outlives you and points others to Christ.   Major Topics Include: Mike’s journey through living out is faith in his finances Learning generosity and stewardship in community The importance of heart change on the stewardship journey  What does it mean to finish well? The five pillars of a faith-driven retirement Important conversations about legacy Advice for doing legacy well as a follower of Christ Estate mapping with families Tips for experiencing heart change Three steps of a Journey of Generosity experience Practical tips for setting a finish line Living out calling beyond the working years  Encouragement to keep growing and stretching in faith and generosity QUOTES TO REMEMBER “Our industry is all about people getting the money thing right, and I think that’s fine and good. But I think what’s more important is getting the life thing right, especially in the second half of life.” “Ephesians 2:10 says that you were designed for good works, it doesn’t say that all bets are off once you’re retired. You’re meant to do good works until the end.” “We shouldn’t be asking God, ‘How much should I give?’ but rather ‘How much should I keep?’” “Does it take more faith to give while you’re here or after you’re gone?” “I don’t think the journey ever ends because God’s always working on our hearts.” “Giving breaks the power of money.” “Your best days can be ahead of you!” “Just take your next step with Jesus.” “Generosity is a muscle. The more you work it out, the stronger it becomes.” “God just wants to know that He can use you.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW Faith and Finances by Michael Perez The ABC’s of Financial Freedom by Barry L. Cameron  National Christian Foundation (see our interview with President Emeritus, David Wills) Kingdom Advisors (see our interview with founder, Ron Blue) Journey to Generosity (JoG) with Generous Giving (see our interviews with cofounder, Todd Harper and CEO, April Chapman) Christian Franchise Advisor Network (CFAN) with Ameriprise Financial Ronald Blue and Co., CPA (see our interview with founder, Ron Blue) Eternal Perspective Ministries (see our interview with founder, Randy Alcorn) Fields of Gold by Andy Stanley The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey Decade By Decade by Bobb Biehl The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW Proverbs 27: 17 | Sharpened by Community    Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.   Psalm 24:1 | God Owns It All   The earth is the Lord‘s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein,   Ephesians 2:10 | Created for Good Works   For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.   Matthew 6:20 | Treasure in Heaven   but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.

David Reeves once believed his role in missions was to give generously to the ministries he knew. But after a moment of full surrender as a young man, God redirected his path toward a life of hands-on impact that would ripple across missions, Bible translation, and church planting worldwide. Starting out with an electrical engineering degree, David first served in tech support for a missionary aviation organization—work that eventually led him to leadership as general manager and later president. Today, he serves as the President and CEO of unfoldingWord, where he is pioneering a church-centered approach to Bible translation. With more than 40 years of international leadership experience across cultures and sectors, David offers a rare perspective on how God weaves together innovation, missions, and radical generosity. Under his leadership, unfoldingWord is equipping local churches to translate Scripture into their own languages using open-source tools—shifting Bible translation from centralized projects to sustainable, grassroots movements led by the global Church. Major Topics Include: Using business as a means to access Scripture and the gospel in challenging places The providential story of Unfolding Word Making the local church the hero of the story The seven key ideas of the Church-centric Bible translation model Turbo-charging church planting movements with Bible translation Why having Scripture in someone’s heart language is important Unfolding Word’s impact on the Bible translation ecosystem The benefits of the Creative Commons licensing model  Increasing Scripture engagement  Difficult lessons in trusting God QUOTES TO REMEMBER “From Pentecost to Revelation, the entire narrative is about the church.” “How do we make the local church the hero of the story?” “If we ever hope to finish the Great Commission in our lifetime, we have to stand on the centrality of the Church.” “The Church operates in a healthy form as a complex network.” “Persecution often creates unity movements. People don’t care what your denomination or your background is. If you’re in the midst of persecution, you’re a loved and welcomed bother or sister in Christ.” “The most effective way to share the gospel is in the heart language.” “The heart language of a community is the language of weddings and funerals.” “Bible translation’s proper place belongs to the Church as a tool for discipleship and church planting.” “Our passion is to empower modern-day ‘Pauls’ and church planters to help them to complete the Great Commission.” “There is no Scripture engagement problem. It’s integral to church-centric Bible translation.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW Unfolding Word Wycliffe Bible Translators (see our interview with CEO John Chesnut) Loving the Church, Blessing the Nations by George Miley 2414 Network Biblica Open Bible Stories What Happens When Christians and Muslims Translate Scripture Side by Side (Christianity Today) Every Tribe, Every Nation and IllumiNations Bible Translation Alliance (see our interview with Todd Peterson or John Chesnut) Letting Go – UnfoldingWord’s publication on licensing The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW Revelation 7:9 | A Great Multitude from Every Nation   After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,   2 Timothy 2:2 | Teaching Teachers   and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.

Tim Barker is the founder of ROI Ministry and author of BOOM: What To Do When Life Blows Up Around You. His journey into generosity began after rising from humble beginnings to great success—only to lose everything during a season of deep trial. In the middle of that valley, God answered a “dangerous” prayer Tim had prayed years earlier: that the Lord would do whatever it took to multiply his family’s kingdom impact. Out of that refining season came ROI Ministry, an organization that has since helped direct millions of dollars to high-impact ministries around the world. In time, God restored what Tim had lost and entrusted him with a voice of influence in the global generosity movement.     Through ROI Ministry, Tim and his team identify the Top 10 ministries producing the greatest measurable kingdom impact per dollar, helping givers steward their resources with confidence and purpose. In his book, BOOM, Tim shares his own story as a living testimony that God can bring blessings out of brokenness and truly work all things together for His glory and our good.    Tim was one of the very first guests on The Finish Line Podcast nearly four years ago, and much has changed since then—for ROI Ministry, for Tim, and for us here at Finish Line. In this conversation, Tim digs deeper into the heart of high-impact giving and reflects on what it looks like to trust God through both abundance and loss, offering wisdom for all who long to walk faithfully in the life of generosity.   Major Topics Include: Making a difference from where you are now The need to be honest with God in tough times Moving from failure to fruitfulness Blessing others by letting them help you Hearing the Spirit’s leading in the midst of trials Seeking God in times of silence Giving from your mind as well as your heart Embracing both Spirit-led giving and cost-effective generosity A call to invest more in the local church  What to look for in a high-impact organization  Thinking through measurable Kingdom impact per dollar QUOTES TO REMEMBER “God, what do you want me to do?” “My story is really about not giving up, because you don’t know what God is doing through times of refining and where He’s going to take you.” “It’s ok to want to give up as long as you’ve decided in advance that you’re not going to.” “Be honest with God.” “Ninety-seven percent of all Christian giving is going to nations that have already been evangelized, and less than one-third of one percent is actually making it to the billion lost, poorest people in the world who are 3,000 times more receptive to the gospel.” “I believe in testing God with the tithe.” “You will find joy, hope, and purpose in helping others in ways that make the greatest impact.” “If you have an opportunity to impact thousands of people rather than just a few, then impact the thousands.” “Eternity is going to be a long, long time, and the more people we impact here, the more we’ll meet over there. And not that we get the credit—God gets the glory. He just gives us the opportunity to be in the game.” “When you’ve been faithful, you know that you’re doing what God’s called you to do, and you’re doing it for the right reason, eventually you will see a harvest.” “As stewards of God’s wealth, are we encouraging others to do the same thing?” LINKS FROM THE SHOW See our first interview with Tim Barker here BOOM: What To Do When Life Blows Up Around You by Tim Barker EQUIP ROI Ministry National Christian Foundation (see our interview with President Emeritus, David Wills) Ronald Blue and Co. (see our interview with founder, Ron Blue) Generous Giving (see our interviews with cofounders Todd Harper and David Wills and CEO, April Chapman) Eternal Perspective Ministries (see our interview with founder, Randy Alcorn) Cru The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW Proverbs 3:5-6 | Trust in the Lord   Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.   Luke 21:1-4 | The Widow’s Offering   Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box,  and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”   Matthew 22:37 | Love God with All You Are   And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.   ​​1 Timothy 5:8 | Care for Your Family   But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.   Malachi 3:10 | Put Me to the Test   Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.   Matthew 25: 14-30 | The Parable of the Talents WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.

Michele Dudley is the founder of BraveWorks and Restoration Residences, where she has poured her heart into making a Kingdom impact among those who are often overlooked. After starting her career as a CPA, a life-changing mission trip to Burundi opened her eyes to the needs of the global church and set her on a new path of generosity and solidarity with those facing deep suffering. Michele is an avid learner and her deep curiosity has led her into many creative opportunities for giving. Through BraveWorks and Restoration Residences, Michele has impacted the lives of many trafficked, abused, and incarcerated women, as well as helped families in need transition out of homelessness. A self-identified connector and advocate, Michele is highly integrated in the generosity community and has a passion for helping others give well and invest with a generous heart.    Major Topics Include: Finding creative opportunities to give Stories of serving and empowering women through BraveWorks Being a generous connector Committing to community in the generosity space Approaching investing from a heart of generosity  Stewarding investment and philanthropy dollars Practical advice to get started in impact investing Navigating various levels of engagement and responsibility in generosity Encouragement for women to engage in the generosity community Trusting God in the messiness of generosity  Hearing from God in stewardship decision-making Quotes to Remember “I felt like I had basically lived my life ignoring the plight of the suffering.” “It’s so important for us to become proximate to people who have different lived experiences than we do.” “Whether it’s somewhere across the world or across town, we can have really transformative experiences, even in our own community, but we have to be willing to be uncomfortable and humble and put on a willingness to learn from others.”  “A lot of times, I had no intentions of starting anything. I just took the next step that the Lord showed me.” “There’s something that’s healing when you recognize the struggle people have been through.” “It’s really inspiring to be in these spaces where people do have resources but they’re taking the humble perspective of ‘I’ve been entrusted with this, I really want to honor God.’” “If I wasn’t in this space where I was continually being challenged, I think it would be easy to just fall into the culture and the ways of the world.” “Too often, we only focus on our philanthropy and we don’t think about what we’re doing with our investment dollars, and oftentimes, the investment dollars are undoing the very things that we’re trying to do with our philanthropy. God calls us to steward all of what He’s entrusted to us in a way that honors Him.” Links from the Show BraveWorks (formerly Fashion and Compassion) Restoration Residences Cru Compassion International ALARM – African Leadership and Reconciliation Ministries Julie Wilson, President of Women Doing Well (see our past interview here) Generous Giving (see our interviews with cofounders Todd Harper and David Wills and CEO, April Chapman) Faith Driven Entrepreneur  Faith Driven Investor Faith Driven Foundation Course Praxis Praxis Capital Fellowship The Gathering Stewards Not Owners by Dana and Bill Wichterman (see our past interview here) Impact Foundation (see our interview with Founder, Aimee Minnich) The Table (via Impact Foundation) National Christian Foundation (see our interview with President Emeritus, David Wills) Infinite Giving The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group We Want to Hear from You! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Nathan LaGrange, Executive Director of Oasis Rest International, knows firsthand the vital importance of rest for pastors and ministry leaders. After many years in full-time ministry, a season of intense busyness began to take its toll. Nathan came to a sobering realization: before he could effectively care for others, he needed to care for himself and his family.   God then led Nathan through a series of transitions—from fast-paced ministry to the slower, more intentional shepherding of a congregation. Along the way, Nathan discovered the transformative power of doing life with God, not just for Him.   Out of that journey came a passion: to create a space where pastors and leaders could themselves be pastored, nurtured, and restored. Following a sabbatical year, Nathan connected with Oasis Rest International, a nonprofit dedicated to providing safe, restorative environments for pastors, missionaries, and Christian leaders in need of renewal.   With over 25 years of experience in both pastoral ministry and business leadership, Nathan brings a deep understanding of the unique pressures leaders face—and the critical importance of sustainable rhythms in a life of service. His work sits at the intersection of soul care and generosity, and his commitment to investing in leaders’ longevity offers a unique and refreshing perspective on how to partner well with those in ministry.   Major Topics Include: Building daily margins to spend time with God Letting Jesus teach the practice of rest Creating daily and weekly finish lines for healthy rhythms Learning the difference between working for God and working with God Asking: How much of yourself is enough to give in ministry? Embracing the concept of slowing down to move faster Exploring how rest and generosity intersect in relationships Finding practical ways to care for your spiritual leaders Combining “space” and “face” to minister refreshment Sharing stories of transformation through rest QUOTES TO REMEMBER “If you’re not loving yourself or taking care of yourself and your immediate family, then how can you minister in any context?” “Leaders are really good at giving, but they don’t know how to receive.” “The presence of Jesus in that sacred space accompanied with a sacred face invited a holy moment that’s transformational.” “Once you’ve had the opportunity to be in a space, to unpack with a face, it’s like all these new Kingdom dreams start to come alive.” “There was a rhythm to Jesus that was so grace-filled and generous because he would often withdraw to lonely places.” “When I build time with God into my life, when I’ve rested in my own soul, suddenly I can engage with my family in a much more generous way.” “Working for God and working with God are totally different things.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW Oasis Rest International The Overload Syndrome by Dr. Richard A. Swenson Chase the Lion by Mark Batterson (see our past interview here) The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW 1 Peter 3:19-20 | God’s Patience   in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.   Isaiah 55:1 | An Invitation to Refreshing   “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.   Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG) | Unforced Rhythms of Grace   “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”   Hebrews 13:17 | Care for Your Leaders   Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.