Rod Brenneman CEO Butterball Giving Engines Generosity Lifesong Orphans Ukraine
Finish Line Podcast Episode 41

Rod Brenneman, Former CEO of Butterball, on Building Continuous Giving Engines

You may want your business experience, investments, and accumulated skills to serve God beyond simply writing checks, especially as your career begins to change or create more margin.

What could happen if the expertise you have spent decades developing became part of a sustainable business that creates jobs, strengthens ministries, and generates generosity year after year?


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Meet your guide

Rod Brenneman, CEO Emeritus of Butterball, spent decades leading businesses in accounting, agribusiness, food production, and corporate management before transitioning into board service, advising, and Kingdom-focused work. Through a relationship with Lifesong for Orphans, Rod began exploring “giving engines,” profitable businesses designed to generate sustainable income for ministry while also creating jobs, training leaders, and strengthening families.

Rod shares how Lifesong Farms grew from a small agricultural project into berry operations in Ukraine and Zambia that provide employment and direct profits toward orphan care. He explains why these businesses must be treated as real enterprises, with strong people, careful training, cultural understanding, and sound financial metrics.

For Rod, the model also creates a meaningful role for experienced business leaders who want to use more than their financial resources. By the end, you may see your professional expertise, relationships, and investments as assets God can continue using to create long-term Kingdom impact well beyond your primary career.

What you’ll gain

  • How profitable businesses can become sustainable giving engines
  • Why business skills can remain valuable after career transitions
  • How job creation can strengthen families and ministry sustainability
  • Why effective giving engines must operate like real businesses
  • How to use your professional A-game for Kingdom purposes
  • Why generosity can include expertise, relationships, and investment capital

Inspired? Take your next step

Try the Game of Life Simulator

Step into a four-minute interactive experience and see what unfolds as you decide how to manage your resources.

Start the Game
Game of Life Simulator Mobile Screenshot
Game of Life Simulator Mobile Screenshot

Quotes to Remember

  • “Everything really belongs to God. We’re just called to be stewards of what He’s given us.”
  • “A giving engine is simply a business that directs all or a potion of its profits to ministry helping to make that ministry sustainable.”
  • “A giving engine represents an investment in economic, social, and spiritual transformation that provides ongoing sustainable support.”
  • “We expect them to deliver adequate or market-rate returns to provide sustainable cashflow for ministry.”
  • “I really want to challenge other people like me to think about finding ways to use their A-game skills for kingdom purposes.”
  • “Dream big, so that when it happens you’ll know that it was God and not you.”

Links from the Show

Bible References from the Show

Luke 3:11 | Whoever Has Two Tunics And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.”

Use Our
Free Guide

Have you considered the ways you are uniquely called into generosity? We’re not all called into the same adventure.

Enter your information below and we’ll send you our free PDF guide to explore the specific adventure you were called into.

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Use Our
Free Guide

Have you considered the ways you are uniquely called into generosity? We’re not all called into the same adventure.
Generosity Profile Image
Enter your information below and we’ll send you our free PDF guide to explore the specific adventure you were called into.
Generosity Profile Image

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