What We’ll Cover

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 Facebook and LinkedIn.

The post Doug Cobb, Founder of the Finishing Fund, on the Last Mile of the Great Commission appeared first on Finish Line Pledge.

What We’ll Cover

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 Facebook and LinkedIn.

The post Ray Chung, Leadership Consultant, on Giving What You Can’t Get Back appeared first on Finish Line Pledge.

What We’ll Cover

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 Facebook and LinkedIn.

The post Christin Fejervary, VP at NCF, on Trends Among Next Generation Givers appeared first on Finish Line Pledge.

What We’ll Cover

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 Facebook and LinkedIn.

The post Rick Allen, CEO/President MedSend, on Training Native Physicians to Advance the Gospel appeared first on Finish Line Pledge.

What We’ll Cover

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 Facebook and LinkedIn.

The post Jessica Ullrich, from Generous Church, on the Universality of Open-Handed Giving Across Cultures appeared first on Finish Line Pledge.

What We’ll Cover

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 Facebook and LinkedIn.

The post Jean Park, Therapist and Coach, on Breaking Generational Patterns to Find Integrated Purpose in Christ appeared first on Finish Line Pledge.

What We’ll Cover

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 Facebook and LinkedIn.

The post Heather Larson, Philanthropic Advisor, on Aligning Families’ Giving to Create Meaningful Change appeared first on Finish Line Pledge.

What We’ll Cover

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 Facebook and LinkedIn.

The post Andrew Clark, Founder of the Lion’s Den, on Relationships and Risk in Faith Driven Investing appeared first on Finish Line Pledge.

What We’ll Cover

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 Facebook and LinkedIn.

The post Alan Barnhart, Business Leader, on the Story that Sparked a Generation of Givers appeared first on Finish Line Pledge.

What We’ll Cover

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 Facebook and LinkedIn.

The post Bruce Wydick, Author of the Shrewd Samaritan, on the Art of Spiritual Discernment and Meaningful Impact appeared first on Finish Line Pledge.