Finish Line Pledge

Ron Anderson, Financial Advisor, on the Intersection of Generosity and Rest

Finish Line Pledge — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 08:00:09 +0000

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What We’ll Cover

Ron Anderson, and founder of Plan A Wealth Management, grew up in a farming family in Nebraska where seeds of financial wisdom and deep faith were planted early. After college, he launched into the world of financial advising—but it wasn’t until years later, after moving through several firms, that he stepped out to start his own practice, one grounded in biblical truth and eternal purpose.

A turning point in Ron’s life came at a Generous Giving Conference, where God stirred something new in him—a vision for radical generosity and bold obedience. Since then, Ron has committed his life and work to listening for God’s voice and faithfully following where He leads, no matter how uncertain the path. His story is marked by courageous leaps of faith, remarkable provision, and a deep trust in God’s economy.

Ron also shares his conviction that rest is a discipline, not a luxury—both for himself and those he serves. In this episode, he opens up about how cultivating rhythms of rest has helped him, his clients, and his community live more joyfully, generously, and purposefully.

Major Topics Include:

Ron’s early life on a Nebraska farm and faith background
How he viewed money and wealth in his early career
His introduction to generosity and biblical money principles
Tanking leaps of faith in generosity
Growing trust through obedience in giving
How God speaks to Ron about generosity
Learning rest through learning trust in God
Creating a structure for sabbath rest in his life
His sabbath plan and rest retreat for generous givers
What his family sabbath plan looks like each week
How sabbath rest has changed his work rhythm
What he wishes more people understood about generosity and rest
Ron’s passion for faith driven investing
Advice for using a giving account

Quotes to Remember

“If you’re listening and you’re following Him, He’s going to take care of you, give you unimaginable opportunities, and an adventure of a lifetime in the process.”
“If you say ‘yes’ to God, He will take you on a journey that you will never regret going on.”
“I asked everyone else how much to give, but I hadn’t thought about asking God.”
“God was showing me He was in control of how much money I had.”
“All I had to do was listen and obey, and He takes care of the rest.”
“God takes us on a journey when we relinquish control.”
“Generosity costs me a lot and gives me just as much in return.”
“I think we’re supposed to give to what God cares about.”

Links from the Show

Generous Giving (see our interviews with cofounders Todd Harper and David Wills and CEO, April Chapman)
Kingdom Advisors (see our interview with founder, Ron Blue)
The Finish Line Community Facebook Group
The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group

Bible References from the Show

Psalm 127:2-3 | He Gives His Beloved Sleep

It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep. Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.

Hebrews 4:1 | The Promise of His Rest

Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it.

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 views and opinions presented here are for general illustrative and informational purposes only. They are not intended to be specific investment, tax or legal advice for any individual and should not be construed as such. Always consult a financial, tax or legal professional regarding your specific situation. All information presented is believed to be from reliable sources, but we make no representations as to their completeness or accuracy. All economic and performance information is historical and not indicative of future results or performance. All investing carries risk including possible loss of principal. Securities offered by Registered Representatives through Private Client Services. Member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory products and services offered by Investment Advisory Representatives through Plan A Wealth Management, a Registered Investment Advisor. Private Client Services and Plan A Wealth Management are unaffiliated entities.

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Caleb Breakey, Founder of Renown Publishing, on Telling Your Generosity Story

Finish Line Pledge — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 08:00:45 +0000

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What We’ll Cover

Caleb Breakey, author and founder of Renown Publishing, has a passion for the transforming power of storytelling. Caleb has been a student of the story-writing craft from a young age, and after a successful career in sports journalism, felt called by God to shift into fiction and writing novels that could have a positive impact on the lives of the readers. Through a series of faith-steps, Caleb eventually founded Renown Publishing, a unique publishing company with a focus on empowering leaders and families to share their own stories.

Caleb and the Renown Publishing team have worked with many generous leaders and families to bring their generous stories to life. Caleb is adamant that everyone has an incredibly valuable story to share, and those stories are the most powerful way in which we speak into the lives of others.

Major topics include:

His story of faith and pursuing God’s unique call
Shifting from journalism to becoming a fiction author
The need for stories of generous givers
Helping families pass down a legacy of wisdom and experiences through story
The calling to start Renown Publishing
Writing books that catalyze the Holy Spirit’s movement in someone’s life
Teaching to share their story in a way that’s compelling and honest through workshops
Lessons of generosity and faith from working with families
Learning from storytelling in Scripture
Advice for people beginning to explore their own story
Caleb’s 18-month process of helping authors create an engaging story from their memories
Stewarding your story well
Being generous with your story
Tips to start writing your story

Quotes to Remember

“A huge part of my life journey has been learning to see people the way God sees them.”
“These people live as if Jesus is real.”
“One of the most insidious things that enemy can do is to silence us to not share our story because that is where God gets the greatest glory.”
“I want to get the right people with the right stories influencing society.”
“Everyone else is looking for themselves in your story.”
“When you go through the process of telling your story with great intentionality, it will do far more for you than what you think it will do for others.”
“What your future generations need in great detail is how your values and wisdom were formed, because they need to get there on their own, and the way to do that is through story.”
“We can learn more from our failures than our successes.”
“You have never not had an incredibly important story.”
“History informs, story transforms.”
“We need to get to the point where we see our stories as God’s glory.”
“Your story is someone else’s life raft.”
“Legacy moves at the pace of relationship, relationship is tied to trust, and trust is tied to story.”

Links from the Show

Bible References from the Show

Judges 6:1-8:35 | The Story of Gideon

2 Timothy 1:7 | A Spirit Not of Fear

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

We Want to Hear from You!

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Johan du Preez, Impact Investor, on Blending Giving and Investments to Tackle Poverty

Finish Line Pledge — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 08:00:10 +0000

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What We’ll Cover

Johan du Preez is a seasoned South African entrepreneur and investor, and the Founder of SAAD Investment Holdings and the Tree of Life Foundation. Johan began his career path as a pharmacist in his early twenties and spent many years managing pharmacies that needed major turnaround. He then became the CEO of a large healthcare organization before the Spirit led him to start his investment company with a focus on impacting the Kingdom of God.

Johan brings a unique perspective as a faith-driven leader who channels private equity investment returns into longterm, sustainable generosity through an investment firm contained within a charitable foundation. From leading major corporate turnarounds to pioneering innovative giving platforms in South Africa, Johan’s life and work exemplify the intersection of strategic investing and radical generosity.

Major topics include:

Johan’s early life and faith background
How becoming a pharmacist laid the foundations for what he does today
Integrating faith into business and money management
Strategically operating from the spirit realm in money and business
Realizing that money can help build God’s kingdom
The story of SAAD and the Tree of Life Foundation
What it looks like to let God own your business
Transitioning from health care insurance to financial services
The difference between working with God and letting God work through you
Taking risks in Kingdom business
Depending on God when you don’t know what you’re doing
Investments that make an impact through business
Weighing “return first” and “impact first” investing
Using charitable capital through a donor advised fund
The beauty of collective giving
Thinking through investing versus giving
How to leverage all that you have to be a part of what God’s doing

Quotes to Remember

“There’s only one way to be strategic, that is to operate in the spiritual realm. Otherwise, you are just reactive and tactical.”
“The eternal perspective is ultimately the one that saves you.”
“For God to work through you, you have to be dead.”
“When you involve God in your business and make it His business and say, ‘I’m just here to work for You,’ then you actually complicate it to a large extent because you had better make sure that you know what the Shareholder wants.”
“God is more interested in the character of the individuals that are involved in the company than about the results at the end of the day.”
“We are called to take risks for the Kingdom.”
“The best decisions I’ve ever made were based on what I did not know.”
“Collaboration is everyone exchanging their personal dreams for one larger dream.”

Links from the Show

We Want to Hear from You!

The post Johan du Preez, Impact Investor, on Blending Giving and Investments to Tackle Poverty appeared first on Finish Line Pledge.

Stan Reiff, Nonprofit Consultant at CapinCrouse, on God’s Provision in the Life of Faith

Finish Line Pledge — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 08:00:34 +0000

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What We’ll Cover

Stan Reiff, CPA and nonprofit consultant at CapinCrouse, has seen the faithfulness of God in difficult circumstances firsthand. Stan was born on the mission field, and in his early twenties, he and his wife felt called to missions like the generations before him. But Stan soon realized that the life of ministry that he was called to would look nothing like the life he had imagined. After many years of traumatic and costly circumstances, Stan was led on a journey that would take him from missionary to teacher to CPA and from Alaska to Atlanta where God would use his missions experience and accounting background to serve many nonprofits.

At CapinCrouse, Stan helps faith-based nonprofits strengthen their governance, strategy, and operations, and his mission-field experience provides a deep personal understanding of ministry challenges to his consulting work. He previously served as Chief Operating Officer at Crown Financial Ministries and now draws on over 35 years of experience to help organizations thrive with integrity and purpose.

Stan is also passionate about leading his family in a legacy of generosity, Kingdom work, and entrepreneurship, and he is full of practical wisdom to guide people into doing the same in their own families.

Major topics include:

Stan’s remarkable backstory of faith and missions work in Alaska
Navigating traumatic events and a crisis of faith
Pivoting into bivocational ministry
Becoming a CPA through Alaska Game and Fish
Volunteering as budget coaches and seminar instructors with Crown
Serving as COO of Crown Financial after 20 years of volunteering
Establishing rhythms and protocols for executive sabbaticals
Helping Crown transition from radio to sharing principles worldwide
Story of coming to work for CapinCrouse
Personal takeaways from leaders in the generosity space
Their family’s journey to a financial finish line
Equipping kids and grandkids for generosity
Developing family core values
Their “family legacy experiment”
What to look for in an organization as a donor

Quotes to Remember

“If I can’t be on the front lines of ministry in a remote setting, then I will be part of the supply chain, and I will do the best I possibly can to help those who can go and are willing to go to have the best administrative support possible.”
“In many ways, I had to give up my passion to be a full-time missionary, and that was really difficult spiritually. But I came to understand that God had chosen to give us a child with disabilities, and that became my primary ministry.”
“I love that I get to continue to marry my passion for missions, for ministry, along with the accounting experiences that God’s given me, and I get to live the dream in an ongoing fashion.”
“For me, the real learning came when I understood that God owns it all, not just the ten percent.”
“Money really isn’t a big deal. You can lose all your money in a day, and you can get it all back in a day.”
“Money is never the issue, it’s just an indicator of where the heart is.”
“It’s one thing to have a legacy of faith that’s generations long, but it’s also exciting to be in that first or second generation. It comes back to our first guiding principle, that faith has to be personal and it has to be yours, not some family member’s that’s preceded you.”
“Kingdom expands when you have more followers of Jesus who are committed to following Him in business, ministry or a combination. But it takes all of us working together to make sure the next generation is equally as passionate, committed, and engaged in Kingdom work.”

Links from the Show

Bible References from the Show

Philippians 4:12-13 | The Secret of Being Content

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

We Want to Hear from You!

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Jennifer Holloran, President & CEO of the American Bible Society, on the Life-Changing Power of the Bible to Heal Communities

Finish Line Pledge — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 08:00:54 +0000

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What We’ll Cover

Jennifer Holloran, President and CEO of the American Bible Society, is an avid lover of Scripture and an expert in strategic leadership, operational excellence, and innovation. Jennifer was raised in a Christian home with lots of exposure to the Word, but it was in college that she learned to approach Scripture as a source of grace instead of condemnation. Jennifer’s career took an unexpected turn after college when God led her to combine her professional skills and love for the Scriptures at Wycliffe Bible Translators. She spent over twenty years there, starting as a typist and eventually becoming Chief Operating Officer before taking over as CEO of the American Bible Society.

The American Bible Society has a rich history dating back to 1816, and is involved in nearly every aspect of Bible work, from translation to global distribution to engagement and advocacy. Jennifer has an amazing perspective on the power of God’s Word, how it is moving in the world today, and how the Church can help people everywhere be transformed as they get more engaged with the Scriptures.

Major Topics Include:

Jennifer’s faith and career journey
How she fell in love with Scripture
Her surprise introduction to Bible translation through Wycliffe
Leadership principles in unexpected Bible stories
How God prepared her for work at American Bible Society
An overview of American Bible Society’s 209 year history
Helping people engage in the Scriptures
ABS’s framework of access, engagement, and advocacy
Various aspects of Scripture access
Their “end-to-end” process—a multimodal approach to Bible access and engagement
The story and heart behind the ABS Trauma Healing Institute
Helping people overcome barriers to Scripture
Finding solutions to inspire younger generations to engage with Scripture
AI as a tool for Bible engagement
How to move from Bible engagement to advocacy
Creativity in Bible distribution in hard-to-reach places
Effectiveness of a collective impact alliance in reaching Bible distribution goals

Quotes to Remember

“It wasn’t long after I finished college that God brought me to Wycliffe Bible Translators, and that opened up a whole world of understanding Scripture in a completely new way.”
“I found that the more that I began to dig into Scripture, the more there was to discover.”
“We want to move people from that place of just having access to the Bible and have them step into engagement, and that starts with curiosity.”
“Today, we at the American Bible Society still get to be involved in translation and distribution, but we’re looking at the whole Scripture engagement journey and how we can come alongside the Church to support the ministry of helping people to take the next step with Scripture.”
“We need to understand where Gen Z and Gen Alpha are coming from and what speaks to them as unique groups with unique values, preferences, and barriers that might keep them from Scripture. Then we can work together with the Church to help co-create solutions to reach that generation.”
“There’s something amazing about having the Bible as a foundation that we can come together and have conversation around and learn from one another across faith traditions.”
“Our vision is ‘God’s Word transforming all people.’ That’s what I want to see happening, and I think the more we can get the Church engaged and we can work together on this, I believe that it’s possible.”

Links from the Show

Julie Wilson, President of Women Doing Well (see our past interview here)
American Bible Society
Wycliffe Bible Translators (see our interview with CEO John Chesnut)
The Digital Bible Library
Audio Video Translation Tool
Jesus Film Project (see our interview with Executive Director Josh Newell)
LUMO Project Films
Faith Comes by Hearing (see our interview with VP Morgan Jackson)
Talking Bibles International
Trauma Healing Institute
IllumiNations Bible Translation Alliance (see our interview with Todd Peterson or John Chesnut)
ETEN Innovation Lab
The Finish Line Community Facebook Group
The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group

Bible References from the Show

Matthew 13:1-23 | Parable of the Sower

We Want to Hear from You!

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Laura Gish, VP for Prayer and Advancement at Mission Mutual, on the Synergy of Collective Impact Alliances

Finish Line Pledge — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 08:00:23 +0000

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What We’ll Cover

Laura Gish, VP for Prayer and Advancement at Mission Mutual, is a prayer leader and mobilizer of givers and intercessors in collective impact spaces. Laura was raised in a faith-filled home and felt an exceptional call to prayer and the Bible in her early teens. Through her father’s job, Laura was deeply connected to the Bible translation space from a young age and was able to witness the evolution of the illumiNations impact alliance to what it is today. In her early career, Laura served at Seed Company where she helped to spearhead a prayer movement which saw huge breakthroughs in the field and in funding.

That experience led her to Mission Mutual which serves as a backbone for multiple impact alliances in a variety of impact spaces. She has an incredible perspective on being founded and rooted in prayer, personally and as an organization, and the necessity of collaboration in the Great Commission arena. You won’t want to miss all she had to share!

Major topics include:

Laura’s early life, faith background, and early career
The story of Seed Company’s donor funded prayer program
Laura’s favorite outcomes from the prayer program
Helping organizations develop a foundation of prayer
The unique power of a collective impact alliance
Key characteristics of a collective impact framework
The story and vision of Mission Mutual
Differences between a giving fund and an impact alliance
What is a backbone service provider?
Multiplying ROI in the Kingdom through collaboration
Why collaboration matters to donors
Best practices for an alliance
Structuring a practice of prayer as the center point of alliance culture
Raising up nearly 350,000 intercessors in the ETEN collective impact alliance
Next steps for a giver to move toward an impact alliance
What’s happening beyond Bible translation
Creating a community giving circle

Quotes to Remember

“When God says go, you just go.”
“As we give to something, our heart expands. And as we pray for something, it grows our heart to want to give.”
“Prayer is not just a strategy. It is the strategy.”
“Prayer is the catalyst for intimacy with God.”
“Look at what God can do when we put aside our individual logos and agendas, and we pursue the collective power of what partnership can be when it’s united under a vision God has given His people to pursue and it’s rooted in prayer.”
“Generosity begets generosity.”
“When we yoke together in unity, the collective impact capacity isn’t just doubled, it’s exponentially expanded.”
“Prayer is one of the most generous things we can offer.”
“God changes our hearts when we pray.”
“Be a faithful steward of the brokenness that God has planted inside of you.”

Links from the Show

Mission Mutual
Seed Company (see our interview with CEO, Davis Powell)
IllumiNations Bible Translation Alliance (see our interview with Todd Peterson or John Chesnut)
Every Tribe Every Nation (ETEN)
ACHIEVE (A Church in Every Village Everywhere)
Close the Bible Gap
The Finish Line Community Facebook Group
The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group

Bible References from the Show

Psalm 127:1a | The Lord Builds the House

Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.

John 17:21 | Oneness in the Church

that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

Isaiah 60:3 | Drawn to Your Light

And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.

Ecclesiastes 4:12b | Strength in Unity

a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Mark 16:15 | The Great Commission

And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.

We Want to Hear from You!

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Brian Cochran, Financial Advisor, on Helping Clients Give Big and Give Efficiently

Finish Line Pledge — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 08:00:53 +0000

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What We’ll Cover

Brian Cochran, CFP and Certified Kingdom Advisor, leads John Moore Associates, a nationally respected advisory firm known for its integration of biblical wisdom and financial strategy. After beginning his career as an educator, Brian was mentored by the firm’s founder, John Moore, before stepping into leadership and continuing the firm’s mission to help families steward their wealth with eternal purpose.

John Moore Associates stands out for its deeply rooted emphasis on generosity—equipping clients not just to give more, but to give with greater clarity, joy, and impact. Under Brian’s leadership, the firm has cultivated a unique culture where values-based planning and practical financial advice go hand in hand.

Brian offers powerful frameworks that help givers align their financial decisions with their deepest convictions. More importantly, he lives out what he teaches—modeling the joy and contentment that come from a generous life.

Major Topics Include:

Brian’s personal and spiritual background
His journey from education to faith-based financial planning
Coming to the intersection of faith and finance
The great impact of John Moore’s mentorship
Contentment as the start of good money management
Advice for finding contentment
Frameworks for implementing contentment in personal and business finances
Creating a culture of generosity with associates and clients
The significance of tracking clients’ giving
The problem of over-saving
Addressing the spiritual side of scarcity mindset
Giving opportunities through tax liabilities
Honoring God with your assets and income

Quotes to Remember

“Contentment is a key step to generosity.”
“Contentment comes with more satisfaction than always striving for more.”
“Can I continue to see all the abundance around me that other people have but say that I don’t need it?”
“Allowing and encouraging clients to give away the assets that we would otherwise manage and charge fees on is very counter-cultural and counter-intuitive, but it’s the best part of what we do.”
“When you oversave, you not only miss opportunities for giving, but you miss opportunities for living.”
“I’ve never met somebody who said that one of their financial goals was to be greedy, and you fight greed with generosity.”
“It’s way more fun to see a client give away seven figures than it is to see someone go through retirement or pay for their kid’s college education. Those things are great, but watching people satisfy generosity goals is where it’s at, and sometimes it takes dozens of conversations to get there.”

Links from the Show

John Moore Associates
Kingdom Advisors (see our interview with founder, Ron Blue)
Russ Crosson (see our past interview here)
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

1 Timothy 6:6-7 | Godly Contentment

But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.

Proverbs 3:9 | Honor God with Income and Finances

Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce;

We Want to Hear from You!

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John Hanger, Founder of BiblioNexus, When Silicon Valley Meets Bible Translation

Kealan — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 08:00:06 +0000

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What We’ll Cover

John Hanger, founder of BiblioNexus, is a serial entrepreneur and a passionate giver who found himself deeply called into Bible translation. After supporting the movement for several years, John felt the need to get his hands dirty with what he knows best—launching a tech start-up.

BiblioNexus is a nonprofit tech company with the culture of a Silicon Valley start-up that is making waves in the Bible Translation space. BiblioNexus is a company of software experts in partnership with Bible translation experts working to build innovative solutions and try to move the needle in Bible translation.

Major Topics Include:

John’s story of God’s relentless pursuit
John’s introduction to the world of Bible translation
Amplifying your generosity by choosing a focus area and investing relationship
Using donor-advised funds to help kids explore generosity
An innovative tech approach to Bible translation
AI’s role in Bible translation
The goal to have Scripture in all heart languages by 2033
The need for more Bible translation software apps for mobile phones

Quotes to Remember

“We felt the weight of the blessings we had received.”
“We settled on the theme of ‘evangelism’ for our giving plan.”
“There are 7,000 plus heart languages in the world and less than half of them have a Bible.”
“I knew the Bible was the most translated book in the history of the world, but I had no idea that there was still Bible poverty.”
“At the end of the day, the flywheel of discipleship and translation is study the Bible, understand the Bible, and then articulate it. That methodology is called FIA: familiarize, internalize, and articulate.”
“God’s moving people to release their content into an openly licensed environment knowing that the aquifer is now a mechanism through which that content
can be used worldwide.”
“We want to have at least some Scripture available in all 7,000 plus heart languages by 2033.”
“Only 40% of the world’s population lives near or has access to a power grid, but 96% of the world’s population has access to a mobile phone. So the mobile phone is a key technology being used, but little to none of the Bible translation related software products work on a mobile phone today.”

Links from the Show

BiblioNexus
National Christian Foundation (see our interview with President Emeritus, David Wills)
Renew World Outreach (see our interview with founders, the Paluskys)
IllumiNations Bible Translation Alliance (see our interview with Todd Peterson or John Chesnut)
ETEN Innovation Lab
Aquifer.Bible
Community Review Opportunities
Bible Well
SIL International (see our interview with Executive Director, Michel Kenmogne)
Wycliffe Bible Translators (see our interview with CEO John Chesnut)
The Finish Line Community Facebook Group
The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group

Bible References from the Show

Galatians 1:10 | Approval of Man or God?

For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Luke 15:4-6 | The Lost Sheep

“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’

Matthew 6:19-21 | 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.

Matthew 28:19 | The Great Commission

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

We Want to Hear from You!

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Jesse and Krista Casler on Catalytic Giving Out of Net Worth

Finish Line Pledge — Mon, 26 May 2025 08:00:21 +0000

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What We’ll Cover

Jesse and Krista Casler have a deep understanding of the currency exchange between earthly dollars and treasure in Heaven. Jesse is the Chief Operating Officer of Hope International, having served Hope over the last 20 years. Together, Jesse and Krista have allowed generosity to touch nearly every part of their lives. Their stories touch on many aspects of the generous life, from financial accountability to foster care and generosity of the home to donor advised funds and charitable bunching. But above all, their lives are marked by a deep joy in everything that they do.

Major Topics Include:

Their unique foundations for faith and generosity
How they met and began their careers
The mission, programs, and story of Hope International
Stories of God using Hope to change lives
Misconceptions about addressing poverty
Four domains of generosity impact—personal, spiritual, social, and material
Approaching financial discussions together as a joyful challenge
Tips for starting a financial accountability group
Generosity through foster care
Thoughts for people in ministry who want to be givers
Participating in the “year of Jubilee” principles in a modern context
When to give from the perspective of a nonprofit
How to scheme with God

Quotes to Remember

Jesse: “Sometimes when we think about poverty, we think about material things like not having enough money. But for some people, poverty is also aloneness.”
Jesse: “How can I save as much money as possible and put it to good use to create even more so that I can be generous with the world?”
Krista: “Being raised in a pastor’s household, we were very conscious of how our money was spent, but at the same time, living in generous ways.”
Krista: “If a group of individuals living in great poverty, all of whom are blind or visually impaired, can talk about their capacity for saving and giving, how can I not also have some capacity for saving and giving?”
Jesse: “There’s a role for regular giving that keeps an organization moving, but it can be really impactful when a larger gift can be given to start something new or catalyze something in a much bigger direction.”
Jesse: “No matter what your salary is, you can create distance between income and expense. And decisions you make about your expenses become your engine for saving, investing, and giving.”
Jesse: “When we turn 50, what if we gave away 10% of our net worth, just our income in that year?”
Krista: “There’s joy and fun when you’re being creative in giving. Even in a season when you don’t have much money, you can ask God to help you use what you’ve got.”
Krista: “There’s joy in looking at a giving opportunity as a creative challenge to scheme with God.”

Links from the Show

Hope International (see our interview with founder, Jeff Rutt or CEO, Peter Greer)
Alisa Hoober, on Creating a Strong Family Culture of Generosity and Mission (see our past interview here)
National Christian Foundation (see our interview with President Emeritus, David Wills)
Two Men with Money by Tim Keller
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Kate Williams-Whitley, Cofounder of EIG Insights, on Measuring Physical and Spiritual Impact in Giving

Finish Line Pledge — Mon, 19 May 2025 08:00:49 +0000

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What We’ll Cover

Kate Williams-Whitley is the cofounder and Chief Impact Officer of EIG Insights. Early in her career, several pivotal experiences led Kate to realize the need for data in the nonprofit space to help leaders steward their decisions and finances well. Now, through EIG Insights, Kate provides customized consulting services for nonprofits, helping them to identify their core theory of change and ensure that they are measuring the correct metrics to understand their physical and spiritual impacts.

Kate is brimming with helpful wisdom for nonprofits and givers alike on how to know they’re making a tangible and lasting difference with their efforts and generosity.

Major Topics Include:

Kate’s faith and professional background
How a family legacy of generosity and a trip to Malawi shaped her career
The story of EIG Insights
The complexity of impact evaluation
Kate’s process of helping nonprofits develop a theory of change
Measuring spiritual development
The gift of impact data
Thinking through impact as a giver
Considering cost-effectiveness in interventions
Advice for givers on choosing the causes that matter most to them

Quotes to Remember

“What do I do well, what does the world need, and how can I merge those in way that shows the Kingdom of God on Earth?”
“When we try to implement a solution internationally that sounds smart from our Western ideal or outsider view, it generally doesn’t go well.”
“Something that works in one community isn’t guaranteed to work in another community at the same time because people are complex. But there are many ways to study and see if it’s working or not.”
“I’m in this to help change lives and improve the overall human condition, and I think the most strategic way to do that is good data.”
“Anything that you can define well can be measured.”
“I think impact data is the biggest gift you could give to a leadership team.”
“For a nonprofit to work well, you need a fully aligned theory of change, a program model that makes sense, and data to know if it’s actually happening the way that you think it is.”
“We shouldn’t be scared of measuring what God does.”

Links from the Show

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The post Kate Williams-Whitley, Cofounder of EIG Insights, on Measuring Physical and Spiritual Impact in Giving appeared first on Finish Line Pledge.