What We’ll Cover

Kristen Welch is an author, speaker, and the founder of Mercy House Global, but her story is shaped less by achievement and more by surrender. Raised in a generous, Christian home, Kristen followed God’s lead into ministry, writing, and motherhood. Her love for writing led her into the early Christian mom-blogging world where she found community and influence, but it was a 2010 blogging trip to Kenya with Compassion International that unsettled her faith and reordered her calling. That encounter became the catalyst for Mercy House Global and for a lifelong journey of learning what it means to say yes to God with open hands.  

Through Mercy House, Kristen has spent the past fifteen years walking alongside vulnerable women and families through job creation, orphan prevention, and discipleship, both globally and locally. Along the way, she has learned that generosity and ministry busyness without intimacy with God can quietly hollow out the soul. Her story reflects the cost of faithful work, the danger of doing for God without being with Him, and the grace God offers through rest, repentance, and renewed friendship with Him.  

This conversation invites all of us to reflect on how God calls us to slow down, reorient our hearts, and rediscover satisfaction in His presence while living generously.  

Major Topics Include:

• Generosity in hospitality
• Obedience through small, faithful yeses
• Using influence for Kingdom purpose
• Serving without losing intimacy with God
• The danger of doing for God without being with God
• Identity rooted in sonship, not productivity
• Parenting through embodied generosity
• Slowing down to practice God’s presence

Quotes to Remember

• “Just do the next right thing.”
• “We were always looking for ways to use what we had for the gospel of hospitality.”
• “The opportunity to use the writing skill and the blog platform for God’s glory really became a sweet spot for me and it changed my life.”
• “I will spend the rest of my life answering the question, ‘what am I doing to help the vulnerable in our communities and in our world?’”
• “God used the poor to help me find Him in a new way.”
• “God doesn’t need us to do any of this, He invites us to do it.”
• “Being with God is the best use of our time.”
• “It is not a waste of time to spend time with God.”
• “When we live as generous people, our kids will too.”

Links from the Show

• Mercy House Global
• Kristen Welch’s Website
• Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World by Kristen Welch
• Raising World Changers in a Changing World by Kristen Welch
• Compassion International
• When Helping Hurts (see our interview with coauthor Brian Fikkert)
• Women Doing Well (see our interview with president Julie Wilson)
• The Finish Line Community Facebook Group
• The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group

Bible References from the Show

Revelation 3:20 | Christ’s Invitation to Intimacy  

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.  

Hebrews 2:1 | Drifting from Jesus  

Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.  

1 Thessalonians 5:18 | Gratitude amid Hardship  

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.  

Philippians 4:11–13 | Contentment in All Circumstances  

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

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 Kristen Welch, Founder of Mercy House Global, on Intimacy with God Amidst Fruitful Ministry 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.

What We’ll Cover

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 Facebook and LinkedIn.

The post Madison Illges, Executive Director of Mite, on the Importance of Celebration in Giving appeared first on Finish Line Pledge.

What We’ll Cover

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.

The post Michele Dudley, Founder of BraveWorks, on Seeing Others Through Generosity appeared first on Finish Line Pledge.

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

• SAAD Investment Holdings
• Tree of Life Foundation
• National Christian Foundation (see our interview with President Emeritus, David Wills)
• Trustbridge Global (see our interview with Executive VP, Paul Bolte here)
• 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 Johan du Preez, Impact Investor, on Blending Giving and Investments to Tackle Poverty appeared first on Finish Line Pledge.

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
• 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 Jesse and Krista Casler on Catalytic Giving Out of Net Worth appeared first on Finish Line Pledge.

What We’ll Cover

Kate Williams-Whitley is the cofounder and Chief Impact Officer of EIG Insights (now Radiant Global 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 Radiant Global 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

• EIG Insights (now Radiant Global Insights)
• Excellence in Giving (see our interview with founder Al Mueller)
• Compassion International
• Accord Research Network
• All Access Podcast
• All Access International (see our interview with founder, Lane Kipp)
• Dovetail Impact Foundation
• 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 Kate Williams-Whitley, Cofounder of EIG Insights, on Measuring Physical and Spiritual Impact in Giving appeared first on Finish Line Pledge.

What We’ll Cover

Speaker and author Brian Kluth has been deeply involved in the generosity space for decades and has thought deeply about how to effectively communicate the joy and adventure that is to be had in the generous life. For the last forty years, Brian has been teaching biblical financial principles and helping countless people discover the joy of living a generous life through international seminars, books, and other written materials.  

Brian and his wife, Mary Ellen, have also begun many works as generosity mobilizers. In partnership with many other organizations, these works are helping to improve the lives of millions in Africa and around the world by providing solutions for basic needs and sharing the Gospel. Brian is overflowing with stories of generosity and risky faith that are sure to build faith and inspire.  

Major Topics Include:

• Brian’s transformative salvation story
• Seven simple, biblical keys to generosity
• Why to separate your giving money from your living money
• How he and he wife give according to God’s blessings
• How living with a finish line prepared him for life with a pastor’s salary
• The evolution of the modern generosity movement
• Becoming a “donkey for Christ” in Africa
• The magnifying impact of partnerships
• Tips for staying focused when you’re growing tired

Quotes to Remember

• “Generosity is God’s crazy mathematics. when you honor God, you’re inviting Him into your financial life.”
• “God helps you in ways you can’t even imagine.”
• “You cannot buy your way to contentment. Contentment doesn’t come from getting everything you want; it comes from being thankful for everything you already have and sharing it.”
• “I have one goal in life: to one day hear ‘Well done good and faithful servant.’”

Links from the Show

• Global Generosity Pledge
• 30-Day Devotional and 40-Day Devotional (Generosity Pledge)
• Gospel Lights
• Sandi House
• Healthy Charity
• National Christian Foundation (see our interview with President Emeritus, David Wills)
• Generous Giving (see our interviews with cofounders Todd Harper and David Wills and CEO, April Chapman)
• Crown Financial Ministries
• Ronald Blue and Co., CPA (see our interview with founder, Ron Blue)
• Generosity Path
• Generous Church (see our interview with founder Patrick Johnson)
• Kingdom Advisors (see our interview with founder, Ron Blue)
• Faith Driven Investor
• Faith Driven Entrepreneur
• Christian Economic Forum
• Compass Financial Ministries
• The Finish Line Community Facebook Group
• The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group

Bible References from the Show

Ephesians 4:28 | A Thief No More  

Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.  

John 7:38 | Rivers of Living Water  

Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”  

1 Corinthians 16:2 | First-Fruits Giving  

On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.  

1 Timothy 6:6-7 | Contentment

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

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 Brian Kluth, Speaker and Author, on the Foundation of a Fulfilling and Generous Life appeared first on Finish Line Pledge.