The Finish Line Podcast

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

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

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

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

Chris Gardner’s journey began in Mexico and Peru, where he was raised on the mission field as the son of a missionary. Those early years shaped his faith and calling—he began preaching at a young age and, by 18, was already pastoring and planting churches. His experiences in ministry gave him a deep understanding of stewardship, generosity, and the role money plays in Kingdom work.   Years later, Chris transitioned from leading a large ministry in Peru to a career in wealth management in the U.S., carrying with him a bold goal: to help deploy a billion dollars for Kingdom purposes in his lifetime. Today, he works with clients to view their wealth not as something to own, but something to steward.   Major Topics Include: Chris’s spiritual background and history on the mission field His broadened perspective on the world from life on the mission field  How he became a pastor at 18 Viewing generosity from both sides How fundraising with his family on the mission field still impacts his life today His story of transitioning back to the US and getting into financial advising The importance of a finish line for financial advisors Encouraging clients to set a finish line  A steward, not an owner A walk through his yearly finish line thought process Generosity lessons from a Peruvian Christmas The story of his book and what is covers Security comes from God, not money Influencing the Church to generous giving A call to surrender your assets to God daily QUOTES TO REMEMBER “Generosity is not measured by how much we give away, but how tightly we hold on to what we keep.” “The idea of enough is a fallacy, and it will never be reached.” “My goal in life is to deploy one billion dollars for Kingdom impact.” “You don’t need to wait to be wealthy to live generously. You need to decide that generosity is your wealth.” “We’re always going to need more unless we have a finish line.” “Generosity is not found in an amount, it’s found in a mindset.” “Invest what you can for the impact of someone else.” “Impact is the true dividend of wealth. And generosity is how you compound it.” “Don’t wait to give your money away from a pine box.” “How much am I willing to charge the Owner to steward His wealth?”  “God doesn’t need your money, He desires your heart. And generosity is the clearest map to where your heart really is.” “Surrender is not a one-time decision, it’s a daily choice.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW Arkos Global Advisors (see our interview with founder, Jeff Thomas) Life Ranch Check What You Are Chasing by Chris Gardner ROI Ministry (see our interview with founder, Tim Barker) The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW 2 Timothy 2:2 | Teaching Teachers   and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.

Dan Vogel, founder and CEO of Flourish Fund, has carried a lifelong passion for solving big social problems that are close to the heart of God. As a young boy, Dan was drawn to leadership that would make an improved difference in the systems that were meant to address those problems. From the White House to overseas to a consulting firm in Boston, Dan’s extensive professional background working in government, economic development, and nonprofit realms, all set the stage for the launch of Flourish Fund.   Flourish Fund is a giving fund that channels pooled capital from givers alongside extensive problem area research to bring about large, system level change. Flourish Fund’s unique effectiveness is found in their focus on collaborative giving and cooperation between organizations, both faith-based and secular, who offer various approaches toward the same goal. Their first fund called Flourish Children and Families is focused on reimagining the foster care system, and they’ve already made impressive progress.   Major Topics Include: Dan’s faith and career journey The story of Flourish Fund Traditional philanthropy vs Christian philanthropy  The need for growth in impact assessment in Christian giving spaces What Flourish Fund is about and how it works Tackling big social problems that matter to the heart of God Reimagining foster care in the US with Flourish Fund Building strategy and success evaluation into the fund structure The portfolio approach to collaborative giving Doing collaborative giving well Three strategic opportunities to move the needle in foster care Navigating collaboration between secular and faith-based organizations Knowing where to channel resources  Deciding where to focus next What to look for in a giving fund Tips or givers to engage with the problems that are on God’s heart QUOTES TO REMEMBER “I became convinced that there was room in the marketplace for a new kind of Kingdom problem-solving institution that was trying to connect capital differently with social innovators who were trying to do good work in the name of Jesus.” “What might it actually take to move the needle?” “No individual organization, even if they are crushing it, is capable of solving a systemic problem on their own.” “How might we think differently about what is possible for what we can do together?”  “Collaborative giving is the next frontier of effective stewardship”. “We want to enable people to have proximity to the problem rather than putting distance between the giver and the receiver.” “We want to enable and strengthen local ecosystems of care that are anchored by the Church, working in partnership with community organizations, government, and volunteers doing different sets of things to meet the physical, emotional, spiritual, and relational needs of vulnerable kids and families.” “When Christians have been at their best through the ages, we’ve tended to build big tents and work with odd bedfellows. We have unique things that we can bring to bear, but we can’t to it alone so we have to figure out how to work with a bunch of different people, and if we can do that well, it will point people back to Jesus.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW Flourish Fund Flourish Children and Families Flourish Children and Families Blueprint Al Mueller, Founder and President of Excellence in Giving (see our past interview here) Simple Charity (see our interview with CEO Brian Grasso) EIG Insights (see our interview with cofounder Kate Williams-Whitley) Praxis IllumiNations Bible Translation Alliance (see our interview with Todd Peterson or John Chesnut) Project Belong The Contingent Solving the World’s Greatest Problems The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group   WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.

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 Facebookand 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.

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 Renown Publishing Impact Foundation (see our interview with Founder, Aimee Minnich) The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group 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! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.

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 Facebookand LinkedIn.

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 CPA through Alaska Game and Fish Volunteering as budget coaches and seminar instructors with Crown Became chief financial officer at Crown Financial after 20 years volunteering Establishing rhythms and protocols for executive sabbaticals  Helping CFM transition from radio to sharing principle world wide 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 CapinCrouse Injoy Stewardship Solutions Crown Financial Ministries National Christian Foundation (see our interview with President Emeritus, David Wills) Ronald Blue and Co., CPA (see our interview with founder, Ron Blue) The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group 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! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.