The Finish Line Podcast

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 re...

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 ...

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-pace...

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 l...

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, ...

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...

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,...

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 Kingd...

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 circumsta...

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 ...

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 allia...

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 sta...

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 i...

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 generosi...

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 correc...

Mike Kocolowski’s early years were formed by scarcity as part of a large family with little income. But a call to ministry in his twenties led him to take radical steps on a faith journey to trusting God with his finances and tackling many of the most common barriers to generosity. As the Chief Stewardship Officer of Christian Financial Resources, Mike has been working with churches for decades to deepen their passion for generosit...

Karla Merrell was the first in her family to immigrate to the US from Panama to pursue the American dream. After years of success in the corporate world, Karla still struggled with the scarcity mindset that was passed down in her family’s culture. But during the beginning of COVID, Karla faced a sequence of events that led her to step deeply into both faith and generosity. One memorable act of generosity set the stage for an exciti...

Mary Helen Klingen began her career in accounting but transitioned to financial advising after a few years in the corporate world. Currently with Blue Trust, she regularly supports clients in embracing deeper generosity. As a single woman in a male-dominated field, Mary Helen has grappled with her singleness in relation to her faith, career, and purpose. This journey has inspired her to encourage other women in similar situations t...

Jeff Waldron, a gift planning attorney at the National Christian Foundation, began his career in corporate law before God got his attention in a powerful way. He later found his way to NCF and discovered that his love for the Lord, his desire for pastoral ministry, and his experience in tax law beautifully intersected to help givers amplify the impact of their generosity.

Jeff acts as a guide to help givers navigate the more nuance...