This week’s podcast guest is Jay Stringer. In addition to all that he shares in his interview, we wanted to feature this incredible resource he has put together alongside the producers of The Heart of Man documentary.

If you or someone you know is struggling with sexual brokenness and looking for a path to healing, we hope you consider checking out this video, the entire series, and many other resources, all of which can be found at Jay’s website and at heartofmanjourney.com

For our friends attending SOCAP, Robert Kim is coordinating a meetup for Faith Driven Entrepreneurs and Investors that we wanted to highlight. If you’re new to the conversation, here’s a quick scoop:

What is Faith-Driven Investing? Faith Driven Investing is a movement of an increasing number of asset owners, fund managers, and entrepreneurs that are driven by their faith. We all come around some unifying principles as a starting point and know that God owns all that we have and that we are called to faithfully steward our gifts – as investors, entrepreneurs, etc. We all have our unique parts in the broader Faith-Driven Investing ecosystem. 

At this event, the panelists will discuss the following three topics:

a) How Christian faith informs the way entrepreneurs lead and manage their own enterprises

b) How faith influences the way investors manage their assets

c) Practically speaking, how investors can align their assets in a faith-driven manner

Our hope is to discuss these three questions at a deeper level and create a dialogue to encourage one another to pursue our unique calling as investors, entrepreneurs, etc.

We are delighted to have amazing panelists, including Henry Kaestner (Sovereign’s Capital), Bryce Butler (Access Ventures), Jimmy Quach (Good Paper), Jonny Price (WeFunder), and more! In their own journey as investors and entrepreneurs, they have wrestled with these two questions deeply. We’re excited to hear their stories – both successes and failures – lessons learned, and practical next steps!

Big thanks to Dr. Scott Rodin for allowing us to share blog posts originally published on his website “The Steward’s Journey”. Check it out for more great content!

— by Kelsey McFaul

Gary Ringger stewards businesses, foundations, nonprofits with hope. He was in his early thirties, the president of a successful agricultural feed company, and a start-up food processing business. He had a wife and three young daughters. But Gary Ringger was experiencing the darkness of depression.

“I started waking up at one or two o’clock in the morning in a cold sweat. I could feel my heart beating fast in my head, and I would lay there consumed with dark thoughts. I couldn’t think straight; my mind was like tires spinning on ice.”

Despite his early business success with Ringger Feed, an agricultural feed company started by his father Edwin, Gary realized he was completely out of his depth with the processed foods Ringger Foods produced. He was consumed with worry about health and food safety, terrified his products might make someone sick.

“I had an ownership mindset. I had realized how much bigger the food industry was than the feed industry, and I was expecting great success with Ringger Foods. I told my wife Marla, ‘we’re going to get rich and retire at the age of 40 and live the American dream.’ Now the American dream didn’t mean anything. I just wanted my life back.”

Gary considered himself the owner of his businesses and as such took full responsibility for their successes, and their failures. When things got difficult, he wanted nothing more than to leave the leadership role where he exercised an ownership mentality.

“I just wanted to quit. But as I was crying out to God in desperation many nights and during the day, I couldn’t come to a peace about quitting. I felt like God was saying, ‘Don’t quit. Change your paradigm.’ And ultimately that led to a contract with God about Ringger Foods.”

With Marla and Edwin’s participation, Gary drafted an agreement with God.

“The contract basically said that if Ringger Foods ever became successful and we sold it, we would pay ourselves back with interest. But anything over and above that interest would be given to charity or used in some way for ministry. The business had no value, so it wasn’t a big sacrifice at the time.”

Despite the agreement’s low financial stakes, its implications for stewardship were monumental. In literally signing over ownership to God, Gary declared he was no longer the owner of Ringger Foods, but merely its manager or steward.

“Ultimately, that was life-changing. I was submitting. All of a sudden, it was a much more tangible stewardship relationship with God, and it changed my prayer life.”

Before, Gary had struggled to sleep, plagued by anxiety, depression, and worse. Now, he was waking up early to spend time with God.

“First thing in the morning, I wake up. I’m still struggling with depression; I don’t know what in the world to do with this business. But I went out and I got into a pattern based on the Lord’s Prayer. I’d say, ‘Our Father who art in heaven’ and think about the attributes of God. ‘Thy kingdom come, thy will be done’–that was always focused on submitting, not my will but Your will.

“‘Give us today our daily bread’–I had three prayer lists, for my family, for my ministry and work, and for others. I started praying about specific things in business that I’d never really done before. Before I’d pray for Ringger Foods to be successful so I could retire at age 40 and live the American dream.”

Once freed from this prayer of ownership, Gary’s prayer life was transformed.

“Now I’m in a more tangible stewardship relationship. From a discipline, maybe 5-10 minutes of prayer where I was trying not to fall asleep, it was sometimes half an hour, 45 minutes, an hour. It became the sweetest part of my day.”

As he practiced acting as a manager rather than an owner, Ringger Foods became successful as well. In 2002, Gary sold it and, per the contract, divided the net profits between a family foundation, The Manna Group (TMG) Foundation, and a new business to fund the foundation.

Around the same time, Gary and Marla had privately helped a couple cover the cost of adopting a child. Once TMG was founded, they began to administer more grants to eliminate the financial barriers to adoption–including court fees, health care, travel expenses, childcare and household supplies–that many families face.

The Ringgers were approached by a small nonprofit working in Ukraine. After a probationary year, they took over daily operations in 2005, a decision that brought with it new struggles for stewardship.

“We really struggled. We had to go from being the supplier of the money to having to ask for money. We didn’t want to do that. I’m a businessman. I don’t ask for money; I make money. A lot of that struggle was rooted in pride. Not wanting to ask for money and just really not giving it to God.”

It was advice on surrender from two mentors that began to turn things around.

“My dad told me, ‘Gary, you don’t have to twist anybody’s arm. You just need to tell them the story, and if they want to join, they can.’ And I heard a song by Rich Mullins on the radio: ‘Hold me, Jesus, I’m shaking like a leaf.’ That’s the way I felt, and God really convicted me, ‘This is just not about your family. This is about My family, God’s family.”

In this new venture, Gary found himself surrendering ownership not only of his family’s finances, but also the purposes they were used for.

The renamed nonprofit Lifesong for Orphans provides financial assistance for adoption, foster care support, church and ministry partnerships, and international orphan care.

Lifesong continues to support adoptions and foster care in the United States and its international orphan care ministry has expanded from Ukraine to currently total 13 countries.  Its unique 100% pledge means that 100% of funds donated to a specific family will fund their adoption expenses. The pledge is made possible by the TMG Foundation and its additional business ventures, including Lifesong Farms in Ukraine and Zambia.

“My life has been much more than I ever dreamed it would be. I’ve learned that I don’t want to do what I want to do, because I’ve blown it so many times. I want to do what God wants me to do.”

Yet in the midst of his exciting ministry and entrepreneurial work, Gary still occasionally feels the darkness that marked his early years in business.

“I find that if I get too many things going on and I don’t have enough quiet time, there’s a side of me with that depression that can get bogged down. If I give myself some time for solitude and quiet time, every day is joy.”

Stewarding his relationship with God and with himself, reminding himself of the person God made him to be, helps Gary surrender his worry, ownership, and busyness. The light of hope begins to diffuse the darkness of depression.

“I have some verses I collected during that struggle time that I still use today. One in particular is Psalm 33:22, ‘Let Thy mercy be upon us, O Lord, according as we hope in Thee.’ Instead of being self-sufficient, when you’ve given up control and you’re really just hoping in God and saying, ‘I can’t do it, You’re my hope,’ that in a sense unleashes His mercy in a very supernatural way. Then it’s not work, it’s just trying to be a good steward.”

Gary’s Power Verses (a selection)

Psalms 33:22—“Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.”

Isaiah 40:29—“He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength.”

Luke 1:37—“For with God nothing shall be impossible.”

Romans 9:16—“It does not, therefore, depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.”

2 Corinthians 3:5—“Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God.”

Philippians 4:6-8—“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”

——

[Special thanks to Cherry Laithang on Unsplash for the cover photo]

We continue to count down the Top 100 Books for Faith Driven Entrepreneurs with…

Refugee Workforce: The Economic Case for Hiring the Displaced

by Chris Chancey

Refugee Workforce weaves dynamic stories of refugees and the companies who have engaged them with hard facts to provide readers with a compelling case for hiring refugees in the American workplace.

Refugee Workforce was born out of the experience of launching a staffing company serving resettled refugees in Clarkston, GA. Author, Chris Chancey and his family moved to the fringe of Clarkston, known as the most diverse city in America, in 2013 and started a business, Amplio Recruiting, to connect refugees with open positions in the Atlanta job market a year later. For the past 5 years, Amplio has grown steadily now operating in Houston, Dallas, and Raleigh in addition to Atlanta while helping over 4000 refugees gain access to full time employment. Observing the interaction between the companies Amplio serves and the dependable refugee community, helped Chris begin to recognize the tremendous economic value generated from resettled refugees. They were not a charity case as often portrayed in the media and they were not terrorists with ill intentions as some may wish to believe. They represent a workforce of people with a strong motivation to work, add value to a local company, pay taxes and provide for their families. The most underrated workforce, if we choose to recognize it, is the one best positioned to stimulate America’s future economic growth.

Click here to listen to our podcast episode with Chris!

Click on the book cover to check out the Reviews and Purchase at Amazon

In preparation for the Business as Mission Conference happening this weekend in Silicon Valley, we sat down and talked with Mike Baer to learn more about it.

Mike Baer is a recognized leader in the global Business as Mission movement. Over the years, Mike has served as a church planter and pastor; he is an entrepreneur who has launched several businesses, the founder of an international business incubator, a prolific author, an in-demand speaker. Currently, Mike is a senior executive at EmployBridge (the largest light industrial staffing company in the US) and founder of ThirdPath (an online Business as Mission education platform). He and his wife of 42 years live in the mountains of North Carolina.

Check out the interview below to get some insight on the importance of this BAM event, why you should check it out, and what Mike is most excited about.

FDE Team: Business as mission is a phrase that is used a lot now, but it can also be interpreted to mean a lot of different things. Can you set the record straight for us? What exactly is business as mission and what does that phrase means to you?

Mike Baer (MB): Business as Mission, as a phrase, has been extrapolated to mean all kinds of things—a strategy to enter closed countries, a platform for missionary visas, ethical business, etc. Some even use the phrases to justify business, i.e. it’s only pleasing to God if it’s missional.

 The root of the term actually comes from a mission statement my company developed to explain what we did. “The Jholdas Group exists to support church planting among the unreached people groups of the 10/40 Window through the seamless integration of business as mission.” The full concept has been lost by cutting off the “seamless integration” portion.

 Unpacked like this, you recognize that the concept is simply that business is a high and holy calling from God into the world of commerce. It is not to be separated by sacred-secular thinking into some lesser thing. As a call from God, like all of life, it is to be lived under the Lordship of Jesus Christ and, thus, connected to what He is doing in the world, i.e. the mission. It is important, as well, to realize that the term mission is deliberately singular; it is not business as “missions” (i.e. connected to traditional missionary activity) but “mission” (i.e. the constant and eternal purpose of God).

FDE: Can you tell us some exciting stories and trends you’re currently seeing in the business as mission world?

MB: Business as Mission continues to be difficult to track due to the fact that most people who are thoughtful practitioners simply don’t advertise themselves as BAM or Kingdom Companies. That being said, there are some very exciting things happening in the world of BAM.

The most exciting thing to me is that BAM continues to be a spontaneous and global movement. There is no controlling organization, no revered set of leaders, no one way to do it. Instead, it is found literally in every country and in every form imaginable. The creativity and variety of BAM companies boggles the mind and demonstrate the infinite creativity of God.

The impact of BAM involves economic results, job creation, avenues for discipleship, breaking the chains of human trafficking and injustice, and a new movement of professionals men and women dispersing into the world.

One story specifically illustrates BAM potential for the Kingdom. A friend of mine from New Zealand moved to India in a traditional missionary capacity. He soon discovered that he and his family had moved into the “red light” district of a major city. His first impulse was to move but the Lord quickly confirmed that they were exactly where God wanted them. As they reached out to the prostitutes (women trapped in the sex traded due to generational poverty) and as women and girls began to turn to Christ, my friend and his wife realized that unless they could find work for these new converts they would quickly return to their old life. They started a for profit sewing business that has blossomed making jute bags for the convention business around the world and employing increasing numbers of the rescued and redeemed, thus changing their lives forever

FDE: This event might be in a unique location for you in the heart of Silicon Valley. What drew you guys here and what are you most excited about with this conference?

MB: When we determined a few years ago to focus on making “The BAM Conference” THE BAM event, we knew we needed to move it around the country (and now around the world, given the recent BAM Conference in Bucharest). So, it was logical to hold an event in California. However, Silicon Valley is known as the entrepreneurial center of the world as well as the venture capital Mecca. These two factors excite us as we seek to invite more entrepreneurs into direct involvement around the world and to fuel the spark of kingdom investing in BAM enterprises. 

FDE: Now that we’ve talked about what you’re looking forward to, let’s talk about the other side. What are you hoping to leave this conference having experienced? Maybe even take us out a few months or a year. What do you hope the attendees take from this conference, and what would you like to see them doing as they move forward?

MB: My goals and expectations for events like this are always the same. First, I want to see more and more believers with hearts for God and business enter the movement; I want to see them get out of the stands and onto the field of play. Second, I believe it is vital to see investors drawn into action; one of the great hindrances to the impact of BAM is simply lack of capital. After all, it’s a new and risky field but eternally minded investors have a big part to play. Third, as iron sharpens iron, it is exciting to see the further refinement and clarification of BAM thinking both in terms of theology of work and global best practices.

 I certainly hope and pray that participants will see their “seat on the bus” in what God is doing in and through business to expand the Kingdom of Christ on earth. More than that, I want them take their seat and travel with us.

This content was published by LeTourneau University’s Center for Faith and Work.
It is an adapted excerpt from Jeff Haanen’s book An Uncommon Guide to Retirement: Finding God’s Purpose for the Next Season of Life, and posted here by permission. Original appears at JeffHaanen.com.

— by Jeff Haanen

Mentoring in retirement sounds like a wonderful idea. “Invest in the next generation. Share your life experience. Feel a renewed sense of purpose.” But in reality, far too often mentoring feels awkward for both mentor and mentee.

To the mentee, it can often feel like a mono-directional exchange of information, the older imparting “wisdom” to the younger during weekly or monthly appointments. Interactions are often confined to stiff formality and contrived “coffee chats” in which a mentor is supposed to (halo glowing) grace the young Padawan with Yoda-like insight. Anxiety bubbles under the surface for the mentee: will I be heard in this meet, or just get “should upon” for the next hour?

To the mentor, the high expectations surrounding mentoring can create a sense of pressure and a feeling of inadequacy that deters people from mentoring in the first place. Doubts creep in. Do I really have something to share with the next generation? Would they want to listen?

There are few things so human and so cross-cultural as the older grandparent, parent, boss or teacher sharing insight and life experience with the grandchild, child, employee or student. But I’ve found the entry point into a mentoring relationship makes all the difference. The best mentoring relationships often look more like intergenerational friendship.

Skilled mentors often share five characteristics.

1. Skilled mentors find genuine delight in the next generation and develop friendship based on common interests.

It might be baseball, city government, or philosophy. But rather than starting a mentoring relationship with a “you need this” mentality, talented mentors often develop the relationship because they’re actually curious about the young person, want to learn alongside them, and they share a common interest. This kind of humility cracks open the door for learning to be mutual and shared, rather than one way. This mutuality builds the trust necessary for not just skill transfer but spiritual formation to take place.

2. Skilled mentors bless and affirm a younger generation.

Rather than pointing out deficiencies, elders who become effective mentors are first people of wisdom and blessing.

For example, in Clint Eastwood’s colorful film Gran Torino, Walt Kowalski, a hardened, cursing, and angry Korean War veteran, ends up mentoring Thao, a Hmong teenager in Detroit who tried to steal Walt’s car. Out of shame for his offense, Thao’s family makes him do yard work for Kowalski for two weeks.

During those two weeks as Thao does chores for Kowalski, Kowalski enters Thao’s world by eating food with his family, showing him his garage full of tools, and by encouraging him to date “Miss Yum Yum,” a Hmong teenager that Thao struggles to even make eye contact with. Kowalski affirms the confidence-less Thao and even lets Thoa borrow his precious 1972 Gran Torino to bring his girlfriend to the movies.

Thao – like so many mentees – didn’t first need advice. Rather, he needed to know he was valuable and had something unique to offer the world. He needed an elder to affirm his identity and point out his unique talents and value.

3. Skilled mentors share their stories and are genuinely vulnerable with their mentees.

The truth is, young people want to hear more about your mistakes than your successes. Having done hundreds of panel presentations for my work, I’ve found that vulnerability always goes way further than expertise. Advice is fine – when asked for. But hearing honest stories allows mentees to learn from a mentor’s mistakes, and, hopefully, not repeat them.

4. Skilled mentors are patient and commit to long-term relationships.

Michael Lindsay, the president of Gordon College, says about mentoring, “What does matter [for the success of young adults] is the formative influence of an adult who speaks into your life and who has sustaining relationship that you carry with you.” If each of us thinks of the people who’ve deeply influenced our lives, these are generally people we’ve known not for weeks or months, but for years. And they’ve endured our silliness, our sin, our mistakes – and are still there for us.

5. Skilled mentors ask more questions than they give answers.

Jesus himself was master of the penetrating question. Questions like “What do you want me to do for you?” made Jesus’ disciples stare into their own souls, and ask what they truly desired. Of course, Jesus gave answers too. But genuine spiritual formation requires introspection, reflection, and prayer that is often the fruit of the right question at the right time.

Shaping the Next Generation

Harvard sociologist Robert Putnam says about the growing social divides in America, “If America’s religious communities were to become seized of the immorality of the opportunity gap, mentoring is one of the ways in which they could make an immediate impact.”

What if the 87% of Baby Boomers who believe in God decided that a central way they were going to spend their retirement was by mentoring young people through their local church? What if America’s retirees traded comfort for purpose, and swapped retirement villages for communities of intergenerational friendship?

What if retirement became a source of renewed purpose for older Americans who decided to share their lives especially with young adults who needed their affirmation, delight, vulnerability, and patience?

“It is more blessed to give than to receive,” said Jesus (Acts 20:35). But Jesus also says that it’s not knowledge but action that brings the blessing. 

“Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them” (John 13:17).

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[Special thanks to Amy Hirschi on Unsplash for the cover photo]