We doubled year over year for five straight years… and still managed to be bankrupt on paper!

## Guest Bio

Parker Perrien is an entrepreneur who took over his family’s asphalt business at the age of 23, rapidly growing the company while navigating significant personal and financial adversity. After nearly losing the company to bankruptcy, Parker rebuilt the business with the help of a mentor, transforming it into a national pavement management firm with a heavy focus on technology and a "God First" company culture. He is passionate about integrating faith and business, encouraging others to make their beliefs part of their daily work and relationships.

## Social Links and Resources

- Diamond Solutions (asphalt and concrete work): thediamondsolutions.com

- God First apparel and resources: godfirst365.com

- Listen to the God First Podcast: Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube

- Books Mentioned:

- EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System)

- John Maxwell Leadership

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/fxrL7UzV4SQ

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00:00 – Intro

01:47 – Buying the family business at 23

04:51 – Scaling fast into financial crisis

06:26 – Navigating a spouse's health crisis

13:47 – Lessons from a business mentor

17:18 – Shifting to cost-based selling

29:02 – Becoming a national pavement company

31:10 – Living out "God First"

35:12 – Encouraging bold faith at work

36:43 – Christian principles beyond a slogan

We literally recorded this podcast right after jumping out of a plane at 13,000 feet—and that’s just how the conversation started!

## Summary

00:00 – Intro

01:16 – Skydiving adventure

02:10 – Summer as a camp counselor

04:19 – "Macro meditation" in Scripture

05:07 – Parable of the talents

08:53 – Unity among Christians

12:36 – Business as Missions retreat

15:50 – Ministry and life are inseparable

17:22 – Building redemptive relationships

18:25 – Working with Pacific Helps

20:10 – Entrepreneurs for Christ DC trip

24:03 – Devotions aren't the goal, God is

27:04 – Replacing doom-scrolling with intention

31:21 – Mentors and new relationships

39:19 – "X-ray vision" for the eternal

44:04 – New rhythms of work and faith

47:22 – Favorite Disney princess debate

51:26 – Outro and encouragement

## Guest Bio

TJ Whaley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tj-whaley-24bb74334/

TJ shares his journey as a camp counselor at The Wilds in North Carolina, deeply invested in both entrepreneurial pursuits and Christian ministry. Currently a junior at Bob Jones University, he has a heart for integrating business skills into missions.

Sven Loeffler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sven-loeffler/

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/1pbhhBzWUwY

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## Social Links and Resources

Pacific Helps:

- pacifichelps.org

- Pacific Helps on social media (Instagram, Facebook)

Books Mentioned:

- Scrolling Ourselves to Death by Brett McCracken

- How to Pray the Bible

- Enjoying Your Prayer Life

Christian Ambition Podcast Reference:

- Episode 15: Featuring Paul Zimmer’s story

Email: [email protected]

All Episodes: https://linktr.ee/christian_ambition

Most Christians waste their time going to church! That’s what came up when we started talking about worship — and the reasons behind it might just change the way you walk in on Sunday.

# Guest Bio

Jonny Gamet is a bi-vocational pastor at Grace Baptist Fellowship in Greenville, South Carolina, and serves as Director of Operations at Heard Media. With a background in intercollegiate athletics and sports journalism, Jonny has dedicated over 16 years to youth ministry.

He’s also a writer, sharing candid reflections on faith and family on his Substack “Here’s Johnny”. As a father of four, Jonny is passionate about helping people use their unique gifts for God’s glory—whether in the church, workplace, or everyday relationships.

## Social Links and Resources

- Jonny Gamet's Substack – Here’s Jonny

- “How Parents Unintentionally Push Their Kids Away from God”

- “Most Christians Waste Their Time Going to Church”

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ColELQB7Ozo

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## Summary

00:00 – Intro

00:54 – Roots of bi-vocational pastors

02:12 – Sports, journalism, and ministry

07:07 – Christian identity and idolatry in sports

13:11 – How church culture pushes kids away

14:20 – Lessons from youth ministry

16:34 – What true worship really means

20:10 – Serving outside traditional ministry roles

24:16 – AI for pastors and marketers

29:17 – Living with confidence in God's control

35:01 – Tips for deep Bible study

Imagine every sermon ever preached, in every language on earth—straight to your device!

## Guest Bio

Steven Lee is the founder of SermonAudio, the world’s largest repository for Christian sermons, with over 3 million sermons accessible worldwide.

A Bob Jones University computer science graduate, Steven began by uploading sermons from his own church, aiming to make powerful, timeless preaching accessible to everyone - especially small congregations without big media budgets.

Innovator and entrepreneur, Steven has navigated SermonAudio through decades of technological change, has a passion for spiritual revival, and continues to expand access to historic and powerful preaching through next-gen translation and tech infrastructure.

## Social Links and Resources

- SermonAudio.com

- Foundations Tour of Scotland by SermonAudio

- Global Sermons: Translating sermons into every language

## Ending

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/jc7Qye4zr1Q

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## Summary

00:00 – Intro

00:00 – Starting SermonAudio with no funding

01:51 – Childhood love of passionate preaching

04:16 – Prayer and personal spiritual vitality

10:00 – Defining true revival

14:14 – Distraction, prayer, and God's presence

26:41 – Early SermonAudio tech hurdles

37:23 – From bedroom servers to global infrastructure

47:29 – AI and launching Global Sermons

55:02 – Launching the Foundations Tour

01:01:06 – The "waterlogged generation"

01:16:06 – Taking the gospel to space

01:17:30 – Start small, stay faithful

What do a chicken farm in Zambia, a warehouse of Qurans in Iran, and a steakhouse parking lot in Colorado all have in common? Mission-driven business innovation—and a lot of wild prayer requests answered!

Guest Bio:

Dr. Rick Cross is the founder of Acorn Global Advance, a dynamic initiative that merges united prayer, business-driven innovation, and generous networking to advance the gospel around the world.

With decades as a youth pastor, senior pastor, missions pastor, and author of a doctoral dissertation on corporate prayer, he has personally led efforts to connect business leaders to missional projects, facilitate daily global prayer meetings, and pioneer creative ways for ordinary believers—especially entrepreneurs—to fuel kingdom impact.

From overseeing prayer-driven revivals to innovating business-as-missions networks spanning from Greenville, SC to Kathmandu, his life’s calling is mobilizing people and resources for worldwide spiritual awakening.

Social Links and Resources:

• Acorn Global Advance: acornglobal.orgEmail: [email protected]
• Daily United Prayer Meeting: unitedprayer.net
• Grow Forum / Business Bold Greenville: [email protected] – Inquire for more info

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/yxLi_tWgP5k

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0:00 Intro

1:15 From youth pastor to missions innovator

3:05 Acorn Global Advance's three pillars

6:13 Why the West lacks united prayer

10:17 Historic and modern prayer movements

13:26 Iran downloads and conversions

16:43 Campus revivals and business impact

18:07 How business owners engage in missions

20:26 Nepal and local business networks

25:18 Mission Roofing success story

35:29 Connecting donors and resources globally

36:17 Chicken farms funding schools

41:31 Global building and resource needs

47:23 Vetting ministry partners

55:03 Holy Spirit sensitivity and prayer

"Just providing" for one's family—focusing solely on financial provision—is a dangerous myth. Working long hours and simply paying the bills is not enough to truly fulfill a father’s calling. Emotional and relational needs within the family can be neglected when financial provision becomes the only priority!

Guest Bio

Kenny Johnson is a real estate investing fund manager and the creator of the Invested Fathers Podcast, with over 125 episodes reflecting on business, family, and intentional fatherhood. Starting his professional journey in landscaping, Kenny experienced a self-described “midlife crisis” at 30 that redirected him toward real estate and a mission to help other fathers find margin and meaning. As a husband and father of three, he’s passionate about deep, authentic connections and approaches business and life with an active Christian faith.

Social Links and Resources

- Invested Fathers Podcast (Kenny’s podcast)

Mentioned in This Episode

- Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki

- Cashflow Quadrant by Robert Kiyosaki

- 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell

- The Intentional Father by Jon Tyson

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/UocvtLlYEDs

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Summary

0:00 - Lessons from 126 podcast episodes of “Invested Fathers”

2:28 - Exploring the journey to discovering real estate investing

4:40 - The formation of the Invested Fathers Podcast and a philosophy of intentional fatherhood

7:17 - Real estate investing 101

13:21 - Unpacking active vs. passive income

31:16 - Balancing ambition, faith, and family

39:04 - The practical (and biblical) challenges of providing for your family—financially, emotionally, and spiritually

“We’re not in the tooth business—we’re in the people business!"

Guest Bio

Eric True is the founder of Digital Dental Leaders, a Southern California-based dental crown manufacturing company known for its innovative blend of business excellence and explicit Christian mission. Trained in both dental technology and pastoral ministry, Eric has cultivated a unique bi-vocational path: supporting church planting and ministry through entrepreneurial ventures. His leadership emphasizes integrity, meaningful relationships, and leveraging business as a practical means for advancing the Great Commission and supporting the local church.

Summary

00:00 Intro

00:31 Family Roots and Early Dental Training

01:15 Conversion and Sense of Calling

04:10 Pastoral Training and Returning to California

06:12 Business as Support for Ministry 09:46 Building a Mission-Driven Business

15:36 Challenges & Growth

36:21 Partnership with the Church

47:17 Founding Principles & Mission Statement

51:46 Advice for Young Entrepreneurs

Social Links and Resources

Digital Dental Leaders: https://digitaldentalleaders.com/

Mentioned in This Episode

• Business Model Canvas: https://www.strategyzer.com/canvas/business-model-canvas
• TED Talk – "Start With Why" (Simon Sinek): https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action
• "Don’t Waste Your Life" (John Piper): https://www.desiringgod.org/books/dont-waste-your-life

Watch on Youtube: https://youtu.be/_zNxu-b47gM

Everything at christianambitionpod.com

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A quick update after a summer break — including a trip to Yap, Micronesia to visit the school Paul Zimmer (episode 15) started, plus news on the coconut oil export business he's launching to help sustain it.

Also: a look ahead to Season 2, with guests

Eric True (bivocational pastor/businessman)

Rick Cross (networker in business and missions),

Kenny Johnson (real estate investor and Christian father)

Stephen Lee, founder of SermonAudio, for episode 20.

New episodes drop every Tuesday starting with episode 17.

Got feedback, a guest suggestion, or just want to talk?

Visit christianambitionpod.com for contact info and a link to book a 30-minute call.

Follow, subscribe, and share if you enjoy the show.

Announcement: I'm pausing the podcast to close out Season One.

I'm taking time to focus on some major goals and get ahead on episodes so that I can keep producing great content.

Check out Episode 16 for a recap of the best moments from Season One.

Make sure you're subscribed so you don’t miss when Season Two is comes out!