Generous Business Owner

By Jeff Thomas, Alan Barnhart, Jeff RuttBusiness Entrepreneurship Management Non-Profit

Generous Business Owner episodes

October 06Jon Rudolph: Is God Telling You to Sell the Company?
How is the Lord asking you to fulfill the invitation to come follow Him?

In this episode, Jeff and Jon discuss:
Sitting in the crockpot of Jesus’s plan.
Aligning your will to God’s.
Discernment in knowing how to steward God’s resources.
Living for an audience of one.

Key Takeaways:
God will lead your way - but it will take prayer and patience to see what He is asking of you.
Partner with local churches as you steward resources with benevolence.
Your model does not need to match another organization’s process. If God is in charge, He can use many different pathways to fulfill His work.
The business as mission model is a way for people to be in a country, either nationals or people who are sent, and really for them to create relationships and invite people into community, church, and Bible study that they would never have interaction with otherwise.

"Every country is different, every leader is different, and so that's how we do it - one step at a time, by faith." — Jon Rudolph

Episode References:
Gospel Patrons by John Rinehart: https://www.gospelpatrons.org/
Open Network: https://open.life.church/
B4T: https://b4t.org/
BAM: https://businessasmission.com/

About Jon Rudolph: Jon is a 1992 graduate of Taylor University and a 1997 graduate of WMU’s MBA program. Jon has been married to Jodi Rudolph for 31 years. They reside in Ada, MI, where Jon leads the Two Fish Foundation, a faith-based non-profit focused on missionary care and gospel-centered work around the world. Previously, Jon was the owner and CEO of Action Fabricators, a privately held manufacturing business headquartered in Grand Rapids. They are the proud parents of four girls, two sons-in-law, and two amazing Labradoodles!

Connect with Jon Rudolph:
Website: https://thetwofishfoundation.org/

Connect with Jeff Thomas:
Website: https://www.arkosglobal.com/
Podcast: https://www.generousbusinessowner.com/
Book: https://www.arkosglobal.com/trading-up
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArkosGlobalAdv
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arkosglobal/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arkosglobaladvisors
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arkosglobaladvisors/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLUYpPwkHH7JrP6PrbHeBxw
41 min
September 29Jeff Applegate: How to Make Decisions in Times of Transition
Where is God asking you to carry the lemonade?
In this episode, Jeff and Jeff discuss:
Learning to trust in the Lord in times of plenty and times of struggle.
Maintaining your own stones of remembrance.
Running your decisions through your personal filters.
Advancing the Kingdom of God in all you do.

Key Takeaways:
Keep a journal of blessings and tender mercies the Lord has given to you. They will be the stones upon which you can turn in faith for the next hard season.
As stewards of God’s resources, we need to recognize that those resources are not purely for our own enjoyment, but also to build the Kingdom.
Selling your business doesn’t end your stewardship. While your resources may change, the calling stays the same: seek the King, love others, make disciples.
Take a genuine interest in somebody you’re walking by tomorrow. Engage with them, learn their name, ask for their story, show you care.

"If I can get my employees to genuinely respect each other and care for one another, everything else takes care of itself. They'll care for the equipment, the bathroom, the break room, the customers, how the parts go in the box. And it starts with me." — Jeff Applegate

Episode References:
Living the Life You Were Meant to Live by Tom Paterson

About Jeff Applegate: Jeff Applegate is the founder and CEO of Texas Injection Molding. Jeff is a founding member and teaching Elder at Village Community Church in Houston, Texas. He is currently serving as Chairman of the Board for Camp Eagle in Rock Springs, Texas. Jeff was the co-founder and Past Chairman of the Greater Houston Manufacturing Association. He served two terms as President of the Society of Plastics Engineers and served on several advisory boards, including the University of Houston College of Engineering, Houston Community College Advanced Manufacturing, The Downtown Rotary Club of Houston, and HBU’s Center for Christianity in Business. Jeff earned his Master’s in Christian Leadership from Houston Christian University and graduated from Baylor University with dual majors in Finance and Entrepreneurial Management. He is the author of Lead Your Family and is married to Julie Applegate, and they have 3 grown children.

Connect with Jeff Applegate:
Website: https://jeffreyapplegate.com/
Book: Lead Your Family: Vision, Mission, and Core Values
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-applegate-b346624

Connect with Jeff Thomas:
Website: https://www.arkosglobal.com/
Podcast: https://www.generousbusinessowner.com/
Book: https://www.arkosglobal.com/trading-up
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArkosGlobalAdv
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arkosglobal/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arkosglobaladvisors
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arkosglobaladvisors/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLUYpPwkHH7JrP6PrbHeBxw
46 min
September 22Dave Blanchard: Pursuing the Redemptive
What assets do you have (non-monetary) that can contribute to your capacity for meaningful action?
In this episode, Jeff and Dave discuss:
What entrepreneurship means to the Kingdom of God.
The power of a Christian-led business.
Admitting, then confronting, exploitation in business to rid yourself of those ways of working.
Fully surrendering to God and all that He is.

Key Takeaways:
Entrepreneurship is connected to business, but what it really does is bring a new thing into the world and shape everything around you with it. It’s up to you what shape that takes.
It's inescapably true that in a world that works on exploitation and will give you a high five for being ethical, to do more than is required, you've got to sacrifice something.
You can’t lead a redemptive organization if it is all about you.
Inventory your assets, then pray to God to find out how to re-risk it for a redemptive move.

"I would call that one redemptive move that requires some re-risking of your capacity. That's a great place to start. You don't need to have a redemptive organization that's firing on 800 cylinders, aspire to that for sure, but let's find one or two things that you can do right now that don't require galactic change." — Dave Blanchard

About Dave Blanchard, Co-Founder & CEO, Praxis: Dave Blanchard is the Co-Founder & CEO of Praxis, a venture-building ecosystem advancing redemptive imagination. Praxis has supported hundreds of ventures through its global Business and Nonprofit Accelerators, while also organizing a broader community of founders, funders, and innovators working on the major issues of our time. Previously, Dave was a Principal Designer at IDEO and founded two companies in music and technology. He is a co-author of From Concept to Scale and a contributor to Praxis's various publications. He has a BA from Babson College in Massachusetts and an MBA and MEM from Northwestern University in Illinois. He lives in New York City with his wife and three sons, where Praxis is headquartered.

Connect with Dave Blanchard:
Website: https://www.praxis.co/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidtblanchard/

Connect with Jeff Thomas:
Website: https://www.arkosglobal.com/
Podcast: https://www.generousbusinessowner.com/
Book: https://www.arkosglobal.com/trading-up
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArkosGlobalAdv
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arkosglobal/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arkosglobaladvisors
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arkosglobaladvisors/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLUYpPwkHH7JrP6PrbHeBxw
47 min
September 15Bill Spencer: Devotion, Growth, Community
Who are three people that you can pour into today who can bring the Light of Christ into their lives?
In this episode, Jeff and Bill discuss:
The value of work and making it work.
Building your marital relationship to be better together than separate.
Seeing yourself in the reflection of God.
Building the Kingdom and transforming people through work and leadership.

Key Takeaways:
If you can make it work on paper, you can make it work. Just never forget, it is going to be work.
You are enough in God. That Enough is a gift that you didn’t earn. God has compassion on us no matter how short we come. Are we willing to give others that same compassion?
Leadership development and discipleship are synonymous.
Convince people you believe in them more than you believe in you, and everything will change.

"We believe that our goal is to raise people up to the fullness of their God-given potential and introduce them to God in a way that it will forever transform who they are. If you do that, we win." — Bill Spencer

Episode References:
Praxis: https://www.praxis.co/
The Multiplication Effect by Mac Lake

About Bill Spencer: As founder of Narrow Gate Foundation, Bill Spencer has spent over 20 years building more than a ministry—he’s built a culture of transformation. With a background in entrepreneurship, marketplace leadership, and pastoral development, Bill brings a rare blend of real-world experience and spiritual authority, helping leaders not just lead better, but live differently.
Through the launch of Narrow Gate Lodge and three artisan businesses—Narrow Gate Leather, Narrow Gate Coffee, and TN Box Beams—Bill has created a sustainable, Gospel-centered model where work and discipleship intersect. Rooted in Scripture and delivered with authenticity and clarity, his messages are practical, conversational, and deeply impactful, making him a compelling speaker for churches, pastoral teams, and kingdom-focused business leaders.

Connect with Bill Spencer:
Website: https://narrowgate.org/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billspencer-narrowgate/

Connect with Jeff Thomas:
Website: https://www.arkosglobal.com/
Podcast: https://www.generousbusinessowner.com/
Book: https://www.arkosglobal.com/trading-up
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArkosGlobalAdv
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arkosglobal/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arkosglobaladvisors
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arkosglobaladvisors/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLUYpPwkHH7JrP6PrbHeBxw
45 min
September 08Dave Gibbs: Just Say Yes
Have you ever wondered what would happen if you just started saying “yes” to the opportunities in front of you, even when you aren’t sure how it is going to work out?

In this episode, Jeff and Dave discuss:
Taking strength from bankruptcy lessons learned young.
Utilizing your time for God.
Just saying “yes” to the next right thing and trusting that God will make it okay.
God gives us the resources, then will guide us to what He needs from us.

Key Takeaways:
Accidents and coincidences are God’s way of working anonymously.
Faith matters. God will never give you the 10–year plan up front.
What you make a priority is what you will give time to.
When the Spirit of the Lord comes upon you, you will be changed into a different person. So just go and do. He will guide and provide.

"The secret to life is one word: just say yes. Just do the next right thing. Say yes to the things that are in front of you, and trust that God'll make it okay." — Dave Gibbs

Episode References:
Mission Lazarus: https://www.missionlazarus.org/

About Dave Gibbs: Dave Gibbs (73) has recently retired from his role as founder and CEO of Mission Creek Resources, an upstream oil & gas company focused on Southwest Arkansas, and continues to serve as Senior Advisor to the management team. Mr. Gibbs holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech (1975) and has over 50 years of upstream and midstream oil & gas experience.
After beginning his career as a petroleum engineer at Exxon Company, USA, he has held management and executive positions in several successful independent oil companies, including roles on the senior management team of Superior Oil through its merger with Mobil in 1984, as well as Union Texas Petroleum through its sale to Pacific Corp in 1990 gaining experience in every major producing basin in the US, as well as several international assignments. Since 1992, Mr. Gibbs has founded and led several independent oil companies. As co-founder and CEO of TDC Energy, Mr. Gibbs built a highly successful offshore Gulf of Mexico development company from 1992 to its merger into a public vehicle in 2005.
He also served as President of Medco Energi US, Southern Star Energy, and Terrace Energy, as well as consultant to several domestic and international projects prior to forming Mission Creek in 2018.
Dave serves as a Shepherd / Elder at Grace Crossing Church in Conroe, TX, where he leads the Community Outreach Ministry, Foreign Missions Ministry, and serves as mentor and coach to the Youth Family Ministry.
Dave also helped found and lead Mission Lazarus, where he serves as chairman of the board. Mission Lazarus is a multi-faceted international ministry focusing on education, medical and abandoned children care, and economic development in Honduras and Haiti for more than 25 years.
Dave & his wife, Joy, have been married for 52 years and have raised 9 children, including four combat veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns. They are also helping to raise 14 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren (so far).

Connect with Jeff Thomas:
Website: https://www.arkosglobal.com/
Podcast: https://www.generousbusinessowner.com/
Book: https://www.arkosglobal.com/trading-up
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArkosGlobalAdv
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arkosglobal/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arkosglobaladvisors
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arkosglobaladvisors/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLUYpPwkHH7JrP6PrbHeBxw
45 min
September 01Ryan Skoog: Prayer is the Fuel for Everything
Have you ever wondered how prayer can change your life, your business, and the world?
In this episode, Jeff and Ryan discuss:
Ryan’s experience watching the Book of Acts come to life in China.

Serving in tough places as defined by the three “Un’s”

Submitting your entrepreneurial spirit to God.

What it really means to be meek before God.

Reframing prayer as time with your friend Jesus.

Key Takeaways:
Take a walk with Jesus today. Surrender your worries and feel His love. That will transform everything.

We are restoring Eden when we take the time to walk with Jesus.

One hour of prayer can save 10 years of work.

Build a board of advisors before you need it. Don’t go it alone; you’ve got all the power of Heaven available to you, including those He’s put in your life.

"The Book of Acts is not a thing that happened, but it's actually a manual for what happens when the Kingdom of God comes to a new place and when the gospel comes to a new place. That's how the gospel enters in: with explosive miracles." — Ryan Skoog

Episode References:
Prayer Cards | Tools: www.venture.org/disciple-making-lifestyle

About Ryan Skoog: Ryan is cofounder and president of VENTURE.ORG, a nonprofit that works in the toughest places of the world, serving war refugees, trafficked people, oppressed children, and the unreached. Ryan is also a serial entrepreneur who co-founded several travel technology companies and co-authored the Bestselling book Lead with Prayer and the devotional Chosen. He and his wife, Rachel, enjoy adventuring with their two ginger-headed kids and the newest addition to their family, Kyea Sin Thant.

Connect with Ryan Skoog:
Website: Venture.org
Email: [email protected]
Book: Lead with Prayer: The Spiritual Habits of World-Changing Leaders: https://www.leadwithprayer.com/

Connect with Jeff Thomas:
Website: https://www.arkosglobal.com/
Podcast: https://www.generousbusinessowner.com/
Book: https://www.arkosglobal.com/trading-up
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArkosGlobalAdv
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arkosglobal/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arkosglobaladvisors
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arkosglobaladvisors/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLUYpPwkHH7JrP6PrbHeBxw
56 min
August 25Joe Daly: From Side Hustle to Stewardship—Designing a Company God Owns
What if the path from secret addiction to lasting freedom became the foundation for how you build and run your business?
In this episode, Jeff and Joe discuss:
Living in such a way that the adversary cannot sideline us from God’s team.

Vulnerability, accountability, community, and love.

Channeling the talents and gifts God has given you while giving honor to Him.

Developing a biblical worldview early.

Key Takeaways:
Sin can be defeated through a greater love of Christ. He will bring greater satisfaction to your life than your sin ever will.

Generosity is the antidote to greed, which is one of the greatest evils on the planet today.

Work is part of who God made us to be - there was work before sin in creation. It’s when your work becomes your idol that it becomes a problem.

Don’t wait to figure out your theology until you’re at rock bottom. He wants to meet you where you are right now.

"God's word has everything we need for life and godliness. It's alive, sharper than any two-edged sword. God's word is our lamp, our conscience, our guide". — Joe Daly

Episode References:
The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn

God and Money: How We Discovered True Riches at Harvard Business School by John Cortines and Gregory Baumer

The Sacredness of Secular Work by Jordan Raynor

God Owns My Business by Stanley Tam

About Joe Daly: Joe Daly is the founder of Daly Goods, a custom Leather goods company based in Waco, Texas. He is from Minnesota, met his wife in Missouri, and now proudly calls Texas home. He loves helping people give a good gift, and he is doing his imperfect best to leverage his life and his company to spread the message of biblical generosity. He has been married for 13 years and has two boys. When he’s not working, he’s probably sipping single-origin coffee, reading a book, or traveling with his family.

Connect with Joe Daly:
Website: https://dalygoods.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-daly-67b31928/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dalygoodsco

Connect with Jeff Thomas:
Website: https://www.arkosglobal.com/
Podcast: https://www.generousbusinessowner.com/
Book: https://www.arkosglobal.com/trading-up
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArkosGlobalAdv
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arkosglobal/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arkosglobaladvisors
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arkosglobaladvisors/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLUYpPwkHH7JrP6PrbHeBxw
34 min
August 18Krue Brock: Living Out Freedom in Resonance with the Creator
God gives us the freedom; are you using that freedom to seek Him or hide from Him?
In this episode, Jeff and Krue discuss:
Empowering those around us to find freedom of their own.

His journey from dropping out of Vanderbilt (more than once) for auto-mechanic school and construction to marriage, travel, and graduate school.

Lessons learned from Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speeches.

How education lets you transform from a cucumber into a pickle.

Key Takeaways:
Today is the day you are living. Don’t rely on yesterday or tomorrow.

God gives us more freedom than we realize.

You can use your own story and narrative to boost the larger story of the community and world around you.

Create community with moments that will bring people together with something to cheer for. Find the thing that will connect people, from soccer to food to music. Play brings people together more than anything else.

"Remember that the hard work of what you're doing is really super important for helping bring health and wholeness into the world." — Krue Brock

About Krue Brock: Krue Brock is a lifelong Chattanoogan. He is a teacher, a starter, and a ligament/connector. He earned his Master's in Liberal Education at St. John’s College. Krue has been married to Hollee for 37 years. They have six children and 10 grandchildren. (His grandfather's name is "Kricket") Kricket works for a more whole, healthy, right, and beautiful Chattanooga.....and world.

Connect with Jeff Thomas:
Website: https://www.arkosglobal.com/
Podcast: https://www.generousbusinessowner.com/
Book: https://www.arkosglobal.com/trading-up
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArkosGlobalAdv
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arkosglobal/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arkosglobaladvisors
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arkosglobaladvisors/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLUYpPwkHH7JrP6PrbHeBxw
41 min
August 11Generosity is a Worldview, Not a Budget Item
Have you considered the relationship between joy and your standard of giving?
In this episode, Jeff discusses:
How the world views success versus how God views success.

Five Biblical truths about wealth.

Jeff’s turnaround moment.

Modern and Biblical stories of Kingdom Generosity.

Key Takeaways:
If you’re making $65,000 per year, you’re in the top 1% of earners worldwide.

We are stewards, not owners. It all belongs to God. If you get that right, a lot of things fall into place.

How much is enough for you? How much is enough for the kids? What should you do with the rest? Bring those questions to God, and He will guide you with the resources He has blessed you with.

Pay attention to what breaks your heart, and you might be surprised.

"What I learned is the best thing you can do, the safest, the most adventurous thing you can do, even if it sounds nuts (and it usually does to everybody else) is follow the will of God. Put Him first, and ask Him what to do. Submit to His will, and it is so much better." — Jeff Thomas

Episode References:
Chuck Feeney: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Feeney

The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel: https://leestrobel.com/books

National Christian Foundation: https://www.ncfgiving.com/

Kingdom Advisors: https://kingdomadvisors.com/

Connect with Jeff Thomas:
Website: https://www.arkosglobal.com/
Podcast: https://www.generousbusinessowner.com/
Book: https://www.arkosglobal.com/trading-up
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArkosGlobalAdv
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arkosglobal/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arkosglobaladvisors
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arkosglobaladvisors/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLUYpPwkHH7JrP6PrbHeBxw
40 min
August 04Cale Dowell: Flourishing for Individuals and Families
Right now, we're in the greatest transfer of wealth in human history. How do we facilitate that transfer in a way that best allows for our families and legacies to flourish?

In this episode, Jeff and Cale discuss:
Looking beyond the KPIs to the FPIs.

The six Ps of the Flourishing Performance Indicators (FPIs).

How the FPIs can look different from person to person.

Recognizing the gaps in our FPIs to make appropriate changes in our lives.

Key Takeaways:
Language creates clarity. Clarity changes conversations. Conversations, in this aspect, can change families, and then families change futures and outcomes.

When we feel hollow or empty or stagnant, those can be indicators that, you know perhaps, there's something going on in our psychological life that could require or that could use some work.

Flourishing is not a destination; it's participation.

Take inventory of how you are doing in all six of the FPIs. Without putting language to where you are and identifying it, nothing will change.

"People who are flourishing with their principles tend to have what one might call a moral code or a strong character by which they live. They align with the decisions that they make and the actions that they take. If we believe in certain principles as a way of living our lives, and we strive to make them a way of being rather than just a checklist, it contributes to all of the other FPIs because it helps us to interact with the world without really losing a sense of who we are." — Cale Dowell

Episode References:
Flourishing Performance Indicators: A New Framework for Wealth and Legacy - https://humanflourishing.web.baylor.edu/sites/g/files/ecbvkj2151/files/2025-12/KFPI%20December%2019_2025.pdf

About Cale Dowell: After diving deep into the hurdles clients face when picking a financial partner, Cale determined that financial advice should offer more than just managing a portfolio. He left Morgan Stanley to help launch Arkos and “Rebuild Wall Street” by creating a paradigm shift in the way the wealth management industry serves and impacts people. His passion is rooted in the mission to help families thrive across generations.
Cale is a published thought leader in vulnerability analysis and risk mitigation. He is the creator of Wealth Languages™, a captivating public speaker, and has consulted with many of the world’s largest corporations. His diverse experience spans technology, commercial real estate, O&G, private equity, and startups. Cale spends an inordinate amount of time igniting contagious, positive environments and investing in relationships… because culture devours strategy for breakfast.
After graduating from Baylor University, Cale tied the knot with his Aggie sweetheart, Lynne, and now calls Houston home with their two little ones. They are actively involved in their church and Young Life, where Cale has served for over 15 years. He is a 40 under 40 recipient, actively contributes to several non-profit boards, and is a 7th-generation Texan. Not surprisingly, he is just as stubborn about Texas as you would imagine.

Connect with Cale Dowell:
Website: https://www.arkosglobal.com/
Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caledowell/

Connect with Jeff Thomas:
Website: https://www.arkosglobal.com/
Podcast: https://www.generousbusinessowner.com/
Book: https://www.arkosglobal.com/trading-up
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArkosGlobalAdv
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arkosglobal/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arkosglobaladvisors
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arkosglobaladvisors/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLUYpPwkHH7JrP6PrbHeBxw
39 min

About Generous Business Owner

From the publisher's feed

Many business owners think they have to wait until after they sell their company to do significant giving. Each week, listen as Jeff Thomas, Alan Barnhart, Jeff Rutt and their guests discuss…