The word is out: Our God is a giving God!

In this 25th episode of the River Foundation Podcast, Kay Hiramine shares how his dream of becoming a pastor and his experience in business and finance led him to become the Relationship Coordinator for Generosity Path in Southeast Asia. Tune in to hear how God is working through the Generosity Movement to teach people not only about finances but about cultivating a life of counter-cultural generosity.

Episode Highlights

[0:31] Calling from Austin, Kay Hiramine, Relationship Coordinator for Generosity Path for Southeast Asia

[1:05] After being raised by Buddhist parents, what happened after Kay accepted Christ as a teenager

[2:11] "We have enough pastors who haven't worked a day in their life." What the elders of Kay's church told him he had to do before they would send him to seminary

[2:42] Church plants, Global Harvest Ministries, and humanitarian non-profits: the missional opportunities that led Kay to supporting other businessmen and women in their faith journeys

[3:50] Kay shares his plethora of "business cards"

[4:41] How Kay met the River Foundation through the Generosity Movement

[5:37] "The hand of God has been amazing." How Kay has seen the Lord work through Taste of Generosity

[9:25] How the River Foundation is supporting the Generosity Movement in Southeast Asia

[11:08] "One gentleman owned seventy-five restaurants." The affluent leaders who attended Taste of Generosity in Indonesia (and how they responded to the message of generosity)

[12:58] The most important thing Kay says you can do to support Generosity Path

Episode Resources

Generosity Path

J127 Ministries

Vision for the Nations Fellowship

Catalyst Convergence

Generations of Virtue

In this episode of the River Foundation Podcast, ministry partner, Richard Samuel, shares how growing up with mission-minded parents in India launched him on a journey to find God for himself through embracing a life of poverty and studying the Word of God. You won't want to miss how Richard's story fits into the great narrative of God's faithfulness to the River Foundation's story.

Episode Highlights

[0:32] Get out your maps! Today's ministry partner is broadcasting live from Chennai, India

[0:59] "They saw them as missionaries." How Richard's parents raised 4,000 orphan children (and why more than one-fourth of them serve in full-time ministry today)

[3:03] Where Richard traveled for two years after college (it's not what you think)

[4:49] What studying God's Word at Asbury Theological Seminary meant for Richard's personal faith

[5:47] How Richard got connected with the River Foundation 29 years ago (and how the River Foundation gets to support Richard's ministry today)

[8:49] What Richard has found in the River Foundation family that keeps drawing him back to Kentucky

[10:36] How you can be praying for our brothers and sisters in India (and Richard's challenge to you to spend one week of your year in India)

Episode Resources

Website: Fishhook International Website: Crown Financial Ministries

According to the staff at Summit Ministries, Christians should be the last to shy away from life's hard questions.

In this episode of the River Foundation Podcast, Jeff Myers shares how he went from being a 17-year-old kid desperate for answers to the president of Summit Ministries. Join Jeff and Dan as they discuss what the River Foundation is doing to equip the next generation to engage our culture with a confident Christian worldview.

Episode Highlights

[0:32] Calling from Colorado, the President of Summit Ministries, Jeff Myers

[1:18] "I intended to graduate from high school and church at the same time." What happened when 17-year-old Jeff brought his unanswered big-life questions to Summit

[3:33] How former president David Noble prepared Jeff for a "successful succession"

[6:03] Jeff answers what we're all wondering: What are these thousands of kids doing at Summit Ministries (50 thousand every year to be exact)?

[8:07] What Jeff loves about scholar students from Kentucky

[9:22] The resources Jeff would recommend to anyone wanting to make an impact on today's culture

[10:54] "Talk about the way we talk." Jeff's advice to parents raising kids to engage their world (and what he's learned being a parent himself)

[12:57] What your son or daughter will get out of two weeks with Summit Ministries

Episode Resources

• Website: www.summit.org
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/SummitMinistries

Austin Greer may only be 20 years old, but there's a reason Dan is calling this college junior a mentor.

In this episode, Austin shares how growing up watching his mother work for First Southern later led him to become a River Foundation Scholar, an investment God has used to open doors for him in ministry and to ultimately teach Austin that he can make money through doing what he loves.

Episode Highlights

[0:17] After kayaking through a tornado-warning with Dan, River Foundation Scholar Austin Greer is in the studio

[0:50] "It's not just a job. It's a lifestyle." What Austin learned after watching his mom work for First Southern National Bank for 20 years

[2:11] How Austin became a second-generation First Southern employee (and got school credit for it)

[3:14] How Austin's biggest take-away from working for the bank went hand-in-hand with his call into ministry

[4:38] Why participating in a Bible study at the bank was pivotal in Austin when he first started making money

[5:31] "Here's all the ingredients. Just go make the bread." What Austin learned about using his God-given resources--before he even started college

[7:57] What happened when Austin traveled with Score Ministry on a team of people who loved both God and baseball

[9:27] What an article from Thinker.education taught Austin about making money by doing what he loves

[11:06] It's not just 50 percent. How River Foundation's investment in Austin's mission trips has been the stepping stone to even more trips

[11:50] Austin's words to the River Foundation family (and to the parents of future River Foundation Scholars)

Episode Resources

• Website: Thinker Education

Welcome back to the River Foundation Podcast! Mission trips can be intimidating if you've never been on one before, which is why Ron Houp, a CPA and the President of Go International has joined us to share how those fears can be overcome, what got him involved in missions (at the age of 30), and the passion behind joining existing ministries on the ground. You'll be inspired, encouraged, and empowered to join Ron after listening to this episode!

Episode Highlights

[1:12] How the First Southern Family has helped Ron in practical ways

[2:03] What Ron thought about Wilmore growing up (and what he thinks about it now)

[3:00] How Ron became involved in missions (and where he went first)

[4:16] How Go International got its start and what it looks like to go on a mission experience today

[6:22] After meeting only 3 months, this is how Ron's church got their first building

[7:52] Ron identifies the 3 essential things you need for a successful business

[9:05] How much of your mission experience is funded (and why you should take advantage)

[11:59] Why joining existing ministries is the most effective form of sharing the Gospel

[12:52] The "fear factor" in missions (and how to overcome it)

Episode Resources

• Website: Go International
• Book: When Helping Hurts

In this episode of the River Foundation Podcast, David Wills, former President of the National Christian Foundation, joins Dan to share how God used mentors, friends, and colleagues to ultimately mold him into a "founding son" of the Generous Giving movement. You won't want to miss David's wisdom on how to live a healthy, vibrant life or the encouraging words he has specifically for our River Foundation family!

Episode Highlights

[0:31] Dan's Zoom-call with former President of the National Christian Foundation, David Wills

[1:27] "God has always known that I was a needy person." Looking back on his life, the 3 groups of people David is most grateful for

[3:30] What David has found to be the key to a healthy, vibrant journey

[4:10] From college dorms to Generous Giving: the peers that became David's lifelong friends

[5:20] The lunch with Greg Sperry that David couldn't forget (that ultimately led him to NCF!)

[7:09] "I'm a founding son, not a founding father." David shares the 3 questions he and his colleagues asked that sparked the generosity movement

[8:57] How Jess first got connected with Generous Giving

[10:44] David's words of encouragement to the River Foundation family

Generosity doesn't end after retirement. In this final episode of our three-part conversation with River Foundation Co-founder Randy Attkisson, Randy shares what God has been teaching him about living generously since retiring in 2008 and reminds us that when we fully surrender our talents to the Lord, He is gracious and faithful to use us in His Kingdom work.

Episode Highlights

[0:44] What Randy's role with the bank has been since retiring in 2008

[1:41] Unlocking stock value and opening donor-advised funds: how the River Foundation collaborates with National Christian Foundation

[2:58] How your stock investment becomes cash to give away (and who else is giving today)

[4:48] "Generosity starts at home." How Randy changed gears and gave back in retirement

[8:07] Randy's God-given opportunity to team up with Lonnie and Belinda Riley to promote economic growth in Lynch, Kentucky

[12:25] A blank canvas of opportunity: Randy's invitation to you to bring your talents to what God is doing in the Lynch community

[14:02] Randy's wisdom for discerning where God is calling you to be generous

Episode Resources

Contact Randy by email at [email protected]

Welcome to Part 2 of our three-part series featuring River Foundation Co-founder, Randy Attkisson! In this episode, you'll hear how Randy and his team first began to cultivate the generosity culture of the River Foundation we know today and how through the bank's years of acquisition and expansion, they learned more about how to honor God both in their work and their personal finances.

Episode Highlights

[0:47] What motivated Randy and his team to commit to come out of debt, not just as a business, but as individuals

[2:17] A bank that discourages customers from borrowing money? What made Randy's earlier banks unique

[2:40] How do we give money away well? The question that led Randy and Jess to start the River Foundation in 1988

[3:29] How God enabled the bank to pay off their debt 5 years ahead of schedule

[4:19] "Do you want a net-blessing or a gross-blessing?" Why the bank decided to give out of their pre-tax earnings

[5:21] The foundation's methodology (and theology): "Give it all away this year, and trust God for next year."

[6:09] Welcome to the 90s: the five-year search for funding (and an insurance company)

[9:48] Acquisitions in the West: what Randy's team did to set the culture among new employees of their growing company

[12:00] More than just a morning meeting! The business practice Randy learned from the staff of the Ritz Carlton Hotel

Welcome back to the River Foundation Podcast! In this episode, you'll find the first of our three-part series featuring bank Co-founder and Board Member, Randy Attkisson, who's here to share with us the life and history that ultimately led him to founding the First Southern family of companies. From being broke, to attending business school, to buying banks, the early years of Randy's journey are a testament to God's faithfulness, not only in Randy's life, but to the entire River Foundation family.

Episode Highlights

[0:00] Welcome to Part 1 of our three-part series featuring bank Co-founder and Board Member, Randy Attkisson

[0:48] Randy Attkisson visits the broadcast booth in Wilmore (or as Randy calls it, "a prison cell with good reading material")

[1:43] The "divine appointment" when Randy met Jess (and bought a bank in Stanford, Kentucky)

[4:39] Humble beginnings at a Holiday Inn: what Jess taught Randy about being "a more conservative liver"

[5:59] How Randy's six-month training program became a three-day orientation

[7:10] 7 Habits: the book Randy and Jess read that inspired "Start with the end in mind"

[10:31] Buying banks and starting up new ones: Richmond, Lexington, Somerset, and Nicholasville

[12:27] How closed Savings and Loans became Randy and Jess' great opportunity

[13:03] How, after years of studying and practicing finance, Randy found himself attending "a study to learn about money"

Welcome back to the River Foundation Podcast! In this episode, Dan visits President of Colson Center for Christian Worldview, John Stonestreet, in his home in Colorado to hear John's thoughts on the relationship between the Christian worldview and modern-day culture. John shares not only the story behind how the Colson Center began but what the River Foundation is doing to support and help further their ministry. You won't want to miss what John has to say about cultivating a Christian worldview amidst a constantly changing culture!

Episode Highlights

0:30 Welcome to Monument, Colorado, home of John Stonestreet, President of Colson Center for Christian Worldview

0:57 How John, after growing up in a church that rejected culture, came to know the good in understanding other people's worldviews

1:51 From presidents to prison: who was Chuck Colson? The relationship that John is calling one of the greatest honors of his life

4:17 "Why can California build and fill a prison faster than I can start a Bible study in one?" The question that led Colson to start Prison Fellowship (and to challenge the church's relationship with culture)

5:30 What happened in John's life following Chuck Colson's passing (and what the River Foundation is doing to help steward Chuck's legacy today)

7:02 Why Worldview's relationship with the River Foundation is so important to John

10:09 The two ways you can personally join in the conversation between truth and culture through Worldview

11:11 The book Dan and John really think you should read (and how it'll inspire you to discover your own unique chapter)

13:33 The three most important things to remember in the midst of a changing culture

Resources

• Summit Ministries
• Colson Center for Christian Worldview
• Book: How Now Shall We Live
• Book: Mere Christianity
• Book: Restoring All Things
• Podcast: Breakpoint Radio
• Prison Fellowship