00:00:00 Thanks for joining us on episode 730, one of the inspired stewardship podcast. I'm Jared Williams with biblical wealth solutions. I challenge you to invest in yourself, invest in others, develop your influence and impact the world by using your time, your talent and your treasures to live out your calling, having the ability to invest without compromising your Christian values is key.
00:00:23 And one way to be inspired to do that is to listen to this, the inspired stewardship podcast with my friend, Scott Mader. Currently, I feel like I've been given a mission to revolutionize Christian personal finance. So I hope I look back and see that there has been a significant mindset shift in our financial goals and how we go about achieving them as,
00:00:52 as Christians, both from a stewardship and impact standpoint. And even as a, you know, protecting our wealth and avoiding losses and how we go about doing it from that regard. Welcome. And thank you for joining us on the inspired stewardship podcasts. If you truly desire to become the person who God wants you to be, then you must learn to use your time,
00:01:14 your talent and your treasures for your true calling in the inspired stewardship podcast, you will learn to invest in yourself, invest in others and develop your influence so that you can impact the world Today's interview. With Jared Williams, we talk with you about some of the most important principles you need to understand, to make an impact on the world. Jared and I saw also talk about equipping the church to make an impact.
00:01:46 And Jared shares a little bit about his legacy and what's next for him on this journey. One reason I like to bring you great interviews. Like the one you're going to hear today is because of the power in learning from others. Another great way to learn from others is through reading books. But if you're like most people today, you find it hard to find the time to sit down and read.
00:02:09 And that's why today's podcast is brought to you by audible, go to inspired stewardship.com/audible to sign up and you can get a 30 day free trial. There's over 180,000 titles to choose from. And instead of reading, you can listen your way to learn from some of the greatest minds out there. That's inspired stewardship.com/audible to get your free trial and listen to great books the same way you're listening to this podcast.
00:02:42 Jared Williams is on a mission to revolutionize Christian personal finance. And for those of you that have been listening for a while, you know, that's right up my alley, Jared began a Christian financial advisory firm called biblical wealth solutions where he and his help families achieve financial freedom. But here's the neat part using biblical and non wall street investments so that they could have freedom to do what God has uniquely called them to do.
00:03:12 Jared also hosts a great podcast called the biblical wealth podcast, and he started the building biblical families podcast as well. Two great shows that I'll have links to, and that you can check out in the show notes. Most importantly, of course, Jared and his wife homeschooled their three children and enjoy reading great books together as a family. Welcome to the show,
00:03:33 Jared, Thanks, Scott. I'm glad to be here. If someone really wants to make a dent in the universe, they want to make an impact on the world. What are some of the top resources or principles or ideas that you think people need to focus on? I think that if you're trying to do something big, you know, really make a dance,
00:03:53 have a, have a large impact that you, you have to start by developing a big and clear vision. I feel like that is, that is first. That's been the approach that I've taken it. And what I think has been most helpful at getting me focused on the actions necessary to achieve a big vision. It was getting clear on at first.
00:04:12 So, you know, prayerfully consider, you know, what the biggest vision you can imagine, you know, is of, of whatever it is you're trying to accomplish, whatever, you know, the mission, the impact you're trying to make is, you know, because we have to go about achieving a big vision much differently than we would achieving a small vision.
00:04:27 And so if we go ahead and get clear on the big vision, you're going to start taking the right actions necessary to, you know, to bring the big vision about, whereas you can, you know, achieve a small vision, but you have to completely overhaul it to make it bigger. Oftentimes, so that'd be the first, I think the,
00:04:43 the, the second one for me would be to, you know, to have impact with service or impact by service. You know, we talked about that some in one of our previous episodes, you know, of, of the Christian way of doing things and talking about what Jesus did and what the apostles did and how they were. So service-minded. So,
00:05:01 you know, I think whether you're trying to impact the world through something, you know, for-profit, or not-for-profit either way we have to consider know how they can serve others through whatever the calling is. So an example from my business, you know, I'm, I'm obviously trying to serve my clients at biblical wealth solutions, but it's also been really important to me that I can serve other advisors as well.
00:05:23 You know, over, over the years, I'm matched many really good advisors who loved, you know, the families they worked with really cared about them. They were great at what they did, but they really weren't very good at the sales and marketing piece of it. And that is an important piece. Like it's just a part of it. And,
00:05:39 and so, you know, I was, it was part of my vision. I, you know, I guess I should say from the outset of, of biblical wealth solutions to, you know, build something that would get beyond me where I couldn't do it all myself and I would need to bring in other advisors and, you know, I can serve them and their families giving them,
00:05:58 you know, regular introductions to families that they can serve. So, so as an example there, and lastly, you know, we've touched a little bit on this as well. And I think last week's episode talking about the ebook and the graphic designer, but, you know, partnering with others, you know, we're all good and bad at different things.
00:06:13 And so to do anything big, to make a dent in the universe, you're going to have to have more than one person, you know, to, to, to work on that, unless you're Jesus. And then he still, he still, Yeah. And he even had other people around him. He didn't need them, he chose them, but we certainly need others.
00:06:35 So partnering with others would be my last, you know, principal or, or, or piece of advice for making a big impact. That's that, you know, th you can have success all by yourself, but to reach significance, you have to have others is John Maxwell, one of my mentors that that's actually how he puts it. And I like that idea of,
00:06:54 you know, yeah, you might be able to achieve success all by yourself, but I don't know that success is really the measure that as Christians, we should be aiming for rather than significance. And, you know, that's a suddenly different thing, but it is a very different thing when you think about how it plays out in the real world. So speaking of,
00:07:12 kind of Christians and the church, what are some things that we can do? You know, let's assume that somebody is going down this path, they've got the biblical wealth there. You know, whether it's they've achieved financial independence or they're on that way, how can we use an equip the church to use their God-given talents, to the highest of their abilities,
00:07:36 you know, to bring about glory, to impact the world, to build the kingdom here on earth, whatever way you want to phrase it, you know, what are some of the ways that we can help equip the church to do this? I honestly think that is through just the normal things that we're supposed to do as a church through gathering for worship and teaching and preaching,
00:07:57 certainly through prayer, through discipling others and, and, you know, being really intentional in developing relationships. I think those are the ways that we equip the church, you know, through parents, you know, their parenting, being a parent, being a grandparent and really, you know, pouring into our kids and, and helping prepare them for that ability.
00:08:18 And, and then I think in addition to that is, is well casting a vision for how we can do that and what we can do. So, you know, a couple of weeks ago, I think we were, you know, a previous episode, we were talking about the, the gift of GoFundMe that my church does. And we, we named those five areas that they are seeking to impact and to put,
00:08:39 you know, money, to use some put, you know, time and human capital to use. And so I think just making those things available or, you know, and, and helping raise awareness about, you know, the needs of the unreached, you know, the lack of, you know, translated in certain parts of the world that the needs of the vulnerable,
00:08:57 the places that are even in America that are largely unchurched. And so raising that awareness can help, you know, ignite passion and certain people to go and do that work. So you mentioned, we're obviously able to do that more once we've achieved financial freedom, but that's not the end, you know, that's just a, a good spot to be,
00:09:17 you know, to help us be able to then do more. So, yeah, I that's how I would answer that question. Right. And I think I, you know, again, to the, to the point and, and that even there is a process, not an event in terms of, you know, different points of your journey, you're going to do different things.
00:09:37 You know, my, my wife and I are the parent of a 17 year old senior in high school, who's about to graduate. What we're focused on is going to be different than some friends of ours that are in church that have two very young children. That's not a right or wrong, good or bad. It's just, we're going to be focused on different things.
00:09:57 And that's okay. You know, and yet we're both parents. So even within that group of, you know, parenting, that's a journey, whether it's, you know, prayer, that's going to be a journey for the church as well. I think one of the things that, that the COVID-19 pandemic that, you know, we're, we're recording this while that's still going on,
00:10:19 has pointed it out to churches, is that some of the ways that we previously did things are going to have to adapt and change as well with, with, with the do with new times and new places. And so if you're talented in that area, I would encourage you to, to help your church on that journey as well, because it's not something that that's going to come easier,
00:10:43 B simple for churches to, to deal with and adapt to, you know, and then, and again, I'm not saying the church is going to go away and we're not going to worship together on Sunday morning or, you know, gathering people's households for, for fellowship. I, that's not my point, but, but there's still going to be a new component to it that,
00:10:59 that things have changed for, for some people in some places. Because as an example, if somebody is in a vulnerable state, they may not be able to come to church. Well, how do we reach them and provide services for them because, and that's not new, but I think it's brought some attention to it that wasn't there before. So now for the easy questions,
00:11:20 I always save these easy ones for the end of the first episode, he says, sarcastically, if you could travel into the far future, 150 200 years, let's say, and you looked back on your life, what impact do you hope that you've had on the world? Goodness, I don't know that I've thought about 150 200 years from now do 50.
00:11:42 If you want 15, I can. Do you know what, it'd be fun to think about one 50, 200 years from now. Well, I hope that my impact is on the lives of my wife and children. I mean, just, just being honest, you know, that that's a small number compared to other other things, but that's obviously who I feel most first call to.
00:12:05 You know, I hope that as I continue in my relationship with Jesus, that, that they will do the same and the continue growing in theirs, you know, currently I feel like I've been given a mission to revolutionize Christian personal finance. So I hope I look back and see that there has been a significant mindset shift in our financial goals and how we go about achieving them,
00:12:25 you know, as, as Christians, both from a stewardship and impact standpoint, and even as a, you know, protecting our wealth and avoiding losses and how we go about doing it. And from that regard, I also think that it'll be really exciting to look back and, you know, be able to see what the families that we're serving today,
00:12:44 you know, have done through their investments, you know, with, from an impact standpoint and even more so, you know, what they will do with their freedom of time, you know, what it looks like when they've reached financial freedom and what they choose to do again, with all that God has entrusted to them. So I don't know that I will get to know all of that.
00:13:02 And certainly, you know, there's, there's even a step beyond financial freedom when we talk about, you know, legacy and, you know, generational wealth and impact and things of that nature. I'm certain that I won't get to see at least on earth, you know, what that looks like and what the ripple effect of that may be. But I hope that it's large.
00:13:20 I mean, I hope that God uses, you know, this work that he's given me to do to, to just bring about tremendous, you know, blessing for others and, and glory for him. And I wonder sometimes if we will get to see, you know, some of the fruit that we can't see, you know, here we, we should have plenty of time.
00:13:37 I don't know why we couldn't. So w we'll see. Well, and, and again, that's, I think that's on the list of questions to ask. Right. You know, I don't know about you, but I keep a list because, you know, there's a lot of things I'm like, I don't understand this. So I'm going to have to ask at some point when given the chance,
00:13:54 you know, I, I, again, I think being a wealth advisor, in some ways I can make it akin to, you know, one of the former careers I had where I was a school teacher. And, you know, there were many times that I didn't know, and won't ever probably know the impact that something I said or did in the classroom had on a particular student,
00:14:13 because that doesn't come to fruition until five, 10, 15 years down the road. And, you know, they've moved on and had a life and I've moved on and had a life. It's not, you know, we're not in touch anymore. How, how would they even tell even if they wanted to? And I would imagine that, you know,
00:14:29 even though you continue to work with people that doesn't necessarily mean, you know, you see all of those ripples, like you said, that go out beyond even just the initial, initial, helping, and initial working with people. So in that ways, it's kinda more like a teacher than it is a, you know, I guess a doctor where you kind of get some immediate feedback,
00:14:50 oftentimes know their leg was broken now their legs set. You know, I kinda know I did my job, you know, that's a little tangible, so what's coming up next for you, as you continue on the journey to living your call and impacting the world, what are some, some things that you're working on right now? Well, we've, we've mentioned the,
00:15:09 the second podcast and the, you know, the intro to this episode. So that's very early phase. I'm currently recur recording, sorry. I'm currently recording conversations for the second podcast that we'll be releasing soon. You know, it's also for Christian families, but more broadly focused on really highlighting ordinary people who God is using to do extraordinary things, you know,
00:15:32 for the kingdom. So, so it's just getting started, but it's been a lot of fun so far. So that's kind of the, the big project at this point. Obviously getting the ebook out and, you know, letting people read through that. So it, it is, it is out in its final version, which is exciting. It took longer than I hoped,
00:15:49 which everything does always does. You know? And, and after that, you know, only God knows I do not know what all he has in store for me or my family and the business. You can find out more about jared@biblicalwealthsolutions.com. You can shoot him an email if you've got questions or other resources@helloatbiblicalwealthsolutions.com or set up a call to get more information on his company.
00:16:20 And working with him, I'll have a link to that over in the show notes to setting up that discovery call and as well, Jared's offered that ebook that we talked about available to all buy stories, and I'll have a link to that, but it's at biblical wealth solutions.com inspired stewardship with Scott Mader, and that should be available. And again, I'll have a link in my notes to that as well.
00:16:46 So, Jared, is there anything else you'd like to share with the listener, Scott? I appreciate everything you're doing through inspiring stewardship and for giving me the opportunity to talk with you and with your audience, you know, as Scott saying, for anyone who wants to learn more about, you know, what I'm doing, I would encourage you to download ebook,
00:17:02 you know, and, or check out the biblical wealth pocket. Thanks so much for listening to the inspired stewardship podcast, as a subscriber and listener, we challenge you to not just sit back and passively, listen, but act on what you've heard and find a way to live your calling. If you enjoyed this episode, please, please do us a favor.
00:17:36 Go over to inspired stewardship.com/itunes rate. All one word iTunes rate. It'll take you through how to leave a rating and review and how to make sure you're subscribed to the podcast so that you can get every episode as it comes out in your feed until next time, invest your time, your talent and your treasures develop your influence and impact.