Episode 382 - Why Every Entrepreneur Gets Generosity Wrong | John Cortines

Host Justin Forman sits down with John Cortines, author, generosity advocate, and a leader at the Maclellan Foundation, to unpack the heart transformation at the core of every faith-driven entrepreneur's relationship with money. Recorded at the Kingdom Advisors conference, this conversation begins in a Harvard Business School Bible study and ends with a vision for professionally managed giving funds that could rival the mutual fund industry in scale.

John traces his journey from a young oil-and-gas professional whose online banking password was literally "retire@40!" to a husband, father of six, homesteader, and passionate advocate for Kingdom generosity. Drawing from his two books, God and Money and True Riches, John shares both the practical mechanics and the deep heart work required to move from asking "How much do I need to give?" to "How much do I really need to keep?"

Key Topics:

• The wrong question most Christians ask about money, and the reframe that changes everything
• Why giving felt like a spreadsheet cell working against retirement, until joy broke through
• Financial finish lines: setting lifestyle and net worth guardrails before wealth arrives
• The four heart conditions around money (pride, coveting, anxiety, and indifference) and their gospel antidotes
• Why King Nebuchadnezzar and King David are the ultimate contrast study for entrepreneurs
• How collaborative, professionally managed giving funds could become as common as index funds
• Practical first steps for busy entrepreneurs ready to go on the generosity offensive

Notable Quotes:

“The right question isn’t how much do I need to give, it’s how much do I really need to keep?” — John Cortines

“All things come from you and of your own have we given you.” — John Cortines (quoting King David, 1 Chronicles 29)

“By definition, giving is actually a source of joy and freedom and purpose in the Christian walk.” — John Cortines

 

Guest Background:

John Cortines is the co-author of God and Money (2016) and True Riches, books exploring biblical stewardship and the heart transformation behind generous living. A Harvard Business School graduate, John began his career in oil and gas at Chevron before pursuing a calling to equip Christian business leaders with a theology and practice of generosity. Today he helps lead generosity and giving strategy at the Maclellan Foundation, which opens its global grant-making engine to families deploying resources worldwide. John and his wife Megan live on 12 acres in East Tennessee with their six children, where they homeschool, homestead, and raise everything from egg-laying hens to Thanksgiving turkeys.