Faith Driven Investor

Episode 213 - Seeds vs. Silos: A Sneak Peek of the 2026 FDI Conference

Join hosts Henry Kaestner, Justin Forman, and Luke Roush as they preview the upcoming 2026 Faith Driven Investor Conference, exploring the transformative theme "Seeds vs. Silos" and what it means for how we steward capital in service of God's kingdom.Key Investment Topics:Understanding the J-curve of investing and why seed capital requires patience before bearing fruitThe convergence of giving, investing, and building into unified asset allocation focused on missionFirst-loss capital strategies: How philanthropic capital can unlock larger investment tranchesThe urgency of African investment: Addressing 80% of the world's poor by 2030 through market-driven solutionsRedefining risk from an eternal perspective rather than purely financial metricsPowerful Quotes:"We're planting these seeds and the seeds are planted in the ground and they go down. And with the J-curve, all of a sudden it's underground, it doesn't look like it's great, and then it comes back up someplace further away, far enough away from where you planted it so that maybe you don't even get credit for it." - Henry Kaestner"It's not a failure of the system, usually, in terms of people using the platform God's given them. It's usually a failure of nerve." - Luke Roush"The tragedy is when you go into some of these dark places, tragically we find that darkness is more coordinated than the church." - Justin FormanEpisode Description:Six years into the Faith Driven Investor Conference journey, the movement has reached an inflection point. What began as storming and forming is now transforming into coordinated action as investors, advisors, and fund managers converge around a unified mission: solving the world's greatest problems under God's power for His glory.This preview episode unpacks the conference theme "Seeds vs. Silos," challenging investors to move beyond accumulation mindsets (the barns and silos of our age) toward scattering seeds that grow underground before bearing fruit in unexpected places. Henry, Justin, and Luke explore how the J-curve of investing mirrors spiritual growth—requiring faith during the valley period when capital is deployed but results aren't yet visible.The conversation addresses critical shifts in the faith-driven investing ecosystem: the three-sided marketplace now including river guide advisors, the convergence of philanthropic and investment capital into unified asset allocation maps, and real-world examples of first-loss capital unlocking larger investment opportunities in emerging markets. With top-quartile performers now visible across virtually every asset class—from multifamily real estate to African venture funds—the movement has matured beyond feel-good stories to demonstrable excellence because of, not despite, biblical values. The hosts issue a clarion call for urgent action in Africa, where 80% of the world's poor will live by 2030, and challenge investors to rethink risk from an eternal perspective rather than merely financial metrics.

Episode 212 - How The Chosen Went From $0 to 520 Million Viewers | Chris & Chad

Behind The Chosen: Faith, Film, and the Fight for CultureJoin host John Coleman on the set of The Chosen in Midlothian, Texas, for an unprecedented conversation with producers Chris Juen and Chad Gundersen of Out of Order Studios. From the Sanhedrin throne room itself, Chris and Chad share the untold story of how a crowdfunded Jesus project became a global phenomenon reaching 520 million people—and what it means for faith-driven investors seeking to impact culture through entertainment.Key Investment & Industry Topics:Why entertainment investment requires a platform approach, not one-off project betsHow The Chosen scaled from $0 budget for episode 5 to a multi-season global franchiseThe three investment pillars for cultural impact: spark the next generation, build infrastructure, create contentWhy investors should think like oil drillers: invest in a slate of 10 films, not just oneThe unpredictable nature of entertainment returns and how to approach risk wiselyBuilding production companies that operate between $1M-$150M budgets with studio-level qualityPowerful Quotes:"I'm tired of crappy Christian content. God doesn't want your crap. He calls us to be excellent." - Chad Gundersen"Christians yielded culture, then got mad when culture went bad. Fine, it's risky, but is it worth the risk?" - Chris Juen"Platforms, not projects. How do you get around the most excellent people in the industry who have a slate of content and invest in that diversified platform?" - John ColemanAbout the Guests:Chris Juen and Chad Gundersen are the co-founders of Out of Order Studios and executive producers of The Chosen, the largest crowdfunded media project in history. Chris brings 20 years of studio experience from major productions including Contact, Spider-Man, and Polar Express, while Chad contributed 20 years of independent filmmaking expertise. Together, they've pioneered a hybrid production model that delivers studio-quality content at independent budgets—proving that faith-driven content can compete at the highest levels of entertainment while maintaining both artistic excellence and fiscal responsibility.Their production philosophy centers on creating environments where cast and crew are valued, where believers and non-believers alike can experience the gospel through excellent storytelling, and where investors can participate in cultural transformation through strategic, well-managed capital deployment.

Episode 211 - Marks on the Market: 2025 Year in Review: Markets, AI, and the Faith Driven Movement

Join FDI hosts Richard Cunningham, John Coleman, and Luke Roush, along with Justin Forman of Faith Driven Movements, as they recap an extraordinary year in markets and ministry. Recording just before Thanksgiving, this special year-end episode explores the key economic trends that shaped 2025 and the remarkable growth of the faith-driven investing ecosystem.Key Investment Topics Discussed:US economic resilience despite tariff concerns and employment volatilityThe AI revolution and its impact on mega-cap valuations and energy demandsContinued illiquidity in private markets and the wait for distributionsHousing affordability crisis and growing wealth inequality concernsInterest rate environment returning to historical norms after post-GFC anomalyPowerful Insights:"Bible sales are up 41% this year. There's this real sense that younger people in particular have realized that they need some sort of purpose and meaning that they're lacking.""We're in this how moment. People generally understand that their work matters. They know that their capital can make a difference. But they're questioning, well, how do we do it?""If we lost everything tomorrow, doesn't matter. We know that the most important thing we have is Jesus."This episode provides essential perspective for faith-driven investors navigating uncertainty while maintaining eternal focus. From the maturity of faith-driven investment strategies across asset classes to the intersection of affordability challenges and Kingdom opportunities, this conversation equips investors to approach 2026 with wisdom, hope, and missional clarity.

Episode 210 - Why African Female Founders Return 2.5X More Revenue | Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes

Join Justin Forman in Lagos, Nigeria for an inspiring conversation with Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes, founder and Managing Partner of Arura Capital. Adesuwa shares her journey from J.P. Morgan to building the first female-led private equity fund in Nigeria focused on female-founded, female-led, and female-focused businesses across Africa.Key Topics:Why Africa has the highest rate of female entrepreneurship globally (4x more than Europe) yet women receive only 2% of capitalHow Arura Capital's $20M Fund One delivered top-quartile returns above global benchmarks while creating 205,000 jobs and $150M in value chain revenueThe $150 billion capital gap facing African SMEs and the arbitrage opportunity in overlooked foundersDigital transformation as Africa's leapfrog strategy - from embedded finance to B2B commerce platforms serving 150,000 retailersWhy now is the best time to invest in Nigeria despite (and because of) recent policy reformsPowerful Quotes:"To live life where it's only about you is a very, very boring life, I think. You really wanna be able to showcase legacy. You really want to be able to showcase how has it impacted that woman who would have never had access to capital if we didn't show up.""Female founders actually generate more revenue than their male counterpart. For every dollar invested in a startup, a female founder returns 2.5 times more revenue than her male counterpart.""If you're an investor that's allocating capital, you can no longer afford to ignore or avoid the African continent, because this is really where the growth in the next 30 to 50 years is gonna come from."About Adesuwa: Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes is the founder and Managing Partner of Arura Capital, a pioneering private equity fund investing in female-founded, female-led, and female-focused businesses across Africa. After a successful career at J.P. Morgan, she launched Arura in July 2019 to address the massive funding gap facing female entrepreneurs on the continent. Her Fund One raised $20M and has delivered top-quartile returns while creating measurable social impact across Nigeria, Ghana, and Côte d'Ivoire. Adesuwa was the first woman in Nigeria to raise over $10M for a private equity fund and is passionate about using capital redemptively to transform lives across Africa's value chains. 

Episode 209 - Marks on the Market: How God Is Moving Through Faith-Driven General Partners Across the Private Markets

Join hosts Richard Cunningham and Luke Roush alongside special guests Andrew Behrman and Jonathan Carvalho Pruna of Sovereign’s Capital for FDI’s November Marks on the Market episode. With over 130 general partners from across private equity, venture capital, real estate, and private credit in attendance, this episode captures the heart of a movement where faith and capital are converging for Kingdom impact.Key Topics:How faith-driven GPs are creating operational value in the current higher-for-longer rate environmentSpiritual integration practices: broad-based employee ownership and workplace chaplaincyThe explosive growth of secondary markets addressing liquidity needsPrivate market trends across healthcare, education, and other sectorsBuilding cultures that serve employees, investors, and Kingdom purposesNotable Quotes:"If not us, who? If not now, when? The Lord has given each of us an opportunity to be impactful in the spheres where he has us operating." - Luke Roush"You got to step into a space and create real value with the operations of the company that you're partnering with, or you're just not going to be an outperformer in private equity venture capital for much longer." - Andrew Behrman"I would just challenge folks to really land into the ways that they can love on their investment teams and their portfolio companies." - Jonathan Carvalho PrunaEpisode Description:More than 130 faith-driven fund managers gathered at Wheaton College for the 3rd Annual Faith Driven Investor Fund Manager Gathering, representing a movement that spans venture capital, private equity, real estate, and private credit. This episode takes you inside that catalytic gathering, where vulnerability, operational excellence, and spiritual integration practices took center stage.Richard Cunningham leads a conversation with Luke Roush (Managing Partner, Sovereign's Capital), Andrew Behrman, and Jonathan Carvalho Pruna from Sovereign's fund-to-funds team. Together, they unpack key themes from the gathering: how operational value creation is becoming the primary driver of private equity returns in today's rate environment, why secondary markets are experiencing explosive growth, and how faith-driven managers are pioneering spiritual integration through broad-based employee ownership and workplace chaplaincy programs.The episode features insights from panels covering healthcare and education investing, secondary markets, real estate strategies, and founder care in venture capital. Hear how Riverside Value Fund is rolling out employee ownership across portfolio companies, how Brinley Fire Services employees are living out faith-driven culture through chaplaincy, and why the democratization of private markets is creating new opportunities for Kingdom-minded capital allocators.Whether you're a fund manager seeking community, an LP evaluating faith-driven strategies, or an investor curious about integrating faith and finance, this episode offers a compelling vision for how God is moving through the private markets.