4/1/26 - 2140: The Voices of SWC 2026 Podcast Row

Jim: This is iWork4Him.

Martha: Where faith meets work and believers unleash their calling.

Jim: You know what happens when you get a whole bunch of podcasts together in one Zoom room? We're about to find out.

Coming up on April 22nd through the 24th is the US Christian Chamber Spiritual World Citizens 2026 Expo. If you're a believer in the marketplace, you need to be there. It's in Orlando and all the details will be in the show notes or on the website. swc2026.com.

One of the really cool features of the expo will be the Podcast Row, where four other podcasters will be capturing the stories of those in attendance to share with their audiences. Since Martha and I'll be MCing that event, we won't be joining all of our new friends on Podcast Row, so we thought we could bring them here to introduce them all to you, our audience, and to talk about the upcoming three day Marketplace worship event being held in Orlando, Florida - all because of the US Christian Chamber of Commerce.

Scott, Joey, Kurt, Kristen. Oh, we didn't have Kurt. We got Kristen, not Kurt. Scott and Mike. Joey. We got 'em all.

Martha: Got 'em all. (chuckling)

Jim: Welcome to iWork4Him.

Kristen Luidhardt: Woohoo. We're here.

Scott Warren: Good to be here. Can you hear me?

Jim: Oh, we can hear, Scott. Fantastic. All right. We're gonna do this in a really quick round robin fashion, so just be patient with a bit. But we're gonna start ladies first. Kristen, I want you to answer these questions. Which part of the country are you from, tell us your Jesus story, and how did, what does it look like for you to connect your faith and work on a daily basis? Go.

Kristen Luidhardt: I am hailing from Greenwood, Indiana, is just south of Indianapolis. So the great Midwest. My Jesus story, I grew up in church and I was blessed to have a family surrounded with faith. And it really shifted for me when I went to college. I went to Indiana Wesleyan University and they taught a foreign thing to me, which was having a biblical worldview so that you could think about how your faith applies to all of life. And that really served me.

I got active in politics but then I started thinking that I could do everything on my own. And so my Jesus story really is about when I learned to surrender and recognize that it wasn't up to my own power, my own will, everything, including motherhood, and just learning to trust in him.

And so that has really been the difference and the shift for me and then how I live out faith in the workplace. Again, the whole reason I wanted to get involved in politics - and we had an agency, we've worked in every state except for Hawaii - was that I thought that was how I was gonna make my impact on the world.

And so what's amazing about that is that now after doing politics for almost 20 years, we're now helping businesses and brands connect with other values aligned people, which is just really exciting.

Jim: Yeah. I wish I'd known you like five weeks ago, six weeks ago, when we started running for mayor right here in our small town.

Kristen Luidhardt: I heard about that, by the way, and I'm excited to chit chat about that later.

Jim: Oh yeah, absolutely. Mike, age before beauty, or age after beauty? Maybe that's what it is. (chuckling) Tell us which part of the country you from, what's your Jesus story? What's it look like for you to connect your faith in your work on a daily basis?

Mike Gilland: I too am from Indiana, originally from Evansville, Indiana. Another Hoosier. Moved down to Orlando in 85. My Jesus story is I grew up in a church. I was saved when I was 10. And I thought I was gonna be a school teacher and went to college to do that. Ended up not liking the whole process in my freshman year, they had a class that was aimed to root out people who were not gonna waste four years of college, only to find out that they didn't like teaching in the public school system.

That served me, and my teacher of a speech class was a program director at a TV station. He was an adjunct professor and he pulled me aside one day and said, I think you're not happy. And he was right. And so I was a believer and I was a little different than a lot of his other students because of my faith.

I'd grown up again with faith in Jesus. And this guy was a believer too. And he caught onto that and he poured into me and I made the move from teaching to broadcasting and went into radio with his help, this guy's help, ultimately ended up moving to television. I was a weather guy at his station, which was really cool.

And then I was called into ministry and that was a shock to me. And I left broadcasting in 83 and went full-time into ministry for 36 years. And during those years I continued to do broadcasting for a fun hobby and extra income and so forth, and retired from full-time ministry in 2019. And to my great surprise was offered this position where I am now.

Jim: Now, Mike, normally I would argue with somebody like you when you said you left your work and you went in to full-time ministry. We don't have enough time today, but for the audience, we all know what to say to Mike, don't we? He was in the ministry in TV broadcasting, went into the ministry, apparently, probably within the four walls of a church and then is now in the ministry doing radio broadcasting.

He never left the ministry, because he's in ministry everywhere he goes. And our audience knows that. But Mike, I wanted to help you out so that you're languaging, you can always speak truth into people that no matter where we're at, it's our mission field. We are on our, it's our assigned full-time place of ministry.

Mike Gilland: I should have said full-time ministry.

Martha: For most people, it's really just being paid by a nonprofit versus a for-profit. So Joey, we're gonna go around to you now. So tell us where you are in the country and your Jesus story, and then what does it look like for you to connect your faith in your work?

Joey Ruffalo: Yeah, so I am in what's considered God's country, east Tennessee, Knoxville.

Martha: Oh, there you go.

Joey Ruffalo: Not born and raised here. I was born and raised in New Jersey. Lived in California for about 25 years before relocating here about four years ago.

Martha: Coast to coast.

Joey Ruffalo: Yes. Traveled around a bit. My story's a little different. I grew up in the Catholic church. Wasn't really the type of person that went every Sunday, still finding trouble to get up on Sunday. Apologize. I know I'm in the right place, but

Jim: there's no judgment zone here.

Joey Ruffalo: I know. We ran a small business. We were always entrepreneurs. I had a small business when I was about 23 up until about a few years ago. We were making a lot of money, and in the 2007 financial crisis, we lost a lot of it and ended up in about $370,000 in debt, where we were broke. It was mostly me. I was broke, desperate, stupid, and dumb. And didn't really know a way out.

And I came to the realization that, I didn't own it all. I was just a steward of it. And so that mindset shift for me, led me down the path to financial planning and getting out of debt. Took us about two and a half years to get outta debt, working hard. Got into financial planning and then in that process, got into financial coaching. Do behavioral finance coaching and small business coaching, helping people connect their why with money and helping them grow their businesses using the principles of stewardship and things like that.

Martha: Wow. I'm gonna interrupt you right here because we could dive so deep with each one of you, and that's why I love that we're introducing you to our audience so that they can do that deep dive because there's so much that each one of you have already said that is so intriguing. But Joey, why don't you tell me then, how now are you connecting your faith in your work?

Joey Ruffalo: So with my podcast and the radio show that I'm doing, I interview a lot of people in small business, leadership community and connected with a faith-based undertone. So how I'm connecting my work with faith is basically I'm just starting my journey. So I am interviewing people that are already way further along than I am, and I'm learning from them along that process. So that's how I'm connecting myself is I'm just along for the ride. Teach me as I'm going every episode.

Martha: That's fabulous. What a great posture to have. Okay, Scott, we're gonna go to you. We've had some technical difficulties. We love that you're in the room with all of us. Thank you. We're gonna just a rapid fire answer to where you are in the country. What is your Jesus story and how are you currently connecting your faith to your work?

Scott Warren: Yeah. I've lived all over. I've spent 29 years in sports and entertainment, running arenas and performing arts centers throughout the US and Canada. I moved here to the Windermere, Florida area. I'm in the Orlando area. Now, I moved here from Canada about six years ago, maybe seven years ago now.

Jim: Bougie Orlando is what the rest of us call that. Bougie Orlando. (laughing)

Scott Warren: Something like that. Correct.

Martha: Love it.

Scott Warren: Guilty as charged, but nonetheless... so I didn't, unlike some of the guests here, I didn't grow up in the church. In fact, I wanted nothing to do with the church. I had no problems with Jesus and God, big fans of them, but just didn't care for the followers all that much.

And so I stayed away from the church for a very long time. In fact, I've only been saved, so to speak, for 12 years. I'm now 58. And so it hasn't been that long. And I actually started out, it was my executive assistant who was a worship leader that she worked for me and she kept inviting me to church, and I wanted no part of it.

No thank you. No thank you. Time after time. No thank you. How about our church picnic? Yep. Still, no. Finally, there was a Christmas production that she was gonna be singing in, and I had never heard her sing, and so I wanted to hear her sing. So we went to the, my family and I, my wife, my son was six, my daughter was nine at the time, we went to hear her sing. And we, at the end of the service, as the pastor does every head bowed, every eye closed, if you wanna know this Jesus we've been talking about, on the count of three, raise your hand. On the count of three, my wife and I looked straight ahead, not really interested.

My 6-year-old son put his hand up in the air, and it changed our lives. We've never been the same. And that was a moment for us that changed everything and we've never left the church since. And october of 2020, I released a book called Preach Where You Reach about how I brought my faith to the workplace, not a "how to," more of a "how I," as an encouragement, and released that in October of 2020.

Three years later, the Holy Spirit said it's time, which meant it was time to do the podcast that I had been putting off for so long. And I pride myself on being bold and obedient. And so that meant, ugh, I gotta do it. And getting ready to enter the fourth year of the Preach Where Your Reach podcast.

Jim: All right. We're gonna get into the details of other podcasts, and again, we're talking to four podcasters will be on Podcast Row at the US Christian Chamber biannual event in Orlando, Florida, coming up April 22nd to 24th at the - it used to be the, it's right near SeaWorld.

Martha: Yes.

Jim: It's at the DoubleTree.

Martha: Has a new name.

Jim: It has a new name.

Martha: All that's in the website.

Jim: You don't need to worry about, it's swc2026.com. But I gotta figure out where we're supposed to park.

Martha: Yeah. We'll figure that out. (chuckling)

Jim: As founding members of the US Christian Chamber of Commerce, we find that the values and goals of iWork4Him align perfectly with those of the US Christian Chamber. With that in mind, the US Christian Chamber of Commerce spiritual World Citizens Expo, coming up in just a few weeks, April 22nd to 24th, we would love to invite you to get registered right now and join us in Orlando for an immersive three day experience where Christian leaders unite to break barriers, build bold businesses, and advance the kingdom.

Martha and I are MCs once again, and we can't wait to see you in Orlando. Register using the code iWork4Him for 20% off of your ticket. swc2026.com. All right. Now, more round robin, but faster 'cause the three of you radio people - none of you hit one minute. Not even close. All right. (laughter)

Martha: No pressure.

Jim: Your podcast name. Why did you start? What's the focus of your podcast content, and who are you looking to interview at the US Christian Chamber of Commerce event? Scott, start with you. We just heard why you started the podcast. Your podcast name, Preach Where You Reach. What's the focus of your podcast, and who you're looking to talk to at the upcoming event?

Scott Warren: The goal really is to encourage, equip, and inspire marketplace apostles so that they can bring their faith into the workplace. And so I talk to everyone from CEOs, athletes, could be a barista at Starbucks, doesn't matter. If it is a Christian person in the marketplace, we have a conversation and our conversations typically are based on their testimony initially and then how they incorporate their Christian faith in the work that they do.

Jim: Very good.

Scott Warren: Whatever that looks like. It could be overtly or it could be something that is simple as embodying the characteristics and qualities of Christ.

Jim: And who are we looking to connect with at the US Christian Chamber event?

Scott Warren: Everyone. I wanna say hello to everyone. There's no one in particular. I'm just excited about the event. Looking forward to seeing everyone there.

Jim: Fabulous. Make sure look up Scott Warren, Preach Where You Reach, down in Podcast Row. Joey Ruffalo.

Joey Ruffalo: Yes, sir.

Jim: Go.

Joey Ruffalo: Yes. We host the Prosperity Lounge. Prosperity Lounge helps people grow financially, personally, and professionally using practical real world strategies. Help people take control of their money, provide business growth strategies, develop leadership and mindset, practical world tools, and create a space for transformation.

Part of our bigger mission tied with our free community space and basically came about because I was doing financial coaching, business coaching and this and that, and it was, I was all over the place, so I needed one central hub for everybody to find me. And the Prosperity Lounge was born. And it's, like I said, it's a free community space and I'm looking to connect with anybody that can help me grow.

Jim: Nice.

Joey Ruffalo: I do the show for me, I tell my guests.

Martha: That's fabulous.

Joey Ruffalo: In the process, my audience learns a little bit, but I do the show for me and I need to grow. I need to be the dumbest guy in the room, so help me grow.

Martha: And you got a front row seat for that, so that's awesome.

Kristen, tell us about you and the, again, remind everybody, Liberty Spenders is the name of your podcast, right?

Kristen Luidhardt: It is.

Martha: Fabulous. Go for it, the purpose and who you wanna meet with.

Kristen Luidhardt: Yeah, so we started the podcast, it was all about how to access a $5 trillion market of consumers who want to buy from businesses and brands that share their values, folks. So we're encouraging business owners to live boldly to understand their convictions and how to use that to market their business. We're using everything we've learned from political marketing, raising over $600 million for our clients. And so the people we're looking to talk at the conference, we have just learned there's so much about access and relationships, just like our faith.

And so we are looking to talk to bold leaders who are in growth mode who have something to share. Either it's about their faith and how God has been faithful to them in their business, but also share some tidbits about growing their business and strategies that they've used. Because for us it's all about relationships and proximity. And for me, I like to say you're only one relationship away from that breakthrough that God has for you in your business.

Martha: Very cool. So good last to you, Mike.

Mike Gilland: The name of the show is the Mike Gilland Show podcast.

Jim: Very creative.

Mike Gilland: It's really very creative. I know. (laughter) For a long time it was Afternoons with Mike, but my company encouraged me to rebrand it last year and so that's what we do. I've interviewed people from politicians, entertainers, actors, musicians, and business people, anyone. The idea with my program has always been we look at life through the lens of a biblical worldview. And everyone has a story. And when I'm at this particular event, I'm just looking for people to talk to, to hear their story because they have a story.

And it's, as you said, we are all called to be competent ministers of the gospel. And everyone that's there is going to have an angle that someone else can be encouraged by, and that's what we hope our show does.

Martha: That's fabulous. So all of these guys are looking for meeting everyone who attends the expo, so we're so excited about that.

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Jim: Okay. Kristen. Because you're on Podcast Row and we're assuming that all of you have made that deep dive to become a member of the US Christian Chamber, because that's why you're at the US Christian Chamber Expo coming up. Why did you - what attracted you to the US Christian Chamber?

Kristen Luidhardt: Honestly, we just talked to Krystal and it was outstanding. We had her on our show. But for me, I think, again, going back to relationships and proximity, we wanna be surrounded by other business leaders who have shared values, who are putting faith front and center and are trying to grow to have that great kingdom impact. And being a member and being at that event serves that purpose.

Martha: So good. Alright, Joey, to you, what attracts you to the US Christian Chamber of Commerce?

Joey Ruffalo: I'm gonna disrupt the apple cart here a little bit. I am not a member, as of right now.

Martha: We'll work on that. That's okay.

Joey Ruffalo: I will be soon, how about that? Just attracting, being around like-minded people, like I said, I like to be consider myself sometimes like the dumbest guy in the room when I, that's who I wanna surround myself with, that I could come with business acumen or faith or whatever.

So just surrounding myself with people that know a little bit more about things than I do that help me grow. And just, I'm tired of the crowds I was in that I wasn't, that it wasn't working. And I need to lean into this a little bit. So I figure this is a great place to be.

Jim: Your mind is going to be blown, Joey Ruffalo, because this event is unbelievable. The last one in 2024, unlike any marketplace focused event you've ever been involved in.

Scott Warren, Preach Where You Reach. Let's talk about this. Have you become a member of the US Christian Chamber yet?

Scott Warren: Yes. I'm part of the chamber and I had Krystal on the podcast at one point. And just being surrounded by and walking alongside those that are really just living out their faith in the marketplace, I want to be with those people that are passionate about their faith and passionate about not hiding their faith in the marketplace. And the US Christian Chamber of Commerce is exactly that place that you need to be if that's you, if you've got that same heart, that same alignment, that's where you need to be.

Martha: And Mike, to you finally, what's your attraction to the US Christian Chamber?

Mike Gilland: I met Krystal at our central Florida Christian Chamber, and then she became the president. She was one of my early guests on this program. And of course, it's just been such where we connected here locally with our radio station. We produce the Shepherd at Work, which is Krystal's, her program, her podcast. And it's not only on the air, but it's also in podcast form. So I've just been privileged to be a part of it from the beginning, was at the very first one of these back in the COVID days that she put on.

And she defied a lot of other activities and that were not having anything, and it was pretty exciting to see that take place back several years ago in the COVID years. So we're looking forward to it. I'm honored to be able to produce her show.

Martha: That's fabulous. So thanks for each of you for sharing that. And I hope that more than anything it's intriguing our listeners to lean in to click on the website link to go check out the event for themselves and to learn more about the US Christian Chamber of Commerce. All of you guys, I'm gonna, put you on the spot here.

If you've looked at the schedule, if you've read the emails about what's gonna be happening at the expo, if you have scoured the website for it - one thing the US Christian Chamber does really well is communicate. And so I would like for each of you to share a highlight of something that you are excited about experiencing at the expo at the end of April.

Joey, start with you. Do you have anything spotted yet that you're like, oh, I can't wait for this part of the event?

Joey Ruffalo: You caught me. I'm looking it up on my phone right now. (chuckling)

Martha: We'll give you a minute, Kristen. How about you?

Kristen Luidhardt: There's a number of great speakers, but again, for me, everything comes back to relationships being in the right room. Proximity is power. And so I know I'm gonna learn from a number of people. And so I've got, I'm excited for all the workshops, et cetera, whatever I can get done while also trying to do recording duties. But for me, it's who, the people I'm gonna meet, build relationships with, build trust, and those are the people that I'm gonna be building our businesses alongside and helping each other.

And that, again, the larger kingdom impact, i'm just thrilled to be part of it.

Jim: Mike, what are you looking forward to most?

Mike Gilland: First of all, just getting to talk to people on Podcast Row, this is gonna be something new and different where the emphasis is on those that are involved with the podcast. But there are other guests that are always there that I, so I've met over the years. I'm hoping it still works out that my friend Brandon West from Gainesville will be there. And this guy, his message is unreal. It's unbelievable. So I'm looking forward to that.

Jim: Yeah. From PHOS creative, right?

Mike Gilland: Yes. PHOS Creative.

Jim: Yep. That's right. Scott, what about you? What are you looking forward to most?

Scott Warren: Same, Brandon is an amazing guest as well, have had him on the show. For me it's a, it's about connecting with people, not only the people that are on this call right now, which I'm looking forward to, but also all of those people that have, as Mike said, they've got a story.

Everyone has this story, and so I'm looking forward to connecting with some folks that are willing to be vulnerable, open up their heart, talk about their own testimony and then also let us in on how they incorporate their faith in the work that they do.

Martha: Yeah.

Joey Ruffalo: But also looking forward to some of the labs that are happening. So all kinds of things. Always great to hear the speakers and hear a fresh perspective as well.

Martha: Definitely. Alright, Joey, do you see anything? You scope anything out?

Joey Ruffalo: Yes. I remember now. It's definitely, Scott definitely triggered the lab part. So it's the two labs that I'm gonna be attending is the AI Innovation Lab. I'm definitely looking forward to that one. And then the Kingdom currency lab, in that money space. I'm definitely looking forward to the lab stuff.

Jim: What about you, Martha?

Martha: I have some huge highlights that I wanna say, and a couple of them are the fact that this is not an event to pick and choose, and to attend and go away and not take part in all of it. This is an event you wanna be there when it opens during the ribbon cutting and stay till the end and participate in as much as you can, but also allow yourself the time to meet new people, to chat across from what are gonna be good cookies this year, Jim. For those who have followed us over the years, a couple years ago, the gluten-free were not that big of a highlight, so we're looking forward to great food at the hotel, great conversation, great community and also realizing that everyone in the room is really, if you come with a posture like Joey, where you wanna learn where you want to be influenced by what the Holy Spirit is going to do, then you'll be in the right place.

How about you, Jim? Finish it up.

Jim: I am excited about the economic breakouts. I'm really excited to just hear some kingdom perspective on it. I play in that world a lot, but more than anything, I'm looking forward to meeting every one of you listening and the four of you that are here on our podcast today. The relationships are fun and it's great to go and be encouraged.

It's gonna be sad. I'm already not looking forward to the 25th of April when we all leave because it is gonna be an incredible event and we invite everybody listening today, get signed up today. I'll guarantee you, but not your money back, 'cause we can't give you the money back, that this will be an event that will rock your world. You'll have a perspective on Jesus in the marketplace that you never ever had before. And you will see the act, the practical application of living out your faith no matter what your job is, in a way that you've never seen it before. And so we invite you to come.

Kristen Luidhardt, Mike Gilland. Joey Ruffalo, and Scott Warren, thank you so much for being on iWork4Him today. Thanks for sharing in a rapid fashion. Some of you are a little slower, honestly, than we should have. (laughter) Thank you all for being with us today on iWork4Him. We look forward to meeting each one of you face to face. Thanks for taking time today.

Kristen Luidhardt: Thanks, Jim and Martha, for the leadership and inviting us.

Jim: You bet. You bet.

Mike Gilland: Yes. Thank you so much.

Scott Warren: Thank you.

Jim: You've been listening to iWork4Him with your hosts, Jim and Martha Brangenberg. We're Christ followers, and our workplace, it's our mission field, but ultimately iWork4Him.