By Rich Sanders
Jason Becker is the epitome of a Christian Capitalist. From small business owner to pastor of a church, to host of a podcast that has become a YouTube sensation, he brings God into his work every day.
Jason, his wife Danielle, and their three children moved to the Emerald Coast nearly ten years ago from metro Atlanta. As they settled into the SOWAL Life, they could tell that things were different here. Managing a diverse portfolio including real estate, equities and venture capital is enough to keep most business people fully occupied. “I love to find great entrepreneurs with great ideas,” Jason says. For the Beckers, though, the “freedom that comes with entrepreneurship” allowed them to try something new and different.
Like most fathers of teenage children, Jason noticed the tendency of his kids to ignore or downplay the advice that he gave them. Unlike most dads, he would follow his child’s eye roll or shrug with a simple rhetorical question: “Here’s my advice, but what the hell do I know?” Jason turned this cynical comeback into a podcast focusing on real-life issues that now has nearly 30,000 subscribers on YouTube!
The path to successful podcaster wasn’t linear, however, as Danielle and Jason worked tirelessly in her family’s sanitation business near Atlanta for over a decade before the opportunity to sell it arose. As they dramatically grew that business, they worked to bring their faith into day-to-day operations. Jason notes that prayer and faith in the workplace allowed him to lead with “kindness, consideration, and deliberation”, resulting in programs like taking Christmas presents to families in need.
Like selling the business, the opportunity to work in ministry was unplanned. The Beckers attended a large church half an hour south of Atlanta. With time on his hands, Jason was focused on real estate investment and playing golf. When he started to notice all the people in need around him, though, “Jesus broke my golf game!” Jason took on greater roles in his church, then led the effort to plant a church in downtown Atlanta. As Jason negotiated with the potential landlord for their church location, he told Jason, “There’s just one problem: I hate churches!” The landlord rented the space to Jason anyway. Jason knew he was in the right place and successfully led that ministry’s location for nearly five years.
Today, Jason uses his podcast to continue to spread the Good News. His guest to open Season Three of What the Hell Do I Know? is Meaghan Hampton, who shares lessons on how to biblically parent @soulcareforfamilies, challenging old norms like “spare the rod, spoil the child”.
Jason recently appeared on the Christian Capitalist podcast, and you can listen to the entire episode on SOWAL Life’s website. We are excited to share inspirational stories of hard work and generous giving to the poor and needy in the name of Jesus Christ, like Jason and Danielle Becker!
Rich Sanders is a pastor, small business owner, retired healthcare attorney and adjunct professor at Emory University, and former intelligence officer in the U.S. Navy. He and his wife, Rebekah, met at church in 1996, have been blessed with three children (James, William and Caroline) and live in Destin with their large golden retriever, Cowboy.
