The #1 thing destroying wealthy/successful Christians (w/ John Bevere)
SeedTime with Bob and Linda Lotich
Release Date: 09/13/2025
SeedTime with Bob and Linda Lotich
Is our money system actually working against faithful stewardship? In this episode, Bob and Linda tackle a conversation almost no one in the church is having—but one every Christian steward needs to understand. Bob opens with a shocking reality: $100 in 1971 now buys about $12 worth of stuff. Same number. Far less value. So what happened? From there, the conversation zooms out to explore inflation, fiat currency, and why Scripture repeatedly condemns unequal weights and measures. Is our modern money system quietly violating biblical principles—and if so, what...
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When money is tight, a budget can feel like punishment. Like proof you messed up… or worse, proof your faith is weak. But what if that’s backwards? In this episode, Bob and Linda flip the script and show why a budget isn’t evidence of failure—it’s evidence of faith in action. Drawing from Scripture, psychology, and real-life stories, they unpack why budgeting is actually a weapon God gives us in seasons of financial pressure. If you’ve ever thought, “If God would just fix this, why do I need a spreadsheet?”—this conversation is for you. ...
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Get Your Spirit Back: Breaking Free from the Lies Holding You Back - with Pastor Earl McClellan What if the biggest thing holding you back isn’t your circumstances… but the lies you’ve believed about yourself? In this powerful, deeply honest conversation, Bob & Linda sit down with Pastor Earl McClellan, lead pastor of Shoreline City Church and author of Get Your Spirit Back, to talk about negative self-talk, fear, calling, identity, and what it really looks like to walk by faith when you’re scared. This isn’t a hype-up, “just believe harder”...
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A viral clip claims something shocking: any pastor who gets paid by a church will eventually be corrupted by money. It’s a bold accusation — and honestly, harder to dismiss than you might think. In this episode, Bob and Linda watch the clip, slow it down, and wrestle with the real tension underneath the claim. Is the modern church system broken? Does money inevitably compromise spiritual leadership? Or is this another example of painting faithful people with too broad a brush? This conversation isn’t defensive or dismissive. It’s thoughtful, biblical,...
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What if obedience doesn’t lead to the breakthrough you expected? Andy and Serena Ryan did “the right things.” They took a biblical money course. They committed to tithing. They tried to steward their finances faithfully. And then everything fell apart. They lost income. Fell behind on rent. Needed food pantries and church assistance. And eventually—after months of praying for a miracle—they packed up their family and moved into an RV in someone else’s backyard. This episode isn’t a prosperity story. It’s a surrender story. In one of the most...
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Most Christians agree that materialism is bad… but few of us have ever connected the clutter in our garages to the condition of our hearts. In this episode, Bob sits down with Joshua Becker (author of Uncluttered Faith and founder of BecomingMinimalist.com) to explore a provocative idea: what if consumerism isn’t just a money issue—but a spiritual one? Joshua makes the case that the things we own—and the things we want—may be quietly choking out our fruitfulness, distracting us from God’s best, and stealing time, energy, and joy we didn’t realize we were...
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Is God Warning Us About AI? The Biblical Case for Preparing Now! Before every major disruption in Scripture—famine, flood, exile—God warned His people first. Those who listened didn’t just survive… they thrived. So what if we’re living in one of those moments right now? In this episode, Bob and Linda wrestle with a question many Christians are quietly asking: What does the rise of AI mean for our work, our finances, and our faith—and how should God’s people respond? This isn’t fear-based. It’s faith-filled preparation. From Joseph...
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What if wealth isn’t about luck, connections, or hustle—but about how you think? In today’s episode, we unpack a fascinating story of a 17-year-old dishwasher who spent a decade working inside a high-end country club alongside ultra-wealthy members. What he learned completely dismantled common assumptions about rich people—and surprisingly, many of his lessons line up directly with Scripture. Bob and Linda walk through 7 mindset shifts that separate people who grow wealth from those who stay stuck, and why renewing your mind around money may be the most biblical...
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In this episode, Bob and Linda unpack spiritual habits found in Scripture that quietly shape financial outcomes—habits that have nothing to do with spreadsheets or hustle culture, but everything to do with becoming the kind of person money can be trusted with. These aren’t the usual “Christian money tips.” They’re deeper. And once you see them, you can’t unsee them. 🔑 What You’ll Learn in This Episode Bob and Linda walk through 7 overlooked spiritual disciplines that directly affect how we earn, spend, save, and steward money: Why...
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Spiritual abuse around money almost made us stop giving altogether. We’ve seen manipulation from the pulpit. We’ve witnessed leaders mishandle funds. We’ve felt the tension between honoring God and distrusting institutions. And yet… we still tithe. In this episode, Bob and Linda have an honest, nuanced conversation about why they chose not to let other people’s failures steal something God wanted to use for their freedom. This is not a legalistic defense of tithing. It’s a heart-level conversation about obedience, trust, healing, and...
info_outlinePride is sneaky.
It hides behind our success. It masks itself as “spiritual maturity.” It even whispers, “Look at how humble you are.”
And if we’re not careful, pride will be the very thing that takes us out.
In this episode, Linda and I unpack a conversation with John Bevere that completely reframed how I see wealth, success, and following Jesus. We dive into the #1 thing that’s quietly destroying successful Christians — and why humility isn’t just a virtue, it’s survival.
Here’s what we cover:
- Why King Uzziah’s downfall in the Old Testament still matters for every Christian leader today.
- How pride and religion work together to blind us spiritually.
- The surprising way the Apostle Paul grew more humble the more successful he became.
- My personal story of making more money than ever in 2015 — and how pride almost derailed me.
- 3 red flags that tell you success might be leading you away from God instead of toward Him.
- The one prayer I now pray regularly to keep my heart in check as we pursue wealth for kingdom impact.
If you’ve ever asked yourself: How do I grow in success without letting pride creep in? …this episode will shake you up in the best way possible.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- John Bevere – Author, speaker, co-founder of Messenger International → http://messengerinternational.org
- Conversation with Lecrae + John Bevere (referenced in this episode) → https://www.youtube.com/@johnbevere
- The Bible – Isaiah 6, 2 Chronicles 26, Philippians 2–3, Matthew 5:16
- Andy Stanley’s "Communicating for a Change" (referenced framework for clarity) → https://amzn.to/3BzOLgS
- Quote: “You can’t serve God and money. But you can serve God with money.”
- Bob’s teaching on Mission-Driven Millionaires → https://seedtime.com
👉Whether you’re already leading at a high level or just beginning your wealth-building journey, this episode is a sober reminder: success without humility is a setup for destruction.
Watch this episode on our SeedTime Money Podcast YouTube channel (https://youtu.be/5QB0l85R-CE)!
BONUS: Ever dreamt of hanging out with us for 6 weeks in your small group or church? Head to https://seedtime.com/true for details or shoot us a DM on Instagram (http://instagram.com/seedtime).
If you haven’t checked out our best-selling book Simple Money, Rich Life (https://seedtime.com/smrl/), we think you’ll love it. It was named the 2022 Book of the Year by ICFH and has over 1,000 5-star reviews on Amazon, and is best described as “a money book for people who don’t read money books.”
You can take it for a test drive for FREE at https://SeedTime.com/sample where you can download chapter 1 of the audiobook, grab the 1st 2 chapters of the ebook version, and even get the 5-week book study companion guide.