Libsyn Directory

Jim Towey | Founder of Aging with Dignity | Serving the Poor and Powerless with Faith and Grace

Release Date: 08/06/2025

Mark Batterson | Pastor of National Community Church and Bestselling Author | The Power of “Gradually, Then Suddenly” in Faith, Leadership, and Life

The Wow Factor

Mark Batterson is the lead pastor of in Washington, D.C., and a prolific bestselling author known for his ability to blend faith, leadership, and personal growth into practical, lived-out wisdom. With more than two decades of writing and nearly 30 years of pastoral leadership, Mark has built a legacy centered on long obedience, bold vision, and unwavering trust in God’s timing. In this episode, he joins Brad to unpack the core idea behind his latest message: “gradually, then suddenly.” Brad and Mark explore the tension between patience and ambition, and why most meaningful growth...

Josh Block | CEO of Block Imaging and Author of People Matter at Work | Building Cultures Where Team Members Thrive and Everyone Wins

The Wow Factor

Josh Block is the longtime leader of , a global healthcare equipment company known for its distinctive people-first culture and multigenerational family leadership. After unexpectedly stepping into the president’s role at just 29 years old, Josh spent the next decade and a half guiding the organization’s growth from a $30 million business into a thriving enterprise of over 425 team members. In this episode, he joins Brad to share insights from his new book, , a practical framework for helping leaders create cultures where team members feel safe, seen, and successful, and where the...

Dr. Emerson Eggerichs | Author & Speaker | Light Bulb Moments in Marriage and the Path Back to Love and Respect

The Wow Factor

Dr. Emerson Eggerichs is a longtime marriage teacher, speaker, and author, that has helped couples for decades. A former senior pastor at Trinity Church in East Lansing, Michigan, Emerson’s work blends pastoral experience, biblical study, and real-world marriage dynamics into practical tools couples can use immediately. In this episode, he joins Brad for his third visit to this time to talk about his newest book, , a collection of insights and stories designed to bring clarity when couples feel stuck, distant, or worn down by years of misunderstanding. Brad and Emerson dig into why...

David McDonald | Owner of Escalante Golf | Entrepreneurship, Stewardship, and Building a Golf Culture Rooted in Service

The Wow Factor

David McDonald is the owner of and a third-generation car dealer originally from Roswell, New Mexico, raised in the Denver area. A former college tennis player at the University of Oklahoma, David carries deep work ethic values shaped by family, faith, and decades of business leadership. Today, he leads Escalante Golf with a long-term stewardship mindset, building private clubs and experiences that prioritize customer service, culture, and community. Brad sits down with David to explore how Escalante Golf was born out of a simple observation: golfers, especially young golfers, weren’t...

Dick Stricklen: Owner of Motor City Auto | Focusing on Company Culture Rather Than Profits

The Wow Factor

Dick Stricklen is the owner of Motor City Auto Center in Bakersfield, CA, a sprawling campus which includes a Buick/GMC dealership, a Lexus dealership, and a large used car & truck operation. Dick’s team devote themselves to helping and serving their customers and providing staff with the opportunity to develop their skills and interests. Dick took over the GMC dealership at the age of 19 after his father’s death and since then has followed his passion for building authentic relationships with team members and clients alike. Dick joins me on the show today to share how he started in...

Gracie Formsma | Co-Founder of Love Gives & Storyteller for Generous Family | Calling, Vulnerability, and a Lifestyle Brand Rooted in John 3:16

The Wow Factor

Gracie Formsma is a college student at Samford University, co-founder of , a hat brand in the ecosystem. She’s also the daughter of The Wow Factor host, Brad Formsma. Originally from Michigan, Gracie moved with her family to California about a decade ago, growing up in a home shaped by faith, generosity, and the gritty reality of launching the nonprofit I Like Giving and its Generous Family initiative. Today, she brings her marketing eye, creative direction, and heart for discipleship to Love Gives, a lifestyle brand built around the simple but profound truth of John 3:16. Brad sits...

Ron Blue | Founder of Kingdom Advisors & Pioneering Christian Financial Planner | Calling, Generosity, and God’s Perspective on Money

The Wow Factor

is a pioneering Christian financial planner, longtime CPA, and founder of the firms and ministries that helped shape today’s faith-based financial movement. After growing up in Indiana, studying at Indiana University, and working for KPMG in New York, Dallas, and San Francisco, Ron returned home to start his own CPA firm in 1970. That firm would grow into one of the top 50 accounting firms in the country, and later, Ron would go on to launch a fee-based financial planning firm for Christians, work closely with Campus Crusade (Cru), and help birth and related initiatives that now...

Sandra Teplinsky | Former Attorney & Author of Why Still Care About Israel | Scripture, Antisemitism, and God’s Heart for Israel

The Wow Factor

is an American-Israeli Messianic Jew, former attorney, and author based in Jerusalem. Raised on the South Side of Chicago, Sandra experienced antisemitism early in life—an upbringing that shaped both her faith journey and her long-term focus on helping the church understand Israel through a biblical lens. Through decades of study and ministry, she has written and updated to address common theological misconceptions, church-history blind spots, and the interpretive frameworks that still shape how many Christians think about Israel today. In this episode of The Wow Factor, Brad sits...

Jordan Raynor | Author, Entrepreneur & Executive Chairman at Threshold 360 | Why Your Work Matters for Eternity

The Wow Factor

is a bestselling author, serial entrepreneur, and the Executive Chairman of , a venture-backed tech company. A sixth-generation Tampa native, Jordan has built and exited multiple startups, served in the political arena, and now devotes his life to helping Christians connect the gospel to their everyday work. Through his books, podcasts, and speaking, Jordan’s mission is to equip believers to see their daily tasks, whether in tech, teaching, or making coffee as sacred and significant. In this rich and thought-provoking episode of The Wow Factor, Brad sits down with Jordan to explore the...

Matt McPherson | Founder of Mathews Archery & McPherson Guitars | Building a Business That Funds the Kingdom

The Wow Factor

Matt McPherson is an inventor, entrepreneur, and passionate follower of Jesus Christ whose companies have reshaped two industries, archery and high-end guitar manufacturing. As the founder of , one of the most respected names in hunting and bow technology, and , known for their unique design and pristine tone, Matt has spent decades building world-class products from the woods of Sparta, Wisconsin. But his bigger mission? Funding global ministry and sharing the Gospel with clarity and creativity. In this milestone 300th episode of The Wow Factor, Brad reconnects with his longtime friend...

More Episodes

Jim Towey is the former lawyer for Mother Teresa and the founder of Aging with Dignity, a nonprofit based in Falls Church, Virginia. He is the creator of the widely used Five Wishes advance directive. His story is as unique as it is powerful—marked by a journey from Capitol Hill to Calcutta, from chasing influence in Washington to walking alongside Mother Teresa and advocating for those society often forgets. As a former lawyer to Mother Teresa, White House staffer, and spiritual seeker, Jim has seen the best and worst of power, and ultimately chose a path of service, faith, and purpose.

In this episode of The Wow Factor, Brad sits down with Jim for a moving conversation about transformation—from a young man caught up in ambition and worldly success to a servant of the poor and advocate for dignified end-of-life care. Jim opens up about his early struggles, his encounters with the allure of political power, and the life-altering moment he met Mother Teresa. Through that relationship, Jim discovered a deeper faith and a calling to live a life not for himself, but for others. The conversation explores themes of spiritual poverty, humility, leadership, and what it truly means to be prepared for both life and death.

“I learned that a life not lived for others is not worth living.” – Jim Towey

“Mother Teresa saw Jesus in his distressing disguise of the poor.” – Jim Towey

“She used to say that If you're too busy to pray, you're too busy.” – Jim Towey

This Week on The Wow Factor:

Jim’s early years in Jacksonville, Florida, and how basketball, ambition, and family challenges shaped his character
The emotional spiral after achieving “success” on Capitol Hill—and how it left him feeling empty and morally lost
His first encounter with Mother Teresa and the moment that changed everything at her Home for the Dying
What it means to move from “gathering” to “giving,” and how Mother Teresa invited him into a life of self-sacrifice
Why even Mother Teresa needed a lawyer—and how Jim helped her open AIDS homes, fend off fraud, and navigate immigration issues
The spiritual darkness Mother Teresa experienced and what it taught Jim about faith, suffering, and perseverance
Jim’s creation of Five Wishes and how it helps millions of families plan for end-of-life care with dignity, clarity, and compassion
Why acknowledging mortality and spiritual legacy is one of the most generous things you can do for loved ones

Jim Towey’s Word of Wisdom:

Look at what you have—and be grateful. Gratitude is a choice. You can focus on what you’re missing, or you can give thanks for the opportunities you've been given to enrich the lives of others. Leaders are led, and the greatest leaders live with humility and gratitude at the center.

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