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Jimmy Mellado | President & CEO of Compassion International | Becoming Before Doing

Release Date: 09/10/2025

Father Robert J. Spitzer, S.J. | President of the Magis Center | Christ vs. Satan in Our Daily Lives | Part 1

The Wow Factor

Father Robert J. Spitzer, S.J., is a Jesuit priest, philosopher, educator, author, and the President of the . Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, he went on to study at Gonzaga University, the Gregorian University in Rome, and the Catholic University of America, where he earned a PhD in philosophy. He later served as President of Gonzaga University, where he became known for blending academic excellence with faith formation. Today, Father Spitzer leads the Magis Center, which produces resources on the intersection of faith, science, and reason, and he continues to write and speak...

Jimmy Mellado | President & CEO of Compassion International | Becoming Before Doing

The Wow Factor

Jimmy Mellado leads , a global, church-driven ministry serving children in poverty across 29 countries. Born in El Salvador (full name: Santiago “Jimmy” Mellado), he grew up across Latin America and Asia, ran decathlon at SMU, and later represented El Salvador in the 1988 Seoul Olympics. His life and leadership are anchored in faith, family, and a deep conviction that true impact starts with who we’re becoming—then flows into what we do. In this episode, Brad sits down with Jimmy at Compassion’s global ministry center in Colorado Springs for a candid conversation about identity,...

Ricky Dickson | Former President & CEO of Blue Bell Creameries | One Scoop at a Time

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is the former President and CEO of , one of America’s most beloved ice cream brands. After 43 years with the company, Ricky's leadership legacy is steeped in faith, humility, and an unwavering commitment to people and product integrity. From a young territory manager trying to conquer a new market to leading the company through one of its biggest crises, Ricky’s story is a testament to servant leadership and doing business the right way—one scoop at a time. In this episode, Brad sits down with Ricky for a rich and honest conversation about faith, leadership, crisis, and of course… ice...

Ari Sacher | Israeli Missile Defense Expert | Faith, Innovation, and Life Under the Dome

The Wow Factor

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The Wow Factor

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The Wow Factor

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The Wow Factor

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The Wow Factor

Today we honor Dr. John Rooney, formerly the President of Rooney and Associates, Inc. John provided strategic guidance and innovative solutions to numerous organizations over the years. John's expertise in strategic planning, business development, and organizational management earned him a reputation as a trusted advisor in the business community. John was also actively involved in philanthropic efforts and remained dedicated to helping organizations thrive in an ever-changing global marketplace until his passing on April 7, 2025. This week on The Wow Factor, we honor Dr. John Rooney, who...

More Episodes

Jimmy Mellado leads Compassion International, a global, church-driven ministry serving children in poverty across 29 countries. Born in El Salvador (full name: Santiago “Jimmy” Mellado), he grew up across Latin America and Asia, ran decathlon at SMU, and later represented El Salvador in the 1988 Seoul Olympics. His life and leadership are anchored in faith, family, and a deep conviction that true impact starts with who we’re becoming—then flows into what we do.

In this episode, Brad sits down with Jimmy at Compassion’s global ministry center in Colorado Springs for a candid conversation about identity, calling, technology, and the local church. Jimmy shares formative stories from his childhood and athletic journey, the moment he sensed a calling to serve the church after the Olympics, and the identity wake-up that led him to embrace his heritage.

He talks about following Wess Stafford as CEO, why Compassion is first a church-equipping child discipleship organization (sponsorship is the funding mechanism, not the identity), and how the ministry is modernizing—moving to the cloud, piloting secure, real-time communication, and using AI to protect children online. Along the way, Jimmy offers grounded wisdom on leadership burdens, character, and doing God’s work without sacrificing God’s work in you.

“Let’s not do God’s work in ways that hurt His work in us.” – Jimmy Mellado

“His yoke is easy and His burden is light—so if it’s heavy, who made it heavy?” – Jimmy Mellado

“Special gifts can take a leader places where the absence of character won’t let them stay.” – Jimmy Mellado

This Week on The Wow Factor:

Jimmy’s upbringing: born in El Salvador, moving 40+ times as his engineer father built infrastructure across the developing world
Early faith formation: parents as his “first pastors,” family as his first church while on the move
Track to the Olympics: SMU scholarship and competing for El Salvador at the 1988 Seoul Olympics
A calling in Seoul: witnessing church revival in South Korea and returning with a mission to serve the church
Identity moment: embracing “Santiago” and his Latino heritage after being told “you don’t count”—and how God used it to realign his calling
Friendship with Wess Stafford and the path to leading Compassion
What Compassion is: a church-equipping, child-discipleship ministry (sponsorship fuels the work but doesn’t define it)
The need right now: millions registered, hundreds of thousands awaiting sponsors—why the gap matters at the child level
Modernizing at scale: retiring custom code, moving to cloud platforms, and building for quality, security, and growth
Pilots in Peru and Ghana: secure, real-time communication among sponsors, children, and local church leaders
Safety by design: using AI to flag inappropriate content and grooming language to protect kids
A pastor’s six-hour drive in Togo to make the plea: “Let me thank our sponsors and tell the story of impact.”
Leadership and soul care: trading anxiety for gratitude, resisting the urge to carry what only God can carry
Being vs. doing: why who you’re becoming is the most important contribution you’ll ever make

Jimmy Mellado’s Word of Wisdom:

Become first, then do. Stay rooted in Christ, invite trusted voices to speak truth, and steward your assignment without making it heavy. The most enduring impact isn’t what you accomplish—it’s the person you’re becoming as you walk with God.

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