Ruslan: Culture Wars, Christian Calling, and Godly Ambition in a Confused Generation | JPP Ep 57

Summary

Jesus People Podcast Ep. 57 Summary

“Ruslan: Culture Wars, Christian Calling, and Godly Ambition in a Confused Generation”

Host: Ryan Miller
Guest: Ruslan
Release Date: February 3, 2026

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Main Theme / Purpose

This episode dives into the complex intersection of faith, culture, and calling as host Ryan Miller interviews Ruslan, a Christian cultural commentator, on engaging the “culture wars,” resisting both self-serving and defeatist attitudes in the church, and living out “godly ambition” in a distracted, confused generation. Ruslan shares his refugee story, reflects on trends in society and church, and gives practical advice for Christians—especially men—on how to integrate faith and purpose in the modern world without succumbing to victimhood, escapism, or shallow consumerism.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Church & Culture: Why Christians Should Engage (00:00 – 05:17, 13:29 – 14:43)

• Ruslan argues that Christians have retreated from key cultural spaces (arts, media, institutions), creating a vacuum filled by ideologies contrary to biblical values.
  • “When we ran from the arts, we ran from media, we ran from the institutions…we kind of got into this mess as a culture.” (00:00, Ruslan)
• Both left and right extremes are critiqued:
  • Left: Identity politics, Marxist categories of oppressor/oppressed.
  • Right: Rise of overt racism, “otherizing” language, antisemitic movements.
• The importance of engaging culture with biblical clarity and love—not caving to fear or isolationism.

2. The Nature of "Truth" and the Dangers of Relativism (03:48 – 07:00, 23:07 – 24:42)

• The hosts discuss the "commodification" and privatization of truth in culture.
  • “We’ve taken truth and we’ve commoditized it…Really what that is, is putting you at the center of the universe.” (23:10, Host)
• They stress that biblical worldview requires standing for truth while also avoiding dehumanization of those who disagree.

3. Restoring Christian Witness: Clarity and Kindness (16:30 – 17:49)

• Ruslan calls for clear communication of Christian convictions (marriage, gender, life issues) but without abusive language or attitudes.
  • “Clarity is kindness. Maybe we tell them the truth. We think marriage was designed for one man, one woman, for one lifetime…” (15:47, Ruslan)
• Importance of recognizing the “mission field” is made up of lost people—not enemies.

4. Personal Story: From Refugee to Commentator (06:17 – 12:05)

• Ruslan shares his background as an Armenian refugee from Baku, Azerbaijan, childhood trauma, his mother’s struggles, exposure to Western rap culture, early rebellion, and eventual conversion to Christ.
  • “My first concert ever…I had to have been no older than 8 or 9 years old, was to see the Chronic tour.” (08:14, Ruslan)
• Faith became practical through mentorship, Financial Peace University, and real-world discipleship beyond church attendance.

5. Christian Life Beyond Morality: Work, Manhood, and Sanctification (12:05 – 13:29)

• Ruslan rejects a shallow, rules-based Christianity and calls for holistic discipleship that addresses manhood, work ethic, and dealing with poverty/trauma.

6. The Algorithm’s Impact: TikTok, Polarization, and Rage Baiting (25:07 – 31:47)

• The rise of TikTok's “For You” page and similar features has supercharged virality and exposed people to polarized, fringe content.
• Both left and right silo their followers, and instant fame/attention is now a god, especially among youth.
  • “I like to believe that it’s not half the country. I’d like to believe that it’s a fringe…” (26:33, Ruslan)
• Social media’s algorithms reward outrage, clever vitriol, and division—not empathy or truth.

7. Challenges Facing Young Men: Failure to Launch (31:31 – 34:49)

• Alarming stats: In 1975, 50% of Americans 25-34 had hit “adulthood milestones” (job, marriage, kids, independence); in 2024, it’s less than 25%.
  • “Most men can’t even sustain themselves. Like, you can’t even provide for yourself, let alone provide for a family.” (39:56, Ruslan)
• Ruslan warns against the appeal of victimhood and “escapism” (anti-woman, anti-Semitic, etc.) being peddled to frustrated young men.

8. Victimhood & Responsibility: Cultural Parallels on Left and Right (34:14 – 36:40)

• Both progressive and reactionary politics offer young people a blame-shifting worldview.
  • “Victimhood is very easy to sell and consume because it tells you the reason for your problems is everyone out there.” (34:18, Ruslan)
• The answer isn’t resentment; it’s taking ownership, building up one’s own capacity to work and serve.

9. Living Out "Godly Ambition" (36:40 – 46:24)

• Ruslan introduces concepts from his new book, Godly Ambition.

  • Two types of “ambition” in the New Testament:
    1. Erithia (selfish, forbidden ambition)
    2. Philotimeomai (godly ambition: to aspire to loving, honorable activity)

• Paul’s instruction in 1 Thessalonians: Make it your ambition to “lead a quiet life, mind your own business, work with your hands…win the respect of outsiders.” (42:51, paraphrasing Paul)

• Success includes hard work, serving others, providing for family, and personal wholeness—not just public ministry.

  “There’s something to this idea of working with your own hands, minding your own business, not being dependent on other people. Those are the things that win the respect of outsiders…” (43:57, Ruslan)

10. Practical Steps and Parable of Calling (54:27 – 57:34)

• Find your “calling” by looking at what you can get paid for (vocation), what keeps you up at night (mission), where you have expertise, and your passion (“what are you willing to suffer for?”).
  • “What if passion isn’t just what you’re willing to pursue but actually what you’re willing to suffer for?” (55:16, Ruslan)
• True preparation means years in the “wilderness,” apprenticing, being behind the scenes, and learning skills before stepping forward.
  • “David was anointed decades before he was appointed…he was still faithful to what was in front of him.” (59:18, Ruslan)

11. Advice for Creators and Young Adults (50:08 – 54:27)

• Don’t fear being “too successful” or spiritualize poverty/lack as holiness.
• Most are not ready for visible, viral influence—start small, serve, develop skills, and if called, promotion will come in time.

12. Broad Application: Not Just for Creators (60:18 – end)

• Ruslan and Ryan clarify that “godly ambition” is for all: parents, workers, every Christian wanting to serve God practically—whether at home, in a trade, in business, or in creative industries.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Christians Leaving Culture:

  “When we ran from the arts, we ran from media, we ran from the institutions…that’s how we kind of got into this mess as a culture.”
  — Ruslan (00:00)

• On Dehumanization in Culture Wars:

  “The second you begin looking at another human being and otherizing them and...saying, you’re the enemy, you as a human being are the enemy, is the minute we become demonic in nature, because they’re not the enemy...They’re actually the mission field.”
  — Host (17:18)

• On "Your Truth":

  “We’ve taken truth and we’ve commoditized it…what that is, is putting you at the center of the universe.”
  — Host (23:10)

• On the Algorithm:

  “The algorithm is going to serve you up rage bait. It’s going to make you angry…”
  — Ruslan (26:38)

• On Godly Ambition:

  “You can pursue your goals and your visions and your dreams without losing your soul.”
  — Ruslan (38:31)

• On Success and Responsibility:

  “Baseline is already hard. Baseline: Provide for the needs of your family and your immediate family…Let’s just get you to provide for yourself first. Let's get you off the family plan…”
  — Ruslan (51:17)

• On Passion and Suffering:

  “What if passion isn’t just what you’re willing to pursue because you love it, but passion is actually about what you’re willing to suffer for?”
  — Ruslan (55:16)

• On Preparation for Purpose:

  “David was anointed decades before he was appointed. And while he was anointed, he was still faithful to what was in front of him.”
  — Ruslan (59:18)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Why Christians Must Engage Culture: 00:00, 13:29
• Armenian Refugee Story & Testimony: 06:17 – 12:05
• Critique of Selfish/Apathetic Christianity: 12:05 – 14:43
• Truth, Relativism, and Biblical Conviction: 23:07 – 24:42
• Social Media's Impact and the Rise of Rage Content: 25:07 – 31:47
• Men, Adulthood, and Victimhood: 31:31 – 34:49
• Defining Godly Ambition (Greek Words): 40:40 – 46:24
• Parable of the Visual Artist & Calling: 50:08 – 54:27
• Passion = Willingness to Suffer: 54:44 – 57:34
• Preparation, Wilderness, and Promotion: 57:30 – 59:18
• “Godly Ambition” Not Just for Influencers: 60:18 – end

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Final Thoughts & Applications

For Listeners:
Every Christian, not just pastors or influencers, is called to redeem and engage the world. Godly ambition isn’t selfish; it's a biblical calling to take responsibility for what God puts before you, develop practical skills, and serve with integrity—at home, work, or on the internet. The greatest witness is a consistent, compassionate, skillful life lived for the Lord in practical ways.

Next Steps:

• Check out Ruslan’s book, Godly Ambition.
• Consider practical steps to move from “hyper consumer” to “producer/contributor” in any sphere.
• Reflect on what you’re willing to work for and suffer for—including who you’re called to serve.
• Recognize your mission field—in your family, workplace, community.

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[Links Mentioned]

• Godly Ambition book and Audible version (see podcast show notes)
• Tour info and event sign-ups for Ruslan’s 2026 spring tour

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Memorable close:

“When you actually serve people, problem-solve other people’s issues…you end up building stability for your own life. If you solve other people’s issues and you consume yourself with being a blessing, you actually paradoxically position yourself to create the financial stability to be able to provide, to be able to be a blessing because you’re blessed.”
— Ruslan (45:59)

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Pray For

• Ruslan’s family (third child arriving Nov. 2026, smooth transition and delivery)
• Listeners to discover and step into their God-given design and ambition

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For more: Listen to the full episode for unscripted stories, practical wisdom, and biblical encouragement as the culture wars shift and God’s people rise up for their generation.

Transcript

[Ruslan]

Here's what's happening in society. Here's what's happening in culture. We actually need to engage in this and not run from it. Because when we ran from culture, when we ran from the arts, we ran from media, we ran from the institutions. That's how we kind of got into this mess as a culture. Amen. Is the Christians left or the worst? They were infighting so much to the point where now they're ostracized and everything's gotten fragmented. And so we wake up and we wonder why. Like, why are the institutions indoctrination camps for Marxism? So because we left. Yes, we checked out.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Amen. And why do you think we did? Guys, welcome to the Jesus People podcast. We have Ruslan on the podcast today. What an honor, man. Thanks for coming out.

[Ruslan]

Thanks for having me, man.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Dude, I moved to Texas from San Diego.

[Ruslan]

I heard. I heard about the church you went was at in San Diego. Called out.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

You know what's so funny is, like, that went. That went like crazy viral on as it should. And that was a while ago. But the narrative, because of how viral it went on X was like, they fired him because they brought in this woke youth pastor. And the Charlie Kirk thing is what fired. I'm like, dude, this was years ago.

[Ruslan]

How long ago was that?

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

This was like 2017, 2018. And so, yeah, the church was in RB, right? Yeah, yeah, it was a weird, weird deal, man. But it was. You know, what was so crazy about it? It was a slow drip. It was like a slow dissolving into this woke ideology. And. And when I would meet with the pastor, he was talking. He was. You know, what was the name of the theology he ascribed to Liberation theology was, I think, liberation. It was definitely liberation theology, but it was. I'm blanking on the word, but it was basically like that the scriptures continue to expand. It was like this expansion theology. And I was just like, guys, this seems real funky. Like this. This kind of feels like license to just make up whatever your truth is. And now they're hiring gay pastors, and they've got the pronouns. Dude, that was wild to me.

[Ruslan]

See, they privated their page after you called them out, I think.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Yeah, because. And. And, dude, I. I hate disunity in the church. So I spent a lot of time. I. I hit up a ton of wise counsel, a ton of people who knew the situation. And I just. And I called the pastor. I didn't share this online, but I called him before and I said, hey, man, like, I'm calling you to repentance here. And I've been saddened to see where the church has gone and I'd love to have a conversation with you and talk about it and call you to repentance and he never called me back.

[Ruslan]

Of course he didn't call you back.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Yeah, he didn't want to talk to me.

[Ruslan]

That's a bummer, man. Well, no, I think it's good you called it out. We reacted to it and I think that this.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Oh, you did?

[Ruslan]

You made a video about it? Yeah. I think it is way more pervasive than I think people imagine. The creep towards Marxism, the creep towards viewing the world and only oppressor, oppressed categories and, and, you know, group generalizations about people I think is extremely unhelpful. But it, but you're right. Probably started about 10 years ago.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Yes. Yeah, yeah, man.

[Ruslan]

Now, now I think it peaked, I want to say, in like 20. 20, 2021, during like the COVID era. And I think people are starting to slowly come back to like a normalcy on some of this stuff. Some people are overcorrecting the other direction.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Right, I agree with that.

[Ruslan]

Where you have some just flat out, like, I would call overt racism on the far right.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Oh, my gosh, the Nick Fuentes and stuff. It's awful.

[Ruslan]

Yeah. And the frustrating part is those guys don't want to talk. I've been trying to get Nick to have a conversation with me since 2022.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Oh, really?

[Ruslan]

And he doesn't want to talk. Right. So those folks, people that have, you know, ids. Have you heard ids? It's like a huge condition there. You haven't heard ids?

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

No.

[Ruslan]

Israel Derangement syndrome.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Okay, okay, okay, gotcha.

[Ruslan]

All roads lead to Israel and Israel is responsible for everything wrong in the world.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

But. And then on the other side of the coin, you can't. We can't question the government of Israel. It's like, wait, can we just be balanced here? Can we just. Can we just look at this from a biblical worldview and say it's not cool to say the things you're saying about black people right now. Like, that's, that's demonic in nature. And it's also demonic in nature just to constantly be attacking a foreign country or to be blindly supporting of, like, absolutely. Can we just be normal here? So I think that's what I've appreciated about your content, is you're really bringing the best biblical worldview, the framework that the Scriptures have outlined for us. Two practical things. My buddy from college, he loves you and he's been like, he'll like, send me your stuff. This is such a cool.

[Ruslan]

What's his name?

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Look at this. His name's Matt. Shout out, Matt.

[Ruslan]

Hey, Shout out to you, Matt. Thanks for sending my stuff, bro. Yeah, dude.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

So he's a fan, but I've watched your stuff for a while. The thing I love about you too is it's entertaining your take on the reaction videos and stuff.

[Ruslan]

So every now and then we have a fun crash out moment where I just, you know, let loose a little bit.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

You got to.

[Ruslan]

You got to.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Yeah. And I think two people don't realize that, like, we're people too. And it's like, we don't like micro dissect every word we say. So, like, there was a video I did the other day where I was speaking about a topic and honestly, I was responding to a lot of the people going after the trans community and they're the enemy and stuff. And I said, like, you know, they're children of God. And I just kept going with my video. What I meant saying there is they're made in the image of God. So then I had the other side being like, they're not children of God. And I'm just like, come on, guys, let's just, you know, can you just hear the heart of the message?

[Ruslan]

Yeah, absolutely. No, I think, I think there's a way to have these conversations with dignity and gentleness and leaning into bad ideologies and corrupt worldviews without dehumanizing people.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Well, the scriptures are clear. It's like, if you see your brother in sin, restore him with a spirit of meekness. So what is that? Meekness is not weakness. It's not being a man be Bambi personality type. It's not, it's not just like kind of disclaimer, the whole thing, like, well, you know, I love you. Like, you're going in, but you're not doing it to directly assault the person with your words. And that's what I think we're seeing on both sides of the equation. And so that's what I've appreciated about you is like, you're not shying away from the truth, but you're looking at some of these cultural ideals and some of these cultural events and saying, what do the scriptures. What does the biblical worldview have to say about that?

[Ruslan]

Yeah, absolutely.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

So, yeah, I'm curious, like, I don't know a ton of your story. I know you're a refugee from Baku, right? I'd love to hear a little bit about that. And I'd love to hear what motivated me. You kind of stepping into this space because you have, you really have a unique lane in the kingdom of God. That's super needed.

[Ruslan]

Well, thank you. I'm Armenian. Armenians have a really rich, deep history, especially with Christianity, one of the first Christian nations. There's always a argument. Was it Armenia? Was it Ethiopia?

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Wow.

[Ruslan]

We didn't have a written language until we created one for the, for the sake of the scriptures. Like to translate the scriptures. Yeah. So Armenia has a really rich history. I'm Armenian, but we were raised in Azerbaijan, which is north of Iran, predominantly Muslim, part of the world. And this is all on the backdrop of the Soviet Union, which was communistic and all sorts of religious tension. And long story short, in the late 80s, there was about half a million Armenians displaced by the RZ Muslim population from Baku, which was the capital. And it was over this autonomous region on the eastern side of Azerbaijan, an Armenian region within Azerbaijan. So the Soviet Union, as many superpowers do, will drop these weird maps that some people would theorize that it's like to maintain destabilization. And so because of this autonomous region, the RCS wanted to get all the Armenians out in a lot of conflict. And so in the late 80s, it started the pogroms of Baku just getting all the Armenians out. And so half a million Armenians were displaced. About 500 were slaughtered, killed. Me and my family left. Me and my mom left last because my mom was adopted by an Armenian family. But she is Russian or Ukrainian. That's why I'm more fair skinned than most Armenians. And long story short, we come to the United States as refugees. We come in the early 90s. Subsequently, after coming, my mother and my dad split, which sends her down a dark spiral of despair and toxic men and domestic violence and just really bad personal decisions. My dad's not in my life. I get sucked into just gangster rap music discipled by Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. My first concert ever, I had to have been no older than 8 or 9 years old, was to see the Chronic tour.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Not a place for a fourth grader.

[Ruslan]

Yeah, not a place for a third or fourth grader. And I was one of the only kids there. So the San Diego Sports arena, definitely the only white kid there. And so like, this is the backdrop of my childhood. And then long story short, I end up getting arrested at age 11 for breaking into houses. I didn't know that. Yeah. And I was really down a dark spiral. So like by the time I'm 13, I'm smoking weed, drinking, sexually active, like the whole bit. And I. Thankfully my mom relocated us to North County, San Diego, which is where I still live till this day. More, more suburban, a little slower. Threw myself into basketball and sports, wanted to be a professional NBA player. Then was reminded that I was Armenian.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Right.

[Ruslan]

And genetics are a thing. And there's no. Never been an Armenian in the NBA.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Really?

[Ruslan]

Yeah. Never, never, never an Armenian NBA. And so at the same time, start dating a girl, doing music, win a talent show, meet a girl, start doing music. The only way I could see her over the summer between my freshman and sophomore years, if I go to church with her and her family. And so I end up going to church and hearing about Jesus, even though Armenians are ethnically Christian. Communism, no church, no God. Had a little bit of exposure with the Oriental Orthodox, the Armenian Orthodox Church, but didn't really have like an encounter with Jesus until I was in high school. And then after that, dude, it was like I was dating a Jehovah's Witness girl after her was very confused. And what really kind of sealed the deal for me theologically was the new evidence that demands a verdict by Josh McDowell. Yeah, where I just got to meet Josh McDowell a couple, couple weeks ago. Yeah. Did Dr. Sean McDowell's podcast. Got to meet his dad and that was amazing.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

You go to Biola or what?

[Ruslan]

Say it again.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Biola.

[Ruslan]

Biola, yeah, yeah, Biola. It was super dope. And so yeah, man. Trying to compress the story as much as possible. Got saved and met my wife subsequently after. But I knew that coming to faith in Jesus, hey, you got to stop looking at porn, you got to stop sleeping with your girlfriend, you got to stop right doing these things. And you start going to church, you to start reading your Bible, like, okay, cool, but like now what like what else? And there was never really like a what else on. Like, what is manhood? What is work ethic? What is how do you plan? How do you save? How do you stay out of debt? If you're in debt, how do you get out of debt? All of that coming from poverty. I. It took me years to kind of discover. And thankfully for the local church and through the local church, I've met amazing mentors and I got exposed to Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. And so me and my wife, both coming from broken households, single parent households, a lot of trauma on her part on her side, a lot of trauma on my side, slowly turn things around. And I would say, like, the big idea is like, I've always lived in these different tensions where the tensions with identity, whether tensions with theology, whether tensions with culture, but the real deeper desire is like, hey, I want people to have a framework of how do we walk out the process of sanctification. We're justified by grace through faith alone. Yes, yes, and amen. But Ephesians 2:10, right after it says you're justified by grace through faith, right after that it says, for you are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good work, which he's predestined for you to do. And think a lot of people weirded out by that because when you start talking about works and start having you got to do stuff as a man, as a Christian man, I think, well, what are you saying? Are you saying, are you saying works based salvation? It's like, no, no, no, no, you're saved by the grace of God, but you're saved to good works. We don't work for, for grace, we work from grace. And that's kind of like the journey of like becoming debt free and getting married and, and, and turning to side has led me to where I am now, which is a lot of, it is kind of cultural commentary. But I'm really trying to get people to go deeper, to say, okay, what, what, what are the inputs I'm supposed to have here and now?

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Yeah, yeah, it's beautiful because I think oftentimes we think of this Christian life as, as in like something we do when we go to church and we, we need to have our quiet time in the morning. And then it's like, no, no, no. The kingdom of God is wherever Christ is made king. Right? It's the rule and reign and its presence in your life. And so I'm gonna be spent. I'm gonna spend more time with my children than I am reading the Bible every day pretty much right there, there might be a few exceptions to that, but if I know how to live out the kingdom with my children or with my work or with my friends or what I watch on Netflix, that, that to me is taking the word of God and understanding salvation is, is from the cross. But now because of that, what, what is the goal of the Christian life? It's to look more like Jesus. And where do I look more like Jesus? Where I am, where I spend my time, what I ingest through my eye holes and my ear holes and my mouth hole. You know, that's really what it is. Like what am I consuming as a person that is either going to form me into the image of Christ or it's Going to deform me into the IM world. And so as you've. Have you gotten some pushback of people being like, just teach the Bible. Why are you, why are you talking about all these different cultural things? And what was the draw? Was it tied to maybe some of that early life of going to the Dr. Dre concert at 8 years old and being like, ah, this was really deformative for my soul. Is that kind of what led you into the space you're in now?

[Ruslan]

Yeah, I think that is an integral part, like music, culture, media is. Was an integral part of my own development. Right. And I think is an integral part of many people's development today. We are very. We're being indoctrinated and discipled by what we consume, whether or not you want to acknowledge that.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Right.

[Ruslan]

And so instead of saying, hey, just teach the Bible, which got. God bless, man. There are certain people that are just. They're crushing it. They're getting, you know, I was, I was. I'm going to authentic church in Charlotte and they are getting 20, 30,000 views just on their sermons. Like, they're literally uploading sermons and they're crushing. Praise God. Like, support those people. Mike Winger does some really awesome teaching, you know, 11 hour video on women in ministry and yes, really powerful stuff. Support those ministries. But I also think there's this time and a space to say, hey, here's what's happening in society, here's what's happening in culture. We actually need to engage in this and not run from it. Because when we ran from culture, when we ran from the arts, we ran from media, we ran from the institutions. That's how we kind of got into this mess as a culture. Is the Christians left or the worst? They were infighting so much to the point where now they're ostracized and everything's gotten fragmented. And so we wake up and we wonder why. Like, why are the institutions indoctrination camps for Marxism? Because we left. Yes. We checked out.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Amen. And why do you think we did?

[Ruslan]

Fear, I think. Fear of persecution, fear of being ostracized. I think being around people we disagree with is probably naturally uncomfortable.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Yeah.

[Ruslan]

You know, and I think being so heavenly minded, we're of no earthly good. Right. Like forgetting that, yes, we're called into the world. We're not of the world, but we're still in the world. Right. And Jesus loved the world. Jesus came as a human into existence in a more. In a physical body. Right. A material body. I think some of it is Gnosticism, like this idea is like, about knowledge and facts and information and separation and not about being present in a fully integrated human with soul, body and, and, and, and flesh. You know, so I think there's a lot of reasons we fled the institutions. And so now it's like we have YouTube, which is the spirit of the air. Like people can communicate and share ideas quickly. It is the town hall of the Internet, if you will. Right. Why would we not utilize that? And I think Christians are finally waking up, especially in a post Charlie Kirk assassination scenario where we're going, okay, we, we, we can't run. You can't run. You can't run. And, and, and, and you can't nuance and walk on eggshells for a world that hates you and your God. You can nuance it to death. I'm going to go on Oprah and just dodge every question. And that, and that whole realm of celebrity pastors we had 10 years ago, those people still hate you and hate your God. So maybe clarity is kindness. Maybe we tell them the truth. Yeah. We think marriage was designed for one man, one woman for one lifetime. That's God's original design. We think a man is a man and a woman is a woman. We think a baby is a baby.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Amen.

[Ruslan]

You know, and, and so like that's, that's actually kind. Now I'm not saying we dehumanize those people and we, we otherize them, but I am saying I think we have to be clear and understand that like, they're spiritually dead. So some of these things, it's going to be like speaking a different language to them. They're, they're in the upside down. Right? They're literally in the upside down. Like in Stranger Things. Right. Everything is inverted. And we sit, we're in an upside down kingdom. Right or right side up kingdom, technically, in terms of like the, the we're, we're actually connected to the reality, which is Jesus, you know, Jesus. I am the way.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Right. Amen. Yeah. And I think, I think the, the truth without love is harsh and the love without truth is hollow. And I think so many Christians have been walking in that hollow faith for so long and I think what it, what just happened with Charlie Kirk's death is it, it's like lit a spark in some and it's like a blazing fire with others. And others, it's like a nuke where they're like, now I'm going to war with these people. They're all evil. And the second you begin looking at another human being and otherizing them and categorizing them and slapping blame and assigning blame and looking at them and saying, you're the enemy. You as a human being are the enemy is the minute we become demonic in nature, because they're not the enemy. We do have an enemy, but our battle is not against flesh and blood. They're the mission field.

[Ruslan]

That's right.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

They're actually the people that are so lost, they're in the upside down culture that, I mean, it says it in the last days. Like people are going to call good evil and evil good. And so I think as Christians, we need to kind of get out of the walls of the church. You don't see too many demonic attacks when people are just huddling in the church and doing their little Bible study. But the kingdom of God is about territory, and the kingdom of darkness is about territory. And so if we're called to adv the kingdom, that means we're going into the dark places, we're going into the lies, and we're exposing them for what they are. And then we're proclaiming the truth in love and not looking at the people that are perpetuating these lies and being like, you are bad. You are the enemy. Because look at who Jesus used. He used murderers and tax collectors and adulterers. The first evangelist was a woman at a well sleeping with a bunch of dudes. Probably a ton of sexual trauma in that culture was probably, you know, she was an outcast. She was getting water in the middle of the day. Who knows what was at. We don't really know the context there. We do know that women weren't treated great in that society in that time. But then Jesus gives her her dignity back, and then. But he doesn't leave without saying, now leave your life of sin. So now go and sin no more. And that lady runs back into the village and becomes the first evangelist in the Bible. And so I think as believers, we need to understand that we are at war. But they're not the enemy. We're not called to just rail against them continually, because who knows if that person that you just put down is the woman at the well who's speaking out of her woundedness, she's speaking out of her broke. But God actually has a big plan for her life. And not that we can subvert God's plans, but I think we're called to find the good soil and plant the seed on good soil. And that's the other thing, too. I think a lot of Christians have been Trying to plant seeds on hardened paths. You know, they've been trying to plant seeds among the thorny soil or the rocky soil. When Jesus is pretty clear, shake the dust. If that seed isn't going to fall on good soil, shake the dust and move on. Go find persons of peace. And if their peace rests with you, continue to move and shake and communicate the gospel with that person. And so I think that's what's so cool about your platform as well, is you're putting out this content, and it's reaching to people that maybe don't understand the scriptures in their entirety. They haven't been discipled, they haven't had good mentorship, and yet they're like, ooh, he's talking about this issue. Let me hear what this guy has to say.

[Ruslan]

Yeah, yeah, I think. I love that you referenced Ephesians, right? We don't wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities. And the NLC says, in an unseen realm, there's this unseen realm. And I think about my own life prior to coming to Jesus, and I saw all of these views as completely nonsensical. Like, what do you mean?

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Why.

[Ruslan]

Why can't my girlfriend have an abortion if I get her pregnant? Like, why can't I look at porn? Like, why can't.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Right?

[Ruslan]

Like, why can't I get. Like, all of that seemed foreign and absolutely ridiculous. And though Christians not being clear on those things isn't helpful. So I think we got to be helpful now. I think what's happening on a macro cultural level, me and my therapist talked about this. There's a. There's a concept called a schema.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

And when.

[Ruslan]

When something happens to you or something happens in culture, you develop a schema, which is a new way to look at everything through. And so you talked about people who are getting charged up on the other side of Charlie Kirk. There's been multiple moments, whether that was the lockdowns, whether that was George Floyd, whether that was the attempted assass of Donald Trump, whether it was the destination of Charlie Kirk. Like, we've lived through so many massive events just in the last decade. And so every time something happens, it can distort or clarify how people are viewing something. And then you're seeing people that are. Yeah, they're charged up. Like, they're ready. And I was listening to Jay Warner Wallace yesterday, and he talks about how trauma has an impact on us and it could either destroy us or it can level us up based on what happens to us or what we've witnessed. Right?

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Ye.

[Ruslan]

And so I think there's like a defining moment that's happening right now and I think people are coming to the realization that like, yeah, I'm not going to walk on eggshells anymore. Like, this is what I believe, this is why I believe it. If you want to take the least charitable view of like they did to Charlie Kirk where they asked him, you know, so if your 10 year old daughter was to get pregnant, would you force her? And it's like you want to frame it as forcing that versus like. Yeah. To versus saying hey, two wrongs don't make a right. If, if God forbid, my daughter were to get pregnant, we wouldn't then kill the baby because a sin happened against her. Right. If you want to take the least in charitable framing of that, you can. But you know what you're doing and I know what I'm actually saying, which is a life is a life, a human life is a human life. And I, and I will be willing to have that conversation with you if you're willing to have it. And unfortunately people aren't because it's like too triggering. Like you're triggering me. Like they're shocked. But it's like not. Christians have the truth and the more coherent worldview and that's uncomfortable because if we're right, then they're wrong. And that, that's not comfortable to acknowledge that this worldview that you've developed of whether it's the unborn, whether it's gender, whatever it is, like you've, you have a perverted worldview, it's distorted, it's not accurate.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Yeah. And when you start with basic principles of like, what is truth?

[Ruslan]

Yes.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

You know, we've taken truth and we've commoditized it to, well, this is mine to own, this is mine to create. And really what that is, is the reason it's demonic in nature is because it's putting you at the center of the universe. And I think a lot of people, they don't understand that. They just, they, they go along with the term, you know, like words, words are powerful, man. And when you start saying something like your truth, well, what if my truth says your truth is a lie? Is it still truth? Right. You know, I had this conversation with a psychic the other day and she could, she could not shake it. Like we went to a psychic fair and just started talking them about Jesus and she could not get over the fact that she claimed to be really open. She's like, I'm down for anything. But then she would say, I will never go Back to church. So you're claiming not to work in absolutes, but you absolutely will not go back to church. And I think that's what a lot of people in this culture are doing, is they think it is, you know, call it empathy or call it compassion or call it whatever you want to call it. I'm not going to stand for something really bold because I don't want to hurt someone's feelings. When the gospel is inherent, inherently divisive, like it tells you you're wrong and you need to repent and you need to conform your mind to the image of Christ and you need to sacrifice your truth for this truth. And I think as Christians a lot of what just happened last month, I think a lot of Christians have woken up to be like, oh, wow, the demonic agenda is really slippery and it slips into an assassination. Where now it felt like half the world celebrated, which is like, how did we get there? I mean, you're a cultural commentator watching the last. How long have you been on YouTube and doing podcasts?

[Ruslan]

I've been on YouTube for a decade. I've been consistently on YouTube probably from like 2019.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Okay.

[Ruslan]

And the podcast has been going from 2019. We stopped during a pandemic and brought back 2022.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

So what have you seen? Because you've kind of been commenting on the broader culture. I mean, shoot, dude, like 2019 is not that long ago for how much the world has changed. What have you seen in people's minds has been the shift and now just even in the last month, speak to that like, like what's happening with people?

[Ruslan]

I think the biggest change has happened is the invention of TikTok which in within the algorithm and the for you. It's allowed anyone to go viral and get famous.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Yeah.

[Ruslan]

Prior to TikTok there was a harder barrier of entry. So even if you think YouTube, like YouTube requires lights and cameras and someone to man everything. Right. Higher barrier of entry. You think about Instagram before everything. I took the tick tocation TikTok ification of the social media. You. You have the other post cool photos. Like that was like the. The name of the game was like cool photos. The barrier to entry lowered with the invention of tick tock and specifically the invention of the for you page. So now anyone can get attention if they can condensely communicate an idea. 15 seconds to 60 seconds.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Right.

[Ruslan]

Which was interesting because it was like, oh, this is decommodified the ability to be famous. It decentralized it. So. So the barrier to entry is lower. However, now you Have a bunch of people with voices and platforms that got them without really as much friction as you would have had to do 10 years ago or five years ago. Right. So then when, when a Charlie Kirk situation happens or Donald Trump gets assassinated, attempted assassination, the most fringe radical voices.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Yeah.

[Ruslan]

Are going viral. So I, I like to believe that it's not half of the country. I don't think it's half of the country.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Right. Yeah, it felt like, it felt like.

[Ruslan]

Felt like half the.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Because half the algorithm.

[Ruslan]

Because half the algorithm.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Right.

[Ruslan]

And the algorithm is going to serve you up rage bait. It's going to make you angry. So like my, my left leaning friends in my real life were generally like, hey, that is really bad what happened. And like political violence is never okay generally. That was their sentiment. And then they went on the Internet and then they started adding, but, but he was divisive, but he was racist, but he was this. And, and I think that but is where I think some of us felt that frustration is like, man, there doesn't need to be a but right now. You don't need to do that. And, and, and there are amazing heroes in the faith, people with incredible legacies that are complicated people. And we don't do, we don't say, hey, you know, Peter was an amazing disciple, but he denied Jesus three times. And when he was with the Judaizers, he couldn't tell, he couldn't tell which side he was going to pick, if he was going to be with the Judaizers, he was going to be with the Gentiles. And Paul even had to call him out and rebuke him publicly and then wrote about it in scripture.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Yes, yes, yes.

[Ruslan]

We don't do that with Peter. We don't do that. Right. We don't do that with other heroes in the faith. And so to be like, yeah, Charlie Kirk was. But when you're adding that, but you're, and this isn't my idea. This was said on Breaking Points by Ryan. When you're adding that. But you're almost passively acknowledging that there was a reason for him to get killed.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Yeah.

[Ruslan]

And there is no reason.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

There's no reason, like a semi acceptable reason.

[Ruslan]

Yeah. So I, I think that's the, what we're probably feeling. And again, I would like to believe that it's not half the country. I'd like to believe that it's a fringe on the far left that is so far gone with this idea that words are violence and silence or violence and you not affirming me is causing me to kill myself, therefore you're committing a genocide on me. And like, if that's true from their worldview, then it would make sense. If you can go back in time and kill Hitler, you would take it, right? Because he actually committed a genocide. So it's like if you're believing that someone's saying, hey, a man can be a man. A man. A man is a man and a woman is a woman. And you. We're not, we're not doing that. And you're saying, well, that causes me to kill myself, therefore you're causing a genocide on my people from their framework. Yeah, it's justified.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Right, Right.

[Ruslan]

Now again, how many people really hold to this? I don't know. I know a lot of young people hold to it, you know, but, but, but it's hard to gauge. Yeah, it's hard to gauge.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Remember that Netflix documentary on social media? What was that called? Do you remember what I'm talking about? It's like where they interviewed a lot of the, the founders.

[Ruslan]

Social something.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Yeah, social dilemma. The social dilemma. And the, the documentary ended with like the, the founders of, of Twitter and Pinterest and, and Instagram being like, we ruined the world. And I think what's interesting is, I think they'd probably take that back now because what's now happened is it's, it's no longer social media. We don't have social media anymore. We have an entertainment platform. TikTok is not social media because it's not social. It's not social.

[Ruslan]

Anti social.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

It's antisocial. But it's still divisive. But it's divisive with ideas, not necessarily with like people that you know like. And so I think you Hear stats like 8 out of 10, 10 year olds want to be influencers. I think it's because the God of our time is attention. And I think the reason the God of our time is attention because people have been settling for this fabricated sense of connection. When, you know, if we were to sit down, like if we got dinner with a far left socialist, yes, kill Charlie Kirk dude, and you heard his story and you cried with him and then you had a conversation about it, it's gonna be a much different conversation than if that person is just posting a TikTok video and then you go right to the comment section because what comments are being liked and then shown to the top. So it's like on the feed, the most divisive, the most intense content is going to the top of the feed. And then within that content, the Comment sections are freaking crazy because they're getting the most likes. The ones that are like, you know, I saw this comment that was just going wild. It was like, have they caught the hero yet? Talking about the shooter of Charlie Kerr.

[Ruslan]

That's dark.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

So dark. But people are liking it because it's clever. It's a clever comment. It's also an incredibly hateful comment. But that comic gets liked 8,000 times. And when you're scrolling, you're like, man, the left is awful. And regardless of having a conversation with someone in real life, we are being put into these silos. And that, to me is the scariest thing. And that's causing a lot of churches, I think, to take a stand for truth. But it's also causing a lot of Christians to listen to the Nick Fuentes who are now being anti semitic, anti woman, anti black. It's like, it's, it's pretty horrific. So back to my initial point. Your lane in the kingdom of God is really important right now because people are coming to you as a cultural commentator who's balanced and who actually understands this. Who understands the word of God.

[Ruslan]

Yeah, that's good. You know, recent studies found out that the average American spends seven hours a day consuming media. Between social media and Netflix and Amazon prime and all that. So seven hours a day, that's 50 hours a week, almost three hours a week.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Right.

[Ruslan]

So that's not working. That's not education, that's not schoolwork online. That's just like passively consuming stuff at the same time. There's a, there's a study that, like, I think the reason why these guys are so popular, there was a study done recently about men and the four benchmarks of like, adulthood, if you will. Right. And the long end of it is in 1975, nearly half of young adults ages 25 to 34 had achieved all four traditional measures of milestones of adult. Right. Adult adulthood, moving out, holding a full time job, getting married, having children. Whoa. So 1975, half of young adults did those four things. Guess what that number is now.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Oh, don't tell me.

[Ruslan]

25%. Wow, 25%. So 1975, half of folks between the ages of 25 to 34 achieved those things. Moving out, having a full time job, getting married, having children. Today, 2024, that number has dropped to 25%. Less than 25%. Right. Another study found out that in 2005, about half of men, half of men ages 25 to 34 were married. By 2018, that number had dropped to just 35%. So 1, 1 and 2 to 1 and 3 is now where we're at. So when, when we look at those, those two, those two data sets, right, it's, it's harder for men to get married, cost of living is higher.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Right.

[Ruslan]

But we're also hyper distracted. We are the most distracted we've ever been. And, and we're now entering the era of the hyper creator and the hyper consumer. And so why is the Nick Fountes and the Candace Owens and some of the brain rot on the, on the, on the far right and some of the same stuff on whether it's Hassan or Destiny, why are these guys sitting there streaming for five or six hours a day? It's because there's a generation of people, consumers just that are just consuming. They're not creating anything. Right. And the, the growth of that inequality, that, the growth of that, the ability to move out, start a family, like, that's only going to get worse. And so it's gonna be a generation of folks that are doing that. And this isn't just exclusive to non Christian circles like these. Like, I have overlap with Nick Font as his audience. You know what I mean?

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Right.

[Ruslan]

And so I'm like, hey, like, man, victimhood is very easy to sell and consume because it tells you the reason for your problems is everyone out there. And it's no different than what the left did with systemic racism and all the structures. And this is just, it's just on the right now, it's like, right is now saying, hey, it's Israel. Hey, it's women, it's feminism. Hey, it's the, it's this thing, it's that thing, it's the blacks, it's the immigrants. And now we're just reinforcing another victim mentality on young men that are vulnerable and struggling and trying to make sense of their life.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Yeah, one of my buddies, he went to a anti ice rally and just no camera, just to have conversations. And he said when he actually like looked eye to eye and he was like, do you know why that person's being deported that you're, you know, you're protesting against? Turns out the guy like should have been deported. Like a lot of, a lot of stuff, you know, like, deport that guy, you know, but they didn't know and they were just kind of going along with, with what everyone else was upset about. But then he was like. Then I talked to some people that were genuinely like, hurt and sad because, you know, Trump is posting videos, deporting. I forget what soundtrack he Put to it. Do you see that?

[Ruslan]

That I've seen some of the stuff they posted is pretty vile.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

It's vile, yeah. Yeah, it's vile. And we've gotten to a point where we can't look at that objectively and be like, ooh, that's not good. And so I think that's part of what social media has done is it's divided people and put them in camps. Like, well, if Trump's. He's putting out that video, that's really making light of a pretty horrific situation. Regardless of whether you think it's right or not, regardless of your views on the policy of it, what you're doing is you are taking that very emotional, vulnerable moment of a person leaving a land that they came to, you know, and they illegally. Not whatever. Like, they came here for a better life, and now that's being taken away from them. We need to look at that with empathy and to say, I have compassion for that person because. And then. And then. Not to pimp it out on social media, but it feels like we can't. We can't have those conversations, because then you have that conversation, and the people on the left will be like, well, the whole thing's awful. It's like, wait a second, hold on. Can we talk about this with some nuance? And it brings me back to the garden. Like, what was the mandate in the garden?

[Ruslan]

Rule.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Like, rule the earth with me. Let's do this together and then be fruitful and multiply. So I've just kind of been coming back to, like, does this create life? If so, it's of the kingdom. Does this take away from life? It's not of the kingdom. And you've just written a book called Godly Ambition. As someone who's very successful in a creator space, which a lot of people want to be in, tell us a little bit about that book.

[Ruslan]

Yeah, well, you mentioned immigration thing. I came as an immigrant, and so I think one of the most incredible privileges I have is perspective. I remember the Soviet Union. I remember communism. I remember lining up for food rations. I remember getting a tub of water that my family had to share for the week to bathe. Like, I remember. I remember that. So I have this incredible perspective of, like, man, yes, it's getting harder. Fair enough. Yes. Cost of living and housing and all these things. Inflation, real things. However, we're. We have more opportunity than we've ever had before. So as things are getting harder, you also have way more opportunity to do amazing things. Things where you can serve people and Also provide for your family.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Right.

[Ruslan]

Like it's, there's never been a time like this in history where we can do this and we're not under Roman occupation. The way the church in acts was where they're getting persecuted. That's not our reality right now, thank God. It could get, it could go there. Right. But that's not where we are right now. And so it's like there's, there's. As dark as the world is, there's immense opportunity to do good. And as an immigrant, I think I, I get a bit of a keen perspective on that. And I think, hey, hyper consumer, hyper creative. We can create a framework for people to say, hey, you don't have to live in this cognitive dissonance of either the structural forces that you can't control and that's why you can't get ahead.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Yeah.

[Ruslan]

Or this notion that like, ambition is evil because you're in church and you're a Christian and now it's like, hey, you know, for you to desire to take care of your family, for you to desire to save, for you to desire to, to be generous, for you to desire to live out what God has worked in your life, you're egotistical and you're self centered and you're worldly. There's a, there's a different pathway. And it's beautifully exemplified in scripture and that, and that's what the book is about, like walking people through a godly ambitious framework of saying, hey, you can pursue your goals and your visions and your dreams without losing your soul. And the mandate for scripture, as especially towards men is, hey, man, we're called to be the priest, provider and protector of our home. That is not easy. Yeah, it's actually very difficult. And this idea that like, you know, you can just be so successful and it's on accident and you make too much money and all this, like. Yeah, no, first of all, the wealthiest people I know are the most generous people I know. Generosity is the antidote to greed and there's a ton of opportunity. But, but dig this. Most men can't even sustain themselves. Like, you can't even provide for yourself, let alone provide for a family. And so I understand why the escapism is so popular. Right. So I'm coming along and I'm saying, yeah, like, list. I'm not going to pretend and coddle you and say, like, oh, it's going to be all right. No, it's hard. Like, it's hard. But there is a pathway forward. And if you anchor it on God's ways and God's principles, the proverbs, the parables of Jesus on these things, there's, there's a pathway forward where you can again get after the things you believe God is showing you without losing yourself and losing your soul and losing your faith in the process.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

So if I'm a 19 year old dude listening to this and I'm like, okay, I get the pathway is, it's the Bible. I get it's, it's reading the word of God. But you mentioned how to be successful and you mentioned like, hey, I can't have ambition and I don't have to be this, you know, martyr, like poverty mindset guy that just like, you know, I'll make my $40,000 at a church. And that's the most spiritual thing because I think that's another lie that people want to say is like, oh, like being poor is better because Jesus went after the poor. What is your advice practically? Like, how do I move into that godly ambition you're talking about?

[Ruslan]

Yeah, I think foundationally, we just first have to define our terms. So there's two words in the New Testament for the word ambition, one of which is edithia. And that's like, whenever you see selfish ambition described, it's actually one word, edithia, in the original Greek, that is a ambition that is absolutely forbidden. Don't, don't be selfishly ambitious. Don't be about building your castle. You're here to build God's kingdom.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Right.

[Ruslan]

So that is forbidden. Then there's another word for ambition and I'll pull it up in the Greek. My Greek is not great, but I had Wes Huff help me with this. It's this word right here. Let me see. Get it to play it again. Filio to maomai.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Yeah, that's not an easy one.

[Ruslan]

Yep. So the etymology of it, filio, which is where we get Philadelphia, Brotherly time. It's a little word. Time is literally in there. Oh my Right. So this word is also for ambition. It's to love, to seek after honor, to be ambitious, to aim, to aspire. And it's used three times in New Testament, used in Romans 15:20, where Paul says he makes it his ambition to preach the gospel where others haven't. Right. So he's ambitious to preach the gospel. 2 Corinthians 5, 9. Paul says he makes it his goal or ambition to do what pleases God. And then the last one is, oddly enough, in First Thessalonians. Now, I'm not sure if you've ever done A deep dive on Thessalonians. The church in Thessalonica was going through it. Martyrdom, they're getting persecuted in chapter five. They're waiting for the rapt rapture. They're waiting for Jesus to come back. Sound familiar? Right, right, right. So there's all this discussion. So in chapter five, he has to tell him, like, hey, like, like, you know, we're not going to know the time or the hour, right? Like you already know this, right? But in chapter four, he's telling them about the opportunity they have to be a blessing and to. And to show their love for the church of Macedonia, which is poverty stricken right now. And he's basically telling them, hey, like, despite the persecution, you guys are kind of fumbling your life and you have this opportunity to be a blessing to churches under poverty. Whoa, right? And he ays so. Verse 1, Thessalonians, verse 9. First Thessalonians, chapter 4, verse 9. He says, now about your love for one another. We do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. And in fact you do all of God's family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you brothers and sisters to do so more and more. So we. Paul's calling them to more. And here's the gym. And make it your ambition to lead a quiet life. You should mind your own business and work with your own hands, just as we told you so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anyone, right? So, hey, you know you're supposed to love people, right? You know, you're supposed to care for the Church of Macedonia that's struggling. You've done it before. I need you to do it even more because you're really going through it. And how do you it? You lead a quiet life, you mind your own business. Get away from the distractions on social media. Cut out that 50 hours a week that you're spending passively just consuming nonsense, right? Work with your own hands. How many people are learning actual useful skills where they're working with their own hands? And then he says something interesting. He says, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anyone. So there's something to this idea of working with your own hands, minding your own business, not being dependent on other people. Those are the things that win the respective outsiders, right? Not. Not our eloquence, not our theology, not our polemics. I love apologetics, but not even our apologetics. It's our daily life.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Yeah.

[Ruslan]

That wins the respect of the people that are spiritually blind, spiritually dead, living in the upside down. Whoa, that's good.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Yeah. Because you can't argue with that.

[Ruslan]

Yeah.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

If you see fruit, it's really hard to argue with that.

[Ruslan]

Yeah.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

What was that word again? The. Not that I want to make you say it again. I know.

[Ruslan]

That's the. The filio. Filio timomai. Filio timomai.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

And that means love.

[Ruslan]

Yeah. So the etymology, it means us to aspire and to seek after honor and love. But the etymology of this is the filio, which is where we get Philadelphia from time and in omame. Yeah. So the etymology of it is really.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

So omame is time. Is that.

[Ruslan]

No. Time, Filio, time, omega.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

And what's ome mean?

[Ruslan]

Ome? I. I don't know what ome means. I think it's the combination of the etymology of the word.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Okay. So it's love in time. Yeah.

[Ruslan]

Loving a brotherly love that redeems the time while you aspire and you go after things. Yeah.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

So that's fascinating.

[Ruslan]

Ain't that interesting?

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

That's really cool.

[Ruslan]

Yeah. And people can go look this up, like, again, grab a. You know, you could go to. I use logos, but you can go to blue letter Bible. You can go to any of these things and look up that word in First Thessalonians for ambition. It's a different word. So while. While the. While the church has demonized ambition and the world has made ambition everything, there's a. There's a different pathway forward. And here's the trippy part is like, when you actually seek the kingdom first.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Right.

[Ruslan]

When you actually serve people, problem solve other people's issues. Don't count your needs, but think about others needs. Philippians says. Right?

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Yeah.

[Ruslan]

Yeah. Paradoxically, you end up building stability for your own life. Right. So you think that, like, hey, if I'm. I need to get mine and clobber for my little piece of the pie. It's actually the opposite. If you solve other people's issues and you consume yourself with being a blessing, you actually paradoxically position yourself to create the financial stability to be able to provide, to be able to be a blessing because you're blessed.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Yeah. Yeah. And I think what I'm hearing you say is the mindset on the other side of the equation is anyone that is successful got there because they were selfish.

[Ruslan]

Yes.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

And you're saying that this word, whatever you pronounce it, is that you are redeeming time through love and Doing good things, which to me goes back to the garden, that we're cultivating the earth, that we're bringing the kingdom of God, that when we seek first the kingdom, which again the kingdom is not just reading your Bible, it's wherever Christ is made king, in your daily activities, you're walking in the kingdom that that actually paradoxically gives you everything that you were looking for. That's right, you were looking for the non anxious presence, you were looking for the fulfillment, you were looking for even the money. I remember a mentor in college used to say this to me. He would say, ryan, go pursue money. He'd say go pursue a career in baseball. Go pursue all those things that you want, but don't pursue them. First seek the kingdom. And I think that almost offends people because they're like no, no, no, the money's the root of all kind of evil. Don't pursue money. It's like no, no, no. If you pursue the kingdom and if you're checking in with the Lord and being like, lord, what are you? Like you've given me these gifts and these talents. How do I make much of you in the world? How do I advance the kingdom? How do I cultivate the earth? All those things he's given to you, like it's like he'll backfill all that stuff.

[Ruslan]

Yeah, yeah. Well you know, people, people use that verse, right? First Timothy 6, right. Love, money is the root to all sorts of evil. But, but the interesting thing about First Timothy 6 is they don't read First Timothy 5. First Timothy 5 is talking about this, this support system in the church for widows. And it talks about hey, there's widows. Paul's writing is like, hey, like there's widow that are young and they can get remarried. If they can get remarried, go ahead and let them get remarried. Right? Hey, then there's widows that like they don't have anyone. They're going to be destitute. Those women, as long as they've served the apostles, they wash the apostles feet there. There's even a prerequisite for the benevolence that those widows are getting, which is a whole trip on that. Right? Right. People go, go fact check me on this. He gives prerequisites, those women the church should support. And then he goes on to say, and those women who, those widows who have family, they're supposed to be supported by their family. And he drops the gym and he says for he who does not provide for his family, specifically his immediate family, is worse than a non believer. And is denied the faith. And that's in the context of widows who can't be supported any other means, right? So like, like practically, like we don't ship grandma off, right? Do you know what I mean? Because she's old. Like, no, no. We take care of our own. And if everyone walk that out, right? If everyone walked out, out, hey, I'm going to take care of my household and I'm going to make sure my extended household is taken care of. And that's what we aim for. It works out the other aspect, right? So, meaning, like, you pursue money. Not because money is the means to the end. You don't pursue status and power for the sake of status and power. No, no, you pursue it for the sake of loving what God has entrusted you and. And what he's put under your dominion, which is to care for your family. And if that's the goal, then money is just a byproduct of that. Right. If the goal is aiming for something greater. And so I was speaking at a young adults ministry and a young guy approached me afterwards and he hit me with. He started showing me his art. He was a visual artist. He's beautiful, beautiful art. And I'm like, hey, like, are you pursuing this? And he's like, nah. And I'm like, why aren't you pursuing it? And he was like, you know, I just. And I'm not trying to get it out of his. What do you got going on? And he's like, oh, I. I.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Work.

[Ruslan]

At a thrift shop 20 hours a week. Week. And I was like, cool. What else do you got going on? Oh, I'm like, serving at the church. I'm on the worship team. What else do you have going on? Just kind of hanging out. And I'm like, so why aren't you pursuing your visual art? This is dope. You should pursue this. Like, build an audience and figure out a way to monetize your art, make it a living. Maybe it doesn't pop for 10 years or five years, but. So why aren't you pursuing it? He hit me with this line. He said, I guess I'm just afraid I'm going to be too successful. And I'm like, who's successful, buddy? Like, you're at your. You're in your mom's house. Like, you're in your 20s. You're living with your mom. Right. There's. There's a chasm of a difference between where you are right now. Yeah. And being too successful.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Let's make it through the first gate. First Hello.

[Ruslan]

Let's just get you to provide for yourself first. Let's get you off the family plan. You know, the family plan for the vote. It's like, it's like women who don't want to go to the gym because they're afraid they're going to get too bugged. Bulky.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Yeah.

[Ruslan]

It's like, respectfully, sis, there's a chasm of a difference between where you are right now and getting so jacked. You look like a fitness model.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Yeah.

[Ruslan]

So you're like solving for problems that aren't even real.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Yes.

[Ruslan]

Baseline is already hard. Baseline Provide for the needs of your family and your immediate family. Right. Again, only one out of four young men, young adults, not men. Young adults. 24 to 35 are hitting the markers of a traditionally. Whoa.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

It goes up to 35.

[Ruslan]

Yeah. 24 to 35. One out of four.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

That's me.

[Ruslan]

Yeah. Move out.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Wow.

[Ruslan]

Have a full time job, get married, have kids.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

That's crazy.

[Ruslan]

One out of four hitting that.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

That's crazy. And, and what I, what I hope a lot of parents hear in that is it's okay to create a little bit of pain.

[Ruslan]

Yeah.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

And not, not intentionally, but to, to say, hey, there are boundaries here. In order for you to go and.

[Ruslan]

Do that, start paying rent.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

That guy. Exactly. That God has called you to.

[Ruslan]

Yeah.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

So there's this crazy passage in Galatians, chapter six. A lot of people quot bear one another's burdens and you fulfill the law of Christ. Crazy line. Then it goes three verses later and says, but each ought to bear their own load.

[Ruslan]

Come on.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

It's like, hold on, that sounds contradictory. Do we bear their burden? Do we bear their load? Well, if you understand the Greek mindset there, to bear one of those burdens means to empathize. So you feel for what the person's going through. If they're going through a hard time, you feel for them. But to bear their load is to take responsibility for them. That is not your job. That's the Lord's job.

[Ruslan]

That's good.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

So a lot of parents, a lot of girlfriends, a of lot, a lot of, you know, whoever they are taking the role of the Lord and think that they're being compassionate and kind to that person that needs to get off the couch, that God is calling them to more, and you're actually standing in the way of that more with your enabling.

[Ruslan]

That's good. That's good. That's. That's a great gem, man. Yeah, I think that. And then again, so what are they going to do they're going to go down the. The spiral of despair, of nihilism, of apathy?

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Yes.

[Ruslan]

And be disillusioned because. Yes, it's harder now. It's harder than it was for our parents. That's the truth. In the 90s, dude, if you were average, you can work a nice job, get a nice retirement, get. Get married, have a house. That was the 90s. It's not the 90s anymore. It's very different now.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

And I think there's a lot of entitlement in the younger generation to think that, like, oh, you know, a lot of 8 out of 10 want to be influencers. Like, you and I both know there are. I'm sure you have a lot of buddies, like, I do that are like, I'm thinking, I think I'm gonna do what you do. Right. Like, I think I'm gonna. I'm gonna go for this thing. It's like, great, go for it. But in the back of my head, I'm like, you kind of don't have the anointing for it. Like, you don't have the gift set for it. And then they don't have the virality. And they're like, bummed. They're like, I thought that was gonna be my future. And it's like, well, I think sometimes we need to get curious about how God's designed us. Cause the world doesn't. Well, I shouldn't say that. The world does need more influencers, Kingdom influencers. The world also needs more kingdom bakers. The world also needs more Kingdom CPAs. And find that intersection. Tim Keller once said, he's like, there's two wills of the Lord. There's the known will, which is like, don't kill people. Like, the Bible's pretty clear. Like, that's the will of God for you. Like, be kind to people. Don't kill people. The unknown will is, what does God want me to do with my life? And he said, if you ask these three questions, what do I. Like, what am I good at? And where's an opportunity to do that thing in the kingdom of God? You'll have your answer. And so I think, like, if we're made in the image of God and we are the body of Christ, that means some people are the pinky, some people are the biceps, some people are the quad or the knee, you know, and that means that it is good and beautiful to seek out the things that God has wired you to do. Yeah. And know that not everyone's going to be a pastor. And that's Good.

[Ruslan]

Yeah, yeah, I'll add to that. So in the book I have a chapter on calling and I break it down. What, what, what do you, what do you get paid to do? Your vocation, what keeps you up at night? Your mission, like your expertise with the world's needs. And then last one, I said, what is your passion? What are you passionate about? What do you love doing?

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Right.

[Ruslan]

Some of the same color. But I dug deep in this and this is, this is a trip. I go googled the word passion and I was like, I wonder, let me look at some of, some of the origin of this word. And you Google the word passion in Oxford dictionary. The first definition is like an uncontrollable emotion. I'm like, cool. Uncontrollable emotion. The second definition of passion, the suffering of Christ. What if passion isn't just about what you're willing to pursue because you love it, but passion is actually about what you're willing to suffer for?

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Right.

[Ruslan]

That then takes that whole thing. And I'm not saying we're going to suffer the way Jesus suffered, but I'm saying that word passion and suffering. There's something there with regards to pursuing things. You want to be an influencer?

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Cool.

[Ruslan]

Are you willing to suffer for it? Here's how you can suffer for it. Go work for an influencer. Go immerse yourself and be the guy behind the scenes for years and understand everything there. That's what I did. I went and worked at my church and ran the video department from 2013 to 2015. I preached six times a year on a Sunday morning platform. I also also led a young adults ministry with like 70 young adults preaching 35, 40 times a week on that. I let all the video stuff on Sunday mornings, all the, the uploads to the YouTube, the uploads to the app, understood broadcasting, understood live switchers. And then I transitioned into being a full time artist while I was building up my YouTube and then it didn't pop until 2021 for me. 2020, 2021. I worked at my church from 2013 to 2015.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Yeah, right.

[Ruslan]

And so it's like, are you willing to suffer and go do what other people aren't willing to do behind the scenes and then go potentially step out? And the reality is you might discover that like I like being behind the camera. It's less stressful. Yeah, I like not having death threats and random people recognize me at the grocery store or me be holding my niece as she's sobbing and crying and someone walking up and trying to take a picture with me.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Right.

[Ruslan]

That's actually. I actually prefer that. Right. And I could still make great money.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

And it's not that you don't enjoy it. It's not like. Yeah, there's parts of that where it's super encouraging, but sometimes you're just like, ah, I can't drive the same way I used to drive anymore. You know? Yeah.

[Ruslan]

You end up discovering that there's a weight to being in front of the camera that you may not know until you're on the other side of success. So it's like, man, man, go suffer with someone. And odds are someone working with you is likely going to make more money than if they were working a Joe job. Right. And they're gonna. And they're gonna meet cool people and they're probably gonna get to travel a little bit. They're gonna get to see the world. It's. It's actually better in your self interest. So it's like, I think people don't understand that. Like, everything's not linear. Like, you don't. You don't just want to turn on your phone and become famous overnight. Like, that's actually the worst way forward.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

And it's the worst way. If you haven't gotten spelt. Spent the time in the wilderness.

[Ruslan]

Yeah.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

If you haven't spent the time as the shepherd for 15 years or Joseph in prison and being falsely accused for 15 years, there's this waiting period that the Lord has for people before he promotes you. He's going to send you in. Into the wilderness. He's going to. He's going to have you burrow under that mountain of obscurity. And in that time, you know, at night, looking up at the stars, you got your sheep all around you, and you're penning the most beautiful love songs to the Lord. That's actually where the anointing was created. And I think a lot of times people despise the waiting. They, like, hate the wilderness. They're like, oh, I can't believe I'm in this wilderness season. But that is what cultivates the anointing. To be able to do the thing that Moses could go and do. Moses had to go to Midian. David was anointed as the king. He was told, you are going to be the king, and then waited for 15 years. That's the equivalent. I'm 35 now. That's the equivalent of being told that I would be king at. As a sophomore in college. And then now with four kids, it finally happens. Like, I think a Lot of times people just, we're in this microwave generation where it's like, oh, I want that thing. I saw that kid go viral. And so why can't I do that now? And it creates this angst in people that prevents them from moving forward. But God blesses the first step. Like God is. God wants to partner with us. I think that's what a lot of people don't realize is like, all of a sudden he's going to drop this blessing on us. Well, you're right. Go and work with an influencer. Go, go, go shadow a podcast. Like all the things to prepare yourself for the mantle that maybe God has for you, or maybe he has something else for you. Maybe you learned something in that waiting season that you're like, oh, I don't really like this, or I'm really passionate about the thing that keeps me up at night is, is a heart for the Middle East. And so you become a missionary to the Middle East. But you would have never done that if you didn't start taking that first internship at the podcast.

[Ruslan]

Yeah, that's good. Yeah. David was anointed decades before he was appointed. Yeah, that's crazy to think.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Crazy.

[Ruslan]

And while he was anointed, he was still faithful to what was in front of him.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Yes.

[Ruslan]

And the things that were in front of him is what equipped him to then take on Goliath. Because he slayed the lion, he slayed the bear, him tending to the sheep. There's a psalm I referenced in my talk on godly ambition. He's tending to the sheep. And then, and then it's, and then it says, and then God made him to tend to his sheep and the children of Israel. Right. So like it's all interconnected. And it says he led them with skillful hands. You know, like it's, it all of this stuff is interconnected. So to assume that you're just like, you know, it's just gonna happen right away. I, I don't think people really want that. But that doesn't mean that you can't work towards your dreams and goals in a way that honors God and, and stays in tune with his, his, his timing for your life and that. And that's ultimately what godly ambition is trying to give people a framework for.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

I would say to you guys listening, this is not just for the 18 year old kid wondering if they're going to become famous or an influencer or a professional baseball player, whatever it is. This is for the mom that's saying, like, hey, how do I work out my salvation. How do I work out the things that God has put on my heart while I'm cleaning poopy butts? This is the mantle the Lord has given us to move in love again, whatever that, that really complicated Greek word was. So we're going to put the link to your book in the show notes. This is, this is such an important topic that I haven't heard addressed that much because I think everyone is so drawn to that selfish ambition word in the scriptures. But what I'm hearing you say is, no, no, no. This, this is the kingdom of God advancing in the world is through Christians who say, no, we're going to take it by force because the kingdom advances forcefully by forceful men and women. And so, guys, check out this book. I think it's going to, I think it's going to change a lot of lives. If you're even curious, if you. Man. Like, I don't know that I'm in the spot. Like, I'm, you know, I'm a mom of teenagers or, you know, I've got a job as a dad and I'm, you know, I'm doing my thing nine to five and I don't really feel like there's extra time. This is about redeeming the time. Like, this is about. This is about looking at your workplace and saying, how do I come at this with a different lens so that I can, I can love my co workers better so that I can be the best. I don't know, Chef. That I can be the best engineer that I can possibly be. Because that actually glorifies God. God.

[Ruslan]

Amen. Amen. That's great. What, What a way to land a plane. Yeah, and there's an audible version of it as well.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Awesome.

[Ruslan]

I did the audible. I, I read it and I actually wrote the book. I did not get a Ghost Rider. Yeah, you know, that was, that was fun leveling up the skill set. There you go. And, and I'm going on tour in the spring, so we're doing a theater tour. We got Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Pittsburgh, New York, DC, Atlanta, LA. And I think we're about to confirm Nashville. So we'll, I'll send you the links for all that they can sign up for the waiting list or tickets might be on sale by the time.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Yeah, we'll put that in the show. Not. And, and hit me up at the Dallas one.

[Ruslan]

Yeah, we're pumped. We're going to be at Echoes Lounge and Music hall in Dallas and we're trying to create these events where people can come. There's going to be some worship. I'm going to do a talk, try to sprinkle in a little bit of music, spoken word, and then, like a live podcast just like this. Try to have different guests in different cities and engage with. With some of the concerns of the folks in the room. Like, I think live events is where transformation is most optimal to happen. Podcasts are great, and I think throwing on a podcast, listening on your drive, but when you go in a room with someone and then you meet people, you get connected. I think that's the. That we're super excited to see how that. That's going to transform people.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

It's gonna be awesome, man.

[Ruslan]

Yeah, man.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Well, how can we pray for you? This is something we like to do at the Jesus People is, you know, we've got thousands of listeners that, you know, want to pray and lift you up. And I think the Bible's pretty clear that when two or more are gathered, when there's agreement on something, you know, we fill the incense bowls of heaven with our prayers. What is one thing that if you could ask the listeners right now to pray for you for, what would it be?

[Ruslan]

We're having another baby.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Let's go.

[Ruslan]

November. We have our third on the way. So just. Yeah, just pray for a smooth birth. Yeah, pray for a smooth transition into that. You know, I'm gonna be taking a couple weeks off. I'm not doing any traveling from through the. Through the end of the year and then starting to pick up again in January. So, yeah, I would just say pray for. Pray for the transition. Pray for a smooth birth. A healthy birth. Healthy baby.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Baby. All right, you got it. And could you let me pray for you? And if you're listening, pray along with me for that new baby. Could you pray for the listener after I get done praying? And just ask the Lord to reveal his design in them and where he wants them to step into that loving ambition that you were talking about. That'd be great.

[Ruslan]

Okay.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Holy Spirit, we just thank you so much that you partner with us, that you want us to cultivate the earth, that you have assignments for us, that you love seeing your children do the things they were uniquely built for. If my son comes up to me and wants to play soccer, even though I was a baseball player, I'm not going to force him to do something that is outside of his design, outside of his desires. And so, yeah, I just thank you for that wisdom. I just pray for a complete covering for Ruslan and his wife and his family and this new baby. I pray that the birth is so smooth that he would look back at these prayers and be like, lord, you intervened. And that was just such a beautiful testament to your faithfulness in their life. Would you bless his ministry? Would you create more opportunities for him? Would you put him in the right situations, open the right doors, close the wrong doors? I pray for this tour, Lord, that the power of God would be on display, that people would come together and encounter your presence, Lord, and be sent out. I pray that this would be ascending tour, that people would just be fired up about not only what is happening in Ruslan's life and go there because it's going to be entertaining, it's gonna be fun, but they would be sent from it. And Lord, thank you for my brother. Thank you for everything you've done in his life. Jesus. Name, Father.

[Ruslan]

Would you, would you move in a way that brings so much impact that we won't even see see it on this side of eternity? The testimonies we get from the folks that were equipped in this conversation that we would get to, we would get to see it on the other side of eternity, Lord, that we would get to meet some of the people that heard this conversation, that you sparked something through this conversation, and that they go on to do incredible things with their time, talent and treasure. And Lord, that we won't even know the full ramifications and the full ripple effect of that until we're with you in glory and we get to meet them in heaven, Lord. So would you just move in the hearts of your people and the minds of your people, Lord, to stir up that godly ambition, to stir up those dreams, those visions, those goals, those desires, Lord God. And that they would not would the cognitive dissonance, the double mindedness would cease, Lord, that there would be clarity, that there would be direction, there would be wisdom, there would be mentors, there would be a local, local church bodies that come alongside of them. Local church bodies they can serve at, Lord, and local church bodies that would also equip them. So would you just have your way, God, and just bless the people who heard this conversation and that they would get aligned with godly ambition in living out, Lord, the things that you've worked in them, Lord, pray these things in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Amen.

[Ruslan]

Amen. Dude, what an honor.

[Host of Jesus People Podcast]

Thanks for having me on, brother. Guys, thanks for checking in to the Jesus people. We will see you next week.