Want to submit questions? Email us at hello@carlandlaura.com

This episode explores the tension between "be the light of the world" and "live a quiet life" - and why both can coexist in the same calling. Carl sits down with Ruslan Alkhouri, the Armenian refugee turned seven-figure media entrepreneur, about faithfulness before platform, godly ambition versus worldly fame, and why implementation always beats information.

The conversation covers twenty years of faithful local service that nobody saw, how God breathed on Ruslan's YouTube platform during the pandemic, and the controversial topic of wealth in ministry. You'll hear why your assignment is seasonal but your purpose is constant, and why you can't change people no matter how hard you try.

If you're wrestling with how to build something meaningful without losing your soul, or wondering whether your current season of faithfulness will ever lead to breakthrough, this conversation was made for you.

Follow Carl at: instagram.com/carllentz

Follow Laura at: instagram.com/lauralentz

Follow Ruslan at: instagram.com/ruslankd

Supported by Wonder Project https://www.thewonderproject.com/

Supported by God Behind Bars https://www.godbehindbars.com/

Supported by Policy Genius https://www.policygenius.com/

Supported by Better Help https://www.betterhelp.com/

Chapters:

0:00 – Intro Highlights

0:56 – Meet the Guest: Ruslan

1:41 – From Armenian Refugee to Gangster Culture

4:35 – Finding Faith & Surrendering His Life

5:18 – 20 Years of Serving Quietly Before the Platform

7:30 – Shifting Away from Call-Out Culture

9:30 – Wonder Project (Sponsor)

10:35 – Getting Under Healthy Leadership at Rhythm Church

13:05 – Did He Feel Behind? The Engine of Godly Ambition

21:03 – God Behind Bars (Sponsor)

21:35 – Who Is This Book For?

29:39 – Policy Genius (Sponsor)

30:49 – Ambition Is Evil… Or Is It?

32:08 – The Comparison Trap & Social Media Lies

34:18 – "Live a Quiet Life" – The Most Misused Scripture

36:32 – The State of Culture: Distrust in Institutions

43:00 – Purpose Is Constant, Assignment Is Seasonal

45:31 – Small Habits Build Great Men

46:41 – BetterHelp (Sponsor)

47:41 – What You Do ≠ Who You Are

51:05 – Talent Stacking: Nothing Is Wasted

53:03 – Biblical Financial Literacy & The Missing Conversation

58:30 – Generosity Is a State of Mind

1:03:34 – Closing: The Book & Final Words

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.