Living Influence with Bill Thrall and Scott Boyd

Episode: Risk-Taking and Its Surprising Rewards in God’s Plan
Release Date: October 9, 2025

Episode Overview

In this engaging episode of Living Influence, co-hosts Bill Thrall and Scott Boyd dive into the theme of risk-taking within the context of God’s purpose and influence in our lives. Through personal stories, biblical illustrations, and reflections on leadership, they explore how embracing risk in faith shapes not only our personal growth but also our capacity to influence and empower others. The conversation underscores the importance of knowing who God says we are and trusting His influence in us so that we can become agents of His love and grace in the world.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Nature of Risk and Its Spiritual Significance

• Scott opens the episode by expressing his appreciation for risk:

  "Risk is a word that I happen to like. I’ve experienced risk…I’ve experienced also the amazing things God can do when we begin to trust Him." [00:07]

• Reflection on the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25):
  • Scott highlights God’s affirmation of those who risk and the rebuke given to those who hide due to fear.

    “The greatest risk in life is to never take one.” [01:10]

• Bill affirms the message with repeated "Amen," emphasizing agreement and the spiritual importance of the topic. [00:34, 01:30]

2. Risk-Taking in Leadership and Everyday Life

• Scott shares a personal story about coaching his sons' soccer team:
  • Many kids stayed five feet from the ball due to fear of making mistakes.
  • His coaching became about encouraging kids to step in, take risks, and discover their ability.

    “The reason they weren’t jumping in the game was fear of failure...I began to coach where all of my coaching was about helping those nine kids take a risk.” [03:26]

• Connection to business leadership:
  • In his company, Scott realized decision-making is risk-taking.
  • He aimed to empower others by creating a culture where failure was accepted as part of growth, not hidden or punished.

    "The only thing that's not okay is to not be okay with failing. The only thing that's not okay is to try to hide it when you fail." [05:32]

  • Moving away from traditional employee reviews to focus on people’s potential and trust led to growth and empowerment:

    "If you flip that dynamic and you begin to look at people as amazing and as capable of doing amazing, incredible things, and you begin to trust them, they show up in different ways." [07:03]

3. The Impact of Belief, Trust, and Grace

• Importance of being believed in:

  "It's a good thing to believe in people. When you're believed in, it does something to you." [07:33]

• Bill reflects:
  • Knowing you are valuable is transformative for your influence.
  • Scott’s trust empowered his employees and changed their lives.

    "Without exception, they would say that your trust of them changed their lives, because they would say nobody had ever trusted them before." [08:18]

• Business results as a byproduct:
  • Focus on people—trust and empowerment—contributed to impressive, sustained company growth:

    "Our company has grown 15% a year…we've gone from 3 million to 120 million...The engine of the company is loving people and believing in them." [09:20–09:43]

4. Overcoming “Worm Theology” and Minimization

• The problem of minimizing God’s influence in us:
  • Bill introduces “worm theology”—the belief that Christians should minimize themselves for the sake of humility, which actually denies the transformative power of Christ in us.

    "How in the world did our theology get so twisted that the work of Christ in us has to be minimized in the name of spirituality?" [12:28-12:45]

• Celebrating God’s influence, not personal pride:

  "There is no influence through me until there is influence in me." [09:48]

5. The Ripple Effect of Influence: Stories of Changed Lives

• Bill recounts leading Mel, a young Orthodox Jewish man, to Christ:
  • Mel’s decision came with great personal cost, but also with conviction and immediate action.
  • Powerful follow-up question from Mel and his girlfriend Beth:

    "Bill, what do we do now?" [14:47]

  • Bill’s vulnerability in realizing he hadn’t prepared for discipleship led to a shift in his ministry, focusing not just on conversion but on walking with people as they grow.
• Hospitality and long-term investment:
  • Bill and his wife became foundational figures in Mel and Beth’s lives, showing the depth and longevity of influence.

    "That young couple, they would say, ate 200 meals a year at our house the next three years of their lives." [18:07]

  • The impact continued for decades—Mel became foundational in multiple ministries and is writing his story 55 years later.

    "It's a life that God used to change me." [19:39]

6. Purpose Over Direction

• Bill introduces the difference between seeking direction (tasks, places) and seeking purpose (the people and impact around you):

  "Don’t look for direction, look for purpose...Destiny is about purpose. It's about the person in front of me." [19:06–19:18]

7. The Scandal and Call of Believing Christ Is in You

• Boldness in believing God’s presence in yourself and others:

  "If I'm going to be so bold to believe that Christ is in my heart...then I've got to believe the same is true for you." [20:31]

• Taking action as evidence of faith:

  "The real question for Christians is not, is Christ in you? ...Do you trust that he’s in you? ...You’d act upon it. Learn to act upon the reality of the influence of God in you, and lives will be changed." [21:25–21:50]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Scott Boyd:

  “The greatest risk in life is to never take one.” [01:10]
  "The reason they weren’t jumping in the game was fear of failure..." [03:26]
  "It's a scandal to believe it's true for me...And it does something when I go, okay, I'm going to believe you, God." [20:42]

• Bill Thrall:

  “There is no influence through me until there is influence in me.” [09:48]
  "How in the world did our theology get so twisted that the work of Christ in us has to be minimized in the name of spirituality?" [12:28]
  "Don’t look for direction, look for purpose." [19:06]
  “The real question for Christians is not, is Christ in you?...Do you trust that He's in you?...You’d act upon it.” [21:25–21:50]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Introduction to risk and the parable of the talents: [00:03–01:31]
• Coaching story – helping kids take risks: [02:15–05:29]
• Risk in business and leadership: [05:29–07:32]
• Belief and empowerment in leadership: [07:32–09:37]
• Company growth as a result of trust culture: [09:04–09:43]
• Challenging “minimizing” theologies: [12:02–12:45]
• The story of Mel and Beth—conversion, risk, and discipleship: [13:08–18:03]
• Hospitality and lifelong influence: [18:03–19:06]
• Purpose vs. direction in life: [19:06–19:18]
• The boldness of trusting God’s indwelling: [20:31–21:04]
• The actionable challenge to trust and take risks: [21:25–21:54]

Summary Takeaways

• Risk is central to experiencing God’s influence and fulfilling the purpose He gives us, both personally and in how we lead others.
• A culture of trust and belief—for ourselves and for those we influence—unlocks growth, innovation, and lives truly changed by God’s grace.
• Avoid minimizing God’s work in you; embracing and acting upon His presence is the foundation of authentic, impactful influence.
• Purpose is found in the people and moments right in front of us—not just in searching for the next step or place.
• True discipleship and influence often involve long-term, vulnerable investment in others’ lives.
• Every act of faith is a risk, but it’s the kind of risk God calls us to, promising transformation for us and those around us.