Ron Anderson

My name is Ron Anderson and I live in Lincoln, Nebraska. I am an entrepreneur and my primary business is faith-driven wealth management. I love integrating God’s wisdom into financial advice and helping our clients invest in companies that make the world flourish. The one thing most people are surprised to know about me is that I am farm boy, a huge hick. The closest town to my childhood home had a population of 110 people. 

I see God as ridiculously generous. He has given me financial and non-financial blessings everywhere I look. Whenever I have turned my plans over to him, God has blessed them and given me more than I could have ever asked for. Twice I tried to buy a house and God closed the door, but later he gave me an opportunity to buy a lot in a much nicer neighborhood and build our dream home. When I was trying to build our office, I could not buy land in the area I desired. Then, God had a friend inquire on a better property for me and the location God gave me for my business was much better than the one I picked. Over and over I have seen that God’s ways are higher than our way and his thoughts are higher than our thoughts. (Isaiah 55:9)

I think I first discovered the joy of giving when God spoke to me at a conference. He laid a specific dollar amount on my heart to give. On the day I gave that amount away I also bought a stock for the same amount. Two weeks later God replaced the value of my gift with that stock’s appreciation. It was amazing to know that I had heard from God and obeyed. That day God showed me he’s in control of my resources. 

I always thought the way to be free from worrying about not having enough money was to save a substantial amount of my income. I have saved 30-40% of my income after tax for almost 30 years now. I tithed 10% too. But hoarding my wealth had me in a trap where I couldn’t freely spend $400 on a bicycle for myself. When I asked God what he wanted me to give, and I gave it, God let me enjoy more of what he had blessed me with and feel an incredible amount of gratitude to God, “who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.” (1 Timothy 6:17) The other danger of wealth has been the more I have the more I have to manage. More stuff takes more time to manage it. It is a blessing and it can be a trap.  

When I spend time alone with God, he speaks to me. He encourages me. He tells me I am his beloved son. He tells me to advance his kingdom and challenge his followers. He tells me to be bold and courageous. God is always kind and loving. In his amazing grace, God wants to know me and he wants me to know him. I want to be with God because God wants to be with me. I trust that he had good plans for my life. Not just plans, but GOOD plans. Plans to give me life, not take it from me. 

I wish I could have understood that freedom doesn’t come by having more and more money. Freedom comes from giving up control of the money God gives you and making it available to him for his kingdom. The money I have isn’t mine anyways. It belongs to God and I am a steward. Freedom is when God nudges your heart to release it and you obey. If God calls you to give more of your income, he can bless your occupation or your portfolio and replace those assets whenever he wants to. He may or he may not, but he is good. God’s children live in too much fear of money, instead of believing that God is generous and he loves to give his children good gifts.

I start each day sitting on my couch looking out over my pond. I sit quietly to hear God’s nudging and leading. I journal what God tells me and he continues to repeat the plans he has for me. God’s vision for my life is way bigger than I could have dreamed or imagined. This time in silence and prayer really grounds me for the day ahead. 

I like my giving decisions to be God’s decisions. It’s not my money so I need to ask him because it is his. I try not to be influenced by fundraisers, but I do like projects. I like to finish things. When an organization is getting close to finishing something I might do a matching grant or just finish it. I love to finish things. I let God determine if I should finish it and I ask him. If he gives me a red flag I don’t give and if he gives me the go ahead, I write the check. 

My calling is to challenge Christians to honor God with their money. I am to forcefully advance the kingdom. I am to boldly and courageously speak up for those who can’t speak up for themselves. I am to honor God with my wealth and business, and I am to challenge other believers to do the same.

If I could choose three (or more) words to be remembered by they would be: bold and courageous, sold out, and God’s mouthpiece.