Christians for Impact – Details, episodes & analysis

Should Christians earn as much money as possible in order to give it to the poor? How much good could you do? Is this path dangerous? JD explores this theme with Tommy Kumpf, a quantitative trader at Susquehanna International Group in Philadelphia.

🔗 Full-Transcript-And-Links: http://christiansforimpact.org/episodes/tommy-kumpf

🔗 Earning to Give Profile: www.christiansforimpact.org/earning-to-give-profile

Samuel Dupret, Research Manager at the Happier Lives Institute, discusses why improving wellbeing in global development can be a highly effective career choice, and why using evidence-based research to measure impact is key. He also talks about how pursuing a career in this field can lead to both personal fulfillment and global impact.

🔗 *Links/Transcript*

All Links: https://www.christiansforimpact.org/episodes/samuel-dupret Samuel's Org: https://www.happierlivesinstitute.org/ World Happiness Report: https://worldhappiness.report/ed/2025/giving-to-others-how-to-convert-your-money-into-greater-happiness-for-others/

⏳ *Topics*

00:00 – Intro

02:30 – Does Money Actually Buy Happiness?

04:50 – The Science of Measuring Happiness: Meet the "Welby"

21:20 – Should Christians Care About Happiness—or Embrace Misery?

34:20 – The World's Best (and Worst) Charities for Your Dollar

43:20 – Critiques of Measuring Happiness (HLI's Methodology Under Fire) 44:20 – Can We Really Compare Happiness Across Cultures?

47:20 – Spillovers: Is Happiness Contagious?

48:50 – GiveWell vs. Happier Lives Institute: Who's Right?

52:10 – Are Happiness Units Really Created Equal?

56:20 – What Did Jesus Mean by "Blessed Are the Poor"?

 58:05 – Does Measuring Happiness Mean Some Lives Are Worth More? 1:02:50 – Why Christians Might View Happiness Differently

1:05:05 – Careers That Actually Make the World Happier

 1:07:40 – Why "Follow Your Passion" Is Terrible Advice

In this episode, we speak to Brian Green. Brian holds a doctorate degree in ethics and is currently the Director of Technology Ethics at the Markulla Center for Applied Ethics, at Santa Clara University in California. His work is focused on the ethics of emerging technology. 

Some things we touch on in this episode:

• The relationship between Christianity, technology, and existential risks.

• Why we should be concerned about nuclear war as Christians.

• What it might look like if there was some kind of nuclear catastrophe or exchange.

• What do you and I need to do to prevent nuclear war.

• Careers people need to fill in order to promote non-proliferation.

In this episode, we speak with Caleb Watney. Caleb Watney is a co-founder of the Institute for Progress (IFP) which aims to accelerate technological, scientific, and industrial progress. On top of that, Caleb Watney holds a Master’s in Economics from George Mason University and has spent the last seven years working in policy in Washington DC.

Some things we touch on in this episode:

• What it's like to be a Christian working in policy.

• Why is policy something Christians who want to be impactful, should be concerned about.

• Why we should care about improving science research.

• Less controversial ways to make an impact including how to enhance skilled immigration.

• Caleb’s career advice for Christians looking to work in policy, particularly neglected areas within policy.

In this episode, we speak to Paul Niehaus. Paul is an economist and entrepreneur. He is the co-founder, director, and former president of GiveDirectly, the leading international NGO specializing in cash transfers, and rated one of the most impactful ways to give. He also works at the University of California, Sandiego which works on anti-poverty programs around the world. He holds a PhD in Economics from Havard. He professionally always wanted to do something that would reflect his Christian background and would make the world better and this drove him to co-found GiveDirectly to tackle global poverty as well as fintech non-profits.

Some things we touch on in this episode:

• How poverty alleviation through direct cash transfers works.

• Whether people receiving direct cash transfers use funds appropriately.

• Whether poverty alleviation is about meeting spiritual or physical needs

• How much we need to give to end extreme poverty.

• The role of the local Church.

• Paul’s career advice to young Christians looking to be impactful in the world.

In this episode, we speak to Joy Bittner. Joy Bittner is the founder of Vida Plena, an organization invested in building strong mental health in Latin America. Vida Plena does this by training local communities to provide mental health care for depression. Joy majored in psychology in her undergraduate degree, then proceeded to do a master’s in social work in which she focused on social service administration. Later she did a second master’s in nonprofit management and has over 15 years of experience in non-profit management.

Some things we touch on in this episode:

• What it is like working within the mental health field.

• Why we should care about mental health as Christians.

• The intersection between faith, effective altruism, and mental health. 

• The lack of mental health care among the Latin American poor and how to provide of it.

• Joy’s career advice for Christians looking to work in mental health and looking to be impactful in the same breadth. 

In this episode we speak with Ed Michaelson. Ed lives in London and directs 500k, an org with supports 800 church planters in rural India. Ed shares his story of why he went from ER doctor to non-profit founder, and which missions careers are most effective in furthering God's kingdom.

Some things we touch on in this episode...

• The value of mission trips

• Windows of opportunities in global missions

• Why church planting might be much more effective than bible translation

• How to plan a career in church planting movements

• Why you probably shouldn’t become a traditional missionary

In this episode, we speak with Katie Fantaguzzi. Katie lives in Texas and transitioned from work in private healthcare consulting to measurement and evaluation for global health nonprofits. She is now a Senior MER advisor at the SCI Foundation, which treats millions of people suffering from parasitic worm infections.

Some things we touch on in this episode

• Does a data-driven approach conflict with a faith-driven approach in doing good?

• How SCI Foundation administered 1 billion deworming treatments.

• How bad parasitic worms are and how deworming works.

• Why deworming is so effective and how it will change in the future.

• Being motivated in private sector jobs vs. nonprofit jobs.

• Whether Christians should work in Christian vs. secular charities.

• Living with the monastic community of St. Anselm in London.

Bruce Friedrich is co-founder and president of The Good Food Institute, a Y Combinator-funded non-profit that promotes plant- and cell-based alternatives to animal products.

Some things we touch on in this episode:

• How animal agriculture harms animals, the poor, and the climate.

• Why Bruce loves Dorothy Day’s Catholic Worker movement.

• Why alternative proteins are the “electric vehicles” of animal agriculture.

• The power of positive example.

• Bruce’s advice on top charities and careers for Christians who want to make an impact for God’s creation.

In this episode, we speak with Brian Fikkert, who is an economist and professor at Covenant College. We speak about his influential book When Helping Hurts and how Christians can make the greatest possible positive impact in the lives of the poor.

Some things we touch on in this episode:

• Why short-term missions often make things worse for the poor.

• How wealthy Americans define “poverty”.

• “Relief” vs. “Development” work, and where Christians are most needed.

• Balancing insights from the Bible and economic experiments.

• Career advice for Christians looking to tackle global poverty.

More at https://www.christiansforimpact.org/episodes/brian-fikkert