Join Richard Cunningham and John Coleman for the first Marks on the Markets episode of 2026 as they welcome Brandon Pizzurro, Managing Director at GuideStone Capital Management, to unpack what investors need to know heading into the new year. After three consecutive years of double-digit returns, the conversation explores whether markets can sustain this momentum, the future of AI investing, and the opportunities emerging in small caps and private markets.

Key Investment Topics:

• Market outlook after three straight years of 20%+ returns and where opportunities lie in 2026
• The Mag 7 dominance: Will small and mid-cap stocks finally see their rotation moment?
• Federal Reserve policy expectations and why current rates may be historically appropriate
• Private equity and IPO markets thawing after years of constrained liquidity
• Geopolitical shocks to watch: Iran, Venezuela, and international market divergence
• AI's impact on productivity, employment, and whether we're entering a new economic era

Notable Quotes:

"Breathless is probably one word. Just coming off three straight years like that, you always wanna protect on the downside. You wanna think about how things can go wrong. And when they don't for a third year in a row, you wanted to catch your breath and really take stock of what just happened." - Brandon Pizzurro

"This is the Lord's capital that we're all stewarding, and we need to remember that as we kind of start the year off again. We have a charge here for our investors, but I think it's important to take a moment and be present, be thinking about why you're doing what you're doing." - Brandon Pizzurro

"We are people under authority and it's easy to forget that sometimes. When we receive word from God, whether that be through scripture, whether that be through prayer or insight or inspiration, we are intended to execute against that will." - John Coleman

About the Guests:

Brandon Pizzurro serves as Managing Director at GuideStone Capital Management in Dallas, Texas, bringing sophisticated market analysis with a faith-driven perspective on stewardship and investing. John Coleman is a Managing Partner at Sovereign's Capital and regular co-host of the Marks on the Markets series, known for his thoughtful integration of economic analysis with Kingdom principles.

This episode offers both tactical market insights and strategic wisdom for faith-driven investors navigating what promises to be a consequential year in financial markets.

Join hosts Henry Kaestner, Justin Forman, and Luke Roush as they preview the upcoming 2026 Faith Driven Investor Conference, exploring the transformative theme "Seeds vs. Silos" and what it means for how we steward capital in service of God's kingdom.

Key Investment Topics:

• Understanding the J-curve of investing and why seed capital requires patience before bearing fruit
• The convergence of giving, investing, and building into unified asset allocation focused on mission
• First-loss capital strategies: How philanthropic capital can unlock larger investment tranches
• The urgency of African investment: Addressing 80% of the world's poor by 2030 through market-driven solutions
• Redefining risk from an eternal perspective rather than purely financial metrics

Powerful Quotes:

"We're planting these seeds and the seeds are planted in the ground and they go down. And with the J-curve, all of a sudden it's underground, it doesn't look like it's great, and then it comes back up someplace further away, far enough away from where you planted it so that maybe you don't even get credit for it." - Henry Kaestner

"It's not a failure of the system, usually, in terms of people using the platform God's given them. It's usually a failure of nerve." - Luke Roush

"The tragedy is when you go into some of these dark places, tragically we find that darkness is more coordinated than the church." - Justin Forman

Episode Description:

Six years into the Faith Driven Investor Conference journey, the movement has reached an inflection point. What began as storming and forming is now transforming into coordinated action as investors, advisors, and fund managers converge around a unified mission: solving the world's greatest problems under God's power for His glory.

This preview episode unpacks the conference theme "Seeds vs. Silos," challenging investors to move beyond accumulation mindsets (the barns and silos of our age) toward scattering seeds that grow underground before bearing fruit in unexpected places. Henry, Justin, and Luke explore how the J-curve of investing mirrors spiritual growth—requiring faith during the valley period when capital is deployed but results aren't yet visible.

The conversation addresses critical shifts in the faith-driven investing ecosystem: the three-sided marketplace now including river guide advisors, the convergence of philanthropic and investment capital into unified asset allocation maps, and real-world examples of first-loss capital unlocking larger investment opportunities in emerging markets. With top-quartile performers now visible across virtually every asset class—from multifamily real estate to African venture funds—the movement has matured beyond feel-good stories to demonstrable excellence because of, not despite, biblical values. The hosts issue a clarion call for urgent action in Africa, where 80% of the world's poor will live by 2030, and challenge investors to rethink risk from an eternal perspective rather than merely financial metrics.

Behind The Chosen: Faith, Film, and the Fight for Culture

Join host John Coleman on the set of The Chosen in Midlothian, Texas, for an unprecedented conversation with producers Chris Juen and Chad Gundersen of Out of Order Studios. From the Sanhedrin throne room itself, Chris and Chad share the untold story of how a crowdfunded Jesus project became a global phenomenon reaching 520 million people—and what it means for faith-driven investors seeking to impact culture through entertainment.

Key Investment & Industry Topics:

• Why entertainment investment requires a platform approach, not one-off project bets
• How The Chosen scaled from $0 budget for episode 5 to a multi-season global franchise
• The three investment pillars for cultural impact: spark the next generation, build infrastructure, create content
• Why investors should think like oil drillers: invest in a slate of 10 films, not just one
• The unpredictable nature of entertainment returns and how to approach risk wisely
• Building production companies that operate between $1M-$150M budgets with studio-level quality

Powerful Quotes:

"I'm tired of crappy Christian content. God doesn't want your crap. He calls us to be excellent." - Chad Gundersen

"Christians yielded culture, then got mad when culture went bad. Fine, it's risky, but is it worth the risk?" - Chris Juen

"Platforms, not projects. How do you get around the most excellent people in the industry who have a slate of content and invest in that diversified platform?" - John Coleman

About the Guests:

Chris Juen and Chad Gundersen are the co-founders of Out of Order Studios and executive producers of The Chosen, the largest crowdfunded media project in history. Chris brings 20 years of studio experience from major productions including Contact, Spider-Man, and Polar Express, while Chad contributed 20 years of independent filmmaking expertise. Together, they've pioneered a hybrid production model that delivers studio-quality content at independent budgets—proving that faith-driven content can compete at the highest levels of entertainment while maintaining both artistic excellence and fiscal responsibility.

Their production philosophy centers on creating environments where cast and crew are valued, where believers and non-believers alike can experience the gospel through excellent storytelling, and where investors can participate in cultural transformation through strategic, well-managed capital deployment.