Innovation, Failure, & Faith, with YouVersion’s Bobby Gruenewald
Welcome to the launch of The Missional Leader—a podcast for Kingdom-minded leaders looking for mission-forward insight, practical strategies, and Spirit-led solutions. Hosted by Rob Hoskins, President of OneHope, each conversation you’ll get to listen in on is designed to fuel your calling, strengthen your leadership, and empower you to advance the Gospel with clarity, courage, and conviction. On this first episode of season 1, Rob sits down with Bobby Gruenewald—founder of YouVersion— for a rich, wide-ranging conversation about the mindset of an innovator. Together Rob and Bobby discuss how risk is inseparable from innovation, framing it in three key categories: feasibility, market, and sustainability.Bobby explains how a mindset rooted in abundance, not scarcity, empowers leaders to risk failure without fear. He also highlights the spiritual and practical value of relationships over resources, stressing that “everything comes through people.” Finally, Rob and Bobby discuss how humility and stewardship keep innovation grounded in mission, not ego.We pray this conversation will give you insight into the discipline of innovation—emphasizing that relationships are the true currency of Kingdom leadership and any innovative endeavor. We’re honored to have you along for the journey of The Missional Leader! The Technology Adoption Lifecycle: https://diffusion-research.org/diffusion-theory-extensions-and-adaptationsCHAPTERS:00:00 Identity & creative freedom00:33 Opening conversation and welcome03:02 Risks in innovation05:26 Risk framework: feasibility, market, business10:31 Innovator or early adopter?14:14 Learning from YouVersion’s first failure18:50 Pivoting to mobile for breakthrough19:40 Doubt, identity & resilience22:05 The tree vs. fruit metaphor25:20 Abundance mindset in innovation28:53 Culture, relationships & stewardship
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