Is Your Ambition Godly or Just Selfish? with Ruslan KD | The Pursuit with James Griffin

What if the problem isn't that you want too much, but that you want it for the wrong kingdom? In this special episode of The Pursuit, recorded at Act Like Men Conference, James Griffin sits down with Ruslan KD, one of the most recognizable Christian voices online, to talk about ambition, purpose, and what it takes to stop living like the main character of your own story. Ruslan's path runs from a refugee childhood in Azerbaijan through gang life, an arrest at eleven, and hardened atheism, to a radical conversion and a platform reaching millions.

But this conversation is really about the two men sitting in every room: the lazy man doing just enough to get by, and the ambitious man crushing it while wasting it all on himself. Ruslan makes the case that both believe the same lie, and he lays out what Scripture actually says about godly ambition, why your job is your assignment and not your purpose, and how to know if your time, talent, and treasure are building God's kingdom or just your castle. If you've ever wondered whether your drive is honoring God or competing with Him, this one is for you.

Subscribe for more messages and conversations that will help you know and follow Jesus.

Episode Guide 
These guides are packed with key insights and scripture to help you know and follow Jesus: https://mycpcc.com/guide

To submit a question, send us a DM on Instagram or Facebook.

Crosspoint City Church exists to relentlessly pursue those far from God to help them know and follow Jesus.

To help support this mission and work, visit https://www.mycpcc.com/give

To learn more about all of our locations or what is coming up at Crosspoint City, check out https://www.crosspointcity.com/ or follow us on your favorite social platform @CrosspointCity

0:00 Intro
0:12 Welcome to Act Like Men with Ruslan KD
2:00 From Azerbaijan to America: refugee, fatherless, gang life
6:08 How growing up without a dad shaped him
8:36 From atheist to follower of Jesus
11:17 A word for the man who hasn't believed yet
15:04 More is caught than taught: walking with a skeptic
16:08 Why he fights for the Bride of Christ online
20:04 Where the church is most under attack today
22:46 How to discern which online voices to trust
24:41 Handling the outrage: thick skin, tender hearts
25:45 Why he wrote Godly Ambition
27:06 The two extremes: all ambition is evil vs. ambition as North Star
28:08 Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life
31:25 Time, talent, and treasure: godly or selfish?
36:08 A challenge for the lazy man
38:28 A challenge for the prideful man
40:53 You're not the main character
43:12 Ruslan prays for the men
45:14 Closing