When Faith Moves From: Faith & Work for Christian Leaders

Most people think poverty is a lack of money.

Scott Fast has spent years discovering that it’s something far more complex—and far more hopeful.

In Episode 11 of The Intersection: Faith, Work, and Life Podcast , Scott Fast shares a compelling story of how faith lived out at work , combined with prayer and long-term collaboration, is helping families move from poverty to self-sufficiency—and slowly reshaping an entire city Ep_11 Scott Fast.

It’s a story about calling , patience, and what happens when Christians stop separating Sunday faith from Monday work.

When Faith Is Present—but Hidden Scott grew up in a Christian home, the son of a minister.

Faith was always part of his life, but for many years it stayed mostly personal.

While building a successful career in IT and spending 16 years leading major government projects at Accenture, Scott assumed faith didn’t really belong in the workplace.

Then one conversation changed everything.

As he transitioned from corporate leadership into nonprofit work, a close colleague admitted he didn’t even know Scott was a person of faith.

Scott thought he had been “living it out,” but the truth was clear— his faith was invisible at work Ep_11 Scott Fast.

That moment launched a 12-year journey of learning how to live by faith openly, authentically, and courageously in professional spaces.

Discovering That Work Matters to God At first, Scott didn’t believe God cared much about his work.

Should Christians really pray about IT projects, business outcomes, or organizational decisions?

Over time, he realized the answer was yes.

Prayer slowly moved from the edges of his life to the center.

Scott began praying about meetings, relationships, and decisions.

Eventually, prayer became so normal that teams would stop in the middle of meetings and say, “We don’t know what to do—let’s pray and ask God for direction” Ep_11 Scott Fast.

It shaped how he led, listened, and served.

Why a Good Job Changes Everything Scott’s corporate experience taught him something critical: a good career doesn’t just change one life—it changes generations .

When adults have stable, meaningful work: Families gain security Children thrive Hope replaces survival mode This conviction led Scott to focus locally in Colorado, working with low-income families and helping them recognize their skills, build career pathways, and move toward the middle class.

Today, he collaborates with 30+ faith-led organizations supporting what he calls “the journey from poverty to self-sufficiency” Ep_11 Scott Fast.

Poverty Is a Journey, Not a Moment One of the most important insights Scott shares is that poverty is not a single problem—it’s a long, interconnected journey.

Families face constant barriers: Housing instability Transportation breakdowns Childcare challenges Skill gaps Food insecurity Lack of social support Scott explains that families often encounter three to five major barriers every year , any one of which can derail progress and force them to start over Ep_11 Scott Fast.

This is why isolated programs fail—and why collaboration matters.

The Colorado Clapham Circle: Faith in Action Through the Denver Leadership Circle (a Cities Project Global initiative), Scott and others were inspired by the historic Clapham Circle —a group of Christians in 18th-century England whose faith-driven collaboration helped abolish the slave trade and reform society.

The principle still holds today: God places people in specific cities, industries, and roles for a reason.

The Colorado Clapham Circle brings together nonprofits, employers, educators, government leaders, and families themselves to walk together across a 5–15 year journey , removing barriers before they destroy momentum Ep_11 Scott Fast.

Prayer as the Engine of Renewal One of the most transformative shifts came when Scott sensed God prompting him to share prayer requests across organizations.

Now, leaders receive daily prayer updates—meetings, struggles, breakthroughs, and hopes.

Prayer has become the unseen infrastructure holding the movement together Ep_11 Scott Fast.

Prayer: Builds trust across organizations Breaks scarcity thinking Aligns leaders with God’s timing, not their own Scott emphasizes that prayer teaches discernment—knowing when to act boldly and when to wait.

What Gives Hope When the Work Is Heavy The work is hard.