Going Big! with Kevin Gentry

Going Big with John Yates III: Faith, Leadership, and the Digital Age

What if Going Big doesn’t mean building a massive platform — but laying a foundation that lasts for generations?
In this episode of Going Big!, host Kevin Gentry sits down with Reverend John Yates III, rector of Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. The son of influential pastor John Yates II, Yates has chosen a different but equally ambitious path to live out and develop long-term faithfulness.
Yates shares how his father’s steady leadership shaped him, what he learned working closely with renowned theologian John Stott, and why mentoring often happens not through formal instruction but through quiet proximity and example. He explains why playing the long game — investing in people over 10, 20, or 30 years — may be the most countercultural form of leadership in today’s world.
The conversation turns to one of the most pressing challenges facing leaders today: the digital revolution. Yates argues that smartphones and social media are not just tools, but forces shaping our humanity at a scale comparable to Gutenberg’s printing press. He reflects on how this technological shift is transforming attention, community, and even the experience of faith.
From lessons on mentorship and intellectual humility to navigating leadership during COVID and guiding a congregation through cultural change, this episode explores how leaders can remain grounded, curious, and faithful in an age of distraction.
If you’ve ever wondered what the connection is between integrity and real impact — this conversation will challenge and encourage you to rethink what it truly means to Go Big.

Going Big with Fr. Robert Sirico: Faith, Freedom, and the Formation of a Life’s Calling

In this episode of Going Big, host Kevin Gentry sits down with Fr. Robert Sirico — priest, thinker, and co-founder of the Acton Institute — to explore a remarkable life shaped by bold ideas, unexpected turns, and an unwavering commitment to the dignity of the human person.
Fr. Sirico reflects on his early years in Brooklyn, his immersion in the social movements of the 1970s, and the intellectual journey that ultimately led him back to faith and into the priesthood. He shares how thinkers like Michael Novak, Cardinal Avery Dulles, and others helped him integrate theology, human freedom, economics, and moral reasoning into a unified vision.
Together, Kevin and Fr. Sirico dive into the founding of the Acton Institute, the risks involved in challenging prevailing assumptions within religious institutions, and the decades-long effort to move global conversations about faith and economics toward a deeper understanding of freedom and virtue.
This conversation also explores the role of mentors, the meaning of humility, lessons from serving as a hospital chaplain, and how suffering, truth, and compassion all shape the pursuit of one’s calling.
Whether you're interested in leadership, intellectual formation, personal transformation, or the intersection of faith and free societies, this episode offers a rare window into a life devoted to Going Big with purpose.

Going Big with Aditi Goel and David Carroll: Taking On America’s Hidden Justice Crisis

In this episode of Going Big!, host Kevin Gentry sits down with Aditi Goel and David Carroll, the executive director and founder of the Sixth Amendment Center, to explore one of the most misunderstood crises in American law: the failure of many local courts to provide legal counsel to people who can’t afford it.
Though the Constitution guarantees the right to an attorney, millions of Americans are being prosecuted, sentenced, and even jailed without ever speaking to one. In lower courts, the right to counsel often doesn't exist. 
Goel and Carroll share their journey of building the only national organization dedicated solely to this problem. Their unique, nonpartisan model partners directly with states to identify structural gaps, uncover unintentional violations, and help governments meet their constitutional obligations without litigation.
This episode offers a sobering look at what’s broken in America’s criminal justice system—and an inspiring path toward fixing it.
If you care about civil liberties, smart governance, and how to go big with focused mission-driven work, this conversation is essential.

Going Big with Dr. Rand Paul: Independent Leadership from the Operating Room to the Senate Floor

What if going big in politics meant doing less?
Dr. Rand Paul is a U.S. Senator from Kentucky—and one of the most consistently independent voices in American government. In this episode of Going Big!, we talk about how his commitment to liberty, limited government, and constitutional principles have shaped every step of his unconventional journey.
You’ll hear how growing up in the household of Ron Paul formed his early worldview, how medicine taught him the value of real-world outcomes, and why his 2010 Senate run nearly started with a political headline and a trip to the doghouse. Rand unpacks the deeper philosophy behind his contrarian stands, from COVID policy to federal spending, and what it takes to speak truth when the easier path is silence.
He makes the case that the job of a legislator isn’t to pass laws—it’s to defend freedom. Even when liberty is the harder argument to sell.
And if you’re wondering how to make a difference? Rand offers a roadmap: start by reading, get a real job, and show up where your voice matters most—especially in primaries.

Going Big with Dr. Michael Crow: Redesigning the American University

What if excellence in higher education wasn’t about who you exclude—but about how many you can empower to succeed?
In this episode of Going Big!, host Kevin Gentry sits down with Dr. Michael Crow, President of Arizona State University and one of the most visionary university leaders in America. Over the past two decades, Dr. Crow has led a sweeping transformation of ASU—turning it into the nation’s largest research university, dramatically expanding access, and pioneering a new model of continuous innovation.
They explore how ASU scaled from 55,000 to over 200,000 degree-seeking students without compromising quality, why the university now graduates more engineers than nearly any institution in America, and how it became a driving force behind the largest foreign direct investment in U.S. history. Dr. Crow also unpacks the cultural resistance he faced, the radical accountability embedded in ASU’s charter, and how universities can become true engines of national progress.
If you care about the future of higher education, institutional transformation, or what it means to lead boldly at scale—this conversation will reset your expectations.