The Lifestyle Founder, Righteous Identity & Muscular Faith: This Week at Startup Church

The Lifestyle Founder, Righteous Identity & A Muscular Faith: This Week at Startup Church

Every Sunday, founders from around the world gather at Startup Church to connect faith, purpose, and the new startup model God is raising up. This week’s message hit deep, because it speaks directly to what founders are facing today: pressure, performance, uncertainty, and the tension between building a startup and building a life.

Today, we unpacked three powerful themes every founder needs to hear.

1. The Lifestyle Founder Is Back

For decades, the startup world tried to shame founders into building for investors.
“Get a co-founder.”
“Raise capital early.”
“Chase the unicorn.”
“Align your life to the VC model.”

But here’s the truth every VC knows and almost none will say out loud:

VCs are lifestyle entrepreneurs. Including me.

We build for our lifestyle.
Our desires.
Our families.
Our calling.

So should you.

The new startup model is simple, biblical, and wildly effective:

Build founder-first.
Build revenue-first.
Build profit-first.
Build the life God actually called you to live.

Only one percent of founders will ever get funded.
So what do the rest do?

They flip the script.

They become elite at customer acquisition.
They master RevOps.
They bootstrap to $10M ARR.
They build wealth from profits.
And then they decide if they want investors — on their terms.

This is the model creating freedom today.
This is the model delivering purpose and prosperity.
This is the model your family will thank you for.

2. Yes, You’re Flawed… But You’re Also Righteous

Most founders carry something quietly: the fear that their flaws disqualify them.

The mistakes.
The missteps.
The struggles.
The internal battles they don’t talk about.

But God sees something completely different.

In Christ, you are the righteousness of God.
(2 Corinthians 5:21)

This righteousness comes by faith, not by performance.
(Romans 3:22)

You don’t earn it.
You don’t work for it.
You don’t achieve it.

You receive it.

Which means this:

You can go all-in with God right now, as you are.
Your flaws don’t disqualify you.
Your righteousness empowers you.

We are no longer under the law —
but God empowers us not to live like outlaws.

The righteous identity changes how you build:

You build with confidence.
You build from acceptance, not for approval.
And you stop trying to perform your way into God’s favor.

Founders rooted in righteousness build differently — with peace, clarity, and a supernatural edge.

3. As a Believer, Be In It to Win It

God didn’t call you to participate.
He called you to win the race He set before you.

That’s not arrogance. That’s obedience.

A winner’s mindset isn’t ego — it’s stewardship.

This is how you approach your faith, your relationships, your startup, and your God assignments.

With excellence.
With endurance.
With intention.
With decades-long vision.

Winning requires muscular faith — not willy-nilly, wishy-washy belief.

Muscular faith says:

Obstacles are opportunities.
Resistance is growth.
Setbacks become setups.
God is directing every step.

There are only three kinds of founders:

Those who make things happen.
Those who watch things happen.
Those who say, “what happened?”

You are called to be the first type.

Some of you need more courage.
Some of you need more clarity.
And yes… some dudes need more T.
(Testosterone + Tenacity + Trust in God.)

This is the season to strengthen your spirit, your resolve, and your faith.

Build muscle.
Be in it to win it.
Run the race to win.
Finish strong.

A Final Word for Founders

God is raising up a new breed of founders — bold, faith-driven, purpose-rooted, and Kingdom-minded.

Founders who build lifestyle ventures to $10M ARR.
Founders who reject startup porn and phantom unicorns.
Founders who build wealth from profits.
Founders who view their business as a calling, not a lottery ticket.
Founders who run with righteousness.
Founders who win.

This is your time.
This is your season.
This is your calling.

Go build with God.
And be in it — to win it.

– Gerald Duran
Managing Partner, CanaGlobal

P.S. Cohort #10 of our Elevate Startup Incubator starts December 16th, 2025.

12 weeks. Live sessions. High accountability. No excuses.

I’ll be working directly with founders who are serious about growth, purpose, and funding. 

👉 Who wants a seat at my table?