In this episode, Evan sits down with Kevin Rains—entrepreneur, former pastor, and the author of Profits and Purpose. After scaling a multi-location business and selling it to private equity, Kevin found himself drawn back into a different kind of leadership: coaching entrepreneurs, building a retreat center with his son, and walking with others through seasons of transition.
Kevin opens up about the deeply personal and often painful journey of moving out of pastoral ministry—not because he wanted to, but because something in him was shifting. He talks candidly about the spiritual identity crisis that followed, the depression and doubt he faced, and the surprising grace he discovered while running an auto body business.
We talk about why the soft skills pastors often overlook—like empathy, presence, and communication—are actually powerful marketplace assets, and how risk and faith are more connected than we think. Kevin shares the story of his pilgrimage through Celtic monastic sites that helped him reframe what it means to live a holy life in the business world.
If you’re a leader in the midst of vocational change, wondering if you’re abandoning your calling—or just trying to figure out how to make sense of who you are without the title—Kevin’s story offers clarity, encouragement, and hope.
Takeaways:
👉 “I was trying my best at something I believed God called me to—and getting a very mediocre result.”
👉 Kevin shares how success in business unexpectedly sparked a crisis of identity and faith.
👉 “I could tell my congregation their work mattered—but I didn’t believe it for myself.”
👉 Hospitality, generosity, and justice are now the core values Kevin’s building his life—and family business—around.
👉 We talk about the emotional cost of leaving ministry and the deep work required to make peace with the past.
👉 Risk and faith are two sides of the same coin—“If there’s no leap, it’s not really faith.”
👉 Kevin shares what it means to lead from curiosity, not certainty—and how asking better questions helps people move forward.
👉 “Legacy for me isn’t money or recognition—it’s values that outlast me.”
This episode is for anyone who’s felt the tension between calling and change, who’s grieving what used to be, or who’s learning how to trust that holy, meaningful work can show up outside of the church walls.
📝 Show Notes: https://itstheinbetween.com/episode18-kevin-rains/
