Chris Lambert

If there’s a dare you don’t want to make, it’s telling Chris Lambert he can’t do something he believes he’s called to.

After a spiritual awakening during his junior year at Indiana University, where he was studying marketing with an initial plan to use that power of persuasion to ultimately study law and develop real estate, his frat brothers told him he couldn’t give up bongs for Bible studies.

He did anyway.

After then earning his MDiv and doctorate at Fuller and Gordon-Conwell seminaries, most folks told him in 2006 he shouldn’t move into a Liberian village and raise money for a well, a few farm animals, and maybe a brand-new school building.

He did anyway.

When his deepening faith and commitment to service called him to Metro Detroit to start a church in 2007, the few doubters left said it wouldn’t work.

He did anyway. (And named in Ekklesia, BTW.)

By the time he founded Life Remodeled in 2010, those who knew him didn’t try to stop him — they lined-up to help him. What began as a means to revitalize neighborhoods one block at a time, has evolved to a focus on repurposing vacant school buildings into one-stop hubs of opportunities for youth, families, and adults to thrive in environments that nurture a sense of self — and community.

Having been to six of the seven continents, his vision for LR was shaped by real-world experiences and the lessons he learned along the way. And the road that led him to Detroit, which he’s proud to call home with his wife (of 18 years) and two sons, was paved with equal parts wisdom and humility.

Today, as CEO of Life Remodeled, Chris continues to embody the concept of “servant leader.”

From the TEDx stage, to coveted lists like Crain’s 40 Under 40, Building Design + Construction 40 under 40, and SMART BUSINESS Dealmaker of the Year, Chris’s reputation precedes him. But it’s the journey ahead — and the people he’s asked to help lead the way — that excites him the most.

Just don’t tell him he can’t add Antarctica to the list