How 'Bout We Do This Together?

In the fourth session of the 171st Northwest Christian Convention, Dr. John Mark Hicks preaches on the amazing vision of the church in Ephesians 4: a body called by God to fill the earth with his glory through their radical devotion to his love. For more content from the 171st Northwest Christian Convention, go to www.nwchristiannetwork.com/nwcc171 Theme Music: Simply Beautiful by Scott Riggan ( w...

In this third session of the 171st Northwest Christian Convention, Dr. Melisa Ortiz Berry explains how the way Jesus created the church gave them a unique nature and mission in the world.  For more content from the 171st Northwest Christian Convention, go to ⁠ www.nwchristiannetwork.com/nwcc171⁠ Theme Music: ⁠ Simply Beautiful⁠ by Scott Riggan ( ⁠www.scottriggan.com⁠ )

In the second evening session of the 171st convention, Dr. John Mark Hicks unpacks Ephesians Chapter 1 and the amazing message it contains about how God has chosen the Church in Christ. For more content, from the 171st Northwest Christian Convention, go to www.nwchristiannetwork.com/nwcc171 Theme Music:   Simply Beautiful  by Scott Riggan ( www.scottriggan.com )

In the opening session of the 171st Northwest Christian Convention, Co-President Matt Holmes lays out the theme for the convention: the way God is displaying his manifold wisdom to the world through the church . For more content from the 171st Northwest Christian Convention, go to ⁠www.nwchristiannetwork.com/nwcc171⁠ Theme Music: ⁠ Simply Beautiful⁠ by Scott Riggan ( ⁠www.scottriggan.com⁠ )

How can pastors lead their congregations through the tensions of a deeply-polarized political atmosphere? What if there was a better option than the two our culture gives us: partisanship or silence? In this episode guest host Daniel Malipudi interviews Matt Holmes about his upcoming workshop on shepherding through politics. They discuss the difference between how our modern culture defines politi...

Today we get to hear from Dr. Melisa Ortiz Berry of Bushnell University, as she tells the story of her journey from loving Jesus into academia and ministry. Melisa's background is a unique blend of traditions, schools and degrees which have left her with a deep passion for Church history and the role of women in the church. In this episode Dr. Berry talks us through some of the forgotten histo...

In this episode we talk to Dr. Wes Wright, pastor at Santa Clara Church in Eugene and adjunct professor at Bushnell University. Wes is our morning Bible teacher for the 2023 convention. He's also passionate about the importance of Christians being able to think well and deeply about their faith. Tune in to hear Wes talk about his personal journey as a student, as well as why he has spent so mu...

What is God doing when the church gathers? Does something happen beyond the "show" that we see? Is there something you can get from your local congregation that you can't get from watching someone else's service on Youtube? In this episode we meet John Mark Hicks, professor of theology, author, and one of the keynote speakers at this year's convention, who introduces to the &...

In this episode we talk with Lars Coburn, the instructor of our Equip Class on volunteer leadership. This course is unique because it actually comes from an existing class offered in Bushnell's Master's Degree in Leadership--meaning this class is graduate-level content, available in a one-week format. We start out by getting to know more about lars himself, then about Bushnell's leader...

David Bruce is the instructor for this year's Equip Class on grief ministry. In this episode we hear from Dave about how his journey in ministry led him to seek more training and education for ministering to the grieving, how he gained the tools he needed through a Doctor of Ministry at Emmanuel Christian Seminary, and how he put that education to use in his church. Then we talk about the cour...

Host Matt Holmes interviews Derek Voorhees and Marcus Omdahl, who together are teaching an Equip Class on substitute preaching during the '23 convention. Their class is designed to equip non-preachers to prepare and deliver a sermon in their churches. IN this discussion they talk about the importance of having other voices in the pulpit, what it takes to make a substitute preacher (you may be surp...

In this special episode, host Matt Holmes interviews Doug Marshal--pastor, conciliator, communication instructor, pastoral coach, and keynote speaker at this year's Unity Project--about his journey as a pastor, his passion for Christian unity, and his vision for this year's Unity Project event. The Unity Project is an annual gathering focused on training and encouraging Christians to live our the...

In the season 2 finale, co-hosts Chad and Becca DeKay talk with Casey and Matt Holmes about why they love the Northwest Christian Convention, and their vision for next year's gathering. The theme is "Through the Church": a celebration of everything God is doing through his church, in EVERY congregation. Speakers will include Dr. Melisa Ortiz-Berry of Bushnell University and Dr. John mark Hicks of...

Co-hosts Matt Holmes & Chad DeKay have an incredible conversation with Dr. A.J. Swoboda covering a wide range of topics, all of them leading to Jesus. They discuss the 'why' behind higher education and how to navigate the cultural hot topic of 'deconstructionism' while still pointing people to Jesus. Dr. A. J. Swoboda (PhD, Birmingham) is a pastor, professor at Bushnell University, and an awar...

A recap of the week, and a call to the kind of TRUST that leads us to active faith and life transformation not just for us, but for our communities. Watch the video of this episode here . Theme Music: Simply Beautiful by Scott Riggan. Find out more at www.scottriggan.com

Dr. A.J. Swoboda leads us through the conversation on deconstructing our faith (or more often our faith institutions) and reconstructing our faith with trust in Jesus. Watch the video of this episode here . Theme Music: Simply Beautiful by Scott Riggan. Find out more at www.scottriggan.com

Co-hosts Chad Clark & Casey Holmes discuss Scott's roots, his upbringing, his band 'The Nobodies' and their brief stint in Tennesse, and how he left a great-paying job to go into worship ministry. During the conversation we hear about the importance of curating worship music and what matters most when putting together a worship service. In his long career as an indie artist, Scott has toured t...

Scott Riggan shares through his experience what it takes to lead worship in an ever changing culture, and how to minister to the team you bring with you. Watch the video of this episode here . Theme Music: Simply Beautiful by Scott Riggan. Find out more at www.scottriggan.com

Co-hosts Daniel Mallipudi & Sean Bitzer talk to Troy Dean about his church planting roots in Southern California and how that ministry prepared him to serve the students and staff in college ministry over the last dozen years. Troy Dean is the Campus Pastor and Associate Profession (Christian Ministry) and Bushnell University in Eugene, Oregon. He's responsible for the planning, organizing, an...

Pastor Troy Dean invites four of our NW pastors to the table to have a a conversation on what called them to ministry, what keeps them in ministry, and how they are moving forward despite the overwhelming hardships of ministry in the Church. Watch the video of this episode here . Theme Music: Simply Beautiful by Scott Riggan. Find out more at www.scottriggan.com

Co-hosts Daniel Mallipudi & Troy Dean have a great conversation with Sean on what it was like to be a 27-year-old senior pastor, what advice he would have for congregations with a young pastor, and why it's VITAL to invest in family ministry, even if it's hard. Sean Bitzer came on staff at Monmouth Christian Church in Monmouth, Oregon as an intern for the Children's department in 2007. After f...

Pastor Sean Bitzer gives a frank description of the expense and effort involved in having a growing family ministry--and a challenge that family ministry is worth what it costs for the future of the church. Watch the video of this episode here . Theme Music: Simply Beautiful by Scott Riggan. Find out more at www.scottriggan.com

Co-hosts Chad & Becca DeKay have a revealing conversation with Chap Clark about his ministry over the years that has focused on adolescence. It's a reality check and a discussion that will bring you hope. Chap Clark (MA, MDiv, Fuller Theological Seminary; PhD, University of Denver) is the leader of two nonprofit organizations: ParenTeen™, committed to train and equip adults, schools, churches...

Dr. Chap Clark, using the story of the woman who wipes Jesus' feet with her tears, talk to us about the healing power of trust in Jesus.  Watch the video of this episode here. Theme Music: Simply Beautiful by Scott Riggan. Find out more at www.scottriggan.com

Dr. Chap Clark leads us through the moment when Peter steps out of the boat, and walks on water with Jesus. What causes him to step out of the boat? What causes him to begin to sink? And what happens next?  Watch the video of this episode here. Theme Music: Simply Beautiful by Scott Riggan. Find out more at www.scottriggan.com