Start in LA

In this episode, Nick, Bethany and Len reflect back on Season 2.

In this episode, Bethany and Len interview Fuller Seminary chaplain and former church starter, Kevin Doi.Kevin Doi is seminary chaplain and adjunct professor for the Asian American Center at Fuller Seminary. Prior to Fuller, Kevin was the founding and lead pastor of Epic Church in Fullerton, CA for 20 years. He is also co-founder of JOYA Scholars, a non-profit organization preparing first-generation students toward higher education in Fullerton’s most underserved neighborhoods. He is a contributing author of “Starting Missional Churches” (IVP 2014).

In this episode, Nick and Len interview church starter Inés Velásquez-McBryde .Inés Velásquez-McBryde is a pastor, preacher, reconciler and speaker. She is currently a chaplain at Fuller Theological Seminary. She is originally from Nicaragua and moved to the USA for her undergraduate studies. Prior to Fuller, she lived in Arkansas for 15 years before moving to Pasadena. Inés earned her M.Div at Fuller Seminary. She has 18 years combined experience in church-planting and pastoral staff leadership in multi-ethnic churches. She has a passion for racial reconciliation in and through the local church and the full inclusion of women in pastoral leadership. Currently, she is church planting in Southern California with fellow co-pastor, Bobby Harrison who is also a Fuller graduate. Inés has been married to Rob for 14 years and loves being a soccer mom to their son, Nash. She loves salsa dancing, the beach, running and writing.

In this episode, we talk with LA church starters Ruth Schmidt, Rafaat Girgis, and Darin McKenna.

Nick and Bethany interview leadership expert and practical theologian Michaela O'Donnell Long.Michaela O’Donnell Long is the senior director of Fuller Seminary’s De Pree Center for Leadership. She is also the co-founder of Long Winter Media, a creative agency that helps brands make an impact. Michaela holds a Ph.D. in practical theology from Fuller Seminary where she teaches courses on practical theology, vocation, and leadership as an adjunct professor.

Nick and Bethany interview LA church starter Najuma Smith-Pollard. Sign up for the Start in LA conference at startinla.com

Nick and Bethany interview Fuller Seminary professor Johnny Ramírez-Johnson.

Nick, Bethany and Len share their top 3 things that church starters need to know today.

Nick interviews church planter and Fuller Seminary church planting program director, Len Tang.

In this episode, we listen to a recording from last year’s Start in LA conference. Jude Tiersma Watson spoke on Gentrification and starting new churches.Join us for this year’s Start in LA conference, taking place Feb 1-2, 2019 at Fuller Theological Seminary.Sign for the conference here.

Nick and Len preview the upcoming Start in LA conference happening on Feb 1-2, 2019 at Fuller Theological Seminary.Sign up for the conference here.

In this episode, Bethany and Michaela interview church starting network leader and former church starter, Nick Warnes.Nick Warnes (Masters of Divinity, Fuller Theological Seminary, Emphasis in Worship Theology and Art) is the Founder and Executive Director of Cyclical. He enjoys the regular pattern and rhythm of being both the Executive Director of Cyclical Inc. and Director of Cyclical LA in Los Angeles. Nick is also a recognized speaker on church planting, coach for New Worshiping Communities with the Presbyterian Church USA, on the advisory board for the Church Planting Program at Fuller Theological Seminary, and an adjunct professor at Fuller Theological Seminary (church planting certificate). Nick finished his first book in 2014 with Dr. Mark Lau Branson called Starting Missional Churches: Life With God in the Neighborhood. Nick is married to Whitney and they live in Los Angeles, CA.Click here to read a transcript of this episode

Rob Douglas is married to Katie and the father of twin girls, Corryn and Madison. He is the Organizing Pastor of Lightshine Church in Thousand Oaks, CA. Before church starting, Rob spent multiple decades in Youth Ministry. He also currently works part-time with Cyclical Inc. and does coaching for Cyclical and PCUSA.Read a transcript of this episode.

In this episode, Nick and Bethany interview Pastor and church starter Janna Ziegler.Janna Ziegler is one of the founding rectors of the Church of the Resurrection. Upon completing an M.A. in Theology at Fuller Theological Seminary, she was ordained to the Deaconate in 2015, and to the Priesthood in 2016. She and her husband, Jon (co-rector), have been married almost 10 years and are parents to three kids: Julia, Ana, and Martin. Prior to seminary, Janna spent 10 years teaching and doing research in the biological sciences. In addition to theological training, she holds a B.S. in Biology and M.S. in Cell and Molecular Biology.Read a transcript of this episode

In this episode, Nick and Michaela interview Pastor and church starter Dwight Radcliff.Pastor Dwight Radcliff is a pastor/teacher at his core. He leads The Message Center, a multi-cultural church in Gardena, CA (planted 12 years ago), and teaches at Azusa Pacific University and Vanguard University. He has an uncanny way of reaching those deemed 'unreachable' and transforming the historical accounts of the Bible into relevant and tangible conceptsPastor Radcliff holds a B.A. in Biblical Studies (Long Beach Bible College), and M.Div. with an emphasis in Multi-Cultural Ministry (Fuller Theological Seminary). He is a Ph.D. candidate at Fuller Seminary, writing his dissertation on culture and preaching. He is also a Parish Pulpit Fellow that has studied in Rome and Oxford. He has extensive ministry experience in the United States and mission experience in South America. Pastor Radcliff is also a former Deputy Sheriff and Chaplain. Additionally, Pastor Radcliff mentors church planters and pastors locally and nationally.Dwight's first ministry, however, is to his family. He and his wife, DeShun have been married for over 20 years, and they have two amazing daughters.Read a transcript of this Episode

In this third episode of the Start in LA Podcast, our host Michaela O'Donnell Long interviews JR Woodward.JR Woodward (M.A., Global Leadership, Fuller Theological Seminary) desires to awaken people to join God in the renewal of all things. He is a church planter, activist, missiologist and author of Creating a Missional Culture (IVP 2012). He founded [nlcf] and cofounded Kairos LA , The Solis Foundation, the Ecclesia Network, as well as the Missio Alliance. He is currently serving as the National Director for Church Planting with V3, a missional church planting movement in the United States. He serves locally with the District Church in Washington D.C, and is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Manchester (UK). He enjoys blogging and you can find him tweeting here. He loves to surf, travel, read, skateboard, and meet new people. He enjoys photography and film and tries to attend the Sundance Film Festival whenever he can.Read full transcript here.

In this second episode of the Start in LA Podcast, our hosts Nick Warnes and Bethany McKinney Fox interview Tim Morey.Tim Morey (D.Min., Fuller Seminary, M.Div., Bethel Seminary) was born in San Diego where he accepted Christ at an early age, left the church as a teen, and was re-captured by the love of Jesus during college. Prior to planting Life, he served in college ministries in San Diego and Los Angeles. Tim is the proud father of Abigail and Hannah, whose beauty and charm prove that his wife Samantha has strong genes. He is the author of Embodying Our Faith: Becoming a Living, Sharing, Practicing Church (InterVarsity Press) and a contributing author to Starting Missional Churches: Life With God in the Neighborhood (InterVarsity Press). He serves as a church planting coach for the Evangelical Covenant Church and as an adjunct professor at Fuller Theological Seminary.Read full transcript here.

In this first episode of the Start in LA Podcast, we introduce our hosts: Nick Warnes, Michaela O'Donnell Long, and Bethany McKinney Fox. Nick Warnes (Masters of Divinity, Fuller Theological Seminary, Emphasis in Worship Theology and Art) is the Founder and Executive Director of Cyclical. He enjoys the regular pattern and rhythm of being both the Executive Director of Cyclical Inc. and Director of Cyclical LA in Los Angeles. Nick is also a recognized speaker on church planting, coach for New Worshiping Communities with the Presbyterian Church USA, on the advisory board for the Church Planting Program at Fuller Theological Seminary, and an adjunct professor at Fuller Theological Seminary (church planting certificate). Nick finished his first book in 2014 with Dr. Mark Lau Branson called Starting Missional Churches: Life With God in the Neighborhood. Nick is married to Whitney and they live in Los Angeles, CA.http://www.cyclicalla.comhttp://www.cyclicalchurches.comMichaela is bi-vocational. She is the Owner and Managing Director of Long Winter Media, a vibrant creative agency that helps brands make social impact through multi-media content. Long Winter Media’s roster of clients includes Google, YouTube, NBC Universal, University of Southern California, Presbyterian Church (USA), Fuller Seminary, and many more. Notably, the Oprah Winfrey Network picked up a short film she produced for Oprah’s show Super Soul Sundays. In her various roles, Michaela has coached many women and men in their leadership and entrepreneurial development.Michaela holds a PhD in Practical Theology from Fuller Seminary. She works as a practical theologian at at the Max De Pree Center for Leadershipat Fuller Seminary where she leads projects focused on entrepreneurs and women in leadership. She is a coach with Cyclical LA and elder in the PC(USA) church.She lives in La Crescenta with her husband and daughter.http://www.longwintermedia.comhttps://depree.orgBethany McKinney Fox is founding leader of Beloved Everybody Church, a community collaboratively formed and led by people with and without intellectual disabilities. She directs Fuller Seminary's Access Services Office working on access for students with disabilities and broader campus culture around disability issues. She is also an adjunct professor of Christian Ethics. Bethany earned her PhD in Christian Ethics from Fuller, MDiv from Columbia Theological Seminary, and BA in Philosophy from UCLA (with a minor in Russian Lit). She has a book coming out this year: Healing in the Way of Jesus, with IVP Academic, about how the Gospel healing narratives can constructively guide church communities to be true places of healing in the way of Jesus, particularly for people with disabilities. She is married to Michael, a violinist/fiddler, and they live in Los Angeles.https://www.bethanymckinneyfox.comRead full transcript here.