Unsuccess

Josh and David are joined by Jay Braband (a returning guest) on this episode as he shares some of his story and the wrapping up of a season of ministry here in Portland, OR as he makes plans to move back to IA. They talk about some of the ups and downs of ministry and how the fruit of a person's life and work can be different than the norms or expectations but that does…

Josh and David are joined this week by Kristle Delihanty of PDX Saints Love. She shares some of her amazing story of transformation, how she came to encounter the love of Jesus, and how she has then committed her life to serving and loving others.

Justin McRoberts returns to the podcast to discuss his new book, “It Is What You Make of It.” We talk about the importance of thinking creatively about what your life could be, and why you don't need to view yourself in “just” one way. To find out more about McRoberts you can follow him on social media or check him out online at http://justinmcroberts.com

Josh and Dvid are joined by Ken Loyd on this week's episode of the Unsuccess Podcast. Ken shares about some of his story and journey and how he found a home amongst the houseless in Portland, OR. He has had great impact on a number of people and he credits it all to “mostly nothing special.” You can meet Ken on most days at his office on the corner of N. Mississippi and N. Shaver…

Josh and David are joined this week by Alexis Harris of Because People Matter. They talk about some of the pressures and stresses of houselessness and what those of us who are housed can do about it. Alexis also shares some of her own story and some of her wounds that have been healed in large part because of her relationship with those who find themselves living on the streets. You can learn more about…

Josh and David are joined by SheeAnna and Stephen Dilworth of “Breathe, Pray, Worship.” They share some of their own story and insights on how to journey through life, and how to be present with others, when things don’t turn out how we thought they would. You can find out more at breatheprayworship.com or you can follow them on Facebook or YouTube

Pastor, Professor, and Writer AJ Swoboda joins us on the podcast to talk about his new book After Doubt. We discuss the benefits and pitfalls that come with faith deconstruction, along with some thoughts about how to hold onto faith while deconstructing. Find out more about AJ at https://www.ajswobodawrites.com And pick up his new book After Doubt today!

Josh and David are joined by Tara Benavente, the St. Johns Village Program Manager as they explore some of the ins and outs of sabbath and rest and why taking a sabbath or day off in order to “recover” is not actually very sustainable. Tara talks about ways and practices she has been able to implement in her own life to keep peace and rest as she works in what many consider a high stress…

Today we’re joined by Leanor Ortega Till. Leanor talks with us about playing in ska-punk band Five Iron Frenzy, as well as her role as a pastor, both inside and outside of the institutional church. You can find out more about Leanor’s work with Urban Skye at www.urbanskye.org And check out Five Iron Frenzy’s new album, Until This Shakes Apart

Josh and David are a little ADD on this pilot episode of the FIFTH SEASON of the Unsuccess Podcast. They eventually get to some interesting conversation around this concept of people seeking out suffering or persecution. They share about how as pastors it can be easy for us to wear some of our failures as a badge of honor in certain circles.

Josh and David are joined this week by Jennifer Evans, a Black Lives advocate and single mother of three boys. Jennifer has an incredible story and an incredible passion for people. She cares deeply. Listen with a curiosity and a tender heart as Jennifer shares some of her pain and heartache and what that pain has been moving her toward.

Josh and David interview Jim Henderson and Jim Hancock in this amazing episode talking about the difficulty, especially right now, of bridging the gap when EVERYTHING in our culture and society feels polarizing. They specifically talk about 3 practices that Jim and Jim have identified as tools to help cross this great divide. You can learn more about Jim and Jim and the 3 Practices by visiting 3practices.com

Join Josh and David in arguably their most entertaining episode of all times as they talk with two eccentric characters, Matt Clark and McKahan McGuire. Matt and McKahan currently lead a college group at St Johns Christian Church and it is full of atheists, agnostics, Jesus people, and everyone in between. $10 goes to anyone who can identify a clear theme throughout this very ADHD style episode.

Our guest today is Reese Roper, lead singer of Five Iron Frenzy. Reese talks with the guys about the tension of writing provocative lyrics while in the Christian music bubble, and the difficulty of speaking on behalf of multiple band members. We also discuss how one’s theology can shift when face-to-face with death. You can find Reese online regularly in the “I Hate Five Iron Frenzy” Facebook group.

Season 4 of the Unsuccess Podcast with Josh and David begins with an amazing conversation with a pretty rad dude. Josh and David speak with musician, writer, and speaker Justin McRoberts. Among other things, we discuss how the message of the church is often overshadowed by the language we use. You can check out Justin on all social medial sites in addition to http://justinmcroberts.com

Join Josh and David on this finale episode of season 3. They talk about a minimal ecclesiology and how the church has changed and adopted over the years. Many people look to the first century church as the way Jesus intended the church to be. Josh and David spend some time unpacking and critiquing this idea and attempt to get at truly a healthy perspective on how the church actually should look in light of…

Josh and David share about the church in another exciting adventure in this special Covid-19 third season about the ministries and programs of a church. They talk about what it takes to be considered a “real” church and how you to have a successful youth group AND a successful children’s ministry thus serving the entire family. And they talk about other stuff too.

On this episode Josh and David talk about church growth, why we as a culture we value bigger, and while bigger is not always bad, bigger is not always better.

Josh and David talk about the headaches and the blessings of church buildings in this fifth episode of this special season of rethinking the church.

Josh and David attempt to tackle, or at least poke at, the subject of money in the church, specifically as it pertains to paying a pastor. There is tension that this can bring up for the congregation, the pastor themselves, and for the community and it can be difficult at times to navigate while still being faithful to the prophetic voice/roll of the pastor.

On this episode Josh and David begin to pick apart what exactly the job/role of pastor is, the expectations of pastors, and what is being revealed by this pandemic regarding the role and office of pastor.

Join Josh and David in this second episode of this special Covid-19 season as they talk more about the church and the deconstruction it is facing in the midst of this global pandemic.

Join Josh and David in a BRAND NEW season of the Unsuccess Podcast where they talk about life and ministry in Covid-19 and what this means for the future of the church. In this first episode they share about what their churches are doing and how they are responding during this time.

Pastor Rick McKinley joins us this week to talk about the story of starting Imago Dei Community Church in Portland. We discuss serving vulnerable communities, in spite of the difficult political and theological conversations that may ensue, and really living into the different “moments” that God graces us. You can find out more about Imago Dei at idcpdx.com and you can find Rick online on a few different social media platforms.

Josh and David are joined by Portland Pastor John Mark Comer. They talk about John Mark’s tenure as a mega church pastor and how he eventually stepped down from that role and in many ways grew his church smaller. John Mark is currently an elder and pastor of vision & teaching at Bridgetown Church in Portland, OR. You can learn more about John Mark at https://johnmarkcomer.com or about Bridgetown Church at http://bridgetown.church

On this episode Josh and David burn 45 minutes by talking about a new tiny house village in St Johns and when do you do the right thing just because it is the right thing to do?

Matt Shea shares from his story about losing his dad to cancer as a young child, some of his own disabilities and barriers, and how he continues to strive to seek ways in which he can contribute to society and to his community. He also wrote a book – “Reflection of A Life Worth Living.” While the book is no longer in print it can still be purchased on the Kindle App. Click HERE to

Terrie Smith joins us this wee to talk about ministry to those experiencing brokenness and trauma. Terrie is the Assistant Program Director at Community of Hope in Portland, OR. Find out more about the amazing work of Community of Hope at https://communityofhopepdx.org

On this episode Josh and David talk just the two of them on what collaboration means to them and what the different between collaboration and partnership looks like.

Sam Hawk joins Josh and David and talks about the REAL truth of being a mom. Her and her husband have two young children and are currently in the throws of chaos. Sam is also a blogger. You can read her blog and her journey at http://onerealmother.com

Pastor Kelly Cohoe joins Josh and David as they talk about staying power and what it takes to stay the course over a long period of time.

Josh and David, just the two of them, talk about the need to find a rhythm of rest in life and how we as a culture have a tendency to burn the candle at both ends.

John Howell, Medford pastor and owner/operator at Rise Coffee House, joins Josh and David as they talk about some of the frustrations and struggles of pastoring a small church and trying to be innovative and think outside the box. As it turns out, starting a coffee house/church, while offering huge potential and awesome connections, is not necessarily a great way to “grow” a church. But alas, God calls us to faithfulness and obedience, not growth

Patrick Tomassi joins us this week on the podcast. Josh and David talk with Patrick and his work as a teacher, and some of the ups and downs he lives as a person of faith in and out of the classroom.

Joel Kibler, Spiritual Director for many and leader in the People of Praise,  joins us this week on the podcast. He talks with us about the American Dream and some ways in which it can often be in conflict with a life of faith and get in the way of what it means to really be human.

Gus Kroll of HomePDX joins us this week on the podcast. We talk about his work with homeless people in Portland, and about some of the misunderstandings that people have about those who are homeless.

Josh’s brother Joel joins the podcast and the three talk about Christmas fails, fun holiday stories, and the importance of family and relationships through it all.

David and Josh talk about ministering to people while dealing with mental health problems. We also discuss how the church and society can and should remove the stigma surrounding mental health.  

Christy Dirren joins us this week on the podcast. She talks with us about her call to minister to the outsiders and the not-good-enoughs. She also shares some of the challenges and joys of church planting.  

This week we talk with pastor, professor, and author A.J. Swoboda. A.J. talks about his recent realization that speaking opportunities can become idolatrous, and we discuss how Sabbath is the one commandment that Christian leaders seem to be encouraged to break. Find out more about A.J.s work at www.ajswoboda.com  

David Rannabarger, assistant pastor at Columbia View Wesleyan Church, joins us on the podcast. We talk about David’s call to ministry, and the journey that led him to ministry in Portland. Finally, we discuss how to weather seasons in ministry that, while temporary, can feel devastating.  

Robin Gordon, Pastor of Music Ministry at Celebration Tabernacle, joins us on the podcast. Robin talks about finding God and joining Celebration Tabernacle at a young age, and how he’s seen the community change over the last couple of decades. The guys also discuss some of the benefits and challenges of remaining plugged into one specific church body for many years. Find out more about Robin and Celebration Tabernacle at http://www.ctoregon.org/  

This week we speak with Danielle Mayfield, author of Assimilate or Go Home: Notes from a Failed Missionary on Rediscovering Faith. Danielle has worked for years with Somali Bantu refugees in Portland. We talk about her story, some of the difficulties of mission work, and how one hears from God while face-to-face with the evils of the world. You can find Danielle at http://www.dlmayfield.com/

This week we talk with Josh Duncan, Staff Elder at Red Sea Church in Portland, OR. Josh shares the story of moving from L.A. (Lower Alabama) to serve God in Portland, Oregon, and how his views on ministry have changed over the past eleven years. You can find out more about Josh’s ministry at www.redseachurch.org  

Stephen Dilworth joins us on the podcast to talk about his work with youth over the years. Stephen is the north Portland area director for Youth Dynamics. We talk about struggles and hardships in ministry, and how these frustrations can lead to growth. Check out Stephen’s ministry at www.ydpdx.org  

In this special episode, Josh and David discuss the difficult situation of affordable housing in Portland. We also talk with Andy Goebel and Jules Nielsen about their church’s new affordable housing project: Portsmouth Commons. Finally, we talk with Lindsay Jensen about some of the housing initiatives in which St. Johns Center for Opportunity has been involved.  

Lindsay Jensen, Executive Director for St Johns Center for Opportunity, joins the podcast and shares a bit of her heart for the underserved. Her, David, and Josh talk about the ever changing demographic of our community and the various needs that arise as a result. You can learn more about St Johns Center for Opportunity by visiting them online at http://www.stjohnsopportunity.org  

This week we talk with David Brewer. David discusses how his work in the business world has translated to helping churches and non-profits become more effective in their work, and the guys discuss how this strategy led to the beginning of AllOne Community Services.  

  Larissa Cohoe (almost Hawk) joins us on the podcast to talk about what working with your family is like as well as her work as a musician, actor, and director, and how those skills have translated to church ministry. Larissa is one of the pastors of Grace Christian Fellowship in North Portland.  

Matthew Henricksen, Young Life leader and life-long youth minister, joins us on the podcast. Matt talks about how to cope with being fired from a ministry, and the guys discuss how our callings often conflict with our life plans.  

This week we welcome Andy Goebel and Jules Nielsen. Andy and Jules both led separate congregations which, for completely different reasons, appeared to be headed toward closing. They discuss the story of joining together as one church, and some of the joys and hardships that accompanied that decision. Find out more about their church at https://portsmouthunionchurch.org