Conversations helping us grow in life with Jesus and each other. A production of Vineyard USA, hosting guests from across the body of Christ and within the Vineyard movement.
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay talks with Phil Chorlian about the series of events that led him to Jesus as a teenager and when the Holy Spirit knocked him off a fence, his passionate pursuit of the Lord in high school, and how everything fell apart as a young adult. Phil shares about coming back to Christ in his car, getting involved in the Vineyard, and his story as a church planting pastor. They also talk about healing ministry and training, and the importance of pursuing the Holy Spirit with on-ramps. Phil is the founding pastor of the North Jersey Vineyard Church, which he planted in 1997. By God's grace, the NJV is a growing, diverse community that sees lots of salvations and baptisms. As Lead Pastor, Phil is responsible for preaching and teaching, but his role goes beyond just delivering sermons. Phil is also committed to leading the pastoral staff, raising up new leaders, and casting and communicating vision for the church. During the years Phil has served the wider Vineyard movement in a variety of ways. Currently, Phil is the Vineyard East Regional Leader, serving the almost 80 churches that make up the Vineyard East Region. Phil is happily married to Norma, his wife of over 30 years, and together they have raised four children. Show notes Register now for Vineyard USA's 2023 National Conference! The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer Surprised By The Power Of The Spirit by Jack Deere social: VUSA Instagram: @Vineyardusa Instagram: @pchorlian Facebook: philchorlian twitter: @philchorlian
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay talks with Diane Leman about growing up with strong leadership skills in a legalistic religious community where women were to be silent, reconnecting with the Lord as a young adult, and the medical disruption that opened the door for new faith experiences and curiosity. Di shares about her first experience with the Holy Spirit, joining the Vineyard, and what it was like for female leaders in the early years. Finally, Di offers an encouragement about how people might think through the topic of women in leadership. Dianne Leman, M.Ed., left her career in education after encountering the Holy Spirit and experiencing God's miraculous healing from infertility. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Vineyard Leadership Institute, and Vineyard Bible Institute, Dianne entered full-time ministry with her husband, Happy, and together they have pastored The Vineyard Church of Central Illinois, Urbana, IL. while raising their family of four sons and one daughter. Over the past forty years, Dianne has served on the Vineyard USA Executive Team, led the Women in Leadership and Renewal Teams, and traveled widely sharing God's love and healing power. She is the author of four books that reflect her passions: We're Pregnant! How to Receive God's Cure for Infertility, Hello Holy Spirit: God's Gift of Live-in Help, Jesus Heals Today: God's Prescription for a Hurting World, and Wrecked for God: The Surprising Secret to True Transformation. While she continues to mentor many young people, her greatest joy is sharing Jesus' love with her 12 granddaughters and 7 grandsons. Show Notes: Register for VUSA's 2023 National Conference!: https://conference.vineyardusa.org/ Women's Association: vineyardusa.org/associations
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay talks with Dennae Pierre about growing up in a close but chaotic household and the stability she found in the church, pursuing mentors, and being identified as a leader early on in life. Dennae shares how she's navigated issues of race, as well as her call to ministry as a woman. They also talk about her passion for empowering laity and cultivating multidenominational, multiethnic, and multicultural communities through the Surge Network, and what God is forming in her through this process. Dennae was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. She is the Executive Director the Surge Network in Arizona. She is also a co-director for City to City North America and for The Crete Collective, which grows churches in communities of color. She planted Roosevelt Community Church with her husband Vermon, who is the lead pastor. Dennae has her M.A. from Covenant Theological Seminary and her DMin from Western Theological Seminary. Dennae's passion is to equip churches and Christians to cross cultures and boundaries to unite in love for Jesus, deepen their love for one another and to advocate for justice with the poor and marginalized. She speaks, writes, and consults about reconciliation, justice, healthy leadership and developing multi-ethnic teams. Dennae and Vermon have two sons and three daughters: Marcel, Mya, Judah, Jovanna, and Rosa. The Pierre family lives in Downtown Phoenix. Show Notes: Healing Prayers And Meditations To Resist A Violent World: https://www.restorativeleaders.com/ Surge Network: https://www.surgenetwork.com/ Tempered Resilience by Tod Bolsinger: https://amzn.to/3lf35jq
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay sits down with Jason Duncan and Caleb Maskell to talk about Jason's experience as a pastor of a Vineyard Church in Wilmore, KY, home of Asbury University. Jason shares about growing up as the son of a United Methodist preacher and how God disrupted his life plans by directing him toward ministry, eventually leading him to become the lead pastor of GCF and being adopted as a Vineyard Church. Jason recollects the day the outpouring began at Asbury, from the unplugged worship to the great wave of repentance and reconciliation amongst the students, and the evidence of the fruits of the Spirit in the rooms and the surrounding city. Jay, Jason, and Caleb also discuss the realities of providing pastoral care and equipping during an outpouring of the Spirit, and what comes after the crowds leave. Originally from West Virginia, Jason Duncan has lived in Kentucky for the last 25 years and has spent 17 of those years as a pastor at GCF in Wilmore. He is a graduate of Asbury Theological Seminary and is currently working on a Doctoral of Ministry at Emmanuel Christian Seminary at Milligan University. Jason has been married for 23 years and has 3 kids, ages 22, 20, and 10. He loves reading theology and history, bourbon-tasting, and trekking the Kentucky countryside. Show notes: Asbury University https://www.asbury.edu/outpouring/ Empowered Pentecost Series 2023 https://vineyardusa.org/pentecost2023/ GCF Vineyard- Jason's church https://www.gcfvineyard.church/ The Great Awakening by Thomas Kidd https://amzn.to/3F3t2t8 Taking Heaven By Storm by John Wigger https://amzn.to/3YvpMNT American Saint: Francis Asbury and the Methodists by John Wigger https://amzn.to/3ykqTW8 The Quest For The Radical Middle by Bill Jackson https://amzn.to/3IWJnAL St. Francis of Assisi by G.K. Chesterton https://amzn.to/3l1mhRv The Korean Pentecost And The Sufferings Which Followed https://amzn.to/3kN3tpj
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay talks with Melanie Forsythe-Lee about her family's introduction to the Holy Spirit through her dad's miraculous healing and their experience of church planting without much support. Melanie shares about coming to the US for her husband's ministry job and finding out that their new church didn't believe in female pastors, the personal growth she developed through this experience and the dramatic changes God made in her senior pastor through her faithfulness. Finally, Melanie talks about navigating the world and ministry after her husband died and all the insecurities that came as a single, female pastor, and how the things that made her feel like a liability turned out to be her most significant asset. Melanie is the leader of the Women's Association for Vineyard USA, giving voice, encouragement and support to women throughout the movement. Melanie was born and raised in the post-Christian landscape of Australia. Her parents were church planters, and it was in that context that her love of local church was cultivated. Her passion for Jesus and people led her and her now late husband to start a youth ministry that saw hundreds of teens come to Christ, as well as leading the 24/7 prayer base in Australia. They moved to Ohio in 2003 to work as Youth Pastors, and in 2009 they were sent out to plant LIFE Vineyard Church. Thirteen years later, LIFE has grown into a vibrant faith community, a sheltering tree in the heart of Columbus. This community also extends to Cambodia and India, where, through a partnership with Asia's Hope, LIFE supports two family-style orphan care homes for at-risk children. Visiting the children in India each year is one of the deep loves of Melanie's life and ministry. Melanie has been a Pastor's daughter, Pastor's wife, a co-lead Pastor, and now solo lead Pastor. This unique perspective has developed a passion to see women empowered and released into their callings at every level of ministry leadership and she is excited about serving the women of the Vineyard in her new role. Melanie is married to Andrew and is the proud mother of three incredible teenagers. In her free time you'll find her growing her own vegetables in her rather large garden, baking in her kitchen, or listening to live music. Show notes: Join us for VUSA's 2023 National Conference "Making All Things New" https://conference.vineyardusa.org/
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay chats with Geno Olison about growing up as the son of church planters in the south side of Chicago, being raised in an exclusively Black community, and how he was formed by his involvement in church as a young boy. Geno shares how the Lord protected him from a lot of things his neighborhood offered, the culture shock he experienced after joining a small group with white kids at college, and his journey of trying to find himself as an adult while not losing himself as a Black man in a predominately white space. They discuss what it's like to attend a church where the table has not been set with you in mind, the ways he found to meet his cultural needs while attending the Vineyard, and why he decided to stay even though it was often painful. Finally, Geno shares about how his expectations of church planting compared to reality, and why he's hopeful about Vineyard USA's Black Pastors and Leaders Association. Geno Olison is the leader of the Black Pastors and Leaders Association for Vineyard USA and lead pastor of the South Suburban Vineyard Church just outside of Chicago. Geno grew up on the south side of Chicago, Illinois, where he came to faith in the Full Gospel church founded by his parents. In 1999, he moved to Urbana, Illinois to attend the University of Illinois and began attending the Vineyard Church of Central Illinois in 2001. After graduating from the University of Illinois with a B.A. in Communications, Geno worked in the TV news business and spent several years in sales and marketing while attending and serving at the Vineyard Church of Central Illinois. Sensing a call to plant a multicultural, multi-ethnic Vineyard, Geno and his wife, Shannon, began the process of preparing to plant a church, serving in various roles and positions at church, attending trainings, and building an intentionally diverse team. The South Suburban Vineyard Church officially landed in the south suburbs of Chicago in June 2009. Since that time, the church has become a picture of the vision given to Geno and Shannon – a beautiful, multicultural expression of a Vineyard church. He desires to help other pastors, leaders, and church communities see the value and importance of being a diverse church on mission. Geno has served on the Vineyard USA Executive Team and has worked with teams of talented people to create the Better Together conference which focuses on race, reconciliation, and the multiethnic church. As a musician, producer and songwriter, Geno's worked with Vineyard Worship to develop Vineyard Soul, a multi-cultural, gospel-leaning expression of worship music in the Vineyard. Geno's most important role, though, is parenting his four awesome boys and husband to his wife, Shannon. Show Notes: Vineyard USA's 2023 National Conference “Making All Things New” https://conference.vineyardusa.org/ South Suburban Vineyard Church https://southsuburbanvineyard.org/ Insider Outsider by Bryan Loritts https://amzn.to/41fz3wb Black Pastors and Leaders Association https://vineyardusa.org/associations/black-pastors-and-leaders-association/
Dr. Charles Montgomery returns to the podcast to talk about Black History Month: how and why it started, why we celebrate it, and some resources available to pastors who are wondering how best to engage the conversation. They relate stories of times when pastors crossed the divide to connect when it's uncomfortable, and Jay shares some thoughts on how the work of the Civil Rights Movement applies to the church today. Charles A. Montgomery, Jr serves as the Associations Strategic Coordinator for Vineyard USA and Teaching Pastor at Vineyard Columbus. Charles also founded a successful multiethnic Campus (Vineyard Columbus East) and has pastored there since 2012. His passion is to develop Beloved Communities as espoused by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, an alumnus of Charles' alma mater, Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. Charles has a B.A. in Mathematics from Morehouse, a Master of Divinity from Emory University (Ga) and a PhD in Ethical and Creative Leadership from Union Institute University (OH). He has earned several credentials in Diversity Training and is a Certified Spiritual Director through the Sustainable School of Faith. He considers his greatest accomplishment (ok, grace) being married to his childhood crush, Kimberly. Charles and Kimberly are avid Buckeye fans (Go Bucks!) and make their home in Columbus Ohio. Show notes: Charles' last episode https://vineyardusa.org/podcast Read stories of Black leaders in the Vineyard, and learn more about Black History Month! Vineyardusa.org/blackhistorymonth Vineyard USA Associations https://vineyardusa.org/associations/
Welcome back to the second episode in a 2-part series with Tim Mackie, co-founder of BibleProject! In this beautifully honest episode of We Are Vineyard, Tim shares about the incredible journey he's been on for the last few years, from the weak spots in his faith that were exposed during the disruption of COVID and recognizing a felt need for real community, to experiencing a physical healing that was accompanied by a word about all the Lord has been doing in him spiritually. Tim talks about some simple habits that he's developed to open his heart to the presence of the Holy Spirit, the way the Lord has been integrating things in his life that he didn't realize were out of sync, and the specific choice he made to share openly at his church about this process. Tim is married to Jessica, and together they are raising two little boys, Roman and August, in the wonderful city of Portland, Oregon. Tim is a creative writer for BibleProject. He's been fascinated with Jesus and his Jewish heritage ever since he became a Christian at 20 years old through an urban outreach ministry to skateboarders in Portland called SkateChurch. Tim discovered the wonderful world of biblical studies and languages at Multnomah University and Western Seminary, and he had the privilege of doing a PhD in Hebrew and Jewish Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Tim's greatest passion is to help people grasp the beautiful and compelling story of the ancient Scriptures and how they lead us to Jesus of Nazareth. Show Notes: BibleProject https://www.bibleproject.com Registration is now open for the 2023 Vineyard USA National Conference! https://conference.vineyardusa.org/ A Secular Age by Charles Taylor https://amzn.to/40CM3M0 Dominion by Tom Holland https://amzn.to/3JP0Gpo Bridgetown Church- Portland https://bridgetown.church/
It's Season 2 of We Are Vineyard, and we're starting off with an exciting 2-part interview! Tim Mackie of BibleProject joins our host, Jay Pathak, to share about his relationship with Jesus as a child, the healing he experienced through the prayers of his church, and the disconnect he felt while attending school at a church. Tim talks about being reintroduced to Jesus through a dorky skateboarding-based church, and how following invitations from a cool leader at SkateChurch sparked his interest in the Bible, which transformed him from a disinterested student to an ignited scholar. Tim also shares about the lifelong friends he found through SkateChurch, meeting his wife through a mutual interest in Greek, and the origin story of BibleProject. This is a two-part episode, so make sure to come back next week for the second half of the story! Tim is married to Jessica, and together they are raising two little boys, Roman and August, in the wonderful city of Portland, Oregon. Tim is a creative writer for BibleProject. He's been fascinated with Jesus and his Jewish heritage ever since he became a Christian at 20 years old through an urban outreach ministry to skateboarders in Portland called SkateChurch. Tim discovered the wonderful world of biblical studies and languages at Multnomah University and Western Seminary, and he had the privilege of doing a PhD in Hebrew and Jewish Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Tim's greatest passion is to help people grasp the beautiful and compelling story of the ancient Scriptures and how they lead us to Jesus of Nazareth. Show Notes: BibleProject https://www.bibleproject.com Registration is now open for the 2023 Vineyard USA National Conference! https://conference.vineyardusa.org/
In the final episode of We Are Vineyard for 2022, we'll hear a sermon Dr. Charles Montgomery preached at the Vineyard Leadership Team Meeting in March 2022. Dr. Montgomery shares his vision for the Vineyard to become a Beloved Community, and how this value must become part of our discipleship process. Taken from the example of the disciples, we need to do the work to talk about the hard things that might divide us. Charles A. Montgomery, Jr serves as the Associations Strategic Coordinator for Vineyard USA and Teaching Pastor at Vineyard Columbus. Charles also founded a successful multiethnic Campus (Vineyard Columbus East) and has pastored there since 2012. His passion is to develop Beloved Communities as espoused by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, an alumnus of Charles' alma mater, Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. Charles has a B.A. in Mathematics from Morehouse, a Master of Divinity from Emory University (Ga) and a PhD in Ethical and Creative Leadership from Union Institute University (OH). He has earned several credentials in Diversity Training and is a Certified Spiritual Director through the Sustainable School of Faith. He considers his greatest accomplishment (ok, grace) being married to his childhood crush, Kimberly. Charles and Kimberly are avid Buckeye fans (Go Bucks!) and make their home in Columbus Ohio. Show Notes: https://vineyardusa.org/associations/ Listen to more of Charles' story from his conversation with Jay on August 20, 2022! https://vineyardusa.org/podcast/ Socials: Vineyardusa.org @vineyardusa
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, we continue our December sermon series with a Christmas message preached by Brian T. Anderson at Vineyard Church North Phoenix in 2021. Brian examines the reasons why the whole world stops what they're doing on Christmas Day to celebrate the birth of a baby, and shares about God's Christmas gifts that we receive through his son Jesus Christ: forgiveness, peace, and eternal life. Brian and Thora Anderson are the founding and Senior Pastors of Vineyard Church North Phoenix located in Phoenix, AZ. Brian and Thora planted VC as a home Bible study with only a few people in September 1985 and have pastored the church ever since. Brian and Thora have a desire to build a healthy, multi-racial, multi-generational church that is a fully orbed expression of the Kingdom of God on earth! They both especially love to train & equip other pastors & leaders so that they can become all that God has created them to be and do. God has used both Brian and Thora to impart a greater hunger for the Bible, worship, holiness, & renewal to people throughout the world. Over the years, Brian has served Vineyard USA as a board member, regional leader, regional coach, and Vice President. Brian has a B.S. in Mathematics from Grand Canyon University, and an M.A. in Mathematics from Arizona State University. Brian and Thora have two children, Zoe and Luke, who are both teenagers. Show Notes: Vineyard Church North Phoenix https://vineyardnorthphoenix.com Socials: @vineyardusa Vineyardusa.org
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, we hear a sermon that Rich Nathan preached at Columbus Vineyard the same week that we recorded his podcast episode back in September. It is an introduction to a series called “Good Question”, which explores some common questions people have about faith and Christianity. In this sermon, Rich offers some clues found in scripture, science, nature, and our moral senses that show us it is more likely than not that God exists. Rich Nathan is the founding pastor of Vineyard Columbus. Rich was the first Senior Pastor serving from 1987-2020. Prior to becoming senior pastor, Rich taught business law at The Ohio State University for five years. He is a graduate of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, and received his Juris Doctorate with honors from The Ohio State University College of Law in 1980. Rich served on the National Board for Vineyard USA for more than two decades. Rich now serves on the Board of Christian relief agency, Convoy of Hope. He is a popular national and international conference speaker. Rich co-authored Both And (IVP Books, 2013) with Insoo Kim as well as Empowered Evangelicals (Ampelon Revised 2009) with Ken Wilson. Rich is also the author of Who is My Enemy? Welcoming People the Church Rejects (Zondervan, 2002). He has written numerous articles on leadership in publications such as Leadership Magazine. Rich was born and raised in New York City. He and his wife, Marlene, have been married for over 40 years. They have two children and six grandchildren. Show Notes: Listen to more of Rich's story from his chat with Jay on October 5, 2022! https://vineyardusa.org/podcast/ The Coddling of the American Mind by Greg Kukianoff and Jonathan Haidt https://amzn.to/3iQglt8 The Happiness Hypothesis by Jonathan Haidt https://amzn.to/3Hvs3Uj The Atheist's Guide to Reality by Alex Rosenberg https://amzn.to/3iPPUUs Socials: @vineyardusa Vineyardusa.org
As we close out the first season of the We Are Vineyard podcast, Jay has chosen some sermons that he felt captured the heart of "Gospel and Proclamation." First up is a sermon Ele Mumford preached at the Alpha Conference in 2018, filled with stories of faithfulness in responding to the Holy Spirit. Ele reminds us that we are only asked to come alongside what the Holy Spirit is already doing in people, and that it is Jesus who brings people to faith. The Holy Spirit gives us the power of God to work in the mission of God, and we can't do what we're called to do without the power, infilling, and inspiration of the Holy Spirit! Eleanor married John Mumford in 1978 after meeting at University. They trained together under John Wimber in California, before starting the first Vineyard church in Europe in 1987 (SW London Vineyard). In 2008 they handed over the leadership of that church to concentrate more on the Vineyard movement, both nationally and internationally, then in 2015 they transitioned the leadership of Vineyard Churches UK & Ireland. Together they now focus on helping facilitate the growth of the Vineyard internationally and speaking around the world. Show Notes: Listen to more of Eleanor's story from her chat with Jay on October 26, 2022! https://vineyardusa.org/podcast/ Socials: @vineyardusa Vineyardusa.org
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay chats with Matthew Bates about growing up in a forestry family, the quiet faith of his mother, and the people who invested in his early life. Matthew talks about transitioning from a physics degree to theology, how he found himself studying greek simply out of personal interest, and the writers and theologians who shaped his questions and perspective on Jesus and scripture. He gives a summation of the key themes in his writing and shares the components of his books about which he receives positive feedback, and those which receive the most pushback. Finally, Matthew describes some ways a congregation might benefit from reversing the gospel presentation, and why this choice is more than just semantics. Matthew W. Bates (Ph.D., Notre Dame) is Professor of Theology at Quincy University in Quincy, Illinois. Bates is a Protestant who enjoys the challenge of teaching in a Catholic context. His books include Gospel Allegiance (Brazos, 2019) the award-winning Salvation by Allegiance Alone (Baker Academic, 2017), The Birth of the Trinity (Oxford University Press, 2015), and The Hermeneutics of the Apostolic Proclamation (Baylor University Press, 2012). He also co-founded and co-hosts the popular OnScript podcast. After completing a B.S. in physics from Whitworth University (1999), Bates began a career in electrical engineering. His life took a swerve when he enrolled in a biblical studies program at Regent College in Vancouver, B.C. (M.C.S., 2004, The Biblical Studies Prize). In 2005 Bates began PhD studies in theology at the University of Notre Dame, specializing in Christianity and Judaism in Antiquity (CJA). Upon graduation (2010) he was named the winner of the Shaheen Award in the humanities, the top graduation prize at Notre Dame, competitive across all disciplines. In 2011 Bates accepted his current academic post. Bates enjoys hiking, baseball, and chasing around his seven children. Show Notes: The Gospel Precisely by Matthew Bates Vineyard USA's suggested reading for November The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas S. Kuhn How To Read The Bible For All Its Worth by Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart The Emergence Of Sin by Matthew Croasmun The Challenge Of Jesus by N.T. Wright The New Testament And The People Of God by N.T. Wright Why The Gospel?: Living the Good News of King Jesus with Purpose by Matthew Bates Coming in May! Socials: Vineyardusa.org @vineyardusa Matthew's Twitter: @MatthewWBates
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay talks with Matt Croasmun about growing up in the Evangelical Covenant Church, and how getting involved with Intervarsity sparked his interest and love of scripture and ministry and tied him to a local church where he encountered the Living God. Matt shares about the new questions and new assurances he gathers as he deepens in relationship with Jesus and scripture, and why he believes questions are healthy, biblical, and the key to relationship. Matt Croasmun is Associate Research Scholar and director of the Life Worth Living program at the Yale Center for Faith & Culture at Yale Divinity School and lecturer of Humanities at Yale University. He also serves as faith initiative director at the Grace Farms Foundation and as a pastor at the Elm City Vineyard Church, which he helped plant in 2007 and where he served as lead pastor for six years. He is author of The Body of Sin: The Cosmic Tyrant in Romans (2017), Let Me Ask You a Question: Conversations with Jesus (2018), For the Life of the World: Theological that Makes a Difference with Miroslav Volf (2019), and The Hunger for Home: Food and Meals in the Gospel of Luke with Miroslav Volf (2022). Life Worth Living: A Guide to What Matters Most with Miroslav Volf and Ryan McAnnally-Linz is forthcoming in March 2023. Show Notes: The Gospel Precisely by Matthew Bates Vineyard USA's suggested reading for November https://amzn.to/3WJsL5J Free of Charge by Miroslav Volf https://amzn.to/3Ev0uHB The Hunger For Home by Matthew Croasmun and Miroslav Volf https://amzn.to/3EQxj2b Let Me Ask You A Question by Matthew Croasmun https://amzn.to/3V22bmS Life Worth Living by Miroslav Volf, Matthew Croasmun and Ryan McAnnally-Linz Coming March 2023 https://amzn.to/3GCXzzm Socials: Vineyardusa.org @vineyardusa Matt's Twitter: @mattcroasmun
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay talks with Kevin Fischer about growing up on a dairy farm, how an encounter with the Holy Spirit changed his family, and his experience being discipled by his college chaplain. Kevin shares about going from life in rural Green Bay and college in Iowa to teaching at an inner city school in Miami, and the culture shock of finding himself as the only white person at the school. He also talks about giving up his career as a teacher to follow a clear word from the Lord about becoming a Vineyard pastor, and the sacrifices and conscious choices he made to make the church more accessible to unchurched people. Finally, Kevin explains some simple evangelism tips that allow you to partner with what Jesus might be doing in people without being weird. Kevin Fischer serves as lead pastor of Miami Vineyard Community Church, an outward-focused, multi-cultural church that every year experiences hundreds of people making first time decisions for Christ. His passion is to see every person experience the life-changing power of Jesus and grow to become everything God designed them to be. Kevin and Debbie have five kids and too many cats and is a Die-Hard Packer Fan. In addition to serving his local church, Kevin also serves on a Regional Leadership Team for Vineyard USA overseeing churches in the Gulf Coast Region. Show Notes: The Gospel Precisely by Matthew Bates Vineyard USA's suggested reading for November https://amzn.to/3WJsL5J Rich Nathan: Evangelism & Social Justice – We Need Both Wings Of The Plane https://vineyardusa.org/podcast/ Socials: Vineyardusa.org @vineyardusa
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay chats with Nicole Dill about being born into a party, reading in the corners of bars and clubs where her dad played music, and how her life as a spiritually-seeking preteen eventually led her to a defining encounter with the Holy Spirit. Nicole shares about learning to trust the Lord to guide the expression her calling takes in different seasons of life, and the way all of her different experiences and roles are being utilized in her current position as the Communications Director for Vineyard USA. They discuss the discipline and gift of anchoring into community, the value in bringing exactly who you are to your local church, and the joy of being a conduit and a resource for the kingdom of God. Nicole Dill is the Communications Director for Vineyard USA. She grew up in Columbus, Ohio, where she came to faith as a teenager, and quickly found a church family at Vineyard Columbus. In 2002, she moved to Colorado to help plant the Arvada Vineyard, and helped lead this growing church plant while finishing her degree in Photography at the Art Institute of Colorado. In 2008, Nicole planted and pastored the first multisite church for the Mile High Vineyard in downtown Denver with a team from the Arvada Vineyard. After several years of pastoring there she handed the site off to another pastor and helped several other Vineyard church plants and established churches in the Denver area. Nicole has also worked extensively outside the church leading creative teams at Anthropologie as a store designer, as Chief Operations Officer for TEDxMileHigh, the largest TEDx in North America, and for the White House as an Advance Associate for the President. She consults many growing organizations around their creative, operations, and HR needs in the nonprofit and entrepreneurial sectors. Nicole lives in Denver with her husband Jason, and two daughters, Vera (7) and Rosalie (6) and attends the East Denver Vineyard. Show Notes: The Gospel Precisely by Matthew Bates Vineyard USA's suggested reading for November https://amzn.to/3WJsL5J Socials: Vineyardusa.org @vineyardusa
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay chats with Todd Proctor about the shaping effects of worship on his life, how the changing worship culture intersected with his discovery of the Vineyard, and his first experience with prophetic prayer ministry. Todd shares about the mentoring he received from Don Williams, and his belief that impactful relational moments are key for investing in the upcoming generation of leaders. Jay and Todd talk about their shared love of Alpha, some interesting things Todd is noticing happening through the ministry right now, and the surprising community impacts that churches are seeing as Alpha becomes part of their church culture. As Executive Vice President of Strategic Church Engagement, Todd Proctor has served on Alpha USA's leadership team for seven years. He is passionate about creating experiences and facilitating conversations that help key leaders reposition their communities for evangelistic impact in an increasingly post-Christian reality. Prior to joining Alpha, Todd founded Rockharbor Church in Costa Mesa, CA, where he served for 15 years as Lead Pastor. He experienced Alpha's impact firsthand, as Rockharbor became a pioneering hub church for the organization in the Southern California region. Todd watched as Alpha created a safe space for members to openly discuss matters of faith, as well address needed cultural shifts in the church in areas such as hospitality, relational evangelism and dependence on the Holy Spirit. A natural networker, Todd has had the opportunity to build bridges with leaders and communities across the nation. In collaboration with the Exponential Conference, Todd co-authored the book, “Empowered,” which offers pastoral perspectives on life and leadership in the Spirit. Todd received a bachelor's degree in Communication from Biola University, where he met his wife, Lisa. They have been married for almost 30 years, and have four children. Show Notes: Vineyard USA suggested reading for September Alpha Booklet “Why Jesus” by Nicky Gumbel https://bit.ly/3MlFmHD Alpha https://alphausa.org Socials: @vineyardusa Vineyardusa.org
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay chats with Eleanor Mumford about the steady investment of her college roommate's prayers in her life that eventually led her to Jesus, and the practices in her young adult life that established her love of the Bible. Eleanor talks about becoming confirmed in the Anglican Church, the entrance of the Holy Spirit into their lives, and meeting John Wimber, learning that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is for everyone, all the time. Finally, Eleanor shares the story of persevering in confirming their call from the Lord to plant a Vineyard in the UK, and their process of submitting to authority in waiting for the blessing from Vineyard elders. Eleanor married John in 1978 after meeting at University. They trained together under John Wimber in California, before starting the first Vineyard church in Europe in 1987 (SW London Vineyard). In 2008 they handed over the leadership of that church to concentrate more on the Vineyard movement, both nationally and internationally, then in 2015 they transitioned the leadership of Vineyard Churches UK & Ireland. Together they now focus on helping facilitate the grow of the Vineyard internationally and speaking around the world. Show Notes: Vineyard USA suggested reading for October Alpha Booklet “Why Jesus” by Nicky Gumbel https://bit.ly/3MlFmHD Socials: @vineyardusa Vineyardusa.org
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay talks with Christian Weber about accepting Jesus into her heart at an AG church as a child, the freedom she felt when she walked into a youth group at the Sugar Land Vineyard, and the deep, lasting relationships she developed in that youth group. Christian shares about how she found herself planning events in the nonprofit sector as a teenager, and some of the things the Lord has spoken to her about a call to administration as a life of ministry. They discuss the importance of church staffs pursuing training in team dynamics and emotional awareness, and drop some Easter eggs about the 2023 National Conference coming up next summer in Colorado. Christian Weber is the Events Director and Executive Admin for the National Director. She grew up in the Houston area and started attending the Sugar Land Vineyard church as a teenager, where she first heard the phrases “the now and not yet” and “kingdom theology.”. Through her involvement in that youth group, the Holy Spirit captured her heart and she knew she found a home in the Vineyard. In 2005, Christian began working for Bert Waggoner, National Director for Vineyard USA at the time, as Events Director and Exec Admin, and she has continued to serve in this role for Phil Strout's tenure as National Director through to today. Jesus has given her a heart for the Vineyard and the pastors and leaders she gets to serve. Christian and her husband, Ben, met and married at the Sugar Land Vineyard where he was on staff as the Youth Pastor for about 8 years before becoming an attorney. They have three awesome children, Chloe, Atticus, and Ivy. When they aren't acting as a car service for said kids, they really enjoy concerts and great food! Show Notes: Vineyard USA suggested reading for September Alpha Booklet “Why Jesus” by Nicky Gumbel https://bit.ly/3MlFmHD Emotionally Focused https://www.emotionallyfocused.org The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick Lencioni https://amzn.to/3Tn1UK7 The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business by Patrick Lencioni https://amzn.to/3rVnbPp Andy Stanley: Trust Vs. Suspicion podcast https://andystanley.com/podcast/trust-vs-suspicion/ Emotionally Healthy Discipleship: Moving from Shallow Christianity to Deep Discipleship by Peter Scazzero https://amzn.to/3evEeV6 The Emotionally Healthy Leader: How Transforming Your Inner Life Will Deeply Transform Your Church, Team and the World by Peter Scazzero https://amzn.to/3eC9W2X Socials: @vineyardusa Vineyardusa.org
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay talks with Clay Harrington about being raised as a military kid in an international community, the culture shock he experienced upon returning to the US as a teenager, and the faithfulness of his mother's prayers for him. Clay shares about the slow conviction of the Lord in his life that led him to repentance, his work with at-risk youth, the holy dissatisfaction he felt in evangelism efforts ,and how his heart was ignited by the teachings of John Wimber. Jay and Clay talk about the crucial role of celebrating risk and failure in evangelism, and how the Sunday experience is practice compared to how we show up in our neighborhoods. At an early age, Clay Harrington was taught timeless truths about God by his mother. However, during his teenage years, he turned away from God to live a life of sin. It wasn't until the age of 30 that he would turn from a sinful lifestyle to a life sold-out for Christ. Since his born-again experience, Clay has experienced a number of radical encounters with the Father and made it his life's mission to help the Church realize they are new creations and how to live alive to God. Today, Clay is committed to proclaiming freedom to captives, healing the sick, equipping the saints to live naturally supernatural lives, and inspiring the church to live radically for Jesus. Clay is married to his wife, Regina, and they are blessed with two sets of boy/girl twins. Clay and his family reside in OH, where he works as the Senior Director of Breakthrough Ministry at Vineyard Cincinnati Church in Springdale, OH. Show Notes: Vineyard USA suggested reading for September Alpha Booklet “Why Jesus” by Nicky Gumbel https://bit.ly/3MlFmHD Clay's website https://www.clayofgod.com Socials: Facebook & Instagram: @ClayofGod77 @vineyardusa Vineyardusa.org
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay talks with Rich Nathan about growing up in a completely secular environment, and how chasing his wife in college led him to an encounter with the Holy Spirit that radically changed the course of his life. They also talk through some practical advice for offering a salvation call during a church service, the benefits of making it a specific opportunity separate from the ministry call, and the danger of making assumptions about the spiritual status of people in your congregation. Rich Nathan is the founding pastor of Vineyard Columbus. Rich was the first Senior Pastor serving from 1987-2020. Prior to becoming senior pastor, Rich taught business law at The Ohio State University for five years. He is a graduate of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, and received his Juris Doctorate with honors from The Ohio State University College of Law in 1980. Rich served on the National Board for Vineyard USA for more than two decades. Rich now serves on the Board of Christian relief agency, Convoy of Hope. He is a popular national and international conference speaker. Rich co-authored Both And (IVP Books, 2013) with Insoo Kim as well as Empowered Evangelicals (Ampelon Revised 2009) with Ken Wilson. Rich is also the author of Who is My Enemy? Welcoming People the Church Rejects (Zondervan, 2002). He has written numerous articles on leadership in publications such as Leadership Magazine. Rich was born and raised in New York City. He and his wife, Marlene, have been married for over 40 years. They have two children and six grandchildren. Show Notes: Vineyard USA suggested reading for September Alpha Booklet “Why Jesus” by Nicky Gumbel https://bit.ly/3MlFmHD Vineyard USA National Conference // The Way On Gospel of the Kingdom with speakers Rich Nathan & Julia Pickerill https://youtu.be/ztfcglrpYcY Rich's Website https://www.richnathan.org Vineyard Columbus https://vineyardcolumbus.org Socials: @vineyardusa vineyards.org
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay talks with Soong-Chan Rah about his experience growing up in a poor, immigrant family and the cultural divides that existed in his neighborhood despite the many commonalities. He also describes the contrasting freedom, care and dignity his family experienced in their local immigrant church. Jay and Soong-Chan discuss whether or not multi-ethnicity should be the goal of every church, and the incredible rewards Soong-Chan found through his intentional pursuit of mentoring from the African-American pastors in his area. Finally, Soong-Chan shares what he learned through his ongoing practice of lament, and the opportunity the church has been afforded by the disruption of COVID to ask God what we have to lament, and what the church might pursue if we renounced exceptionalism, triumphalism and our assumptions of greatness. Rev. Dr. Soong-Chan Rah is Robert B. Munger Professor of Evangelism at Fuller Theological Seminary and the author of The Next Evangelicalism (IVP Books, 2009); Many Colors (Moody, 2010); Prophetic Lament (IVP Books, 2015); co-author of Forgive Us (Zondervan, 2014); Return to Justice (Brazos, 2016); and Unsettling Truths (IVP Books, 2019). Soong-Chan received his B.A. from Columbia University; his M.Div. from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary; his Th.M. from Harvard University; his D.Min. from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and his Th.D. from Duke University. Rah is formerly the founding Senior Pastor of Cambridge Community Fellowship Church (CCFC), a multi-ethnic church living out the values of racial reconciliation and social justice in the urban context. He has previously served on the boards of World Vision, Sojourners and the Christian Community Development Association. He has extensive experience in cross-cultural preaching as well as on numerous college campuses. Show Notes: Vineyard USA suggested reading for September Prophetic Lament by Soong-Chan Rah https://vineyardusa.org/podcast/ Register for the Vineyard AAPI Association Summit with special guest speaker Soong-Chan Rah https://vineyardusa.org/associations/asian-american-pacific-islander-association/ Soong-Chan Rah's website http://www.profrah.com Socials: Vineyardusa.org @vineyardusa
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay talks with Diane Bauman about her work with people who find themselves in crisis pregnancy situations. Diane shares about navigating the different outcomes of her own unplanned pregnancies as a teenager, how she met Jesus, and her experiences as a ministry leader in the church while carrying a lot of pain and trauma from the losses she endured growing up. Diane recounts the transformational experience of finding forgiveness in a post-abortion support group and shares about the way God is repurposing her story to work with women locally and abroad through Value Life ministry at Vineyard Columbus. Diane Bauman is the Value Life, Transitions and Orphan Care Ministries Pastor at Vineyard Columbus. After a 20-year corporate career, she came on staff in 1999 as Volunteer Coordinator and leader of the pro-life ministry which later became Value Life. The ministry started in 1993 and has grown under Diane's leadership into a ministry serving hundreds of women each year. She is passionate about caring for women in unexpected or crisis pregnancies as well as those who have experienced the pain of abortion, miscarriage or early infant death. Diane experienced an unexpected pregnancy at the age of 15 and found the courage to stay in school and graduate with honors, so she understands firsthand the hardships faced by many of the women the Value Life ministry serves. In addition to her service to women and babies, she loves helping people discover what they are created by God to be, flower gardening, cooking, and reading. Diane and her husband Roy have been married for 46 years, they have 4 adult children, 14 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. Show Notes: Vineyard USA suggested reading for September Prophetic Lament by Soong-Chan Rah https://vineyardusa.org/podcast/ Transitions and Value Life at Columbus Vineyard https://vineyardcolumbus.org/value-life Socials: Vineyardusa.org @vineyardusa
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay talks with Bubba Justice about his formational experiences of being raised in poverty by a single mother and visiting his grandmother's homeless shelter, his first experiences with the Holy Spirit, and how his education in finance turned out to be an asset in ministry. Bubba shares about his goal of planting churches throughout the world that are self-sustaining, and some exciting collaborative opportunities in international missions. Finally, Bubba offers an encouragement to pastors to dream about missional opportunities both “near and far”. Elgie “Bubba” Justice is the Chief Financial Officer and Missions Coordinator for Vineyard USA. In his capacity as the Missions Coordinator, he gives leadership to VUSA Missions by overseeing mobilization, training, partnership development, and coordinating US activity with Vineyard associations internationally. As CFO, he oversees the financial and human resource systems for the Vineyard Movement in the United States. Prior to this role, Bubba served as the National Coordinator for Vineyard USA for four years, starting in 2017 under the leadership of Phil Strout. Over the years, Bubba has served in Vineyard Leadership on the Executive Team, Vineyard Resources Board, Vineyard Worship Board, and on the Multiply Vineyard Advisory Team. After working in the financial world as a C.P.A., a financial manager, and a chief financial officer, Bubba was the senior pastor of the Inverness Vineyard Church (IVC)for 23 years. Before planting IVC, Bubba served in many roles as a volunteer pastor in the Birmingham Vineyard from 1983 until 1993. Some of the ministries Bubba led included youth, children, nursery, intercession, small groups, and ministry team. Bubba and his wife Melany live in Houston, TX, and have two married daughters and one grandchild. Show Notes: Vineyard USA suggested reading for September Prophetic Lament by Soong-Chan Rah https://vineyardusa.org/podcast/ Compassion International https://www.compassion.com/ Convoy of Hope https://convoyofhope.org Petros Network https://petrosnetwork.org Socials: Vineyardusa.org @vineyardusa
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay talks with Ray Maldonado about the decades of work he's invested in advocating for diversity and developing multicultural churches. Ray shares the story of how the Lord reclaimed his marriage, the scripture that turned his heart toward the fringes of his community, his call to ministry, and how he came to study diversity in the Vineyard Movement as a doctoral student. Ray and Jay discuss what they have been gleaning from the Evangelical Covenant Church and the challenges and opportunities a Euro-American, English-dominant church may encounter in moving toward multiculturalism. Dr. Rafael Maldonado Jr., or “Ray” as he is known to his friends, pastored in Chicago for 29 years in two churches. He is the head Caribbean Missions Coordinator for the Vineyard Movement, and also leads a Partnership for an island in the Caribbean. Besides developing a church planting program, Ray is a Certified Coach and coaches church planters and leaders in the U.S. and Latin America. He and his wife Teresa have five children and eleven grandchildren, live in Lakeland, Florida and are involved in the Lakeland Vineyard. Ray's heart is to promote the heart of Jesus for the Biblically diverse church that he calls the Transcultural Church. He received his doctoral degree from Bakke Graduate University. Show Notes: Vineyard USA suggested reading for September Prophetic Lament by Soong-Chan Rah https://vineyardusa.org/podcast/ Evangelical Covenant Church- Sankofa https://covchurch.org/mercy-justice/sankofa/ Socials Socials: Vineyardusa.org @vineyardusa
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay and Josh Williams talk through Vineyard USA's recommended reading for August, “The Gospel With The Poor”, which includes a companion series for kids, as well as a 4-week sermon series. They share thoughts about their favorite quotes, and think through how we can address the issue of justice practically. They then transition to a discussion of how to be of help in your city, and share some excellent suggestions of how to get in touch with the specific issues your city is facing. Josh Williams is Vineyard USA's Associate National Director for Evangelism and Justice. Josh grew up in Iowa and in 2004 he headed to the East Coast to study at Yale University in New Haven, CT where he majored in American Studies and Ethnicity, Race and Migration, followed by his entrance to Divinity School and getting plugged into Elm City Vineyard (ECV). During his time at grad school and in the first years of ECV, Josh started several evangelistic prayer groups on Yale's campus, established an outdoor church for the housed and unhoused, and launched an incarnational inner-city neighborhood ministry that included a sidewalk Sunday school where many kids made first-time commitments for Jesus. In 2011 Josh was ordained as a pastor in the Vineyard and weeks later married his wife Tina (ECV's Worship Pastor and a regular presence in Vineyard Worship recording projects). In 2014, Josh became ECV's first full-time Lead Pastor, and he has enjoyed seeing Jesus grow the church in multi-ethnicity, justice, evangelism, spiritual formation, and Holy Spirit ministry. In the Vineyard, Josh has served as an Area Leader and an Executive Team member since 2017. He has also been on the Vineyard Ethnic Diversity task force since 2019. Josh and Tina recently celebrated ten years of marriage and parent two adorable little ones, Zoe and Joy. Their favorite family activities are going to waterfalls and beaches, eating ice cream, and singing loudly together. Show Notes: https://vineyardusa.org/associations/ Vineyard USA suggested reading for August https://vineyardusa.org/gospel-with-the-poor/ Socials: Vineyardusa.org @vineyardusa
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay talks with Hannah Estabrook about her work as a mental health clinician working with survivors of sex trafficking. Hannah shares about her early experiences with the Holy Spirit, how she was drawn to the mental health field and how continuing to follow the next right step led her to establish a drop-in center for women involved in sex work. She also shares her personal practices that have prevented her from burning out, her goals in working alongside survivors, and the most surprising thing the Lord is doing in her heart right now. Hannah Estabrook, MA, LPCC-S has been working as a clinician in the mental health field for over seventeen years and has specialized in providing direct services to survivors of sex trafficking. Her work with survivors has included the settings of the criminal justice system (CATCH Court), as well as the streets (Sanctuary Night), where she currently serves as Executive Director. She also serves as a pastor of The Abbey, a contemplative Vineyard church in the city of Columbus, Ohio. Show Notes: https://vineyardusa.org/associations/ Vineyard USA suggested reading for August https://vineyardusa.org/gospel-with-the-poor/ Sojourners: Should Prostitution Be Decriminalized? https://sojo.net/magazine/may-2022/should-prostitution-be-decriminalized The Abbey https://theabbeycolumbus.church Sanctuary Night https://www.sanctuarynight.com/ Socials Socials: Vineyardusa.org @vineyardusa Instagrams: @hannahruthestabrook @theabbeycolumbus @porchlightcolumbus @sanctuary_night
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay talks with Tina Colón Williams about her career in humanitarian immigration law, how she came to see the field of law as a potential expression of justice and compassion, and the holy work of receiving people's most tender stories. Tina shares about growing up on the outside of the cultural majority, her trajectory-altering experience as a teenager of hearing the stories of undocumented immigrants in San Francisco, and how she fell into a job at a cushy corporate law firm before finding her niche in immigration law. Tina beautifully illustrates how her faith informs her work, and addresses some of the common misconceptions about the immigration process. Tina Colón Williams is an immigration attorney, worship pastor and vocalist based in New Haven, Connecticut. Born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, Tina moved to New Haven in 2005 to attend Yale University. She graduated from the University of Connecticut school of law in 2014, and she currently leads an immigration litigation practice at Esperanza Attorneys at Law, a small low-bono law firm based in New Haven that represents immigrants from countries around the world in humanitarian immigration applications, removal proceedings and immigration appeals. She and her husband Josh lead the Elm City Vineyard church in New Haven, where Tina serves as the Worship Pastor. Tina has also served as a vocalist and songwriter for a number of Vineyard Worship releases over the past several years. Tina and Josh have two young girls, Zoe (4) and Joy (2). They love the city of New Haven, beaches, eating new foods, singing and dancing, and following Jesus in community with others. Show Notes: https://vineyardusa.org/associations/ Vineyard USA suggested reading for August https://vineyardusa.org/gospel-with-the-poor/ Elm City Vineyard http://elmcityvineyard.org Socials: Vineyardusa.org @vineyardusa
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Dr. Charles Montgomery Jr. shares about how God disrupted his path to a lucrative career in engineering with a call to ministry, the cultural shift he experienced in working at a Vineyard Church, and what his upbringing uniquely adds to his church. Charles and Jay then talk about the work being done within Vineyard Associations and what they are excited about for the future of the Vineyard. Charles leaves us with a word about the winding road to reconciliation and an encouragement for pastors who are hesitant in engaging this crucial work. Charles A. Montgomery, Jr serves as the Associations Strategic Coordinator for Vineyard USA and Teaching Pastor at Vineyard Columbus. Charles also founded a successful multiethnic Campus (Vineyard Columbus East) and has pastored there since 2012. His passion is to develop Beloved Communities as espoused by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, an alumnus of Charles' alma mater, Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. Charles has a B.A. in Mathematics from Morehouse, a Master of Divinity from Emory University (Ga) and a PhD in Ethical and Creative Leadership from Union Institute University (OH). He has earned several credentials in Diversity Training and is a Certified Spiritual Director through the Sustainable School of Faith. He considers his greatest accomplishment (ok, grace) being married to his childhood crush, Kimberly. Charles and Kimberly are avid Buckeye fans (Go Bucks!) and make their home in Columbus Ohio. Show Notes: https://vineyardusa.org/associations/ Vineyard USA suggested reading for August https://vineyardusa.org/gospel-with-the-poor/ Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson https://amzn.to/3vLJCJ1 Roadmap to Reconciliation by Brenda Salter McNeil https://amzn.to/3p3r2bA Socials: Vineyardusa.org @vineyardusa
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Cheryl Pittluck shares about pursuing a degree in Theater Arts, meeting and marrying a pastor named Lance, and their early years with the Holy Spirit and the Vineyard. Cheryl talks about the expectations on a pastor's wife, the dryness in her life as a mom with young kids, and the things she prayed that changed the trajectory of her life and ignited her passion for justice work and “seeing the world made new”. Cheryl also shares a powerful word for how Christians could be the hands and feet of Love in today's world, as well as some advice for people who feel a draw towards serving a particular people group. Cheryl Pittluck has served both inside the church and outside as a mentor, trainer, teacher, and advocate on issues of anti-human trafficking and social justice ministries for many years. While at the Anaheim Vineyard, Cheryl led the anti-human trafficking and social justice ministries and is a founding member of the Vineyard Justice Network. She also has served extensively outside the church in areas of justice, volunteering over the last 13 years with the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force as a mentor, trainer and teacher, chairing the Task Force's Faith Based Advisory Council. She also serves on the board for the Global Center for Women and Justice at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, CA., is a trained Faith Alliance Against Slavery and Trafficking (FAAST) “Hands That Heal” trainer, and served on Representative Ed Royce's Human Trafficking Advisory Council while he functioned as Chairman of the United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs. She has been married to Lance Pittluck for 43 years, and has a beautiful daughter, wonderful son-in-law, and possibly the most amazing granddaughter ever. Show Notes: https://vineyardusa.org/associations/ Vineyard USA suggested reading for August https://vineyardusa.org/gospel-with-the-poor/ Global Center for Women and Justice – Podcasts https://endinghumantrafficking.org Vineyard Justice Network https://vineyardjusticenetwork.org Listen to Cheryl's talk at the 2021 Vineyard USA National Conference – Wednesday, Session 4 https://conference.vineyardusa.org/livestream/#wednesday Socials: Vineyardusa.org @vineyardusa
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Dominique Gilliard shares about his role of pastoring pastors in the work of making connections between scripture, discipleship, and our call to be ambassadors of reconciliation. He and Jay talk about the role of justice work and racial righteousness in the church, and the Biblical evidence for the marriage of evangelism and justice. Dominique discusses diversity as a revelatory gift from God, some challenging and practical questions to ask if your church is seeking to be a truly multiethnic church, and the work he is doing to provide resources for pastors to engage this conversation from a Biblical perspective. Dominique DuBois Gilliard is the Director of Racial Righteousness and Reconciliation for the Evangelical Covenant Church. He is the author of Rethinking Incarceration: Advocating for Justice that Restores, which won a 2018 Book of the Year Award for InterVarsity Press and was named Outreach Magazine's 2019 Social Issues Resource of the Year. Gilliard's latest book, Subversive Witness: Scripture's Call to Leverage Privilege won Englewood Review of Books 2021 book of the year award. Gilliard also serves as an adjunct professor at North Park Theological Seminary in its School of Restorative Arts and serves on the board of directors for the Christian Community Development Association. In 2015, the Huffington Post named him one of the “Black Christian Leaders Changing the World.” Earlier this year, Gilliard received North Park Theological Seminary's Distinguished Alumni Award. Show Notes: Subversive Witness website https://www.zondervan.com/p/subversive-witness/ Subversive Witness video-based small group curriculum https://vimeo.com/ondemand/subversivewitness Rethinking Incarceration https://www.ivpress.com/rethinking-incarceration Rethinking Incarceration video-based small groups curriculum https://seminarynow.com/programs/rethinking-incarceration Sankofa https://covchurch.org/mercy-justice/sankofa/ Justice Journey for Kids curriculum https://covchurch.org/make-and-deepen-disciples/children/justicejourney/ Kingdom Mosaic Bible Study Series https://covchurch.org/resource/the-kingdom-mosaic-life-together-series/ Socials: Vineyardusa.org @vineyardUSA dominiquegilliard.com Dominique's Instagram: @DominiqueDGilliard Dominique's Twitter: @DDGilliard
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Reverend Paul Robinson shares about how the Lord has orchestrated his life since childhood, from a prophetic word given by his Sunday school teacher and his experiences in different denominations, to growing up on the south side of Chicago and his time in seminary. Reverend Robinson talks about learning from different streams of theology and thought, and how all the pieces of his life started to fit together vocationally in a very beautiful way. He and Jay also talk about being uniquely positioned to pastor through difficult times, leading constructive dialogues, and the value in listening to a diverse set of voices. Paul Robinson is the Executive Minister of Love Mercy Do Justice for the Evangelical Covenant Church. The mission of LMDJ is to join God in making things right in a broken world. Prior to this role Paul was Senior Community Leadership Manager with the Wilder Center for Communities, former Director of the organization's James P. Shannon Leadership Institute and Church Planter. Paul has partnered with nonprofit, for-profit, education, government and community individuals and organizations in core value clarification, leadership development, intercultural agility, anti-racism and capacity strengthening to help them better lead themselves and others. Paul is most comfortable at the intersection of ideas, difference, passion and effective action. He enjoys using his skills in meeting design, facilitation and convening to catalyze meaningful connections to stimulate individual and community transformation. Robinson holds a B.S. degree in Finance from Eastern Illinois University and a Master of Divinity degree from McCormick Theological Seminary. Paul Robinson is 2017 AARP Minnesota and Pollen Fifty over Fifty honoree. Paul is married to Kim and together they have seven adult children. Reverend Robinson's combined experience in ministry, business, nonprofit management, and leadership development spans 25 years. Show Notes: Sign up for a regional gathering near you! https://vineyardusa.org/events/ The Evangelical Covenant Church - Love Mercy Do Justice https://covchurch.org/mercy-justice/ Socials: Vineyardusa.org @vineyardusa
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Kathy Maskell shares her story of being raised by immigrant parents, and the twists and turns of her spiritual journey during her childhood and young adults years. She and Jay talk about different experiences of justice woven throughout her life, her eventual work with anti-human trafficking organizations, and what she's learned about God's heart for the poor. Kathy Maskell is the lead pastor at East Denver Vineyard. She joined the MHV staff in 2020 in the midst of a global pandemic. She also leads the Vineyard Justice Network and served on the Executive Board for Vineyard USA. Her heart for justice is shaped by her previous advocacy work with Love146 (an organization committed to ending child sex-trafficking), studying abolitionist movements, and creating intentional spaces for deep conversation and meaningful action for biblical justice. Kathy was raised by Buddhist parents and came to faith while earning a degree in English from the University of Chicago and went on to get an M.S. Ed from City College (CUNY), and an M.Div. in systematic theology at Union Theological Seminary (NYC). She and her husband, Caleb, co-planted the Elm City Vineyard and have two children, Josiah and Emmanuelle. Some of her favorite things to do right now are exploring her new city for awesome museums and the tastiest breakfast places for dates. Show Notes: Sign up for a regional gathering near you! https://vineyardusa.org/events/ Jars of Clay- Flood (Lift Me Up) https://bit.ly/3c9mn4X Love 146 https://love146.org Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger by Ronald J. Snider https://amzn.to/3nYXKKI East Denver Vineyard https://www.eastdenvervineyard.org/ Vineyard Justice Network https://vineyardjusticenetwork.org The Gospel With the Poor: VJN's First Publication https://bit.ly/3c8RmOh Socials: Vineyardusa.org @vineyardusa FB for Kathy: Facebook.com/kathymaskell IG for East Denver Vineyard: @eastdenvervineyard IG for Vineyard Justice Network: @vineyardjustice
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Josh Williams shares about the intersection of faith and the civil rights movement in his parents' lives and how that shaped his childhood. Josh talks about the bullying he faced as a child, growing through hardships, and his encounter with love and community at an Asian-American church in college. Finally, they talk about his determination to incorporate justice issues into leading a local church, and the practical ways in which Josh and Elm City Vineyard are taking ownership of their community. Josh Williams is Vineyard USA's Associate National Director for Evangelism and Justice. Josh grew up in Iowa and in 2004 he headed to the East Coast to study at Yale University in New Haven, CT where he majored in American Studies and Ethnicity, Race and Migration, followed by his entrance to Divinity School and getting plugged into Elm City Vineyard (ECV). During his time at grad school and in the first years of ECV, Josh started several evangelistic prayer groups on Yale's campus, established an outdoor church for the housed and unhoused, and launched an incarnational inner-city neighborhood ministry that included a sidewalk Sunday school where many kids made first-time commitments for Jesus. In 2011 Josh was ordained as a pastor in the Vineyard and weeks later married his wife Tina (ECV's Worship Pastor and a regular presence in Vineyard Worship recording projects). In 2014, Josh became ECV's first full-time Lead Pastor, and he has enjoyed seeing Jesus grow the church in multi-ethnicity, justice, evangelism, spiritual formation, and Holy Spirit ministry. In the Vineyard, Josh has served as an Area Leader and an Executive Team member since 2017. He has also been on the Vineyard Ethnic Diversity task force since 2019. Josh and Tina recently celebrated ten years of marriage and parent two adorable little ones, Zoe and Joy. Their favorite family activities are going to waterfalls and beaches, eating ice cream, and singing loudly together. Show Notes: The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis https://amzn.to/3ONpXQx Works of Love by Soren Kierkegaard https://amzn.to/3RfPvr5 The Quest for the Radical Middle by Bill Johnson and Todd Hunter https://amzn.to/3yl84le Convoy of Hope https://convoyofhope.org Vineyard Justice Network https://vineyardjusticenetwork.org
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Kevin Springer shares about his personal history and how he came to write alongside John Wimber. Jay and Kevin talk about the power of encouragement and caring for fallen leaders, and Kevin shares a practical word about finances and preparing for the future. Kevin Springer is a retired lead pastor, church planter, editor and author. With 46 years in ministry, Kevin has experience in both parachurch and church organizations. His current work includes consulting with churches, conducting marriage seminars, and writing. He is the author of numerous books, booklets and articles published locally and abroad, including Power Healing and Power Evangelism, co-authored with John Wimber. He has been married to Suzanne for 52 years and they have 3 children. Kevin enjoys reading, writing, hiking, working out, and traveling with Suzanne. Show Notes: Sign up for a regional gathering near you! https://vineyardusa.org/events/ Power Healing by John Wimber and Kevin Springer Vineyard USA's recommended reading for June https://amzn.to/3bfbTjL Power Evangelism by John Wimber and Kevin Springer https://amzn.to/3nFcKgZ Socials: Vineyardusa.org @vineyardusa
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay talks with Candy and Joshua Brown about the historically contentious relationship between the scientific and faith communities, and the ways in which they are working to overcome the unhealthy perspectives on both sides to document the miraculous. Candy and Joshua share about their experiences documenting the healing of people who are deaf and blind in Mozambique, their process of gathering empirical evidence to write peer-reviewed scientific articles, and the work they do at the Global Medical Research Institute. Joshua Brown (Ph.D., Boston University) is Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Indiana University. He directs the Cognitive Control laboratory at IU, which focuses on functional brain imaging, higher cognitive function, addiction, psychopathology, transcranial electrical neurostimulation, computational neural modeling, and artificial intelligence. He has authored over 79 peer-reviewed scientific papers in all of these areas, and his work has been featured on the Discovery Channel, NPR, the New York Times, Fox news, and numerous other national and international media. He also directs the graduate program in Neuroscience at Indiana University and serves as the Director of the Global Medical Research Institute, whose work has been featured recently in the documentary film Send Proof. Candy Gunther Brown (Ph.D. Harvard University) is Professor of Religious Studies, Indiana University, and author or editor of six books, including Testing Prayer: Science and Healing and Debating Yoga and Mindfulness in Public Schools: Reforming Secular Education or Reestablishing Religion? Media coverage includes The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, Religion Dispatches, The Conversation, Huffington Post Live, Psychology Today, Mindful Leader, National Catholic Register, Atheist Yoga, Interfaith Voices, and Tricycle: The Buddhist Review. Show Notes: Sign up for a regional gathering near you! https://vineyardusa.org/events/ Power Healing by John Wimber and Kevin Springer Vineyard USA's recommended reading for June https://amzn.to/3bfbTjL Global Medical Research institute https://www.globalmri.org Debating Yoga and Mindfulness by Candy Gunther Brown https://amzn.to/3xGKten Article in Southern Medical Journal about work in Mozambique https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20686441/ Testing Prayer by Candy Gunther Brown https://amzn.to/3zMaJqp Social Media: Vineyardusa.org @vineyardusa Global Medical Research Institute: facebook.com/globalmri Twitter: @candygbrown https://www.linkedin.com/in/candy-gunther-brown-a28a3232/ https://www.facebook.com/candyguntherbrown https://religiousstudies.indiana.edu/about/faculty/brown-candy.html
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay Pathak talks with Mike and Julie Yoder about each of their early years and how they met, how they've navigated career paths in faith, and their process of transitioning into leadership of an established church. They also discuss working through disillusionment, and how character is shaped through risks of faith and obedience. Mike and Julie Yoder serve as the Senior Pastors of The Vineyard Church of Central Illinois and have recently accepted a role as Regional Leaders for the Midwest Central Region. Mike grew up in Arthur, Illinois as a Mennonite. He came to the Vineyard in the early 2000s and fell in love with the Holy Spirit and a girl. Mike decided to make the Vineyard his home and marry the girl. He graduated with a degree in Business Administration and Christian Studies from Crown College in 2002. Mike went on to spend 13 years in the business sector before joining the staff at The Vineyard Church of Central Illinois in 2015. Mike has a passion for organizational clarity, community partnerships, tackling tough conversations, and doing Holy Spirit ministry. He is currently getting his Masters of Divinity from Global Awakening Theological Seminary. Julie grew up in Champaign, Illinois, and was raised in the Vineyard. She earned a degree in Elementary Education from Olivet Nazarene University in 2004 and spent 4 years as a public school reading teacher. Julie is a 2009 Vineyard Leadership Institute graduate. She has spent over 15 years communicating, leading, and developing others. Julie is passionate about helping people encounter Jesus and partner with the Holy Spirit in their everyday lives. She leads the preaching team and is committed to helping communicators find their voice. Together, Mike and Julie are committed to building and cultivating the Kingdom culture of family in their church. They love partnering in ministry and in parenting their four children; Ty, Tate, Maggie, and Molly. Show Notes: Power Healing by John Wimber and Kevin Springer Vineyard USA's recommended reading for June https://amzn.to/3bfbTjL The Advantage by Patrick Lencioni https://amzn.to/3aXhuLt Sign up for a regional gathering near you! https://vineyardusa.org/events/ Vineyard Church of Central Illinois https://tvc.us School of Kingdom Ministry (SoKM) https://www.schoolofkingdomministry.org Socials: Vineyardusa.org @vineyardusa Vineyard Church of Central Illinois: @vineyardcentralillinois SoKM Social: @schoolof kingdomministry.org
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay and Brenda Gatlin talk about growing up in small town Alaska, learning to discern the Lord's voice, and her powerful deliverance from a religious spirit. Brenda also shares her story of endurance in following the long call of the Lord, and the ways He provided for their family every step of the way. Brenda Gatlin is a Super Regional Leader for Vineyard USA. Brenda, affectionately known as “B”, has had the assurance of a life-time call to full-time kingdom ministry since the age of 17. She is passionate about leading from her transparent authenticity and seeing people set free from oppression. She is focused on healing and becoming whole biblical people, so we are a right reflection of who God is. She has a long track record of fruitfulness, for training and equipping others to continue doing all the things that Jesus did and for helping leaders become healthy. Brenda and her husband Michael have been Senior Pastors at Duluth Vineyard in Minnesota since 1997. In addition to this local leadership, Brenda served as an Area Pastor in her Region for 5 years, and in 2013 was appointed as the Regional Leader for the Midwest North Region. For nearly 10 years, she has been serving about 50 local churches in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the Chicago area. Michael and Brenda have been the sending church for 6 Vineyard church plants and love Multiply Vineyard communities. In the fall of 2021, Brenda and Michael celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary. They are parents to three grown and married children, and grandparents to two girls. Her favorite ways to practice Sabbath are riding her motorcycle along Lake Superior, long talks over coffee with friends, being grandma (Mimi) to her two granddaughters, being a fan of professional bull riding, baking, and puzzling through the long winter evenings of Northern Minnesota. Show Notes: Power Evangelism by John Wimber and Kevin Springer Vineyard USA's recommended reading for June https://amzn.to/3PK64e2 Brenda's Deliverance resources: Clash of the Kingdoms https://duluthvineyard.org/grow/clash-of-the-kingdoms/ Socials: Vineyardusa.org @vineyardusa
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Steve Nicholson shares about the process of deciding for himself to follow the Lord, his early evangelism experiences, and the Holy Spirit encounter that changed it all! He and Jay also talk about what Steve sees happening in the church today amongst different generations. Steve Nicholson began ministering as a college student through InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in the early 1970s. After graduation, he moved to the Chicago area where he and several other twenty-something leaders founded a church. That fellowship, begun in 1976 in Evanston, Illinois, placed a high priority on contemporary worship, biblical teaching, openness to the Holy Spirit, and committed relationships as a church family. In 1981, Steve and a team from the fellowship established a new church in Humboldt Park, a neighborhood in Chicago's inner city. Both churches joined Vineyard USA in August of 1985, and Steve transferred leadership of the Humboldt Park Vineyard to one of his team members in 1986. The Evanston Vineyard has since planted nine other congregations in the Chicago area, and another fifteen in other cities or countries. Steve led Vineyard USA's church planting task force for over twenty years. Steve has ministered to and trained church leaders in India, Australia, New Zealand, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Turkey, Lebanon, Brazil, Chile and several Central Asian countries as well as in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The Evanston Vineyard is a diverse congregation from over 50 nations of the world with no majority racial or cultural group. Since 1986 the ministry of the Holy Spirit has been a regular and ongoing strength and emphasis of the Evanston Vineyard. Steve and his wife, Cindy, live in Chicago. They have three adult children and eight grandchildren. Show Notes: Power Evangelism by John Wimber and Kevin Springer Vineyard USA's recommended reading for June https://amzn.to/3PK64e2 Socials: Vineyardusa.org @vineyardusa
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jordan Seng shares the tumultuous story of his younger years and growing up as a “wild Christian”, his first experiences in the church and how always feeling different may have been a hidden blessing. He and Jay then talk about Jordan's experience of doing ministry in a rough neighborhood, his perspective on living out faith, and some of what the Holy Spirit is doing in his church today. Dr. Jordan Seng and his wife Sonya are lead pastors of Bluewater Mission, a creative, justice-oriented church in Honolulu, Hawaii. Jordan is author of Miracle Work: A Down-to-Earth-Guide to Supernatural Ministries, and the upcoming Life of Try. He has ministered broadly through church-planting, teaching, healing and prophecy, and has led training conferences for every major Christian denomination and numerous para-church and missions organizations in North America, Europe, Latin America, East Asia, South Asia and the Caribbean. Jordan holds a degree in political theory from Stanford University and a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. He was a National Security Fellow at the School of Government at Harvard. He's an avid sailor and owns two U.S patents for marine technologies. He has two teenage children. Show Notes: Miracle Work by Jordan Seng Vineyard USA's recommended reading for May https://bit.ly/382EPdN Jordan's Church www.bluewatermission.org Socials: Vineyardusa.org @vineyardusa
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay and Julia Pickerill reminisce about their younger years together in youth and young adult ministry. They talk about the importance of embodied connection over simply teaching information and how Julia was changed by being exposed to a theology of the local church. Julia also passes on a crucial word about longevity in pastoring. In January of 2021, Julia Pickerill became one of the Senior Pastors of the Columbus Vineyard alongside her husband Eric, succeeding Rich Nathan, who founded the church in 1987. Julia and Eric have been a part of the Vineyard movement for twenty-five years, during which time they've held multiple roles in the Columbus Vineyard and served as church planters and Lead Pastors of Vineyard Amsterdam (Netherlands). They returned to the US in 2015 and transitioned into senior leadership of Vineyard Columbus in January 2021. Julia is a nine on the enneagram, is a really bad cook, dislikes writing speaker bios, has three fabulous kids, and relaxes by reading novels about existential threats. Show Notes: Miracle Work by Jordan Seng Vineyard USA's recommended reading for May https://bit.ly/382EPdN The Singer Trilogy by Calvin Miller https://amzn.to/3FRxXwk The Tower of Geburah by John White https://amzn.to/3sFhztk
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay sits down with Dennis Liu to talk about his recent transition to lead pastor of Vineyard of Hope church, and some of the conversations and considerations unique to a leadership transition in an immigrant church. Dennis shares about the “silent exodus” of young people from immigrant churches, some of the cultural blessings and challenges, and some of his dreams for the Asian American church, particularly relating to worship. Dennis Liu is the leader of the Asian American Association for Vineyard USA and the lead pastor of Vineyard of Hope church in Walnut, CA (formerly known as Vineyard of Harvest). Having grown up in a Christian family in NJ, he feels extremely blessed with a rich Christian heritage. It was during his high school years that he began to sense that the Lord was calling him into full-time ministry. At the time, he ignored the call out of selfishness simply because he wanted to make a lot of money and become successful in the world's eyes. Subsequently, he enrolled at Cornell University in the fall of 1996 with the intention of going on to medical school upon graduation. The Lord continued to work on his heart through his college years, and the calling of full-time ministry didn't decrease but grew stronger. After college, the door opened up for him to come out to CA to minister after he graduated from college and to begin attending Fuller Theological Seminary. In May 2000, he headed out to CA and began to intern at Vineyard of Hope Church while pursuing a Master of Arts in Intercultural Studies at Fuller. Over time, the ministry grew, and he joined the staff of the church on a full-time basis as the minister to the English congregation. In June 2005, he graduated from Fuller, and in 2007, he was ordained as a pastor. In 2011, he married Evangeline, who graduated with a Master of Divinity from Talbot Seminary. They have two sons named Silas and Levi and a daughter named Jubilee. Dennis and Evangeline are excited about the future of this congregation and envision a church that plants many churches! Show Notes: Miracle Work by Jordan Seng Vineyard USA's recommended reading for May https://bit.ly/382EPdN Vineyard of Hope Church https://www.vineyardofhope.org
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay talks with worship leader and songwriter, author and National Director of Vineyard Canada, David Ruis. David shares some things he's been learning about the story of God through his own story of adoption, the work of music in his life, and some stories of his early encounters with the Holy Spirit and his process of reconciling them with his Baptist upbringing. David also shares his heart in seeking the Lord to hear what He wants to do during any gathering or time of worship and his practice of coming with expectation that the Lord is with us. David and Anita Ruis have lead, encourage, and empowered the Vineyard in Canada as the National Directors since 2014. David is a well-respected worship leader and songwriter (You're Worthy Of My Praise, Every Move I Make, and much more). His most recent album, When Justice Shines, was released through ION Records. David has also authored two books: The Worship God Is Seeking and The Justice God Is Seeking. As a team David and Anita are also known to be effective church planters and seasoned pastors having established churches in Canada and the US. David has also been instrumental in seeing Vineyard communities established in Nepal and India. Much of the Ruises' focus has been in indigenous settings, working with people experiencing poverty and subsequent marginalization. They also have significant experience facilitating leadership development and on the creative side David is known for fostering originality in song-writing and the arts in various cultural settings. A burning passion for the Ruises is both practical and theological integration of creative worship in church community, and deep life engagement with issues of poverty and social injustice. The Ruises currently reside in Kelowna, BC. In their down time they love to be creative and hang with their grandkids. Show Notes: David's church- Kelowna Vineyard https://www.kelownavineyard.com/ The Worship God is Seeking by David Ruis https://amzn.to/3w1PDAT The Justice God is Seeking by David Ruis https://amzn.to/3y8uZSd Miracle Work by Jordan Seng Vineyard USA's recommended reading for May https://bit.ly/382EPdN Socials: Vineyardusa.org @vineyardusa
This episode of We Are Vineyard is the second in a 2-part conversation between Jay and Tish Harrison Warren. Tish shares some of her best practices and tangible steps for writing, along with wisdom about how to know what conversations will benefit from contributing your voice. Tish and Jay then discuss the impacts of social media on our thinking, and the damage done to the witness of Jesus by how Christians treat each other online. Finally, Tish shares how her book Prayer in the Night: For Those Who Work, or Watch, or Weep came to be, how she discovered she was using theology to avoid real faith questions, and her thoughts on suffering and joy. Tish Harrison Warren is a priest in the Anglican Church in North America. She is the author of Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life (Christianity Today's 2018 Book of the Year) and Prayer in the Night: For Those Who Work, or Watch, or Weep (Christianity Today's 2022 Book of the Year). Currently, Tish writes a weekly newsletter for The New York Times, and she is a columnist for Christianity Today. Her articles and essays have appeared in Religion News Service, Christianity Today, Comment Magazine, The Point Magazine, The New York Times, and elsewhere. For over a decade, Tish has worked in ministry settings as a campus minister with InterVarsity Graduate and Faculty Ministries, as an associate rector, and with addicts and those in poverty through various churches and non-profit organizations. Now, Tish serves as Writer in Residence at Resurrection South Austin. She is a founding member of The Pelican Project and a Senior Fellow with the Trinity Forum. She lives with her husband and three children in the Austin, Texas area.
This episode of We Are Vineyard is the first in a 2-part conversation between Jay and Tish Harrison Warren. Tish shares about her youthful realization that she was called to ministry and how she walked that path as a young woman in the Baptist church. They then move into discussing how to navigate marriage and parenting roles when each spouse has a similar calling, and celebrating each other's wholeness in vocation while balancing the practical needs of the family, travel and work schedules. This is a beautiful and honest conversation about gender roles, faith and family. Come back next week for part 2! Tish Harrison Warren is a priest in the Anglican Church in North America. She is the author of Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life (Christianity Today's 2018 Book of the Year) and Prayer in the Night: For Those Who Work, or Watch, or Weep (Christianity Today's 2022 Book of the Year). Currently, Tish writes a weekly newsletter for The New York Times, and she is a columnist for Christianity Today. Her articles and essays have appeared in Religion News Service, Christianity Today, Comment Magazine, The Point Magazine, The New York Times, and elsewhere. For over a decade, Tish has worked in ministry settings as a campus minister with InterVarsity Graduate and Faculty Ministries, as an associate rector, and with addicts and those in poverty through various churches and non-profit organizations. Now, Tish serves as Writer in Residence at Resurrection South Austin. She is a founding member of The Pelican Project and a Senior Fellow with the Trinity Forum. She lives with her husband and three children in the Austin, Texas area.
In this episode of We Are Vineyard we meet John Elmer, one of the Super Regional Leaders for Vineyard USA. Together Jay and John comb through John's story to explore themes of leadership, caring for the poor and marginalized, the miraculous work of the Holy Spirit, working through rejection and loss of dreams, and how John's early experiences have shaped the way he now guides other leaders. John grew up in Syracuse, New York. Right before his senior year in high school, he had a supernatural encounter with Jesus and was radically saved. He began a Bible study within a couple of months and never stopped. John went to college at Messiah College, where he majored in Biblical Studies and it was there that he met his wife, Gwen. Gwen and John planted the Syracuse Vineyard 30 years ago and have grown it into a multi-site church that has planted 13 other churches. John has also participated in translocal leadership, serving the Vineyard as an Area Leader, National Church Planting team member, Mission Partnership Leader, and as a Regional Leader for the last 10 years. John and Gwen have been married 38 years and have lived together in NYC, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, the squatter slums in Bangkok, as well as Syracuse. They have three children and five grandchildren that they love to be with. John is a big Syracuse University sports fan, as well as a lifelong Yankees fan.
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay and Danielle Pathak share about their early days as young adults in ministry, what they would each say to their 25-year-old self as they were about to move away from home to plant a church, and the value of seeking advice from those who have lived longer and experienced more. They also talk about the origin story of their passion for developing emotional health and caring for the personal lives of themselves and their leadership teams. Finally, Danielle shares about the work they are doing through the Lilly Grant to explore the experiences of pastors, specifically those in underrepresented and vulnerable demographics, and some dreams they have about ways to cultivate the financial, emotional and relational lives of Vineyard pastors. Danielle Pathak is the Interim Associate National Director for Pastoral Health and Development. Danielle grew up in Columbus, Ohio and started attending the Columbus Vineyard as a young teenager. Danielle attended Ohio State University and graduated with a BA in Human Development and Family Studies. She attended Vineyard Leadership Institute in Columbus, Ohio for theological training before church planting in Denver with her husband Jay and a small team in 2001. After several years of building and developing the Arvada Vineyard and also having her daughters, she became the Staff and Spiritual Formation Pastor for the Mile High Vineyard, a family of neighborhood churches in the Denver area which includes the original Arvada Vineyard. She completed a certificate in Spiritual Direction in 2013 from Sustainable Faith, took on additional training in Family Systems work, and most recently added a certificate in Spiritual Formation and Leadership in 2020 from the Transforming Center in Chicago, IL. Her true joy in this life outside of her faith is her family, her husband of 23 years, Jay, and her daughters Jasmine (age 17) and Sofia (age 14). Show Notes: The Ferment Podcast: Jay and Danielle Pathak https://bit.ly/3uUiXc4 The Art of Neighboring by Jay Pathak and Dave Runyon https://amzn.to/3JirIl3 Lilly Grants for Pastors https://bit.ly/3uZ1pv7
As we wrap on the first quarter of We Are Vineyard, Jay and Caleb Maskell meet up to share some behind the scenes of different episodes, their thoughts and reflections on some of their favorite conversations, and of course they laugh... a lot! From Andy Crouch's episode on doing the internal work that allows us to be effective leaders to Santiago "Jimmy" Mellado's episode about learning from people of different cultural backgrounds, join us as we take a brief walk through just some of the richness of these first 12 episodes! Caleb Maskell is the Associate National Director of Theology and Education for Vineyard USA. Caleb has been involved in leadership in the Vineyard movement for twenty-five years. He holds a Masters in Divinity from Yale Divinity School where he immersed himself in the study of theology, church history, and scripture, while also leading worship and working with middle school and high school youth groups. In 2007, along with his wife Kathy and their friends Matt and Hannah Croasmun, Caleb planted Elm City Vineyard Church in New Haven, Connecticut. That year, he also began a Ph.D. program at Princeton University and, after moving to Manhattan for four years while Kathy went to seminary, the Maskells ended up in suburban Philadelphia, where Caleb completed his Ph.D while teaching regularly at Princeton Theological Seminary and serving as the Worship Pastor at Blue Route Vineyard Church. Since 2010, Caleb has led the Society of Vineyard Scholars, which exists to foster and sustain a community of theological discourse in and for the Vineyard movement. Caleb is passionate about developing leaders and institutions that will help to produce a healthy, courageous, and hospitable future for the church in the twenty-first century. Caleb and Kathy now live with their two kids, Josiah and Emmanuelle, in the heart of Denver, where Kathy pastors East Denver Vineyard Church. Show Notes: The Ferment, March 7, 2022 The Life of the Mind with Caleb Maskell – Pastoring Worship Series https://bit.ly/3JOStiq Canoeing the Mountains by Tod Bolsinger https://amzn.to/3Lex16y Tempered Resilience by Tod Bolsinger https://amzn.to/37TKXV9 Society of Vineyard Scholars https://vineyardscholars.org/about-us/
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay talks with author and pastor Steve Cuss about what it was like growing up in an irreligious family that eventually came to really embrace his calling, the valuable experience he gained in chaplain residency and the practice of vulnerability and self-awareness that has shaped his heart and his life's work. Steve also reveals his secret talent as a chicken hypnotist (see show notes for a visual!) **Please note: This episode contains some discussion of grief and pregnancy loss as Steve shares stories from his years as a chaplain. Steve is the author of Managing Leadership Anxiety: Yours and Theirs and the founder of www.capablelife.me, an online community helping you to function as a calm, aware, present human in the work place and home place. Steve has served in a variety of pastoral roles for 26 years, the majority of those years as a lead pastor. He is also proud to be a strategic partner with Compassion International, Leadership Network, and Missio Alliance. Steve was privileged to grow up in Perth, Western Australia, in an adventurous family of origin. After moving to the United States for theological study, he married Lisa and they have two sons and a daughter, in whom they take great delight. When Steve is not working, you can find him laughing with his family, knee-deep in a trout stream, or trying a guitar he cannot afford at a local music store. Show Notes: Steve's website https://www.stevecusswords.com Managing Leadership Anxiety by Steve Cuss Vineyard USA's suggested reading for March https://amzn.to/3u9pS0x All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot https://amzn.to/3L22Kbd Chicken hypnotism (not Steve) https://bit.ly/36ynMPt Steve's Socials: Instagram and Twitter: @stevecusswords
In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay Pathak chats with Joel Seymour, a Super Regional Leader for Vineyard USA. Joel shares about being raised in the Church of Christ, his introduction to John Wimber and a wild encounter with the Holy Spirit. Joel also shares his experience of being sent home by the Lord to plant a church and how their church has found creative ways to make a practical impact in their small town. Joel Seymour is a Super Regional Leader for Vineyard USA. Joel's passion for the Vineyard began as a teenager when he watched John Wimber's testimony video (yay VHS!). He knew he found his home when, as a college sophomore, he took the Fuller Seminary class MC550 "Healing and World Evangelism" led by Wimber and C. Peter Wagner. In 1998, Joel and his wife Kristi planted their second church – the Lancaster Vineyard in Lancaster, OH and Joel has served there as the Lead Pastor. He has been deeply engaged in his city, bringing together the social, private, and public sectors through the Art of Neighboring Fairfield County initiative. Joel also started the Small Town initiative within Multiply Vineyard. He has served as both an Area Leader and a Regional Leader within Vineyard USA. He looks forward to drawing on his experience to encourage, equip and empower local pastors. Joel enjoys playing guitar, leading worship, laughing, and most of all, taking long daily walks with his wife. Joel and Kristi have raised 3 great kids. Show Notes: Lancaster Vineyard Church http://lancastervineyard.org Watch a quarantine throwback of Joel and his daughter dancing for "Monday Moves"! https://bit.ly/3MTfJgT Managing Leadership Anxiety by Steve Cuss Vineyard USA's suggested reading for March https://amzn.to/3sSV9Fo
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