Podcast appearances and mentions of Mark Clark

Show NotesThe Pastorate ConferenceGive to our $30,000 June Match CampaignMark Clark's WebsiteVillage Church WebsiteBayside Church WebsiteThe Mark Clark PodcastThe Problem of Life by Mark ClarkThe Pastorate's City MeetupsThe Pastorate Pastors RetreatEpisode DescriptionIn today's conversation, Jason sits down with Mark Clark, the pastor who planted Village Church in British Columbia, and now the Global Senior Pastor at Bayside Church in California. Mark's story includes an atheist upbringing in Ontario, a late-teen conversion, a dream of becoming an academic at Oxford, and a call to plant a church in one of the most secular corners of North America. What began with sixteen people in his living room grew into one of the fastest-growing churches in Canada, and Mark reflects with both gratitude and candor on the road that took him there.Jason and Mark talk about the patience that shaped their early ministry years, waiting for the right time, the right people, and the right season to plant churches. Mark opens up his convictions around preaching, describing how he learned to speak to the skeptic and the lifelong believer in the same room, and why he refuses to choose between reaching the lost and discipling the found. He's also honest about the cost of leading through rapid growth, including the burnout seasons that left him preaching dizzy and gripping the pulpit to stay upright.The conversation also turns to what it meant to leave the church he founded and entrust it to leaders he loves, and the insecurity that keeps many leaders from transitioning. Drawing on Zechariah 10, he candidly describes his calling as making warhorses out of sheep, a vision he holds with both conviction and a winsome humilityIn this episode you'll hear:How an atheist kid from Ontario became a church planter in one of Canada's most secular cities,Why patience, the right time, people, and season, mattered more than urgency in the plant,How to preach to the skeptic and the lifelong believer in the same room,What the burnout seasons cost Mark, and the team decision that reshaped his preaching,Why he left the church he founded, and what it's been like to watch it flourish under new leadership,How Zechariah 10 reframed his calling around raising and releasing the next generation of leaders.PartnersWould you consider giving to our summer match campaign? Every donation in June will be matched by a generous donor up to $30,000.Generis has created a Pastorate-exclusive Generosity Cohort. Over one year, eight pastors leading churches with annual budgets under $1 million will journey together, coached by Jon Wright, who will help develop a customized generosity plan for their church. Because it's cohort-based and designed for Canadian pastors, it offers a more affordable option than 1on1 coaching. This cohort launches in July 2026 and is limited to eight pastors. If this sounds like it could serve you and your church, you can reach out to Jon Wright here.

Carey caught up with Rich Villodas backstage at Exponential to talk about the learnable skills that keep leaders and congregations non-anxious in an angry age, and the unique challenges and gifting needed to lead a church you didn't plant.

Joel Muddamalle is a theologian who thinks harder about spiritual warfare than almost anyone in the church today. In this conversation: how sin got a mass-marketing strategy, why your devices are a primary battleground, why the best answer to political division might be subversion, and how to keep your best people long-term.

Welcome back to another episode of the unSeminary podcast. Today we're joined by Jeremy Norton, Lead Pastor of Mountainview Church in Whitehorse, Yukon. Jeremy has led the church through a significant revitalization journey since 2017, helping transition it into a growing, multicultural congregation that now includes both English and Tagalog gatherings. Are you looking for a fresh way to engage Scripture in your own life or lead your church through it? In this conversation, Jeremy shares the heart behind his recent book Meeting Jesus, and how exploring the relational encounters of Jesus in the Gospel of John can reshape both personal faith and church leadership. A revitalization story shaped by people. // Originally founded in the 1940s, Mountainview Church underwent significant change beginning in 2017. Over time, the congregation not only stabilized but began to grow, including the addition of a Tagalog-speaking gathering led by a Filipino pastor. This shift reflects the demographic reality of Whitehorse, where a growing Filipino population now makes up a significant portion of the city. The result is a church that is both culturally diverse and unified around shared teaching and mission. Why focus on the relational encounters of Jesus? // Jeremy's book Meeting Jesus began as a sermon series that explored the Gospel of John through the lens of Jesus' one-on-one interactions. Rather than a traditional verse-by-verse approach, Jeremy focused on how Jesus engaged individuals, like Nicodemus, the woman at the well, and Pontius Pilate. This relational framing makes the gospel more accessible and personal, helping people see themselves in the stories. Why this approach resonates today. // Exploring Scripture through relational encounters connects deeply with modern audiences. People are drawn to stories they can see themselves in, whether as skeptics, wounded individuals, or seekers of truth. In particular, Pilate's question, “What is truth?” reflects a growing cultural tension where truth is often seen as subjective. By grounding these questions in Scripture, churches can help people navigate complex cultural conversations with clarity and conviction. A resource for churches and leaders. // Jeremy sees Meeting Jesus as more than a book; it's a ministry tool. Jeremy built this into his book by including discussion questions and action steps at the end of each chapter, making it a practical tool for both individuals and groups. Churches can use it alongside a sermon series through John, in small groups, youth ministries, or leadership development environments. It can also serve as a resource for new believers exploring faith or long-time Christians seeking deeper understanding. Turning sermons into lasting resources. // Jeremy also offers a behind-the-scenes look at why pastors should consider turning sermon series into books. Many pastors spend significant time preparing messages that are later archived and forgotten. By developing those sermons into written resources, leaders can extend their impact far beyond Sunday. Books can become tools for discipleship, outreach, and even invite culture, giving church members something tangible to share with others. A practical framework for pastors. // For pastors considering writing, Jeremy suggests starting with sermon series that span three to six months. That’s long enough to provide depth but not so long that the content becomes overly academic. You can follow along at Mountainview Church at mountainview.church. To learn more about Jeremy's book Meeting Jesus and access additional resources, visit leadbiblically.com or find the book wherever books are sold. Thank You for Tuning In! There are a lot of podcasts you could be tuning into today, but you chose unSeminary, and I'm grateful for that. If you enjoyed today's show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the left hand side of this page. Also, kindly consider taking the 60-seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes, they're extremely helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and you can bet that I read every single one of them personally! Lastly, don't forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live! Episode Transcript Rich Birch — Hey friends, welcome to the unSeminary podcast. So glad that you have decided to tune in Really looking forward to today’s conversation. We got multiple conversations happening on multiple levels today, and we’ve got a repeat guest, which you know, when we have a repeat guest, what does that mean? This is a person I want you to listen in on and pay attention to. Today, we’ve got the privilege of having Jeremy Norton with us. He is the lead pastor of Mountain View Church. It was established in the 1940s in the Yukon, the Yukon Territory, and went through revitalization here in 2017. It is now both English and Tagalog. Did I say that correctly? Is that close? Close. Jeremy Norton — Yes, that’s great, which is which is the language of Filipino peoples.Rich Birch — Which is fantastic. He wrote most recently wrote a book called “Meeting Jesus”, which I want you to check out, which walks through the Gospel of John, highlighting Jesus’ relational encounters and how he crossed boundaries and transformed lives. You’re going to love this. Jeremy, welcome to the show. So glad you’re here.Jeremy Norton — Thanks so much for having me. Excited to be back.Rich Birch — Always good a chance to connect with you. And, you know, people, when they say I’m from the North, I’m like, no, my friend Jeremy, he really is from the North. You know, that’s a long ways away. Kind of talk to us about Mountain View. Tell us a little bit of the story, how you intersect there. If we were to arrive. You’ve been on in past episodes, but kind of update us a little bit.Jeremy Norton — Yeah, yeah. So I’m going on 11 years as lead pastor of Mountainview Church. Started as Whitehorse Baptist Church, revitalized to Mountainview Church, all sorts of different changes there. Yeah, lots of people are familiar with revitalization journeys. Went through that. It’s hard work, but it’s good work. And I’m on the back end of it and we’ve seen crazy growth. We went to two English gatherings during revitalization. And then about a year and a half ago, we added a part time Filipino pastor and he does a Tagalog gathering as well. Jeremy Norton — And so same content, same or same theme and passage as the English gatherings, but obviously he writes his own content. So we still go through the sermon series together. His name’s Byron, Pastor Byron. And so that’s been really, really great. Jeremy Norton — Most people don’t know that in Whitehorse, and I think Yellowknife as well, Canadian immigration about 10 years ago started kind of fast tracking Filipino peoples. And for those of us in Canada, all of a sudden, probably 10 years ago, we started seeing more and more Filipino people in the workforce, amazing people, joyful people, resourceful people. And it got to the point in Whitehorse where we had a lot of Filipino immigrants and And to the point where we’re about 10% of our population in our city is Filipino.Rich Birch — Wow.Jeremy Norton — And so there’s actually like there’s a Filipino Catholic, Nazarene. And for us, we’re Evangelical Baptist. So there’s a number of congregations that are Tagalog speaking. And yeah, so that’s kind of where we’re at now.Rich Birch — That’s very cool. Jeremy Norton — Yeah. Rich Birch — That’s, yeah that’s fun fun to hear. And I, yeah and I’m thinking about, man, moving from the Philippines to Whitehorse, that’s a move. That’s a move right there.Jeremy Norton — Crazy. Yeah. A country that’s constantly what over 30, over 35 degrees Celsius.Rich Birch — Yes, yes. Yeah.Jeremy Norton — And then now they’re in negative 40 Celsius. Rich Birch — Right. Jeremy Norton — Which, for Americans, negative 40 meets at Celsius and Fahrenheit. Rich Birch — Yes. Cold. Jeremy Norton — So it’s just stuff’s cold and it breaks. Rich Birch — Yes.Jeremy Norton — So yeah, crazy. And it just shows you the the desire of Filipino people to to, I guess, make life better for their family and to take opportunities. They’re willing to sacrifice a lot. It’s pretty incredible.Rich Birch — Love it. Well, we want to talk today about a book that you’ve recently released called “Meeting Jesus: the Transformational Encounters of John’s Gospel”. Why don’t you give us the the big picture first? Why did you write this book? what What’s the kind of story you’re telling here? What are you hoping for? What were you thinking as you were pulling this together?Jeremy Norton — Yeah, well, it it started as a sermon series in 2018 called Meeting Jesus. And I wanted to walk people through John’s gospel, but instead of in instead of doing a just kind of an expository preaching series, I was like, what would it look like to go through the actual relational encounters that Jesus had with different people?Jeremy Norton — You know, I guess starting with kind of Philip and Nathaniel and even working to Nicodemus, woman at the well. Anyway, all the way right through to to the to the famous moment of him and Pilate, where Pilate’s like, what is truth? You know so the whole journey. Jeremy Norton — And then after doing that in 2024, I can only assume the the Holy Spirit led me to like just opening up those notes. And I was like, I need to turn this into a book. This isn’t quite a commentary. And yet it is a commentary, and yet it’s it’s it’s a story because it’s each chapter is the story of Jesus and another person. And in the sermon series, I had expanded on like who this person is in modern culture as well.Jeremy Norton — Like, this could be you, this person. You know, whether it be the the legalist or the skeptic or like, you know, yeah, again, you have you have Nathaniel, who’s the skeptic, Philip, who’s the evangelist. You have Nicodemus, who’s the legalist. You know, anyway, ah the the woman of the well who’s wounded and and really disowned from culture. So there’s all these people. Jeremy Norton — And and then so I I started working to put the sermon series into a book. I use a publisher.Rich Birch — Right.Jeremy Norton — I have a great publisher, Ambassador International, sent it to them in…And then through 2025, it went back and forth to multiple edits.Rich Birch — Right.Jeremy Norton — They did a lot of work for me. Rich Birch — Yes, yes.Jeremy Norton — And, you know, and yeah, then it launched in March 10th. And it’s been really fun.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s great.Jeremy Norton — So far, I’ve got amazing feedback from it. So it’s great.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s great. I’d love to, I think the framing of kind of the relational encounters of Jesus is interesting way to look at the Gospels. And, you know, the the the incredible popularity of “The Chosen”, I think, is built on a similar premise, right? How do we see Jesus, even if you have a kind of passing knowledge of Jesus, see these stories that maybe we’ve heard of before, but from a slightly different lens, just a slightly different point of view, which is like, hey, let’s think through this at ah at a human level, for lack of a better word.Rich Birch — Why do you think that that is, an effective way to re-encounter something like the gospel of John? Why is that in a framework that you think God’s used either in your series or when you talk about it here in the book?Jeremy Norton — Yeah, I think and well, I think John’s gospel in itself is, you know, different than Matthew, Mark and Luke like how he writes it. He wrote it later right it’s the gospel that came much later. Rich Birch — Right. Jeremy Norton — And so and for whatever reason God led him to to focus so much on the conversation Jesus had with people. You know the other gospels just detail things differently. And so I don’t we’ll you know we’ll meet John one day but I imagine he he’s pretty pastoral. I I, from his writing, I I imagine that he’s kind of the, you know, for a modern term, you know, coffee shop pastor just wanting to know people’s stories… Rich Birch — Right. Jeremy Norton — …and saying like, oh, I remember this one time Jesus had this conversation with so and so and this is how it played out. And this, you know, and so that’s when I did the sermon series, which became the book like that, I just envisioned John like that. And I just thought that John’s like a lot of pastors with their congregations on those like coffee shop meetings, or like trying to help them through life and trying to point back to Jesus and the conversation he’s had. So, um yeah, that’s kind of that’s where where it all kind of started… Rich Birch — Started. Yep.Jeremy Norton — …and I just wanted to explain that well. And there is tons of scripture in it, and even going back to pointing back like for context, and it’s not like there’s not theological depth to it, or pointing back to some Old Testament stuff on what what was talked about. Yeah, especially with ah Nathaniel, who Jesus calls the true Israelite. You know, we get this picture that Nathaniel really wanted to follow God’s law. He he really he really was waiting to see the Messiah, but but desperate, you know, to see the Messiah. So anyway, yeah.Rich Birch — That’s cool. When you went through the series, was there one of these vignettes that seemed to resonate or stick out with your church more than others? Or, you know, we like to think, oh, every every message is like people just love them. But were there any of them that just kind of like, oh, that seemed to to resonate? And why do you think that resonated with your people? Because maybe that’ll continue to resonate even through, you know, the book here. Jeremy Norton — Yeah, there’s there’s there’s there’s two that I that I remember. Rich Birch — Yep. Jeremy Norton — I mentioned them slightly already. Rich Birch — Yep. Jeremy Norton — But coming out of the revitalization in 2017 and then moving into 2018 this was like one of the one of the sermon series that kind of got us in the journey. And so, you know, hashing out Nicodemus as a, as a, as a legalist who, who’s, you know, the midnight encounter with Jesus and, and, and processing like how to be born again. And we were getting a lot of visitors. And so and so that was an important thing. Jeremy Norton — And it was an important thing, I think, for a church that had been probably like a lot of churches pre-revitalization, they tend to lean towards legalism a little bit, the rules, you know, thus saith the Lord. And to understand, to just see it through Nicodemus’ eyes that that his whole religious worldview was like breaking down at midnight. Rich Birch — Right. Jeremy Norton — And and you know unfortunately, we don’t really get the end of the story with Nicodemus. Rich Birch — Right.Jeremy Norton — It’s like I’m always desperate for it. Like what happened in the end?Rich Birch — Right. Yes.Jeremy Norton — Like, did he just give up his religious position? Did he stay like a Christian spy? Like what, you know, what happened? So that was the first one to, to just really help our church understand that being born again, like that is, that is the, the point.Rich Birch — Right.Jeremy Norton — And, uh, and all the rules and all the commands like of of God’s law, they’re a beautiful thing, but they were all leading us to the trajectory of Jesus… Rich Birch — It’s good. It’s good. Jeremy Norton — …and fulfilling the law, fulfilling the prophets. And that and that we we we need to be dead to self and and born again.Jeremy Norton — And and then the the second one was, which I already slightly mentioned, was that was Pilate and what is truth. And in 2018 in particular, there was, I’m sure pastors listening will remember that we, we weren’t quite in, we weren’t at COVID yet, but the, it was like, you know, a year and a half before and, and truth was a big thing. Rich Birch — Right.Jeremy Norton — There was, there was a lot of identity stuff happening in 2018.Rich Birch — Yep.Jeremy Norton — It was just kind of really kicking off, especially in Canada. It was, it was a big deal. And so capturing truth and and what is truth that that’s actually in 2018 was when we started hearing a common phrase now where like your truth and my truth. That was just kind of starting at that time.Rich Birch — Right. Right. Yes.Jeremy Norton — And so hearing Pilate… Rich Birch — Right. …who is, you know, has so much authority and so much clout and and trying to figure out Jesus and just clearly just so frustrated that he’s in the whole mess of this and that really doesn’t want any part of it. And…Rich Birch — Yep.Jeremy Norton — And for the Greco-Roman world, like they were definitely like in a lot of ways, like modern culture, likeRich Birch — Right.Jeremy Norton — you take a little part A, a little part B… Rich Birch — And blend it together. Jeremy Norton — …and you just form your own truth. Rich Birch — Yes.Jeremy Norton — God 1, god 2, god 4 – who cares… Rich Birch — Right. Yes. Yes. Jeremy Norton — …you know. Rich Birch — Yeah. Yeah. yeah Interesting.Jeremy Norton — So so that really resonated too. And that was like the last, that was the the last message in the series. And we actually saw people come to know Christ and baptized at the end of the series and and ending doing it actually right before Easter. And yeah, it it yeah was great.Rich Birch — That’s good. Yeah, I love that. There’s, you know, it’s, I think it’s great to relook at a book like the book of John from this kind of perspective. Because I think sometimes as pastors, people, as we, you know, deal with the scripture, and it it can become routine. We don’t want it to become routine. That’s not our heart for that to happen. But I think that can happen. That’s like, I’ve said in other contexts, that’s like an occupational hazard we have with the scripture is… Jeremy Norton — Totally. Rich Birch — …you know, we’re we’re constantly just opening this book up to find, you know, I got to find nuggets to give to other people. And, you know, I miss that. Rich Birch — Speak to a pastor who might be listening in today that this book could help them because I was struck by that. This could be the kind of thing that I think even for us as we’re thinking about our own walk with Jesus, I think this kind of book could help us help us think think about this book from that perspective.Jeremy Norton — Yeah, this for a pastor that wanted to go through John, they could just grab this book and do a like, like for their church, either the whole church. Rich Birch — Right. Jeremy Norton — Hey, we’re going to be walking through John and we’ve got this book Meeting Jesus and and it’s going to be available in our small groups. Because in the back of every chapter, there’s discussion questions, action items like the the publisher really helped me flesh out the end of the chapter to make it very applicable. Rich Birch — That’s cool.Jeremy Norton — So you can walk through John’s gospel and meeting Jesus could be a discussion guide. Even for like youth, for like senior high youth, totally doable in that through all your community groups and to for for a pastor to preach through John, but then get more ah more out of it, I think would be would be quite valuable. Obviously I’m biased… Rich Birch — Yeah, yeah, yeah.Jeremy Norton — But but if you’re look if you’re looking for a resource to give your people to get the fullness out of your John series this be it for sure. Yeah.Rich Birch — Love it. One of the things I love about this is like, sidebar taking that back to school. I did a class on John. Actually, one of my favorite classes in school was on John and my prof was just amazing. And and I oftentimes when I’m reading John I hear his voice you know my prof’s voice… Jeremy Norton — Yeah. Rich Birch — …and remember he used to make, there’s all those places in John where, maybe it’s not that many, you probably would know because you’re a better preacher than me. There’s those places where John refers to John as the one who Jesus loved.Jeremy Norton — Yeah.Rich Birch — And my prof used to always make fun of that all the time and be like, you know, here, there he is. He’s like writing about himself saying, or maybe it’s the community writing about him saying, well, you know, the John, the one who Jesus loved, you know, which is just a funny story. But it is, it speaks to your point. It’s a personal text. It’s it has a relational edge to it that I think we can miss we can miss or as an opportunity for us to highlight for our people. Hey, let’s let’s think about this from a slightly different perspective. Love that.Jeremy Norton — Yeah, and even even how John talks about the discovery of the empty tomb… Rich Birch — Yes. Jeremy Norton — …and and who’s with who and who’s running back, like how he how he does it, it’s just, I’m for me, I’m always like, that’s you know, great about the New Testament writings is like God in his, wisdom didn’t take the personality out and yet kept the truths.Rich Birch — Yes. Yes.Jeremy Norton — And so you, you see a little bit like, like was John, if he really was the relational guy and, and just the the shepherd, was he also a little bit insecure?Rich Birch — Yes.Jeremy Norton — It kind of comes across a little bit. Like, I don’t know for sure. I don’t, I can’t do the full exegesis of it, but I, I often wonder that.Rich Birch — Yeah, it feels very human.Rich Birch — That part of the, that part of the the well, and even that whole story… Jeremy Norton — Yes. Rich Birch — …well, that to me is one of the most compelling reasons for why I believe the text, because it’s like, if you were trying to make up a story…Jeremy Norton — Totally. Yeah.Rich Birch — …about a guy coming back from the dead. there’s a bunch of stuff in there, including the women, including the…you’re telling me that the guys that were the closest were not here. You know, like that just doesn’t make sense. Like you, if we were writing this story, you would be like, Hey, let’s put, let’s put us all in there. Let’s put us that we, we, we stood by and maybe we beat up the centurions. Like, let’s put that in like that. That’ll make us look better.Jeremy Norton — Totally. Yeah. Rich Birch — But that to me is one of the, to me, it’s like one of the most compelling. There’s a bunch of that in the New Testament, but that’s one of them that to me is a key text… Jeremy Norton — Yeah. Rich Birch — …that speaks to why you can believe this text to be true, because you wouldn’t write it that way if, unless it actually happened. Jeremy Norton — Totally. It makes, yeah, it makes me think of Mark Clark’s book, The Problem of Jesus. Rich Birch — Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Jeremy Norton — He does an excellent job, like, explaining the resurrection and and and from, like, an investigator’s point of view. I’m like, that this is so erratic.Rich Birch — Yes. Yes. Jeremy Norton — It has to be true, you know?Rich Birch — Yes. Yes.Jeremy Norton — So, yeah, it’s good.Rich Birch — When it feels very human, feels very human, right? You’re like, like you say, like that feels like the kind of thing I can relate with for sure. Rich Birch — Think about it at a church level. You kind of mentioned this because similarly, I thought, man, this could be a great study. Jeremy Norton — Yeah. Rich Birch — I was actually struck by, I think an interesting context for it might be, hey, you’ve got a group of leaders. at the church that you’re trying to invest in. And, um you know, my friend Dan Reiland from 12 stone said, you know, the core of his leadership development over the years has been find a group of 10 people say, here’s a book, let’s read it and talk about it. To me, this is one of those ones that could be great because it’ll get, it’ll open up all kinds of other conversation.Jeremy Norton — Totally.Rich Birch — What are some other contexts that you kind of pictured this being used in the church?Jeremy Norton — Yeah, I think, well, personal devos I think would be great. Like if you’re reading through John just on your own, like the the back sections can, yeah, it can be discussion guides, can also be like a personal journal. I if people went ah into a deep dive of of this book, reading along with John’s gospel, obviously there’s lots of scripture just like right in the book. But, and then let’s say they answer the reflection questions, go through the action items. There’s just so much there’s lots of space in that end of each chapter. And I could see someone, turning it into like a journal and…Rich Birch — That’s good.Jeremy Norton — Yeah, I also think, you know, I guess it it could it could also be a great gift. I think if you’re if you’re, you know, you could keep giving people a coffee mug with your church’s logo on. You really could if you wanted to. Rich Birch — Right.Jeremy Norton — I’m I’m I think I think books are with the pen and the candy bar or whatever, you know, whatever you’re going to do I think a book as a gift is a is a good way to do it. Obviously, it’s my book. I’m biased, and there’s lots of great books out there. Rich Birch — Yeah.Jeremy Norton — But this would be a book, whether whether someone’s first coming to know Christ or exploring Christianity, or whether they’re they’ve been long discipled and mentored for a long time as you’re as a first-time guest in your church to give them a little welcome package. This this would would fit, I think.Rich Birch — Yeah, for sure. That’s good. Let’s pivot to actually that, that, ah you know, wants me to pivot to a different kind of a different conversation, but about the book… Jeremy Norton — Sure. Rich Birch — …which is even that as a pastor, so kind of the meta conversation, it’s a lot of time, effort, and energy, I can say as a a third time author who’s working on the fourth and is taking time.Jeremy Norton — Well done.Rich Birch — It’s like, it’s a lot of time to invest to put this together. As a pastor of a church, talk to me why you would invest the time, effort, and energy in writing a book like this. What how do you see that fitting in to you know the mission of what you’re doing at the church?Jeremy Norton — Yeah, well I want a lead passion out over a decade and you go through sermon series. You know there are those pastors who will do like two years in Matthew… Rich Birch — Right. Jeremy Norton — …and they’re doing like one or two verses a time…excuse me. And so you know that i can’t turning that into like that’s going to be a full-on commentary, very theologically deep.Jeremy Norton — But for a lot of us, we’re doing thematic thematic series or like this, where you’re doing an overview of a book, like catching highlights, encouraging a congregation in their personal study to read through the meat of it and the details. But, you know, maybe one chapter at a time, a highlight. So there’s lots of times pastors do that.Jeremy Norton — And so you write these sermon series and then they just get archived. And, you know, I I’ve I have them. Every pastor listening has them where you have, you know, your folders and you open your folders and it’s like you have the year and then you got the months… Rich Birch — Right. Jeremy Norton — …or or maybe you just have the sermon series. And then you open that folder and it’s like manuscripts, notes, and you don’t want to delete them. Rich Birch — Right. Jeremy Norton — Because you’ve put so much heart and soul and prayer and and work into it. And I just, I really feel it’s a ton of work, like so much work, so much work, but you get better at it. And pastors that you you can, you can let those sermon series live on in books. Rich Birch — Right. Right. Jeremy Norton — And you you can do the heart, the hardest work. You know, I’ve done both ways, having a publisher, And self-publishing, you can do the self-publishing, you know, Amazon has those tools. It gets easier over time, you know, having done a ah number of them now and some of them looking ugly and some of them now looking it’m like, okay, I got it I’ve got it locked in now.Rich Birch — Right.Jeremy Norton — And with you go a traditional publisher, you know, when you’re first getting started, you know, it it it costs money. But there is something amazing when you see your sermon series in print. Rich Birch — Sure.Jeremy Norton — And that you can give it to your, you could give it as a gift to your people, welcome gift, or you could just sell it. And, and you, you’ve got people in your congregation that will support your writing anyway. They love your sermon series.Rich Birch — Yeah. Yeah.Jeremy Norton — That’s why they’re there. The main reason they’re coming. There’s, they may come for different reasons to your church, but they’re staying for the teaching.Rich Birch — Right.Jeremy Norton — Like we just know that. The the stats are there and can enter consistent. So to have to have your teaching in a book form, they will buy it for friends. They will buy it for themselves, they especially if they really love the sermon series. Rich Birch — Yep.Jeremy Norton — So. But it’s a lot of work. Rich Birch — Yes.Jeremy Norton — I get it. It’s a lot of work.Rich Birch — Yeah, I like it from, and we said this before we started recording, but from a on the like invite culture, church growth side of work that I do, one of the tactics that I recommend that churches seriously look at is writing a book like this. Take a sermon series, do the work to, and you know, it takes time.Rich Birch — It’s not a like, you can’t pull that trigger and a month later you’ve got a book. That’s not how that works. It takes time. But it is a great tool. And we’ve seen it with the churches we work with, multiple churches, where it it is, like you’re saying, it’s a great in the new year gift. It’s a great tool for there. But it’s frankly a great tool for your people on the invite side. People will give the book to other folks. Jeremy Norton — Correct. Rich Birch — It’s a way to interact in town with other, you know, like other leaders, that sort of thing. And, you know, your people, there is still, there’s like a perceived…prestige is too strong of a word. But there’s like there’s a validation in in putting together a book that… Jeremy Norton — There is. You are totally correct. Rich Birch — …you know you’ve you’ve put the work in, and that it probably means more than it should in the culture, but it is a tool. It’s something that you could use. And so I love that you’re doing this. When you think about, if you were sitting across from a a pastor, was thinking about the kind of series that would translate well into a book based on your experience, obviously not all series could could translate well. What would be the kind of thing that you think could translate well for someone?Jeremy Norton — So there’s a, yeah, a few caveats would be like, it has to be a minimum that you’ve done. It’s gotta be in order to get it to book form, I would minimum two months, but that’s going to be a slim book. So I would say like, I guess if you really wanted to but the sweet spot is three to six months series. In a three to six months series, you’re going to have enough content for a book. But not so much content that now you’ve written a textbook.Rich Birch — Right.Jeremy Norton — That’s why I was saying like, you’re doing the year in Matthew or the two years in Matthew, which, you know, lots of, that seems to be a thing, especially with Matthew. I hear that more than anyone else is, is doing the deep dive of Matthew, probably because a lot of the touch points to the Old Testament in in Matthew for sure. But it’s too it’s too big. You’re you’re it’ll be too academic. It won’t be accessible. It’ll just be a monster. Rich Birch — Right. Jeremy Norton — So three to six months of sermon series. And and yeah, just there’s lots of there’s AI tools out there that you can use to to be cautious with the AI tools, because if you lose your voice, you’re done like it does people people will see it.Rich Birch — Right, right. It doesn’t sound like you.Jeremy Norton — If your book is full of m dashes, they will know that ChatGPT wrote it, you know.Rich Birch — Yes, yes. That’s funny. Yeah.Jeremy Norton — So yeah, it it it. Yeah, it’s it’s it’s something that I think later on I want to help pastors with. I think I really would.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s cool. Yeah, I do I think there’s a I think there’s an opportunity there for a lot of pastors to think about that and say, hey, what is there a way for us? I like the idea of like, I think that’s a good tangible three to six months. Even if you’re, I’m thinking about even the lead pastor at at our church, we typically do four or five week series.Rich Birch — He doesn’t, we don’t typically do super long series like that.Jeremy Norton — Oh right. Yes.Rich Birch — We’re changing the channel, but he’s done a number of, he’s come back to similar topics over time. So he’s, we just finished up a series on the Holy Spirit. It’s actually the third time in, maybe three years, we’ve done a series on the Holy Spirit. You could see where maybe it’s piecing together a couple different series and say, hey, there might be a, or you could think about that on the front end, like, hey, maybe over the next two years, I’m going to do three or four series together, you know, or over this next couple of years that I eventually am going to pull together into one, you know, overarching kind of idea that we can put together in a book.Jeremy Norton — And even in that, like hearing, okay, so three years doing the Holy Spirit… Rich Birch — Yep. …you could definitely do, just take those three, if they’re like four to six weeks or whatever, a three-part book and actually separate into parts.Rich Birch — Yeah.Jeremy Norton — and And again, using AI tools, you can upload those documents and say, ah you know, anything that’s duplicate, you know, please categorize for me. Rich Birch — Right, right. Jeremy Norton — And, you know, put it into co-work or something like that. And, and then go into the docs, pull, pull that out. And yeah, it would, it it could work. It could work great.Rich Birch — Yeah. That’s similar. Like when I wrote the, the, and I don’t know if I’ve ever talked about this publicly, but the books I’ve written, I’ve similarly, like I, um, the process I’ve gone through is I write an outline and then I actually, I actually speak the chapters like a presentation. So, cause that’s my most natural form, like is I’m doing, or I do it all the time. I’m constantly like, I’m doing it later today, meeting with the church and we’re going to talk for a bunch of hours about stuff. And so I’m like very used to that. I’ll use then the transcript from that. I’ll take that. And then I write from that transcript. I’m basically editing that transcript to turn it into something that sounds like it’s written. And then I’ve done iterative back and forth processes with an actual editor.Rich Birch — So, you know, it’s like then it’s like it goes to her and then comes back to me, goes back to her… Jeremy Norton — Yeah. Rich Birch — …back and forth over time to kind of get that whittled down into, OK, here’s a text. And, you know, the thing I’ve said to other leaders, even that process gets you started, people get stuck looking at a blank page, right They get stuck at the beginning. So even finding a process to get the ball rolling is is and getting the information down on the page. I think it was Ernest Hemingway who said, which stay with me, friends, don’t hang up on the podcast. I think he said, write drunk, edit sober. And you what you should not do as a pastor, but what he’s saying there is like, just get it onto the page, like just get it out.Jeremy Norton — Yeah.Rich Birch — Like, you know, and if you take forever on that first stage, you’ll never get to a book. Right. And you’ve already done that as a, as a pastor, you’ve spoken these, but how do we get the ball rolling? Thoughts on any of that, except for the get drunk thing. Don’t comment on that, but any comments on the rest of that?Jeremy Norton — Yeah, don’t write drunk. But so I guess I so there’s some guys out there that like, you know, they’ll have just like a few little notes and they they’re not manuscript preachers. Some guys are manuscript preachers. Nothing against that. You know I’m kind of a both and guy. Rich Birch — Yep. I manuscript for like our manuscript and teleprompt for our YouTube channel. And then but then I take that like so that manuscript I just have highlights. And then when I live preach, I just have highlights. And I walk around and talk. So there’s lots of passages in different versions but if you are the guy that’s just got an an outline um you’re probably going to have an audio an audio of your sermon and you can put it into a like Otter AI, or don’t know there’s probably loads of different tools now, and run that transcript, and then just export every sermon as a as, you know, the first sermon in your series you know introduction. Right. Rich Birch — Yep. Second one in your series… Rich Birch — Yes.Jeremy Norton — …you know, chapter one. And once you have those documents, now you will you will notice, well, there’s lots of things you’re going to notice when you get a transcript. You’re going to notice how much you say and like and all these different things. Rich Birch — True. Jeremy Norton — You’re going to be just like, oh my goodness, is that how I sound like, which can be a good thing when you read that when you’re when you move from the transcript of your sermon into a book, you’re like, oh my goodness, this is would be the most awful thing to read.Rich Birch — True.Jeremy Norton — But there’s also tools now that remove all all that for you.Rich Birch — Yes. Yeah, that’s fun.Jeremy Norton — Then you go through and you edit it.Rich Birch — Right.Jeremy Norton — And yeah, yeah. And it’s a beautiful thing when it’s done.Rich Birch — Good stuff. Yeah, that’s great. Well, this been a good good conversation. Where can people i want to get people to pick up copies of this.Jeremy Norton — Sure.Rich Birch — I’m assuming they can buy it at Amazon. In fact, I know you can buy it at Amazon because that’s where books come from. But are there other places we want to send people to pick up? I think this would be, even if you’re listening in today and you’re thinking, hmm, I wonder what it looks like to have sermons transformed into a book like hey you should pick up a copy even as just a reference to get a sense of hmm I could see what that could look like even if you’re not going read it that would interesting tool… Jeremy Norton — Totally. It’s it’s a great… Rich Birch — …there. so so Amazon, where else do we want to send them? Jeremy Norton — Anywhere anywhere books are sold. Rich Birch — Right. Jeremy Norton — I don’t I don’t know if anyone buys books at anywhere else. Rich Birch — Yes. Jeremy Norton — Like does people do people still buy books at Indigo or Chapters or ChristianBook.com?Rich Birch — Yes, yes. Yes.Jeremy Norton — I don’t know who does, but if you do… Rich Birch — It’s there. Jeremy Norton — …it’s it’s there. One of the benefits of going with a publisher is they just have access to just…Rich Birch — Right.Jeremy Norton — …every book distributed. They just can get your book everywhere. Rich Birch — Right. Jeremy Norton — When you self-publish, you know, with Amazon, it’s locked in Amazon, but then again, people go to Amazon. And yeah, it’s a, it would be a great thing for pastors to, to look through and say, Hey, you know, I think I could do this.Rich Birch — Right.Jeremy Norton — I see how this works now. So that would be good. And obviously there’s print copy or a digital copy.Rich Birch — Yep.Jeremy Norton — You know, if you want more information on the book and stuff like that, you can go to my website, leadbiblically.com. There’s lots of other stuff there. My other books that I’ve written, self-published and published by Ambassador International, they’re all there too. You can have a look. Yeah.Rich Birch — That’s great. Well, Jeremy, I really appreciate that. I appreciate you being on the show today and and let us peek under the hood. There’s obviously a lot more we could talk about there, but I want to encourage people to go pick those up and and check out your website, Lead Biblically. And thanks for being here today.Jeremy Norton — Thanks so much. Love it.

In Hour 2 of the Patrick Madrid Show, callers discussed an array of topics. Patrick read from Fr. Mark Clark addressing the validity of marriage according to Canon 1108, and an email from Ephrem asked whether Our Lady of Guadalupe was pregnant a second time. Susan called to ask how to explain to a fallen-away Catholic that we are judged on our own life rather than the life of Jesus. Patrick also addressed whether sins that have been properly repented of will be brought up again by Jesus at the Final Judgement. (01:06) Email – About the validity of marriage. Patrick reads from Fr. Mark Clark to addressing this situation according to Canon 1108. (6:49) Susan - I would like to talk about ways people can give back to their community in more ways than just litter removal which you talked about last week. Break 1 (18:49) Susan - How do you explain to a fallen away Catholic that when we die we are judged on our life not on the life of Jesus? Break 2 (35:51) Patrick - If you repented of your sins does Jesus bring up those sins again? (45:35) Email – Ephrem – Was Our Lady of Guadalupe pregnant a second time?

WARBIRD RADIO - What happens when the largest pilot advocacy organization in the world finds itself at a moment of transition, while general aviation continues to face real and ongoing challenges?That question frames Season 17, Episode 4 of Warbird Radio, which features a full-length conversation with Darren Pleasance, the former President of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.In a candid discussion, Pleasance speaks plainly about his belief in AOPA and its vital mission. Whatever leadership changes may come and go, he emphasizes that the organization's core work remains essential: advocacy in Washington, safety education, member services and outreach that supports pilots across the country.The pressures facing general aviation are not abstract. Regulatory complexity, economic realities and the day-to-day demands of aircraft ownership require sustained attention. Pleasance underscores that AOPA plays a central role in that ecosystem — and that its effectiveness depends on engaged members.The message of the episode is direct. Do not cancel your membership. Stay involved. Organizations of this scale and importance are healthiest when their members participate — by paying attention, asking thoughtful questions and contributing where they can.The conversation also highlights one of AOPA's most compelling programs for young people. In a time when aviation's future depends on developing the next generation, programs like these matter.The episode then turns from policy to marketplace, with a detailed look at the current warbird market from Darcy Stults and Mark Clark of Courtesy Aircraft.Stults, recently named to the 2025 Class of 20 Under 40, brings both enthusiasm and discipline to her analysis of the market. She discusses which aircraft are moving, which are holding and how buyers and sellers are navigating today's environment.Clark's story spans decades. FAA-authorized to fly virtually any high-performance ex-military surplus aircraft, he earned his pilot's license in high school and sold his first warbird at 18. His introduction to the P-51 Mustang came much earlier.“When I was about 12 someone was giving rides in a Mustang for a dollar a minute, and I managed to buy about 35 minutes worth,” he recalls. “I have proudly sold that same Mustang twice since then.”The health of advocacy organizations and the vitality of the warbird marketplace are closely connected. One safeguards access and representation. The other sustains the aircraft and the community that keep history flying.This is an important episode.Listeners are encouraged to hear the full conversation, remain engaged and subscribe to the WarbirdRadio.com email list to stay informed. Participation — whether through advocacy, mentorship or stewardship — remains central to aviation's continued strength.#warbirdradio #nwoc #warbirds #aopa #courtesyaircraftSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/warbird-radio/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In today's episode Jason sits down with Finu Iype, Co-Senior Pastor of Village Church in Surrey, British Columbia, to trace his story from an Indian family line marked by conversion and adoption into the family of God, to his early years preaching in small towns across Ontario, to eventually stepping into senior leadership at Village Church in Surrey. Along the way, Finu shares what he's learned about evangelism, the cost of calling, and the ways God builds His church beyond the influence of any one leader.Together, Finu and Jason explore:Finu's family story, his grandfather's conversion, the societal cost of following Jesus, and the gift of being “adopted” into a new spiritual family,How suffering formed his spirituality through personal illness and the loss of his younger brother,His early ministry years preaching in small-town Ontario and gathering churches to pray, disciple, and reach their communities,The Village Church story, including a prophetic word, a lunch invitation with Mark Clark, and a long discernment process,Leadership transition and resilience: what Village's continued growth says about the faithfulness of God, and the evangelistic opportunities provided by immigration to Canada. Finu's story invites us to live with courage, to hold loosely to our own visions for our lives, and to trust that God is often writing a better story than the one we would choose for ourselves.Show NotesVillage ChurchCity MeetupsThe Emerging Leaders LabPartnersContact John Wright at Generis for help cultivating a culture of generosity in your church.We couldn't do the work we do at The Pastorate without your generous support. We invite you to pray, share, and ⁠give⁠ towards seeding a hope-filled future for the Canadian church.

Our radio adaptation of the film, The Murder of Fred Hampton, produced by filmmakers Mike Gray and Howard Alk, provides a glimpse into the life of Hampton and the Illinois Black Panther Party.  On December 4th, 1969, exactly 50 years ago, Black Panthers Fred Hampton, age 21, and Mark Clark, age 22, were shot to death by Chicago police. In an infamous moment in Chicago's history and politics, over a dozen policemen burst into Hampton's apartment while its occupants were sleeping, killing Hampton and fellow Panther Mark Clark, and brutalizing the other occupants. As Deputy Chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party, Hampton built a solid reputation as a community organizer and brilliant speaker. The FBI, threatened by the activities of the BPP and its dynamic youth leaders, set on a course to neutralize the organization and anyone they deemed a threat to the agenda of white supremacy. "You can jail the revolutionary, but you can't jail the revolution…You might murder a freedom fighter like Bobby Hutton, but you can't murder freedom fighting." – Fred Hampton. Featuring: Fred Hampton Bobby Rush Rennie Davis Edward Hanrahan Credits: Special thanks to Facets DVD and Filmmakers Mike Gray and Howard Alk Host: Anita Johnson Executive Director: Jina Chung Engineer: Jeff Emtman Digital Media Marketing: Lissa Deonorain Music:  "Grand Caravan", Blue Dot Sessions elling Easements Viola Trio Long", Barbara Bernstein  "Long Cory", Cory Learn More:  The Murder of Fred Hampton A Facets Cine-Notes Booklet The Assassination of Fred Hampton Freedom Archives: Fred Hampton Audio Samples Freedom Archives: Honoring Fred Hampton on the 50th Anniversary of his Murder Making Contact is an award-winning, nationally syndicated radio show and podcast featuring narrative storytelling and thought-provoking interviews. We cover the most urgent issues of our time and the people on the ground building a more just world.

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke to the UUA's annual General Assembly in 1966.  In that speech to UUs he said “There are some things in our nation and in our world to which I'm proud to be maladjusted.”  Rev. Stacey will be exploring what he meant by that statement to UUs almost 60 years ago. Music: Lydia Clark, Mark Clark, and Lewis Winn

Historians in Cumbria are publishing extracts from the diary of an 18th century yeoman farmer. The writings of Isaac Fletcher, who farmed at Mosser near Cockermouth, will be featured by the Cumbria County History Trust on their website every month. His diary provides a window onto life in rural Cumbria 250 years ago, and an insight for farmers who work the land there still. Helen Millican meets two of Isaac's biggest fans, historian Angus Winchester and local farmer Mark Clark, who give her a tour of what would have been Isaac's farm.You can read the diary in more detail by visiting The Farming Year Diary on the trust's website - https://www.cumbriacountyhistory.org.ukProgramme produced and presented by Helen Millican.

This week is the anniversary of two events which define the State in the U.S., both in the past and today. In 1969, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Chicago Police Dept. assassinated Black Panther leader Fred Hampton and his associate Mark Clark while they slept in Hampton's home. Hampton had been an up and coming, inspiring, leader in the Chicago community and worked to build coalition with a variety of groups in the area. The FBI had viewed Hampton as a potential “messiah,” who needed to be “neutralized.” When the COINTELPRO program was exposed, it was clear that the FBI had worked to eliminate domestic enemies like Hampton and the Black Panther Party. In 1980, the rape and murder of four Catholic missionary nuns by U.S. backed death squads sparked international outrage and criticism of President Carter's support for the government in El Salvador. Carter initially suspended aid to the regime, he later reinstated it, and President Reagan continued this support. Later in the 1990s, when documents were declassified revealing the extent to which the U.S. support torture and terror campaigns, former NJ congressman Robert Torricelli said that it was "now clear that while the Reagan Administration was certifying human rights progress in El Salvador they knew the terrible truth that the Salvadoran military was engaged in a widespread campaign of terror and torture".Despite a history of these events, the movement continues. As Hampton said, "You can jail a revolutionary, but you can't jail the revolution."In 2025, the Trump administration is sending ICE to terrorize undocumented people in communities across the country, designating dissidents as "terrorists" and provoking war with Venezuela. We also just recently witnessed "blowback" from Salvadoran style death squads in Afghanistan with the shooting of national guard solders in Washington D.C. Here's an encore of our episode from 2020 discussing the terrible events. Much to learn from this history. ---------------------------

When life feels dark, where do you find hope? In Psalm 27, David cries out to God in fear and uncertainty — yet finds confidence, courage, and peace. In this message, Pastor and author Mark Clark unpacks how this ancient psalm speaks directly into our modern struggles with anxiety, fear, and doubt. If you've ever wondered where God is when life feels overwhelming, Psalm 27 reminds you: light always wins. You can find hope again — even in the dark.

When life feels dark, where do you find hope? In Psalm 27, David cries out to God in fear and uncertainty — yet finds confidence, courage, and peace. In this message, Pastor and author Mark Clark unpacks how this ancient psalm speaks directly into our modern struggles with anxiety, fear, and doubt. If you've ever wondered where God is when life feels overwhelming, Psalm 27 reminds you: light always wins. You can find hope again — even in the dark.

You've probably heard Psalm 23 before — at weddings, funerals, or even in songs. But what if it's not just a comforting poem… what if it's a roadmap for how to actually live with peace and purpose? In this message, Pastor and author Mark Clark unpacks the deeper meaning behind “The Lord is my shepherd.” He shows why this ancient psalm isn't about trying harder, but about trusting deeper — about resting, letting go of control, and realizing you already have a Shepherd who knows what you need. If life feels overwhelming, if you're anxious, restless, or burned out… this message is for you.

You've probably heard Psalm 23 before — at weddings, funerals, or even in songs. But what if it's not just a comforting poem… what if it's a roadmap for how to actually live with peace and purpose? In this message, Pastor and author Mark Clark unpacks the deeper meaning behind “The Lord is my shepherd.” He shows why this ancient psalm isn't about trying harder, but about trusting deeper — about resting, letting go of control, and realizing you already have a Shepherd who knows what you need. If life feels overwhelming, if you're anxious, restless, or burned out… this message is for you.

We live in a world that tells us everything is about you — your goals, your success, your platform. But what if that's exactly why so many of us feel anxious, restless, and burned out? In this message, Pastor Mark Clark unpacks Psalm 8 and shows how shifting your focus from yourself to God's greatness can bring real peace and purpose. When you realize that life isn't about control, but about awe — it changes everything. If you've ever felt small, unseen, or overwhelmed, this Psalm reminds you: you were made for something bigger.

We live in a world that tells us everything is about you — your goals, your success, your platform. But what if that's exactly why so many of us feel anxious, restless, and burned out? In this message, Pastor Mark Clark unpacks Psalm 8 and shows how shifting your focus from yourself to God's greatness can bring real peace and purpose. When you realize that life isn't about control, but about awe — it changes everything. If you've ever felt small, unseen, or overwhelmed, this Psalm reminds you: you were made for something bigger.

What kind of life are you actually building? In a world full of noise, pressure, and endless options, it's easy to drift—without realizing where your choices are really taking you. Psalm 1 draws a sharp line between two paths: one that leads to flourishing, and one that slowly leads to collapse. In this message, pastor and author Mark Clark unpacks the ancient wisdom of Psalm 1 and shows how your everyday decisions are shaping the person you're becoming. If you've ever felt stuck, spiritually dry, or unsure of what's next—this could be a turning point. This isn't about religion. It's about real life. And the path you're on right now.

What kind of life are you actually building? In a world full of noise, pressure, and endless options, it's easy to drift—without realizing where your choices are really taking you. Psalm 1 draws a sharp line between two paths: one that leads to flourishing, and one that slowly leads to collapse. In this message, pastor and author Mark Clark unpacks the ancient wisdom of Psalm 1 and shows how your everyday decisions are shaping the person you're becoming. If you've ever felt stuck, spiritually dry, or unsure of what's next—this could be a turning point. This isn't about religion. It's about real life. And the path you're on right now.

83% of Americans say preaching impacts their decision on a church home. Having just filmed a new 45 video course called the Art of Preaching, Carey Nieuwhof and Mark Clark share 90 minutes of their best preaching tips from the course and their accumulated years of reaching tens of thousands of unchurched people.

We check in with our friend Steve Cooper, executive director at The Milford Performance Center in Connecticut! It is always fun chatting about upcoming shows including Earth, Wind & Fire Tribute Band on Saturday September 13th, The Music of Paul McCartney SIR PAUL September 27th, The original Billy Joel Band THE LORDS of 52nd STREET, the CT Grateful Dead All stars, STATESBORO a Tribute to The ALLMAN Brothers Band October 11th, Don Jovi The Ultimate Tribute to the music of Bon Jovi, October 25th, The Moody Blues Tribute GO NOW November 1st, The Music of Peter Frampton with Corky Laing Of Mountain & Mark Clark of Uriah Heap November 15th and many more!  ! For tickets and more info log on to the website! https://milfordperformancecenter.org

Mark Clark teaches from Matthew 16:13–19, emphasizing the difference between merely believing in Jesus and truly treasuring Him above all else. He reminds us that God doesn't use us because of who we are, but in spite of who we are.

MARK CLARK is senior pastor at Bayside Church in Sacramento, plus a multiple book best-selling author, including his most recent The Problem of Life. Mark also hosts the Mark Clark Podcast and is a popular speaker, along with creating the Art of Reaching and Art of Teaching courses in partnership with Carey Nieuwhof. We discuss golf, how to elevate your communication and speaking skills, why team matters, Canada, and much more. Make sure to visit http://h3leadership.com  to access the show notes. Thanks again to our partners for this episode: SUBSPLASH – engage your congregation through Subsplash. Schedule your free demo at http://subsplash.com/brad. Subsplash is the platform made to help maximize your church's giving, growth, and engagement. The go to for mobile apps, messaging, and streaming, along with building websites, groups, giving and more, Subsplash puts today's most innovative church technology into your hands so you can focus completely on ministry. Visit http://subsplash.com/brad and join more than 20,000 churches and ministries who partner with Subsplash. Again, visit http://subsplash.com/brad to schedule a quick, no obligation demo. And CONVOY OF HOPE - visit http://convoyofhope.org/donate. Please donate to the LA Fires efforts and also Hurricane Helene and Milton relief effort and ongoing work at http://convoyofhope.org/donate. Convoy is my trusted partner for delivering food and relief by responding to disasters in the US and all around the world. Right now, Convoy of Hope is responding to the LA fires, along with devastation in the southeast US from Hurricane Helene and Milton, providing basic needs like food, hygiene supplies, medical supplies, blankets, bedding, clothing and more. All through partnering with local Churches. Join me and please support their incredible work. To donate visit http://convoyofhope.org/donate. 

If you knew your time was short, would you live differently? In this final message of The Problem of Life series, Mark Clark challenges us to rethink how we spend our lives — our time, talents, and treasure — before it's too late. Mark invites you to discover how your life can actually matter in ways you never imagined. Even if you're skeptical about God or faith, this message will push you to ask deeper questions about why you're here — and how your story could be bigger than you think.  You were made for more. Don't waste what you've been given.

On today's show: 1. Settlement reached in lawsuit filed against Boeing in whistleblower death - https://www.live5news.com/app/2025/05/13/settlement-reached-lawsuit-filed-against-boeing-whistleblower-death/ 2. Rep. Nancy Mace suing Sullivan's Island businessman for defamation over social media posts - https://www.counton2.com/news/local-news/rep-nancy-mace-suing-sullivans-island-businessman-for-defamation-over-social-media-posts/ 3. Democrats call for censure of SC GOP legislator - https://abcnews4.com/news/local/democrats-call-for-censure-of-sc-gop-legislator-rep-south-carolina-rep-john-mccravy-jermaine-johnson-hamilton-grant-todd-rutherford-columbia-sc-family-caucus 4. Charleston County School District Provides Update on July 2024 Cybersecurity Incident - https://www.ccsdschools.com/district-news/~board/2024-2025-news/post/charleston-county-school-district-provides-update-on-july-2024-cybersecurity-incident 5. The 526 Mark Clark Extension project is no more, officially killed by state officials Monday - https://www.postandcourier.com/news/mark-clark-extension-526-charleston-county-land/article_4197ad20-4dc7-44e6-82aa-eeebe133c16e.html This episode's music is by Tyler Boone (tylerboonemusic.com). The episode was produced by LMC Soundsystem.

What do critics say about the authorship of Daniel?Is Daniel prophecy—or history pretending to be prophecy?Grab your free gift: the top 10 most misunderstood Biblical verses https://info.bibspeak.com/10-verses-clarifiedJoin the newsletter (I only send 2 emails a week): https://www.bibspeak.com/#newsletterShop Dwell L'abel 15% off using the discount code BIBSPEAK15 https://go.dwell-label.com/bibspeakDownload Logos Bible Software for your own personal study: http://logos.com/biblicallyspeakingSign up for Riverside: https://www.riverside.fm/?utm_campaign=campaign_5&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=rewardful&via=cassianBuild your Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/refer?ref=91448e0438b143e7ad61073df7a93346Join the Biblically Heard Community: https://www.skool.com/biblically-speakingSupport this show!! : https://www.bibspeak.com/#donate "Mark T. Clark, Ph. D., is an Emeritus Professor of Political Science and National Security Studies at California State University, San Bernardino. In addition to his career, Clark has co-hosted the TBN series Reasons to Believe, co-authored Lights in the Sky and Little Green Men (2002) with Hugh Ross and Ken Samples, and is a member of the Scholar Community at Reasons to Believe. Clark served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1973 to 1977.Read: Daniel in Babylon by Dr. Mark Clark today! Purchase here: Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Daniel-Babylon-Navigated-Politics-Exile/dp/B0DW831VMHWipf and Stock Publishers - https://wipfandstock.com/9798385231119/daniel-in-babylon/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CDr.-,Mark%20T.,challenges%20of%20our%20modern%20age.(Use Coupon Code: CONF40 for 40 % off)Subscribe to https://marktclark.substack.com/ - A newsletter for those who know they are exiles, seeking meaning beyond this world. By Mark T. ClarkFollow Biblically Speaking on Instagram and Spotify!https://www.instagram.com/thisisbiblicallyspeaking/ https://open.spotify.com/show/1OBPaQjJKrCrH5lsdCzVbo?si=a0fd871dd20e456c

What if your biggest struggles could become your greatest strengths? In week 3 of the series ‘The Problem Of Life', pastor and author  Mark Clark shares a fresh perspective on how God can take the painful, messy parts of our lives — and use them for good. If you've ever felt like life's setbacks have sidelined you, or wondered how your story could matter, this message is for you. Mark unpacks why life's interruptions might actually be the moments that shape you most — and how hope, strength, and purpose are closer than you think. You are not alone. Your struggles don't have to define you — they can prepare you for something greater.

What if your biggest struggles could become your greatest strengths? In week 3 of the series ‘The Problem Of Life', pastor and author  Mark Clark shares a fresh perspective on how God can take the painful, messy parts of our lives — and use them for good. If you've ever felt like life's setbacks have sidelined you, or wondered how your story could matter, this message is for you. Mark unpacks why life's interruptions might actually be the moments that shape you most — and how hope, strength, and purpose are closer than you think. You are not alone. Your struggles don't have to define you — they can prepare you for something greater.

What if the reason life feels so overwhelming is because we're trying to carry a weight we were never meant to bear? In this message, author and pastor Mark Clark explores why we struggle when we try to control everything — and how real freedom begins when we realize we're not meant to be God. Mark invites you to rethink control, success, failure, and what it really means to flourish in life. Even if you're skeptical about faith or unsure about God, this message will make you stop and think: what if surrendering actually leads to a fuller, freer life? Whether you're exploring Christianity for the first time or just curious about deeper meaning, this could be the start of a bigger conversation. Get ready for an honest look at why we flounder — and how you can finally start to flourish.

We all feel it—the deep ache inside, the relentless questions that whisper in the quiet moments:‬ Who am I? Why am I here? What's the point of it all? In this brand new series, bestselling author,‬ speaker, and pastor Mark Clark invites you on a journey to confront life's biggest questions‬ head-on. Based on his latest book,‬‭ The Problem of‬‭ Life: How to Find Identity, Purpose, and Joy in‬ a Disenchanted World‬‭ , this series is a bold and honest‬‭ look at the doubts, desires, and deep‬ longings we all carry.

The Katherine Massey Book Club @ The C.O.W.S. hosts the 6th study session on Abraham Bolden's The Echo From Dealey Plaza. After tens of thousands of pages of classified documents related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy were released earlier this month, a House committee is now working to released thousands of pages on the assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. All of these murders are connected - sometimes involving the same Suspected Racists. Last week, Bolden details how Judge Joseph Sam Perry used his gavel and black-robed authority to neuter his attorney George Howard. Judge Perry tossed Bolden and Howard out of the court at one point to speak privately to the jury - likely about the shiftlessness and guilt of Bolden. The only reason, Bolden got a mistrial was because Ms. Anna B. Hightower, a black female, used her brain computer and refused to be kowtowed into voting guilty by the 10 other Whites on the jury (one juror was so called "hispanic"). Whites immediately schedule a second trial and made sure Judge Perry would be in charge of the rematch. Incidentally, this same Racist Suspect was on the bench for later trials related to the White Supremacist conspiracy to murder Black Panther Party legends Fred Hampton and Mark Clark in 1969. #WindyCity #TheCOWS16Years CALL IN NUMBER: 605.313.5164 CODE: 564943#

Dr. Tiffany Schatz of the Christian Medical and Dental Association addresses the increased discussion around autism and the search for its causes and treatments.  She also delves into how we can love, support and treat those diagnosed with Alzheimer's well.  Pastor Mark Clark, author of "The Problem of Life," talks about how life is better when you have a sense of the transcendent and of God.  Faith Radio podcasts are made possible by your support. Give now: Click here  

Eric and Eliot discuss VP Vance's trip to Greenland and his appointment by the President to oversee the purging of American history at the Smithsonian and other museums. They also discuss who the biggest loser will be from Signalgate. They consider an excellent diplomatic memoir from the 1960s written by former Ambassador and Under Secretary of State Robert "Bob" Murphy -- Diplomat Among Warriors.  Murphy pioneered the role of Political Advisor (POLAD) for military leaders working closely with Generals Dwight Eisenhower and Mark Clark on the invasion and subsequent governance of North Africa, Sicily and Italy and then worked with General Lucius Clay on the military government of Germany. They note Murphy's controversial role in maintaining diplomatic relations with the Vichy government of France and negotiating a deal with French Admiral Darlan to smooth the way for the invasion of North Africa. They also discuss critics like AJP Taylor who complained that the US had no policy during World War II and whether FDR's desire to postpone political decisions until after the war was naive or reflected a higher realism given the likely dominant role the US would have at the end of the war. They conclude that Murphy represents an important tradition of professionalism and subject matter expertise in government that is well worth preserving. Diplomat Among Warriors: The Unique World Of A Foreign Service Expert: https://a.co/d/742sKIz Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.

MARK CLARK is a senior pastor at Bayside Church in  California. He is the author of The Problem of Jesus and  The Problem of God and host of The Mark Clark Podcast.  He and his wife, Erin, have three daughters.

I may have bitten off more than I can chew! I am joined by a pair of Marks – Mark Maddox and Mark Clark – to discuss STAR TREK: THE ANIMATED SERIES. Since episodes with either of them alone can stretch to more than two hours, putting them together with a subject this big was clearly tempting fate. We survive the show but this is easily the longest episode of The Bloody Pit ever! It might be best to listen to it in chunks. We dig into the Star Trek Animated Series and talk a bit about all twenty-two episodes. After some confusion we use the original broadcast order and give our thoughts on each one. This takes time and I complicated things by rereading the Alan Dean Foster Log Books for several of the stories. This means I can't stop myself from dropping in details that were used to flesh out the 22-minute shows until both Marks request that I stop. Rude! But then I bring up Spock Must Die by James Blish and Maddox gets reeled into the book-talk like the sucker he is! Before things are over we have chosen our favorite and least favorites from the series and pulled a couple of episodes apart looking for the tasty bits. If you listen carefully you will hear the moment we realize that this show will be far too long. You can also hear the individual moments when each of us gets our second wind and press on through the second season. You might also hear weeping. You have been warned. If you have any comments or sympathy for me thebloodypit@gmail.com is the place to send them. The plan is to get another episode out in a few weeks so keep your fingers crossed. And thank you for listening!

Mark Clark talks about the difference between preaching to a pre-Christian and post-Christian culture and how to do both effectively so that you can reach people and grow your church. Plus, Mark and Carey discuss how to leverage your unique gifting and quirks. Mark shares how he's learned to preach and lead with Tourettes Syndrome and OCD. And he discusses how to solve the problem of life for an anxious generation.

Christian Apologist Wesley Huff recently debated Billy Carson, which led to an appearance on the Joe Rogan Show. In both cases, Wes demonstrated a powerful approach to apologetics. In this episode, Carey outlines four best practices Wes embodied and offers five takeaways for every leader looking to engage the culture in conversations about Christianity.

Y'all, this episode is a good one. Mark Clark comes on to talk about the hard questions of our faith, the meaning of life, why Jesus, and what skeptics struggle to understand. This episode will engage your mind and make you more passionate about understanding where you came from! Enjoy!

This week Bob connects with his old friend Mark Clark, who shares his journey from pastoring in Canada to his current role in Sacramento. They discuss Mark's transition into writing, the themes of his books, and the importance of finding joy and purpose in a disenchanted world. Mark emphasizes the significance of legacy, the need to reignite passion in life, and practical tips for cultivating joy amidst everyday challenges. The conversation is filled with insights on faith, identity, and the pursuit of a meaningful life. Connect with Mark: instagram.com/Mark_Clark“The Problem of Life” Releases Feb. 18: a.co/d/87iJGHy Connect with Bob: instagram.com/bobgoff --- Come join Bob and some of his friends for a workshop this fall! Visit bobgoff.com/events to learn more.

This week Bob connects with his old friend Mark Clark, who shares his journey from pastoring in Canada to his current role in Sacramento. They discuss Mark's transition into writing, the themes of his books, and the importance of finding joy and purpose in a disenchanted world. Mark emphasizes the significance of legacy, the need to reignite passion in life, and practical tips for cultivating joy amidst everyday challenges. The conversation is filled with insights on faith, identity, and the pursuit of a meaningful life. Connect with Mark: instagram.com/Mark_Clark“The Problem of Life” Releases Feb. 18: a.co/d/87iJGHy Connect with Bob: instagram.com/bobgoff --- Come join Bob and some of his friends for a workshop this fall! Visit bobgoff.com/events to learn more.

Ramit Sethi, New York Times Bestselling author, podcaster, and Netflix show host, returns to the podcast. Ramit shares his insight on what couples struggle with financially and how church leaders can teach couples about money. Plus, he discusses lessons from 20 years in business, why raising money for charity is so hard, and how to deal with cheap board members.   

Welcome to the unSeminary podcast. This month we're focusing on key “Unpredictions”—timeless truths that church leaders need to be focusing on in 2025 and beyond. In this episode, we're learning from Mark Clark, the founder of Village Church, a multi-site church with locations in multiple cities across Canada and online around the world. He is […]

Only 1% of pastors say their churches are very effective at evangelism. Yet, 72% of people say they are open spiritually. In this episode, Barna CEO David Kinnaman and author Mark Matlock continue the 2025 Church Trends series and discuss the current divide between church and culture, the surprisingly dismal state of evangelism in the church today, and the missed opportunity of unchurched people's surprising spiritual openness.

Joby Martin and Mike Housholder both lead high-conversion growth churches. That means the growth they're seeing isn't coming from transfer growth. How are they doing it? As the 2025 Church Trends series continues, they share their secrets to reaching unchurched people, how to speak to insiders and outsiders at the same time, and the keys to evangelism in today's culture.

Bayside Church Senior Pastor Mark Clark flips the mic and joins Carey in his basement studio for a wide-ranging personal conversation. Carey discusses how the podcast got started, how and why it grew, burnout, and the power of staying grounded amid a sea of change and growth.  This fun conversation will make you feel like you're hanging out with Carey and Mark after a great dinner. *To Enter the 10th Anniversary Giveaway*: Leave a review on your podcast platform and enter at CNLP.live Show Notes Ultimate Guide to Healthy Church Conflict On The Rise Newsletter Preaching Cheat Sheet Watch on YouTube Follow @careynieuwhof Follow @theartofleadershipnetwork Listen to The Mark Clark Podcast   This episode is sponsored by: THE ART OF NAVIGATING CHURCH CONFLICT Reduce the conflict at your church and unite people around a shared and growing mission in as little as 5 minutes a day, with my brand new course The Art of Navigating Church Conflict. Visit artofchurchconflict.com to learn more.   Brought to you by The Art of Leadership Network

How does Hollywood scriptwriting influence James' histories, why are diaries more exciting than interviews and has Mark Clark been misunderstood? Al Murray interviews James Holland about his new book 'Cassino '44' - an indepth look at the fighting in Italy in 1944. A Goalhanger Production Produced by Joey McCarthy & Becki Hills Exec Producer: Tony Pastor Social: @WeHaveWaysPod Email: wehavewayspodcast@gmail.com Join our ‘Independent Company' to watch our livestreams, get earlybird tickets and our weekly newsletter - packed with deals. Membership Club: patreon.com/wehaveways Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

PREVIEW: #ITALY: #1943: Conversation with historian James Holland, author of THE SAVAGE STORM, re the choice of Mark Clark as the American Fifth Army commander for Operation AVALANCHE -- expected to be quickly successful as the Italians changed sides and the Germans retreated north of Rome.  It didn't happen that way. More details in a two-hour show tonight.  1943 Italy