TogetherPDX Podcast

A Hopeful Vision for the Church with David Kinnaman David Kinnaman is the author of the bestselling books Faith For Exiles, Good Faith, You Lost Me and unChristian. He is CEO of Barna Group, a leading research and communications company that works with churches, nonprofits, and businesses ranging from film studios to financial services. Since 1995, David has directed interviews with more than two million individuals and overseen thousands of U.S. and global research studies. He lives in Fort Worth, Texas and has three adult children.

Agents of Hope with Lisa Fields Lisa Fields is one of the world’s most sought-after Christian apologists. She has produced two documentaries, Unspoken and Juneteenth: Faith and Freedom. She is the founder and CEO of Jude 3 Project. Lisa is the author of When Faith Disappoints: The Gap Between What We Believe and What We Experience. She is also a graduate of the University of North Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Communications and Religious Studies and Liberty University with a Master of Divinity with a focus in Theology.

The Moment and the Mission: The Church, the Culture, and New Portland Data Ed Stetzer, Ph.D., is the Dean and Professor of Leadership and Christian Ministry at Talbot School of Theology at Biola University. He also serves as Distinguished Visiting Scholar at Wycliffe Hall at Oxford University, where he teaches twice a year. Stetzer has planted, revitalized, and pastored churches; trained pastors and church planters on six continents; earned two master’s degrees and two doctorates; and written hundreds of articles and a dozen books. He is Regional Director for Lausanne North America, the Editor-in-Chief of Outreach Magazine, and regularly writes for news outlets such as USA Today and CNN. His national radio show, Ed Stetzer Live, airs Saturdays on Moody Radio and affiliates. Stetzer serves his local church, Mariners Church, as Scholar in Residence & Teaching Pastor.

Reaching Generation Z with Tanita Maddox Tanita Maddox serves with Young Life as the interim director of Spokane Young Life and as the national director for generational impact. She has worked directly with adolescents and young adults since 1998. She completed a Masters of Christian Leadership from Fuller Theological Seminary and Doctorate of Ministry at Phoenix Seminary, where her thesis was in sharing the gospel with Generation Z. She has shared her understanding of Gen Z on the Holy Post, the Culture Translator, in the Journal of Youth and Theology as well as other outlets and publications, and has a forthcoming book: What Gen Z Really Wants to Know About God: Seven Questions About Life and Faith. She enjoys watching baseball with her husband of 19 years, W. Ashley and their two Gen Alpha sons.

N.T. Wright joined more than 2,000 church leaders from the Portland, OR metro area in February 2025. This is part 2 of his talk, "Jesus and the Powers." Sponsored by the Murdock Charitable Trust and co-sponsored by George Fox University.

N.T. Wright, a renowned theologian and author, shares his insights at a gathering of over 2,000 church leaders. He discusses the interplay between Jesus and worldly powers, while emphasizing the need for a theological lens on socio-political issues. A charming family interaction sparks a deep conversation on free will and responsibility in faith. Wright unpacks the kingdom of God, challenging traditional views and highlighting the significance of Jesus’ crucifixion as a victory in God's transformative plan.

On December 5th, 2024 Dr. Amy Peeler and Dr. Scot McKnight joined leaders from the PNW to speak on the theme of "The Pastor: Embracing the Call to Hopefull Endurance." In this episode, you'll hear the first part of Dr. McKnight's portion of the day, titled, "Trauma and the Pastor."   

On December 5th, 2024 Dr. Amy Peeler and Dr. Scot McKnight joined leaders from the PNW to speak on the theme of "The Pastor: Embracing the Call to Hopefull Endurance." In this episode, you'll hear the first part of Dr. McKnight's portion of the day, titled, "Trauma and the Pastor." 

On December 5th, 2024 Dr. Amy Peeler and Dr. Scot McKnight joined leaders from the PNW to speak on the theme of "The Pastor: Embracing the Call to Hopeful Endurance." In this episode, you'll hear Dr. Peeler's portion of the day, titled, "Blameless: Qualifications for and Costs of Christian Leadership."  When Paul instructs his proteges on the practicalities for the healthy continuation of the church, he emphasizes four times over that leaders should be blameless (1 Tim 3:2, 10; Titus 1:6, 7). As any Christian leader knows, one of the costs of leadership is to forfeit the ability to be liked by everyone. At some point, each leader will be blamed. Utilizing Biblical texts and contemporary examples, this study of the virtues required for Christian leadership will equip pastors to know how to respond to blame with humility and confidence.

Mark Sayers, a prominent speaker at the TogetherPDX Gospel Gathering, delves into the vital need for spiritual preparation in post-Christian cities. He shares inspiring stories of revival in Melbourne, contrasting its secular present with a rich spiritual past. Sayers discusses the unique hurdles faced by Generation Z and the essential role of mentorship in navigating change. He advocates for a shift to presence-driven church models, emphasizing genuine community connections and personal encounters with faith over traditional practices.