The Harbor Blog
The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill proved to be the hottest podcast of the year for many. It was discussed around the world in churches, barber shops, coffee bars, and front porches. In this episode, Mike makes it personal, talks about the toll the pod had on his life, what he believes the church has to learn from stories like these, and how evangelicals can find their way back. This one is so good you're going to want to listen to it twice. Saddle up and dig in, folks.
In this episode of This is Harbor Network, Ronnie Martin chats with our good friends Matt and Lauren Gray, church planters of Antioch First Baptist Church in Nashville, Tennessee. They talk about their journey to church planting, lessons they have learned through disappointment and waiting, the role emotional support plays in partnering together in ministry, what they enjoy most about being part of Harbor, and some encouragement for the open waters of ministry. It's a great conversation, so stay with us!
In this special bonus episode of This is Harbor Network, we’re sharing a live conversation between Jamaal Williams and Jarvis Williams. Jamaal is the lead pastor of Sojourn Church Midtown in Louisville, KY and the President of Harbor Network. Jarvis is an associate professor of New Testament interpretation at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a preaching pastor at Sojourn Church Midtown. In this episode, they discuss several topics from Jarvis' call to ministry, to how he became an avid reader, and his new book, Redemptive Kingdom Diversity: A Biblical Theology of the People of God. It’s a great conversation, you're going to love it!
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The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill proved to be the hottest podcast of the year for many. It was discussed around the world in churches, barber shops, coffee bars, and front porches. In this episode, Mike makes it personal, talks about the toll the pod had on his life, what he believes the church has to learn from stories like these, and how evangelicals can find their way back. This one is so good you're going to want to listen to it twice. Saddle up and dig in, folks.
In this episode of This is Harbor Network, Ronnie Martin chats with our good friends Matt and Lauren Gray, church planters of Antioch First Baptist Church in Nashville, Tennessee. They talk about their journey to church planting, lessons they have learned through disappointment and waiting, the role emotional support plays in partnering together in ministry, what they enjoy most about being part of Harbor, and some encouragement for the open waters of ministry. It's a great conversation, so stay with us!
In this special bonus episode of This is Harbor Network, we’re sharing a live conversation between Jamaal Williams and Jarvis Williams. Jamaal is the lead pastor of Sojourn Church Midtown in Louisville, KY and the President of Harbor Network. Jarvis is an associate professor of New Testament interpretation at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a preaching pastor at Sojourn Church Midtown. In this episode, they discuss several topics from Jarvis' call to ministry, to how he became an avid reader, and his new book, Redemptive Kingdom Diversity: A Biblical Theology of the People of God. It’s a great conversation, you're going to love it!
In this episode of This is Harbor Network, Kurt Hannah and Ronnie Martin talk about the network's values of Wholehearted Leadership and Friendship. Kurt Hannah is the lead pastor of Missio Dei Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, and his story is unique because Missio Dei has “joined” the Harbor Network family of churches on three separate occasions! In many ways, Kurt’s story parallels the story of Harbor Network, formerly known as Sojourn Network, and is one you definitely won't want to miss. If you appreciate honesty, integrity, humility, vulnerability, or anything that resembles those things, smash that play button and enjoy!
In this episode of This is Harbor Network, Hannah Anderson and Winn Collier talk about the network's value of Conviction and Imagination. Hannah has become a good friend and trusted voice for Harbor Network as a speaker, writer, and faithful member of the network’s theological advisory council. And Winn Collier, a pastor for 26 years, was the founding pastor of All Souls in Charlottesville, Virginia. He now serves as Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology & Christian Imagination and director of the Eugene Peterson Center for Christian Imagination at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan. Together they explore the meaning and beauty of this value, how they have experienced it personally, viewing ministry as a creative endeavor, and how we can begin cultivating this value in our churches and homes.
In this episode of This is Harbor Network we're showcasing the story of a pastor outside our network. He's a long-time friend of ours and a man worth listening to. We want to be a network of humble leaders who know how to listen well, which is why we're eager to share this conversation Ronnie Martin had with Scotty Smith, one of the keynote speakers for this year's Leaders’ Summit. It's a fun chat that covers a number of topics including friendship, themes from the Christianity Today Podcast “The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill”, the Spirit's role in Renewal, and much more. Dig in!
As a network we aim for our churches to be places of shelter where life endures in times of crisis. We’re exploring what it means for people of faith to be people of renewal. How can we create safe places of flourishing— “micro-countercultures” where we gain strength and spiritual capacity to face the challenges ahead? Will you join us?
As the delta variant continues to spread, pastors and leaders are battling a rising level of exhaustion and discouragement as they continue to faithfully pastor their people. So how do we lead our congregations with wisdom and grace as they become increasingly divided over issues such as vaccinations, religious liberty, and how to best love our neighbors? If you're someone who's asking these questions, join Zack Eswine and Ronnie Martin as they explore Pastoring in the Pandemic Church.
In this episode of This is Harbor Network, Ronnie Martin sits with John Onwuchekwa, lead pastor of Cornerstone Church in Atlanta’s West End, a vibrant community known for its diversity that represents many different economic, cultural, ethnic, and religious backgrounds. Born into a Nigerian home in which the gospel was deeply cherished and fully embodied, John has continued this tradition as a pastor, author, speaker, and entrepreneur seeking to look for opportunities to push back against the brokenness in his community through gospel restoration and renewal. It’s a great conversation, so stay with us!
God's people have always been intended to be a diverse community. From Genesis to Revelation, God has intended to restore humanity's vertical relationship with God, humanity's horizontal relationship with one another, and the entire creation through Jesus. Through Jesus, both Jew and Gentile are reconciled to God and together make up a transformed people. How this applies to the current conversation about race, racism, and ethnicity, has huge implications for the church in today's multiethnic context.
In this episode of This is Harbor Network, Ronnie Martin chats with Paul Gilbert, lead pastor of Four Oaks Community Church - Killearn in Tallahassee, Florida about parenting in the pastorate, dealing with anxiety, and how to remain wholehearted in the midst of life’s transitions. This episode will challenge you, encourage you, and may even bring you to tears. By the end, you'll want to be a good friend even if you're not a great person. Listen in, folks!
In this episode of This is Harbor Network, Casey sits down with Jeff and Kari Patterson, church planters of Renew Church, in Oregon City, Oregon. Jeff and Kari talk about their journey to church planting, how they complement one another in ministry, their passion for Renew Church and doing life together as a community, and what led them to Harbor after years of waiting and watching. It's a great conversation, so stay with us!
In recent years, conversations abound around what it means to be a non-anxious presence in organizations overwhelmed by supersonic, global change. We need more non-anxious church leaders.
We also need to talk about being a non-manipulative presence.
In this episode of This is Harbor Network, Casey sits down with Josh Jean, the lead and founding pastor of Sojourn Beaumont, in Beaumont, Texas. They talk about his upbringing and love of sports, his unique journey of leaving Beaumont with a desire to never return, only to be brought back in God’s providence to plant a church. They also get into some of the lessons he's learned along the way in how to apply the deep convictions of the historic Christian faith in creative and imaginative ways. Dig in, folks, you're going to love it.
It’s not been an easy year for pastors. It may be that God is using COVID to transition you to another ministry. It could also be that God is using COVID to tether you to the ministry you’re already in, but with much more depth of heart, renewal of mind, and restoration of soul.
Come eavesdrop on my conversation with Dr. Michelle Ami Reyes, the author of the excellent book How Small Changes Lead to Lasting Connections Across Cultures. In this conversation, Michelle shares her experience as a church planter alongside her husband, Pastor Aaron Reyes, lessons she's learned as a pastor's wife, and her passion and burden regarding Christ's multicultural bride. You don't want to miss this one!
With pastors leaving, churches closing, and adults ranging from young to mid-life rapidly moving away from religious affiliation, there is a need for a renewal of those in pastoral vocations who, as Eugene Peterson encourages us, operate on the margins.
In this episode of This is Harbor Network, Casey Smith goes way back with his old friend, Juan Maclean, church planter and pastor of Redemption City Church in Boston, MA. They talk about zeal in church planting, the importance of the church planter's wife, what the church needs most from its pastor, and what spiritual growth in ministry looks like over the years. It's a fun conversation and one you won't want to miss.
In the world of sports, the marginal gains theory has received widespread acceptance. The doctrine of marginal gains suggests that once a baseline of performance is established, additional gains become increasingly difficult to accomplish. However, by making tiny improvements across multiple areas, the cumulative gains have an exponential effect. The same is true for preaching.
Come eavesdrop on my conversation with Pastor Byron Cogdell of Identity Church in Daytona, Florida as we discuss how the Lord wrestled him and won, the beauty of the black church, and a great initiative that will make positive waves in his community. Come and learn from this gifted preacher and strategic thinker.
In this episode of This is Harbor Network, Ronnie Martin chats with Matt and Devon Guertin, church planters of Local Church in Bay Village, OH. They talk about their journey to church planting, the gift of friendship, their deep love and affection for the people God has called them to shepherd, and why we need each other in ministry. It's a great conversation with unexpected twists.
Come eavesdrop on my conversation with Dr. Derwin Gray, pastor of Transformation Church and author of Building a Multiethnic Church. In this episode, Pastor Derwin preaches the gospel to church planters while dropping nuggets of wisdom throughout. Trust me; your soul needs this pastor!
In this episode of This is Harbor Network, Ronnie Martin sits in with Nick Bogardus, former lead pastor of Cross of Christ Church in Costa Mesa, CA. They talk about ministry transitions, resiliency, wholehearted leadership, and that one time they locked eyes on the beach. It's a moving conversation, one you won't want to miss.
When the Holy Spirit descended on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2), the church was formed in power. This Pentecost Sunday, let's remember that all believers and churches are full of the Spirit's power.