In this episode, Pastor Michael Voll walks us through his journey from sensing a call to ministry to leading a mega church and developing innovative models for multiplication. Michael shares candid insights about leadership, evangelism, church revitalization, and the importance of community in faith-based work. Learn from his experiences navigating grief, mentoring future leaders, and building sustainable church communities in rural Canada. Michael Voll is the pastor of North Pointe Church in Edmonton, AB. 

For more infomation on North Pointe, see, www.np.church

In the pre-show Rob, Geoff & Chris look ahead to the Spring and the return of warm weather. They also discuss internships and mentoring.

For more information about the podcast, visit https://www.churchinthenorth.ca/

For questions or inquiries, please email us at [email protected]

If you like what you hear, please share this podcast with others, give us a review, or leave a comment.

Why do some pastors remain in ministry for decades while others struggle with burnout? In this episode of CITN, Rob, Geoff, and Chris talk about longevity in pastoral ministry and the realities of burnout. They discuss recent research from Barna on pastoral wellbeing, the reasons some pastors consider leaving ministry, and the role that vocational calling plays in helping leaders persevere over the long haul. The conversation also explores the difference between ordinary fatigue and true burnout, along with practical habits that help pastors cultivate resilience in ministry.

For more information about the podcast, visit https://www.churchinthenorth.ca/

For questions or inquiries, please email us at [email protected]

If you like what you hear, please share this podcast with others, give us a review, or leave a comment.

In this episode, Jeremy MacDonald and CITN host, Rob Chartrand, talk about a growing spiritual hunger with Gen Z. Drawing on recent research, cultural trends, and his experience forming future ministry leaders, they reflect on why young people are searching for meaning in a culture shaped by anxiety, nihilism, and fragmentation. He’ll talk about how youth workers might need to shift from trying to convince students that faith matters to helping them discover the depth and beauty of the Christian story. 

This episode was cross-posted from the Volunteer Youth Leader Podcast. 

To listen to more of the Volunteer Youth Leader Podcast, visit youthworker.community/podcast

For more information about CITN, visit churchinthenorth.ca

For questions or inquiries, please email us at [email protected]. 

If you like what you hear, please share this podcast with others, give us a review, or leave a comment. 

Can the church speak faithfully about sexuality while remaining deeply compassionate? In this episode of CITN, Rob talks with Bryan Pue as he shares a gospel-centered approach to sexuality, identity, and relationships. They also discuss vulnerability in leadership and Bryan's personal ministry journey. Bryan Pue is a founder of the Union Movement. 

For more information, go to theunionmovement.com

In the pre-show, Rob, Geoff & Chris talk about the Youth Worker Community conference, recent happenings at Victory Church Moosejaw, and YouthQuake's hectic registration launch.

For more information about the podcast, visit https://www.churchinthenorth.ca/. 

For questions or inquiries, please email us at [email protected]. 

If you like what you hear, please share this podcast with others, give us a review, or leave a comment. 

What does it look like to build a simple, multiplying church on a university campus? In this episode of CITN, Rob talks with Robin Wallar about planting churches on university campuses. They also discuss the church's growth strategy through reproducing evangelism and growing families in a missional context. Robin Wallar is a lead pastor at LIFT church, with locations on 9 university campuses across Ontario.

To see more about LIFT church, visit https://www.liftchurch.ca/. Robin Wallar's book, Everyone Sent, is available on Amazon. 

In the pre-show, Rob, Geoff & Chris talk all things summer camp. They discuss camp's unique role in developing young leaders and reaching a unique demographic.

For more information about the podcast, visit https://www.churchinthenorth.ca/. 

For questions or inquiries, please email us at [email protected].

 If you like what you hear, please share this podcast with others, give us a review, or leave a comment. 

Every leader is a reader, but how do they choose what belongs on the shelf? In this episode of CITN, Rob, Geoff, & Chris talk about their top reads from the past year. They also discuss the place of humour in leadership roles, the unique role of stories, and their own personal study habits. 

For more information about the podcast, visit https://www.churchinthenorth.ca/. 

For questions or inquiries, please email us at [email protected]. 

If you like what you hear, please share this podcast with others, give us a review, or leave a comment. 

Planting a church is hard, but revitalizing a church is even harder. In this episode of CITN, Rob talks with Danny Arevalo about his journey from planting a house church to revitalizing a declining church to multiplying churches in different cities. We learn how even a small church can make a big impact. Danny is the Lead Pastor of Freedom Church in New Westminster, BC. 

To learn more about his church, visit: https://www.freedomchurchbc.com/.

In the pre-show, Rob and Geoff are joined by guest host Daniel Markin, who has appeared on the show previously. They discuss an article posted in Faith Today called, "Rethinking Canada's Congregational Leadership Crisis: Who is the Spirit Calling?" by Gordon T. Smith. 

To read the article, visit: https://faithtoday.ca/Magazines/2025-Sep-Oct/Rethinking-Canada-s-congregational-leadership-cris. 

For more information about the podcast, visit https://www.churchinthenorth.ca/. 

For questions or inquiries, please email us at [email protected]. If you like what you hear, please share this podcast with others, give us a review, or leave a comment. 

#pastors #ministryleaders #resiliency #clergy #podcast #bible #canada #canadian #multiplication #multisite #calling #quietrevival #religiousresurgence

Is there hope for the rural church in Canada? In this episode of CITN, Rob talks with Guy Shields about the challenges the rural church faces and the advantages of rural church leadership. They also explore Village Mission's role in developing and supporting leaders in small churches, as well as the approaches other movements are using to address the shortage of rural clergy. Guy is the Executive Director of Village Missions in Canada. To learn more about his organization, visit: https://villagemissions.ca/.

In the pre-show, Rob, Geoff, and Chris discuss whether or not the decline of the Canadian church is a myth. The discussion is in response to an article written by the Flourishing Congregations Institute. To read the article, visit: https://flourishingcongregations.org/not-dead-yet-is-the-decline-of-the-canadian-church-a-myth/. For more information about the podcast, visit https://www.churchinthenorth.ca/. 

For questions or inquiries, please email us at [email protected]. 

If you like what you hear, please share this podcast with others, give us a review, or leave a comment. 

Sociological data show that Gen Z, as well as young men, is rushing back to church. Is this a spiritual revival? In this week's podcast, Rob, Geoff, and Chris have a lengthy in-studio conversation about a recent article published by CTV News. They examine the issues from sociological, philosophical, and theological vantage points.  

To read the CTV article, check out: https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/article/return-to-faith-church-attendance-increasing-for-first-time-in-decades/. 

Rob also references an article from Barna: https://www.barna.com/trends/church-attendance-women-men/. 

For more information about the podcast, visit https://www.churchinthenorth.ca/. 

For questions or inquiries, please email us at [email protected]. If you like what you hear, please share this podcast with others, give us a review, or leave a comment. 

Does the location of your church drive mission? In this episode of CITN, Rob talks with Dan Godard about his transition to a new church and his first year in leadership. They also discuss multi-ethnic ministry, the clergy shortage, and what leadership development looks like in his movement. Dan is the Lead Pastor of Royal Oak Victory Church in Calgary. To learn more about his church, visit: https://www.rovc.ca/. 

In the pre-show, Rob, Geoff, and Chris talk about the significance of a Blue Jays win for Canada. Rob also tests Geoff and Chris' knowledge of Canadian trivia. Finally, they discuss Canada's national identity and the role, if any, the church plays in shaping it. For more information about the podcast, visit https://www.churchinthenorth.ca/. For questions or inquiries, please email us at [email protected]. If you like what you hear, please share this podcast with others, give us a review, or leave a comment.