In Episode 19, we talk with Miles Olin. Play through to the end for deeply moving and transparent discussions about life, loss, grief, and insecurities…all given over to Jesus…who redeems and transforms us as we love, live, serve, and follow Jesus. Miles has been a Christian since childhood, and he shares how following Christ shapes every part of his life. Married to the lovely Kathy, Miles is a So Cal native who taught and coached at a Junior High for ten years before transitioning to Reader’s Digest for the rest of his career. Miles shares the impact in their life of tight friendships gained through small groups at church as well as the significance of serving at church. Miles is currently the Deacon of the First Impressions ministry at NorthPark so ushers, greeters, hospitality, and more are in his caring hands.

In Episode 18, we talk with Bishop W. C. Martin. “For more than twenty years Bishop Martin served the community of Possum Trot, Texas, as pastor of Bennett Chapel. Possum Trot is an East Texas town so tiny you won’t find it on most maps. Yet in this small town, God chose the bishop of a church and his wife to begin a movement with one simple word: adopt. In 1997, he and his wife, Donna, adopted two children and began a miraculous adventure that has become one of the premier adoption stories in America. Family by family, over two years, God challenged the members of Bennett Chapel (a little country church) to adopt seventy-seven of toughest kids in the foster care system. It was the hardest challenge this faith community ever faced. But they were determined to give the kids something they had never experienced - the power of redemptive love.” – From the back cover of Small Town Big Miracle: how love came to the least of these by Bishop W. C. Martin with John Fornof.

In each episode Robert interviews ONE Christian to hear their story. Join us in learning about this ONE body of Christ, ONE story at a time. You can watch the video on YouTube or listen to an audio-only podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Click HERE for the links https://www.northpark.com/one

In Episode 17, we talk with Liza Purdy. Liza is married to Sean, and they have two boys, one in college and one in elementary. As you’ll hear, Liza is passionate about the church! Her love for Christian community runs deep. Why? Because she has been, and continues to be, shaped by Christians living out their faith in Jesus by doing life together in the churches to which she has belonged. Liza has seen and experienced Jesus through the living faith of Christians in her life: her parents, a Youth Pastor, a Deacon, generous families, her small groups, and the list goes on-and-on. Liza walks us through a very difficult seven-year period after the birth of their first child. This dark, prolonged, and painful trial that came through caring for their very sick child. As Liza describes, her relationship with Jesus, and the life-giving support of Christian community, not only got her through these trials, but enabled her to emerge with a deeper love for Jesus, stronger marriage, and even greater love for Christ’s Church!

In each episode Robert interviews ONE Christian to hear their story. Join us in learning about this ONE body of Christ, ONE story at a time. You can watch the video on YouTube or listen to an audio-only podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Click HERE for the links https://www.northpark.com/one

In Episode 16, we talk with Monelle Heinze who’s married to Emil and has one daughter who’ll be a Junior in high school next fall. Monelle opens up about her journey and struggles to find fulfillment. Looking at Monelle, one would have thought she had it all: great marriage, wonderful daughter, and flourishing career. But Monelle shares how appearances can be deceiving as she struggled deeply over many years to find contentment, self-worth, and peace. This struggle ebbed and flowed leading to depression and physical ailments a few years ago. Monelle beautifully explains how the grace of God found in Christ washed over her and literally changing her from the inside out. While Monelle had faith in Jesus for years, it wasn’t until a few years ago that the reality of the gospel and the grace of God sunk in deeply. When this happened, Monelle knew in the core of her being that her identity and worth were not dependent on what she did or accomplished. She was loved and accepted through Christ. He had made her a new creation, and she could rest in him. No more pressure to “keep all the plates spinning” in search of self-worth and contentment. Listen to Monelle passionately and transparently describe her journey to new life, peace, and contentment through Jesus.  

In each episode Robert interviews ONE Christian to hear their story. Join us in learning about the ONE body of Christ, ONE story at a time. Visit https://www.northpark.com/one for links to the audio-only PODCAST on your favorite podcast platform.

Welcome to ONE. In each episode Robert interviews ONE Christian to hear their story. Join us in learning about the ONE body of Christ, ONE story at a time. Visit https://www.northpark.com/one for links to the audio-only PODCAST on your favorite podcast platform.

In Episode 15, we talk with Eric Heilbrun from NorthPark. Eric is married to Lauri and they have two adult daughters. Eric shares about his long journey to faith that Jesus is the Messiah. While Eric’s family is Jewish, he did not grow up regularly attending synagogue. But after marrying, he began attending church with Lauri who is a Christian. Learn how God used many people and ministries of the church to bring Eric to faith in Jesus. Hear Eric reflect on what it means to live out his faith amongst those who don’t know Jesus. Listen to the end and be encouraged to hear how God is still at work in Eric’s life as retirement nears and he contemplates how he’ll serve God in this next phase of life.

In Episode 14, we talk with Leo Davison, Senior Minister at ChristChurch Wyre Forest (https://www.christchurchwyreforest.org.uk/). Leo is married to Vicky and together they have 3 children. Laurie and I met Leo and Vicky when we lived in Durham, England for three years (2007-2010) while I worked on a PhD at Durham University. Leo was a Minister at ChristChurch Durham where we attended, served, and did life together with so many wonderful people. I learned so much from Leo and the Christians in Durham. I firmly believe that Christians in the U.S. would be blessed by learning about gospel ministry in a very, non-Christian culture from our friends ‘across the pond’. To get the ball rolling, we discuss how Leo, a science major at University (his wife, Vicky, has a PhD in Neuroscience), came to faith in Christ through a high school friend who challenged him to investigate the claims of Christianity. Leo’s science background proved helpful both in recognizing the Creator’s handiwork and in critically evaluating the evidence as he searched for Truth. Now, as a minister, Leo devotes his life to helping others find and follow Jesus. England is a wonderful place in so many ways, and yet, as a Christian, its culture presents significant challenges to gospel ministry. Leo shares about the reality that gospel ministry is tiring. And yet, Leo affirms, God is good. Through the hard times, we can trust that God is at work in significant ways even during trials and challenges. Listen through to the end, and you will be blessed by his healthy, biblical take on the pandemic’s impact on their church. Hear how having the mind of Christ impacts how you deal with, and grow, through trials…even one as challenging as a pandemic.

Welcome to ONE. In each episode Robert interviews ONE Christian to hear their story. Join us in learning about the ONE body of Christ, ONE story at a time. Visit https://www.northpark.com/one for links to the audio-only PODCAST on your favorite podcast platform.

In Episode 13, we talk with Michelle Stewart. She and Jeff have two kids, a boy in college and a girl in Jr. High. Michelle is well-known to many at NorthPark not only because they were at NorthPark for about ten years before moving to Chicago in 2010 (and then returning to Santa Clarita and NorthPark in 2017) but also because Michelle has a gorgeous voice and sings on the Worship Team.  Join us as Michelle shares about the interplay between her faith and living with the affliction of anxiety and depression. Anyone who’s walked this path or has a loved one or friend who’s walked this path will resonate with Michelle’s journey. Listen as Michelle describes the roles played by Christ, Christian community, and her church (“the 3 C’s” as she puts it) in helping her through some very dark valleys and deepening her faith in Christ because of the trials. Also, if you’ve ever faced severe financial struggles, and faced the challenge of being uprooted to move across the country as a result, then you’ll want to hear Michelle’s story. She shares their family’s experience of the ‘Great Recession’ and how the Lord led them to Chicago where He rebuilt their lives, grew their faith, and enabled them to flourish, things that were impossible to see in the darkness when the bottom fell out of the economy and their personal finances. Join us in a substantive conversation about faith in the realities of life. You’ll be blessed by Michelle’s transparency, sincerity, and laughter as she drives home the point that the gospel is our real source of hope at all times.

Welcome to ONE. In each episode Robert interviews ONE Christian to hear their story. Join us in learning about the ONE body of Christ, ONE story at a time. Visit https://www.northpark.com/one for links to the audio-only PODCAST on your favorite podcast platform.

In Episode 12, we talk with Mari Harris who’s been at NorthPark for about 4 years. Mari is married to Greg, a former Marine and Los Angeles police officer, and they have three grown children. Because of Greg’s deployments, they’ve lived all over the country and world including North Carolina, Hawaii, and Okinawa, Japan! Mari shares her spiritual journey and how being involved in a local church has been so significant in her life. When Greg was overseas, a church in N.C. was instrumental in their family’s life. And at NorthPark, the Women’s Ministry Tuesday evening Bible study has been a huge blessing. Especially this past year, even meeting over Zoom, the women of NorthPark came along Mari to support her through the grief of losing twenty friends to Covid while working at a live-in Senior care facility in L.A. County. Mari’s warmth and faith are a beacon of light as Jesus shines through her even as she tenderly shares the traumas of 2020. Join us and be encouraged that Jesus is using the people and pastors of NorthPark to bring God’s grace into this world in significant and life-changing ways.

Welcome to ONE. In each episode Robert interviews ONE Christian to hear their story. Join us in learning about the ONE body of Christ, ONE story at a time. Visit https://www.northpark.com/one for links to the audio-only PODCAST on your favorite podcast platform.

In Episode 11, we talk with Dr. Mark Strauss who is a university professor of New Testament at Bethel Seminary. His areas of special research include the Gospels, Hermeneutics, and Bible Translation. His books include commentaries on Mark’s Gospel in the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary Series and Expositor’s Bible Commentary, and on Luke in the Illustrated Bible Background Commentary. His other books include Four Portraits, One Jesus: A Survey of Jesus and the Gospels; Introducing Jesus; How to Read the Bible in Changing Times, and Distorting Scripture? Mark serves as vice chairman of the committee on Bible translation for the New International Version (NIV) and has been an associate editor for the NIV Study Bible since 2008. Mark has been married for 36 years to Roxanne, a marriage and family therapist, and they have three grown children.

Mark and I discuss his spiritual journey as a pastor’s kid and the path that led him to seminary at Talbot (Biola), a PhD at The University of Aberdeen in Scotland, and 26 years at Bethel Seminary as a professor. Mark has a deep passion for helping Christians love God with all their mind, and we discuss what that looks like not only in the church but in all areas of life. Mark has a gift for connecting the academy with the church making important topics accessible to the person in the pew so to speak. So, in addition to talking about Mark’s writing and research, we discuss the importance of Christian’s developing the skills of learning and empathy to dialogue fruitfully with those who hold different opinions than our own. Join us for a stimulating discussion on a broad range of topics!

To learn more about Dr. Mark Strauss and his work, visit:

https://www.bethel.edu/academics/faculty/strauss-mark

https://marklstrauss.com/books

Welcome to ONE. In each episode Robert interviews ONE Christian to hear their story. Join us in learning about this ONE body of Christ, ONE story at a time. Each episode is available either as an audio-only PODCAST or a VIDEO podcast on YouTube. For links, visit https://www.northpark.com/one

In Episode 10, we talk with Rev. Dennis Keating who served at Emmanuel Faith Community Church in Escondido, CA for forty years as the College Pastor (10 yrs), Adult Ministries Pastor (3 yrs), and Senior Pastor (26 yrs) before retiring last fall. I’ve known Den since my sophomore year at Baylor when he did the pre-marital counseling for Laurie and I. Years later, I had the privilege of serving with Den at E.F.C.C. for almost seven years before going overseas for a PhD. Den has been my mentor in ministry and the guy I’ve turned to for advice and help as a Senior/Lead Pastor. Settle in for a feast as we talk about a wide range of topics: what happens when God gets hold of your heart (even after you completing an accounting degree and sit for the CPA exam), how to figure out God’s direction for your life, how to deal with depression and panic attacks caused by work-related pressures and exhaustion, what to do (and not to do!) when you’re a pastor and your kids live in a ‘fish-bowl’, and how to approach major life transitions…to name just a few of many topics on the table! Wherever you are in life, there’s something for you. Grab a coffee. Kick back. And listen in to a guy who’s faithfully served the Lord for over four decades transparently share about his journey following Jesus through the twists and turns of life over good roads and rocky ones too.