Do you ever wonder how ministry kids are affected by their parents’ role at church? Every kid has a different experience and story to tell. In this episode, Jodi Ruch has a conversation with son Jeffrey Ruch as he reflects on growing up in a minister’s home and how it impacted his life. They talk about the early days of Nate’s ministry and the pressures that came with becoming a “Pastor’s Kid.” This conversation is full of personal stories and lessons learned. Great episode for all who want to help kids love God and love the church!

Do you ever feel like quitting? It isn't always easy to stay on track living a life of purpose. In this episode, Pastor Jodi Ruch has a conversation with Pastor Clarence and Vicki St. John, the former Superintendent of the Minnesota Assemblies of God. The St. Johns share their backstory and calling into ministry. They talk about the challenges of following God’s voice when planting a church on the Iron Range in Hibbing, Minnesota. The conversation includes the obstacles they faced, moments of divine intervention, the power of prayer, and the revival that ensued. Their church grew in crazy ways with many people finding Jesus! The conversation concludes with their journey to becoming the Superintendent and their life post-retirement. This episode is full of encouragement and faith-filled stories for those praying for revival!

https://mnaog.org/

Do you have young adults in your life who you dream will flourish in a Godly way? So many critical life decisions are made in this season! In this episode, Pastor Nate Ruch has a conversation with Pastors Josiah and Micah Kennealy, the founders of Young Adults Today, a nonprofit ministry reaching young adults. Both are pastors, authors, podcasters and speakers. In this episode, they share about the primary needs of young adults which include resources, rallying points, and relationships. They offer insight on dating, debt, mentorship, how to cross the generational divide and the challenges of isolation and deception. Shepherd-hearted leaders can offer Christ, community, and connection within the local church.

1. FREE ebook “10 steps to starting a successful young adult ministry” https://www.youngadults.today/book/starting-a-successful-young-adult-ministry

Our website is www.youngadults.today and it has blogs, books, resources

2. youngadultstoday podcast on apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/youngadults-today/id1477787085

Rev. Mark Ritchie is an evangelist based out of the United Kingdom. Originally from Scotland, he is a speaker, podcaster, storyteller, comedian, gospel proclaimer, and passionate rescuer. In this episode, Pastor Nate has a conversation with Mark about his backstory, the gift of the evangelist, and his journey of carrying the cross across the United Kingdom. Mark shares five lessons from the cross: 1) tears will take you far, 2) choose wise people to speak into your life, 3) find the sacred in the scared, 4) let the cross do its work, and 5) never forget the Father sent you. The conversation concludes with a discussion about how “honor” is sometimes misused to manage egos. Humility is essential for every Shepherd-hearted Leader. Don’t miss this episode.

https://www.emmanuelcc.org/sermon/you-really-love-yourself-dont-you/

https://www.mark-ritchie.com/

https://a.co/d/du6l9bP

Pastors Nate and Jodi have a conversation about being a House of Prayer for All Nations. They start by sharing what has been on their hearts. Pastor Nate shares pivotal moments in his story that shaped his heart for all nations, his early years at Emmanuel, the community surrounding the church, and the heart of the ministry. He digs into Jesus’ picture of the church in Mark 11 and Isaiah 56 which includes all nations being welcomed into the church, not just the church praying for the nations. They talk about prayer, the benefits and challenges of being a House of Prayer for All Nations, and narratives outside the church which impact the conversation. The episode wraps up with advice for Shepherd-hearted leaders navigating this political season.

Every church, organization, and community experience different seasons. In this episode, Pastors Nate and Jodi have a conversation about approaching every season with optimism – it’s a reset. Nate uses the analogy of the Minnesota Vikings to explain the rhythm of seasons and the challenges organizations face such as teammate changes, prepping the current team, excepting limits, defining the win, and moving on from losses. Pastor Nate dives into his leadership thoughts about Emmanuel’s Team 62 and explains three keys to seeing the team win this season: 1) Dramatically increase Team Emmanuel 2) All Generations invest in the next Generation and 3) Pray in the Spirit. The conversation wraps up with heartfelt advice for Shepherd-hearted leaders who find themselves in an unexpected season.

Jodi Ruch has a conversation with Brad Dennis and Michael Bartel about searching for God’s missing kids. Brad is former military search and rescue specialist, pastor, and founder of Called 2 Rescue Ministries. Michael Bartel is a missionary and founder of F.R.E.E. International, an organization designed to search for missing and trafficked kids in the United States. In this episode, they share their faith background, how they started searching for missing kids, ministering with their families, the Big Search, the scope of the missing kids’ crisis in the US, and a pathway for church involvement. How do they find missing kids? They go out looking for them! This conversation will ignite your compassion for shepherding the most vulnerable in your community.

https://www.freeinternational.org/

https://www.c2rministries.org/

Dwight Denyes was the second lead pastor of Emmanuel. He considered himself a leader between leaders. He played a crucial role in the story of Emmanuel. Dwight is the oldest son of the founding Pastors of Emmanuel, Mark and Shirley Denyes. Before succeeding his father as lead pastor, Dwight was a successful real estate business owner and Bible teacher. In this episode, Dwight shares his personal faith story and how it impacted the way he led. He has a unique perspective on succession as he received the succession baton and later passed the leadership baton to Pastor Nate. This conversation is full of great insight, practical wisdom, and Emmanuel history!

Pastor Manny Melendez is a Kids Ministry veteran with over two decades of experience leading Kids Ministry. In this episode, you will get to know Manny as he shares his story of coming to Christ and his call to ministry. Jodi and Manny talk about the difference between ministry and childcare, discipling kids, and creating a kids culture. The conversation includes the importance and challenges of kids ministry as well as the opportunity to make an impact. Kids are sponges who absorb their environment, as Shepherd-hearted leaders, we can saturate them with Jesus! Manny served in Michigan and Colorado before moving to Minnesota. This summer he joined the Pastoral Team of Emmanuel as the Lead Kids Pastor overseeing EKids at all four locations.

Resources:

The Anxious Generation

https://www.christianparenting.org/

https://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/

Darin Poli is a strategic leader who is passionate about stewardship and generosity. As an ordained minister, with a wealth of ministry experience, he has been on staff at Emmanuel since 2019 and consults churches locally and nationally. On this episode, Jodi has a conversation with Darin about his ministry background, all-things Kingdom Builders, and stewardship. You will even hear about his favorite travel hack. Darin relays solid insights on growing generosity as well as advice on utilizing dashboards. This conversation is sure to inspire every Shepherd-hearted leader!

Resources:

https://kingdombuilders.emmanuelcc.org/

https://www.emmanuelfamilyofchurches.com/