We Are Vineyard

In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay chats with John Elmer about the privilege of traveling around the country connecting with different churches and investing in leaders. They discuss the benefits of connectivity and some of the positive and negative things John has encountered across Vineyard churches. Finally, John shares some of the parts of his role as Super Regional Leader that he wasn’t expecting when he started. 

John Elmer is a Super Regional Leader for Vineyard USA.

John grew up in Syracuse, New York. Right before his senior year in high school, he had a supernatural encounter with Jesus and was radically saved. He began a Bible study within a couple of months and never stopped. John went to Messiah College, where he majored in Biblical Studies, and it was there that he met his wife, Gwen. 

Gwen and John planted the Syracuse Vineyard over 30 years ago and have grown it into a multi-site church that has planted 13 other churches. John has also participated in translocal leadership, serving the Vineyard as an Area Leader, National Church Planting team member, Mission Partnership Leader, and as a Regional Leader for the last 10 years.

John and Gwen have lived together in NYC, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, the squatter slums in Bangkok, as well as Syracuse. They have three children and five grandchildren that they love to be with. John is a big Syracuse University sports fan, as well as a lifelong Yankees fan.

Show notes: 

Hear more of John’s story 

Church abuse reporting hotline

In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay talks with Danielle Pathak about her work for Vineyard USA in Pastoral Health. They talk about the importance of doing internal work as leaders, the idea of making an investment now for the sake of longevity, and having a way of life where you’re always attentive to the foundational aspects. Danielle shares about the value of having a coach for intentional work, and gives an overview of Emotionally Focused and how to access it.  

Danielle Pathak is the Associate National Director for Pastoral Health and Formation. Danielle grew up in Columbus, Ohio and started attending the Columbus Vineyard as a young teenager. It was there that she learned to love the Church and started to gain invaluable experience in loving and serving the people around her. It was also in this season that a pastoral ministry call began to develop for Danielle.

Danielle attended Ohio State University and graduated with a BA in Human Development and Family Studies. She attended Vineyard Leadership Institute in Columbus, Ohio for theological training before church planting in Denver with her husband Jay and a small team in 2001. After several years of building and developing the Arvada Vineyard and also having her daughters, she became the Staff and Spiritual Formation Pastor for the Mile High Vineyard, a family of neighborhood churches in the Denver area which includes the original Arvada Vineyard. She formed a deep conviction that a pastor’s life must be cultivated and intentionally tended to, with a contemplative, wholistic yet mission-oriented framework. This conviction has shaped her leadership and calling.

She completed a certificate in Spiritual Direction in 2013 from Sustainable Faith, took on additional training in Family Systems work, and most recently added a certificate in Spiritual Formation and Leadership in 2020 from the Transforming Center in Chicago, IL.

Her true joy in this life outside of her faith is her family, her husband Jay, and her daughters Jasmine and Sofia. They thrive when traveling the world exploring new places, cheering on the sidelines of a soccer game, or spending a weekend in the beautiful Rocky Mountains! The Pathak family life is busy and full and exactly right for this season.

 

Show notes: 

Steve Sandage

Barna Group

Emotionally Focused

Vineyard USA’s Pastoral Health page 

Emotionally Healthy books by Pete Scazzero

Generation to Generation by Edwin H. Friedman 

Steve Cuss | Capable Life

In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay and Danielle Pathak continue their conversation with Steve Macchia with a discussion about sitting with people in discernment instead of offering answers and opinions, and Steve shares a very personal example of the discernment process he undertook before starting his company. They talk about the rewards and difficulties of navigating such an enormous transition, and Steve provides a helpful definition of, and approach to, discernment.  

 

The Rev. Dr. Stephen A. Macchia is founder and president of Leadership Transformations, Inc. (LTI), a ministry serving the spiritual formation, discernment, and renewal of leaders and learners since 2003. For more than 20 years he has been the Director of the Pierce Center for Disciple-Building at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, where he also serves as an adjunct faculty member in the Doctor of Ministry Program. From 1989-2003 he was the president of Vision New England, the largest regional church renewal association in the country. Earlier in his ministry life, Steve was a member of the pastoral staff of Grace Chapel in Lexington, Massachusetts for 11 years. He is the author or co-author of 17 books, including The Discerning Life (Zondervan Reflective), and Crafting a Rule of Life, Becoming A Healthy Church (LTI), and Broken and Whole (IVP).  He and his wife Ruth live in the Boston (MA) area and are the proud parents of two married children and grandparents to three adorable grandchildren. Steve’s personal website is www.SteveMacchia.com.

 

Show notes: 

Learn more about Steve 

Leadership Transformations   

The Discerning Life by Stephen Macchia 

Vineyard History and Identity Resources: 

The Way It Was by Carol Wimber 

The Quest For The Radical Middle by Bill Jackson 

Empowered Evangelicals by Rich Nathan and Ken Wilson

“I’m a Fool For Christ”- John Wimber’s testimony

In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay and Danielle Pathak talk with Steve Macchia about growing up in a Christian household but not really having a personal relationship with Jesus, changing from a teaching degree to seminary in college, and finding his passions in ministry. Steve shares the advice he’d give his younger self in seminary, and they discuss how creativity and play can open us up to hear from God. They also discuss why he believes the sabbath is the turnkey to the deeper life. This is part one of a two-part series, so come back next week to hear the rest of the conversation! 

The Rev. Dr. Stephen A. Macchia is founder and president of Leadership Transformations, Inc. (LTI), a ministry serving the spiritual formation, discernment, and renewal of leaders and learners since 2003. For more than 20 years he has been the Director of the Pierce Center for Disciple-Building at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, where he also serves as an adjunct faculty member in the Doctor of Ministry Program. From 1989-2003 he was the president of Vision New England, the largest regional church renewal association in the country. Earlier in his ministry life, Steve was a member of the pastoral staff of Grace Chapel in Lexington, Massachusetts for 11 years. He is the author or co-author of 17 books, including The Discerning Life (Zondervan Reflective), and Crafting a Rule of Life, Becoming A Healthy Church (LTI), and Broken and Whole (IVP).  He and his wife Ruth live in the Boston (MA) area and are the proud parents of two married children and grandparents to three adorable grandchildren. 

 

Show notes: 

Learn more about Steve 

Leadership Transformations

The Discerning Life by Stephen Macchia

Welcome to the We Are Vineyard Podcast! March is Women’s History Month and to celebrate, the leader of our Women’s Association, Melanie Forsythe-Lee, is interviewing Jo Saxton and Dr. Nijay Gupta. Jo shares about the reluctant “yes” she gave to ministry, the point at which her gender began to play a part, and how she dealt with obstacles along the way. Nijay talks about why he said yes to championing female pastors, and his research on the independent calling of women. Mel also discusses the “more” that Jo and Nijay desire for Vineyard Women, specifically at the upcoming Women’s Association Conference this Fall.  

Jo Saxton is a speaker, podcaster, and author. She is the founder of the Ezer Collective, an initiative dedicated to investing in women leaders around the world, equipping them to own their voice, and boldly step into their calling. She currently serves as the Executive Director of The 25 (a leadership development initiative) at Bethel University. Born to Nigerian parents and raised in London, England, Jo now lives in Minneapolis with her husband and two daughters. She loves everyday stuff like good music, good food, and good friends.

Dr. Nijay K. Gupta is professor of New Testament Northern Seminary. He is the author of over twenty books including the bestselling and award-winning Tell Her Story: How Women, Led, Taught, and Ministered in the Early Church. Gupta co-hosts the popular podcast Slow Theology with AJ Swoboda and he is a senior translator of the New Living Translation. He lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife, who has served as a pastor in the past, and currently is a marriage and family therapist. They have three teenage children. 

Show Notes: 

Register for the 2025 Vineyard USA National Conference: Melody and Harmony  

Register for the 2025 Women’s Association Conference: MORE. 

Jo’s website

Lead Stories Podcast 

Jo’s Books

Nijay’s books 

Listen to previous interviews with Nijay Gupta  

Becoming the Pastor’s Wife by Beth Allison Barr

In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay talks with Ray and Linda Noah about their work to fulfill the great commission by going to the ends of the earth and sharing Jesus with unreached people groups. They first talk about how God prepared them throughout their lives for the work they’re currently doing, the word God spoke to Linda that required her trust, and their first international trip to Sri Lanka. Ray and Linda share the story of planting 1000 churches in two years, and discuss how they orient their missiology and their process of empowering and resourcing indigenous leaders to plant churches and address upstream issues within communities. 

Ray and Linda Noah have been serving in pastoral ministry for over forty years. Ray has a Master of Arts in Theology from Northwest University and a Doctor of Ministry from the Assembly of God Theological Seminary. Linda has been involved in leadership development in faith and business sectors and is currently completing her Master of Arts in Leadership Studies.

For the past twenty years, Ray and Linda have planted churches in East Africa. In 2012, the success of this church planting effort led the Noahs to form the Petros Network, a ministry dedicated to planting churches among unreached people groups and equipping these churches and leaders to be catalysts of transformation in the villages in which they are planted.

Show notes: 

Register for Vineyard USA’s 2025 National Conference: Melody and Harmony 

Petros Network 

Vineyard History and Identity Resources: 

The Way It Was by Carol Wimber 

The Quest For The Radical Middle by Bill Jackson 

Empowered Evangelicals by Rich Nathan and Ken Wilson

“I’m a Fool For Christ”- John Wimber’s testimony 

In this episode of the We Are Vineyard podcast, Jay talks with Bubba Justice about the work he's doing as Vineyard USA’s CFO, and the ways in which his interests in finance and missions overlap. Bubba shares about cultivating new imagination to engage the nations, strategic partnerships that equip international churches to expand the services they can provide, and the role of church planting in missions. 

Elgie “Bubba” Justice is the Chief Financial Officer and Missions Coordinator for Vineyard USA. In his capacity as the Missions Coordinator, he gives leadership to VUSA Missions by overseeing mobilization, training, partnership development, and coordinating US activity with Vineyard associations internationally. As CFO, he oversees the financial and human resource systems for the Vineyard Movement in the United States.

Prior to this role, Bubba served as the National Coordinator for Vineyard USA for four years, starting in 2017 under the leadership of Phil Strout. Over the years, Bubba has served in Vineyard Leadership on the Executive Team, Vineyard Resources Board, Vineyard Worship Board, and on the Multiply Vineyard Advisory Team.

After working in the financial world as a C.P.A., a financial manager, and a chief financial officer, Bubba was the senior pastor of the Inverness Vineyard Church (IVC) for 23 years. Before planting IVC, Bubba served in many roles as a volunteer pastor in the Birmingham Vineyard from 1983 until 1993. Some of the ministries Bubba led included youth, children, nursery, intercession, small groups, and ministry team.

Bubba and his wife Melany live in Houston, TX, and have two married daughters and two grandchildren.

 

Show notes: 

Hear more of Bubba’s story 

December Skim

Convoy of Hope 

Compassion International

Petros Network

Vineyard History and Identity Resources: 

The Way It Was by Carol Wimber 

The Quest For The Radical Middle by Bill Jackson 

Empowered Evangelicals by Rich Nathan and Ken Wilson

“I’m a Fool For Christ”- John Wimber’s testimony 

In this episode of the We Are Vineyard podcast, we’re celebrating Black History Month! In April 2023, the Vineyard USA National Team and some leaders from around the country embarked on an immersive learning experience hosted by the Evangelical Covenant Church called “Sankofa”, an African word meaning “looking back to move forward.” Dr. Charles Montgomery, Jr. talks with Joel Seymour about the parts of the experience that impacted him as a white man, his realization that discipleship was at the foundation of the Civil Rights Movement, and some of the convictions he’s bringing into his own discipleship process. Dr. Montgomery then talks with Alex Faison, a young Black worship leader, about her experience of Sankofa, the personal connections she felt to her own family’s story, and the ways her church staff has benefited from recreating a similar journey for themselves. 

Show Notes: 

Sankofa

Vineyard USA’s Black History Month page

Webcast | MLK and the Local Church: Nonviolence Training as Christian Discipleship

The Role of Religion in the Civil Rights Movements by Dr. Bernard LaFayette

16th Street Baptist Church 

Vineyard History and Identity Resources: 

The Way It Was by Carol Wimber 

The Quest For The Radical Middle by Bill Jackson 

Empowered Evangelicals by Rich Nathan and Ken Wilson

“I’m a Fool For Christ”- John Wimber’s testimony 

In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Josh Williams talks with Reverend Gabriel Salguero about an impactful message from the books of Isaiah and Revelation that shapes his vocational journey as a bridge builder, emphasizing how justice and mercy are interwoven in the gospel. Revered Salguero shares about the reality of justice fatigue, the essential role of prayer in staying refreshed and grounded, and the importance of staying intimately connected to the local church. Finally, Josh and Reverend Salguero discuss the challenge of leading a national movement in a non-partisan way, and some of the current issues affecting the undocumented members of our churches. 

The Rev. Dr. Gabriel Salguero—is pastor of The Gathering Place, a Latino-led multi-ethnic Assemblies of God congregation in Orlando, Florida. Salguero is also the president and founder of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition (NALEC), a national coalition of several thousand evangelical congregations in the United States. He was the former Director of the Hispanic Leadership Program (HLP), and the Institute for Faith and Public Life at Princeton Theological Seminary. Salguero is also a powerful voice on issues that affect the close to 9 million Latino evangelicals in the United States. 

Salguero’s leadership through NaLEC offers an important voice for the growing diversity and changing demographics in our country. He has written extensively on Latino evangelicalism, immigration, racism, and multicultural congregations. Salguero has been named as one of the nation’s most prominent Latino evangelical leaders by the New York Times, Huffington Post, the New York Observer, the Center for American Progress, El Diario, CNN Español, NBC Universal, Univisión, and Jorge Ramos’s Al Punto. In addition, his leadership on issues of young male education and criminal justice reform has been featured by the Discovery Channel and the Oprah Winfrey Network.  Rev. Salguero has served on the White House Faith-Based Advisory Council, the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), and the National Advisory Council of the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance. He is also on the board of La Asociación Evangélica Latina (AEL) the coalition of Latin American evangelicals which is the representative body for all evangelical associations in Latin America.   Salguero holds a BA in Spanish and History from Rutgers University, and M.Div (magna cum laude) from New Brunswick Theological Seminary, and holds a Doctorate in Divinity (honoris causa) from Eastern Nazarene College.  Rev. Salguero lives together with his wife, the Rev. Jeanette Salguero and their two sons in Orlando, Florida.  

Show Notes: 

National Latino Evangelical Coalition (NALEC)

Vineyard History and Identity Resources: 

The Way It Was by Carol Wimber 

The Quest For The Radical Middle by Bill Jackson 

Empowered Evangelicals by Rich Nathan and Ken Wilson

“I’m a Fool For Christ”- John Wimber’s testimony 

 

In this episode of the We Are Vineyard Podcast, Josh Williams talks with Reverend Paul Robinson about how he defines justice and mercy, the crucial interplay of the two, and some of the upstream initiatives he’s currently focusing on. They discuss the value of investing in the health and well-being of your city both practically and spiritually, and how Reverend Robinson’s church uses the BLESS model as an evangelism tool. Reverend Robinson also shares about immersive cultural experiences, some of the challenges pastors are currently facing, and what’s bringing him hope. 

Paul Robinson is the Executive Minister of the newly formed Serve Locally for the Evangelical Covenant Church. Serve Locally plants and equips local churches that contribute to a more caring and just world through evangelism, discipleship, biblical justice, and church health. We empower leaders by offering resources, curated experiences, and leadership development. From June of 2019 to October 2023 Paul served as the Executive Minister of Love Mercy Do Justice (LMDJ). Prior to this role Paul was Senior Community Leadership Manager with the Wilder Center for Communities, former Director of the organization’s James P. Shannon Leadership Institute and Church Planter. Paul has partnered with nonprofit, for-profit, education, government and community individuals and organizations in core value clarification, leadership development, intercultural agility, and capacity building to help them better lead themselves and others. Paul is most comfortable at the intersection of ideas, difference, passion and effective action. He enjoys using his skills in meeting design, facilitation and convening to catalyze meaningful connections to stimulate individual and community transformation.  Robinson holds a B.S. degree in Finance from Eastern Illinois University and a Master of Divinity degree from McCormick Theological Seminary. Paul Robinson is 2017 AARP Minnesota and Pollen Fifty over Fifty honoree.  Paul is married to Kim and together they have seven adult children. Robinson’s combined experience in ministry, business, nonprofit management, and leadership development spans 30 years.

Show Notes: 

We Are Vineyard - Reverend Paul Robinson: Living At The Intersection Of Difference

Learn more about Sankofa 

Learn more about the ECC’s immersive learning experiences

Learn more about BLESS

Love Mercy Do Justice on Instagram: @LMDJ_ECC

Vineyard History and Identity Resources: 

The Way It Was by Carol Wimber 

The Quest For The Radical Middle by Bill Jackson 

Empowered Evangelicals by Rich Nathan and Ken Wilson

“I’m a Fool For Christ”- John Wimber’s testimony