Church in the North

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. 

Why do we gather as churches and what is good gathering?  In this episode of CITN, Rob talks with Jonathan Griffiths about his new book, "Gathered for Good," and the importance of the coming together of God's people. They also discuss his church's unique mission in Ottawa, leadership pathways, and gospel preaching. Jonathan is the Lead Pastor of The Met in Ottawa.To learn more about his church visit: https://www.metbiblechurch.ca/. To get a copy of his book, visit: https://www.metbiblechurch.ca/. To learn more about Timothy Trust, visit: https://timothytrust.ca/. Also, check out Jonathan's broadcast, Encounter the Truth: https://encounterthetruth.org/.In the pre-show, Rob, Geoff, and Chris talk about Taylor Swift's new album and discover that Geoff has refined musical tastes. They also discuss the importance of relevancy and have an extensive conversation about the "Quiet Revival." In the discussion, Rob referenced an article by Andy Bannister, which you can access here: https://www.andybannister.net/the-quiet-revival-are-young-adults-leading-a-church-resurgence-in-england-and-wales/.  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.