Jesus in the Upper Left
"Jesus in the Upper Left" is a Portland-based, thought-provoking podcast that explores the unique challenges and opportunities of ministry, church planting and Gospel multiplication in the Pacific Northwest. Packed with inspiration, ideas, and connections, each episode delves into topics like racism, the history of movements and renewal, mistakes made, lessons learned, creative ideas and more. With a focus on personal stories and honest conversations, "Jesus in the Upper Left" offers a fresh look at what it's going to take to saturate our region with the love and community of Jesus. Whether you're a leader, a learner or a skeptic, this podcast will challenge you to engage with the culture around you in a more intentional and compassionate way.
BONUS CONTENT: Don't miss the behind-the-scenes, raw comments & extras at https://www.togetherpdx.org/multiplypdx.
Episodes
104 episodes
Why Most Church Failures Have Nothing to Do With Theology — with Tammy Dunahue
What actually causes pastors and churches to fall apart? After 20 years of denominational leadership and more interventions than she wants to count, Tammy Dunahue has a clear answer — and it's probably not what you'd expect.In this conve...
Called Back to Portland: How Imago Dei's New Lead Pastor Stepped Into a 25-Year Legacy
What does it look like to follow a founder — especially one who built something that shaped an entire city?Chris Nye is the lead pastor of Imago Dei Community in Portland, Oregon. In this conversation, he shares the unlikely story ...
From a 50-Year Sentence to Pastor | Clifford Jones’ Story of Redemption
Pastor Clifford Jones shares an unforgettable testimony of meeting Jesus while serving a 50-year sentence in Louisiana State Penitentiary, one of the most violent prisons in America. What followed was a radical transformation, seminary training...
Church Planting, COVID Shutdown, Pastoral Isolation & the Cost of Multiplication with Cameron Heger
Cameron Heger moved from Arkansas to Portland with no ministry plan — just a seminary enrollment and a love for the city. After years embedded at Door of Hope, he felt called to plant a new church. Door of Hope sent him with a core team of 100 ...
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Portland Is More Open to Jesus Than Anyone Expected | Ed Stetzer
New research on Portland reveals something most church leaders wouldn't guess — the city is far more spiritually open than its reputation suggests. Missiologist Ed Stetzer joins Tim Osborne and Gabe Colstatt to unpack major findings from a mixe...
Brotherhood That Builds Men (Ending Isolation) | Biblical Manhood Series: Part 4
What happens when men stop sitting on the bench and start showing up for each other?In this episode of Jesus in the Upper Left, Tim sits down with three Men’s Alliance leaders from Westside Community Church (Aloha, Oregon): Stev...
Why Men Avoid Spiritual Leadership | Biblical Manhood Series: Part 3
Why do so many men hesitate to step into spiritual leadership, even when they want to? In Part 3 of our Men & the Gospel in the PNW series, we sit down with psychologist and coach Nancy Castile to talk about the internal barriers men...
Rebuilding Biblical Manhood | Biblical Manhood Series: Part 2
What does it actually mean to be a man who follows Jesus in the Pacific Northwest?In this episode of Jesus in the Upper Left, we continue a multi-part conversation on men, masculinity, and the gospel. Drawing from Scripture, cultural ob...
What’s the Deal with Dudes? | Biblical Manhood Series: Part 1
In this new-year episode of Jesus in the Upper Left, Gabe, Tim, and Ahshuwah unpack a pattern Brilliant Labs keeps seeing across Portland: the majority of ministries serving “downstream” needs are serving at-risk women and children
How Portland Churches Can Partner With the City | Nicole Larson
In this episode of Jesus in the Upper Left, Gabe and Tim sit down with Nicole Larson from Together PDX to talk about how churches in Portland can partner with the city in meaningful, practical ways.Nicole shares ...
God Is Still Moving in Portland: 4 Encouraging Signs Every Church Leader Needs to See
It’s easy to feel discouraged leading a church or ministry in the Pacific Northwest. The season is long, the headlines are heavy, and the challenges are real.But in this episode of Jesus in the Upper Left, we pause to do something...
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Funding the Mission in Portland Oregon
Money is one of the biggest realities every ministry leader faces, especially in the Portland metro and the Pacific Northwest. In this episode, Tim and Gabe welcome Ahshuwah back to the show, then jump into a practical conversation about fundra...
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Rising Back Up in Rockwood: Scott Bradley’s Story of Hope & Grit
Rising Back Up in Rockwood: The Story of As Is Church with Pastor Scott BradleyIn this powerful episode of Jesus in the Upper Left, Gabe and Tim sit down with Scott Bradley, pastor of As Is Church and founde...
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What the UK Taught Us About Revival, Collaboration & Church Leadership
What happens when two pastors from the Pacific Northwest take a trip to the UK and accidentally walk straight into worship at Westminster Abbey, visit thriving churches in Liverpool, Bristol, and London, and learn from global lead...
Coffee, Community & Jesus w/ Brett & Taylor (Genesis Project PDX)
What happens when a neighborhood church opens a donation-based coffee shop and commits to long-haul presence in Portland’s South Tabor? Meet Brett Prior (lead/founding pastor) and Taylor Bolan (associate pastor) from The Genesis Project Portlan...
A Surprising Opportunity for the Church in Portland
"We want to work together to see new churches started in and around the greater Portland area." Join Gabe Kolstad as he sits down with his friend Virgil Brown, pastor of Redemption Church and the new SEND City Missionary for the Portland Metro....
Quiet Revival Report
Is a "Quiet Revival" happening in the UK, and are similar spiritual shifts underway in Portland? Join Gabe Kolstad and Tim Osborn as they dive into the UK's "Quiet Revival Report," exploring its surprising findings about the normalization and c...
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Engaging City Leaders
"God told me, 'Not this one. He has a plan for you.'" Join Gabe Kolstad as he welcomes Lance Orton, a leader at City Team Portland, and Elise Galis, program director of Together PDX for an incredible conversation about making friends, engaging ...
The Stoked Life: Making Disciples First
Join Gabe Kolstad as he talks with his good friend Sean Thomé, a leader with Expand Network and Multiply PDX. Sean shares his incredible journey from growing up overseas and competitive surfing to a life-changing encounter with Jesus. Hear how ...
Highlights in the Upper Left: Ministry in the Pacific Northwest
This week on Jesus in the Upper Left we have a compilation of highlights from several of our top episodes! First, we hear from Jake and Madison Nagy about the unique opportunities for ministry they have found through their house church network ...
Made to Move: Leading a Multiplying Church with Derrill Corbin
Join Tim Osborn and Pete Armstrong as they welcome Derrill Corbin, the senior pastor of Mannahouse, for an insightful conversation about leadership, multiplication, and loving the city of Portland. Derrill shares his personal journey, from a ch...
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Coming as Learners: Planting a Church with Humility and Open Hands
Join Pete Armstrong and Gabe Kolstad as they welcome Pete and Christy, a new church planting couple in the Portland area. In this inspiring conversation, Pete and Christy share their journey of stepping back from past ministry, learning to list...
From Argentina to Portland: The Unexpected Journey of a Church Planter
Join Tim Osborn and Pete Armstrong as they explore the winding path that led guest Matt Boyd to plant Sojourn Church in Northeast Portland. From a youth spent in traditional church settings to a life-altering mission trip to Argentina, and then...
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Raising Up Leaders: The Power of Residency in Church Planting
Join Gabe Kolstad and Ryan O'Malley as they delve into the vital role of residencies in developing the next generation of church leaders. Ryan shares his experience in establishing a residency program, addressing the leadership gap in churches,...
Multiplying Disciples: Spiritual Disciplines, Outreach, and the Future of the Church
Join Gabe Kolstad in a dynamic conversation with Lisa Garin as they explore the crucial topic of multiplying disciples and churches. Lisa shares her personal journey into ministry, emphasizing the importance of vulnerability and the transformat...
