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.
Jesus in the Upper Left
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 his youth pastor's hands-on discipleship shaped his philosophy: pursue Jesus first, make reproducing disciples, and then trust Jesus to build His church. Sean transparently discusses the pivotal moments and paradigm shifts in his ministry, including a powerful "repentance from church planting" to prioritize disciple making and pastoral encouragement. Discover practical insights on intentional prayer strategies and how local churches can join God's kingdom movement by taking "mustard seed steps" of obedience in community.
Key Topics Discussed
- Sean's personal journey: From Tokyo and Iran to competitive surfing and a life-changing encounter with the Gospel.
- Youth pastor's influence: The intentional discipleship model that shaped Shawn's early faith and ministry.
- Repenting from church planting: The pivotal realization that prioritizing discipleship over church planting leads to healthy church growth.
- The "backwards" model: Pursuing Jesus first, then making disciples, then trusting Jesus to build the church.
- Shift in Expand Network's values: Moving from asking for support to "washing feet" and serving local churches.
- Recognizing personal giftedness: How Shawn's apostolic wiring led him to step into a network leadership role.
- The "both/and" of ministry: Emphasizing both building up the local church and starting new work for kingdom expansion.
- The story of Restore Hillsboro: An example of a church planting with a multiplication mindset from the start.
- Strategic prayer: Developing an intentional prayer strategy for ministry, moving beyond just "praying about strategy."
- Mustard seed obedience: The importance of radically faithful, small steps and doing ministry in community.