Jesus in the Upper Left

Why Most Church Failures Have Nothing to Do With Theology — with Tammy Dunahue

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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 conversation, Tim and Gabe sit down with Tammy Dunahue, Executive Dean of Portland Seminary at George Fox University and a 40-year veteran of church planting, revitalization, and movement leadership. Tammy and her husband Gary co-planted and multiplied churches across California and Arkansas, helped shape Foursquare's national church planting infrastructure, and now invest in forming the next generation of kingdom leaders.

The conversation covers a lot of ground: what it actually looks like to plant with a multiplication mindset from day one, how complementary gifting and team building fuel church health, what it means to contextualize the gospel in a new region, and why the Pacific Northwest's biggest barrier to gospel movement might be the church's own thinking.

Tammy also shares a compelling vision for Portland — a candle in every neighborhood — and why she believes wherever there's enough darkness, a birthday candle will do.

If you lead a church, plant churches, or care about what God is doing in the Pacific Northwest, this one is worth your full attention.