Canby Bible College Curiosity Project

This will be the last Curiosity Project podcast I'll be a part of. So when my friend Pastor Mark Smith asked if he could interview me for the finale, this was the result.

We cover a broad range of topics, including ministry, marriage, money, business, and training a dog.

Shannon Rants is wonderful and wise. In this episode of the Curiosity Project, we're talking about how to become a better listener, and why connecting with your own emotions is key to helping others.

Dr. Leah Payne, Professor of Theological Studies at George Fox University and Portland Seminary, shares her passion for church history and pop culture. We talk through the difficulties of studying church history and still loving the church, why a one-dimensional view of our heroes never works, and a useful tool to discern your pop culture intake. 

Leah is also the co-host of the Weird Religion podcast, which you should definitely check out. 

Dr. Ted Roberts has helped hundreds of individuals, families, and couples break free from the power of sexual addiction. He shares his wisdom on understanding this addiction, first steps towards freedom, and why community is vital to lasting change. 

Pastor Ron Swor, senior pastor at Canby Foursquare Church and President of Canby Bible College, has been faithfully serving the church for over 40 years. In this episode, he shares his wisdom on what he looks for in young leaders, areas to focus on early in your ministry career, and why grit matters more than giftedness.

On this episode, I’m talking with Kevin McCarthy, entrepreneur, author of the book, Blindspots, public speaker, and convicted felon of a crime he didn’t knowingly commit. Kevin’s story is so fascinating, and we spend the first half of time together talking about how his blindspots led to decisions that would land him in prison.

But Kevin is also a gifted public speaker and the past president of the Oregon chapter of the National Speaker’s Association, so we talk about the craft of presenting ideas in front of a group, how and how much to practice, what to do with hands, and how to get better each time you speak.

Kevin’s insights are so practical for everyone, and especially the leader looking to communicate clearly.

On this episode, I’m talking with Adam Hillis, Executive Assistant at Beaverton Foursquare Church. We’re talking about the value of serving others, and get practical insights into how to manage tasks, reminders, calendar appointments, databases and more.

Adam is a humble, effective, and thoughtful leader whose wisdom is on full display in this conversation.

You can watch this conversation take place on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/MLeBtnNMib4

On this episode, I’m talking with Insil Kang, Senior Director of Community, Hospitality and Communications at Village Church, a thriving multicultural faith community in Beaverton, Oregon. She shares some beautiful wisdom on how churches and leaders can integrate culture and the gospel to reflect God’s design for diversity.

Insil is amazing, and authentic and insightful and woefully out of touch with K-Pop, something she is apparently okay with. 

I learned a great deal from this conversation and trust you will as well.

Kevin Whitman, the Area Director for the Mission Increase Foundation, a nonprofit focused on helping other nonprofits implement a biblical approach to fundraising. 

Kevin has degrees from LIFE Pacific College and Azusa Pacific, a pastoral background and a professional’s effectiveness. He is one of the most thoughtful and articulate leaders I know, and truly passionate about helping other reach their goals.

Whether you’re involved in a the fundraising aspects of a nonprofit, this conversation with Kevin Whitman will give you insights into a biblical theology of money, God’s faithfulness to fulfill His mission, and the practical steps needed to nurture a network of supporters. 

On this episode, I’m talking with Dr. Adrienne Rankin, Executive Pastor of Beaverton Foursquare Church. Adrienne has a Masters from Biola and a Doctorate from Regent University in Strategic Leadership, with an emphasis in Executive Coaching. 

For the past 10 years, she’s served on staff at one of the largest churches in Oregon, helping over 5,000 people encounter Christ on a weekly basis, while creating and sustaining the systems, processes and teams responsible to make it all happen.

Adrienne and I chat about the nature of the work of an Executive Pastor, the questions we should be asking ourselves if we want to grow, and how our prayer life is a key indicator of health.

 On this episode, I’m talking with Dr. Gerry Breshears, Professor of Theology at Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon. For 40 years, he’s taught Scripture, proclaimed the Gospel, and helped people along the way. 

He’s been equipping church leaders for decades, and I was curious about his perspective on how to a helpful presence in the lives of those who are hurting and have questions. 

So in this episode, we talk a lot about how to listen well, how to be intellectually and spiritually honest with difficult circumstances, what to do and not do when trying to help another, and even how to succeed in school.