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In this episode of the Rise Up Podcast, Nate sits down with Jason Clarke and Rise Men’s Ministry Lead Tommy Elrod to talk about faithfulness, responsibility, brotherhood, and what it looks like for men to lead themselves and their families well. From building rhythms of serving and showing up to navigating the tension of marriage, fatherhood, work, and faith, they unpack why real leadership starts with taking responsibility for what God has entrusted to you. They also share the heart behind Rise Men’s Ministry and the upcoming Move Forward Men’s Conference—a free gathering designed to bring men from churches across our city together to encounter Jesus, build brotherhood, and become the men God has called them to be. Move Forward Men’s Conference 📅 November 7 🎟️ FREE Register at moveforwardgresham.com

How do you know when God is speaking to you? Is it an audible voice, a feeling, a thought—or something completely different? In this episode of the Rise Up Podcast, Nate sits down with Jason Clarke and Kassie Cox to unpack one of the most common questions Christians ask: How do I hear the voice of God? Together, they talk about Scripture as the foundation for hearing God, the Holy Spirit illuminating His Word, listening prayer, recognizing promptings, and the role other people can play in helping us discern what God is saying.     They also get practical about the uncertainty that can come with hearing God. What if you're not sure whether it's God or just your own thoughts? What if you've never had a dramatic “God told me” moment? And how can you grow in recognizing His voice? Through personal stories and practical examples, they unpack how to become more intentional about listening to God while taking some of the pressure off getting it perfectly right.

What is revival—and what would it actually look like for God to do it again? In this episode of the Rise Up Podcast, Nate sits down with Rise Youth Pastor Jordan Fallman to talk about the history, heart, and hope of revival. They unpack the difference between the marks of revival and revival itself, looking at movements throughout history and asking what it would look like for another generation to be awakened to Jesus. But revival doesn't begin with a packed church, extended worship, or a powerful preacher. It begins in us. Nate and Jordan talk about personal repentance, confession, surrender, raising up the next generation, and creating space for God to move however He chooses. They also share what they're already seeing among young people and why they believe the church has a responsibility to faithfully steward what God may be beginning. This episode is both a conversation and a prayer: God, revive our hearts. Revive our families. Revive our church. Revive our city. And do it in us first.

What does it actually mean to hear from God—and how do you know when it’s really Him? In this episode of the Rise Up Podcast, Nate sits down with Kristen Friend and Rise Prayer Team Lead Kim Ray for a conversation about prayer, the Holy Spirit, and learning to recognize God’s voice. Kim shares how encountering the Holy Spirit at just 10 years old began a lifelong journey of learning to listen, surrender, and trust God even when His plans didn’t make sense. Together, they unpack how to create space to hear God, why prayer should look more like a relationship than a transaction, and what happens when God’s answer to your prayer isn’t the answer you wanted. Through stories of loss, uncertainty, unanswered prayers, and unexpected peace, this conversation is a reminder that the greatest gift of prayer isn’t always getting the answer—it’s getting closer to God. Whether prayer feels natural to you or you’re still wondering how to begin, this episode will challenge you to quiet the noise, loosen your grip, and trust the Holy Spirit with the details.

What if the thing God is doing in you is just as important as what He wants to do through you? In this episode of the Rise Up Podcast, Nate sits down with Jason Clarke and Rise’s new Discipleship Pastor, Seth Overby, to talk about Seth’s journey back to Gresham and the years of formation that brought him here. From ministry failure and seasons of transition to worship ministry, church planting, and ultimately a calling to make disciples, Seth shares how God has used every part of his story to shape the pastor and leader he is today. Together, they unpack the difference between your calling and your assignment, why God’s timing can’t be rushed, and why discipleship is about far more than what you know or accomplish. It’s about becoming more like Jesus. They also share the heart behind Rise’s investment in discipleship as the church grows: we aren’t trying to build a crowd; we’re trying to grow a church. Whether you’re trying to discern what God is calling you to next, walking through a season of transition, or wondering how your story fits into His plan, this conversation is a reminder that the right thing at the wrong time can be the wrong thing—and God is never in a hurry with your formation.

What is worship really—and why does it matter? In this episode of the Rise Up Podcast, Nate is joined by Rise worship leaders Hannah Nobes and Stacey Cutshall for an honest conversation about the purpose of worship, leading through difficult seasons, and creating space to encounter God. From the early days of planting Rise to building a healthy worship culture, they share personal stories, practical wisdom, and biblical truth about what it means to become a lead worshiper, not just a worship leader. Whether you're new to church or have followed Jesus for years, this conversation will challenge you to move beyond singing songs and into a lifestyle of surrender.

What happens when one invitation changes everything? In this episode of the Rise Up Podcast, Nate sits down with Rise Ministry Support Director Dylan Bell to hear the remarkable story of how God transformed his life. From growing up with no church background, to climbing the corporate ladder at Target and Best Buy, to encountering Jesus at Rise and discovering a life of purpose, Dylan shares how one "yes" to Jesus changed not only his future—but his entire family. Hear how God used Dylan to lead his mom, sister, grandmother, father, and wife to baptism, why he walked away from corporate success to serve the local church, and how the joy of Jesus became the foundation of his life. If you've ever wondered whether God can rewrite your story, this episode is for you.

In this special episode of the Rise Up Podcast, we’re sharing a powerful recording from Leadership Night — a gathering of the shepherds, team leads, city group leaders, youth leaders, and servants helping lead the life of Rise Church. Jason and Stacey bring a challenging and encouraging word about the holy weight of leadership, the call to be set apart, and the importance of leading from intimacy with Jesus rather than performance or platform. From Numbers 11 to the early church, this conversation is a reminder that God’s answer to a growing harvest is more surrendered leaders filled with His Spirit. Whether you lead in ministry, business, your family, or simply want to grow deeper in your walk with Jesus, this episode is a call to holiness, humility, and hunger for the presence of God.

What happens when a small group of people sense God stirring something before they fully know what it is? In this episode of the Rise Up Podcast, Nate sits down with Jason Clarke, Chris Cutshall, and Stacey Cutshall to look back at the earliest days of Rise—from Bible studies and worship nights at Stomping Grounds to dream nights, launch-team stories, and the first steps of planting a church. Together, they share the joy, chaos, courage, and faith that shaped Rise from the beginning. This conversation is a reminder that God often builds through ordinary people, imperfect plans, and a willingness to keep saying yes. It’s an episode for anyone who wants to hear the origin story of Rise and be reminded that God’s vision is always bigger than ours.

Building a House for the Kingdom What happens when God marks out a place for His kingdom before anyone else can see it? In this episode of the Rise Up Podcast, Nate sits down with Jason Clarke and Jared Hargens to tell the story of how Rise went from portable church setups to transforming Skate World into a house of worship in the center of Gresham. Together, they unpack the faith, sacrifice, generosity, construction, and unseen leadership that made the building possible—and how God used every detail, from the right people to the right property, to create space for people to encounter Jesus. The conversation also looks ahead to Rise’s next facility expansion and the vision behind building spaces that serve the church, the city, and generations to come. This episode is for anyone who wants a behind-the-scenes look at how God builds through faithful people, ordinary obedience, and Spirit-filled builders.

7 Principles to Start Something that Matters  What do you do when the burden on your heart might actually be God’s invitation to move? In this episode of the Rise Up Podcast, Nate sits down with Jason Clark and Kristen Friend to talk about what it means to launch something with faithfulness, urgency, and purpose. Whether it’s a ministry, church plant, business, nonprofit, or new season in your family, this conversation unpacks the principles that help turn a God-given burden into action. Together, they explore why every meaningful launch begins with a burden, why place and space matter more than we often realize, and why no one builds anything significant alone. From the early days of planting Rise, to launching 733, to learning how to plan around passion instead of pressure, the conversation is filled with practical wisdom for anyone sensing that God is asking them to take a step. Then the episode moves into the deeper work of faithfulness: launching before everything feels perfect, loving the work more than the fruit, and building with legacy in mind. This episode is for anyone who has been carrying an idea, a calling, or a holy discontent and wondering what to do next. If you’ve been waiting for the perfect moment, this conversation will challenge you to take the next faithful step and trust God with the fruit.

When Loss Doesn’t Get the Last Word What do you do when grief shapes your story before grace does? In this episode of the Rise Up Podcast, Nate sits down with Chris Yamnitsky, alongside Kristen Friend, to talk about loss, addiction in the family, the ache of growing up too fast, and the long road from coping in the world to being remade by Jesus. Chris shares what it was like to lose his dad at a young age, to carry questions no son should have to carry, and to spend years trying to outrun the pain through work, nightlife, and keeping busy—only to find himself emptier than ever. What unfolds is an honest and deeply moving story of how God meets people in layers, not just moments. From quietly attending Rise while living a double life, to finding real community at 733, to being pursued by faithful people who never stopped praying, Chris’s story is a reminder that God wastes nothing—not even the years that felt off course. The same gifts that once drew people into the wrong places are now being redeemed to gather people into the Kingdom, and the same season that once marked his deepest grief became the very place where God began rebuilding his life. Then the conversation widens into the power of prayer, spiritual family, and what it looks like when faith becomes public and contagious. This episode is for anyone carrying grief, wrestling with the past, or wondering whether God can really rewrite what has been broken for a long time. If you’ve ever felt like you were surviving with whatever got you through, but knew it could not carry you into the future, this conversation will meet you there with both honesty and hope.

What do you do when the thing you once loved starts to feel ordinary? In this episode of the Rise Up Podcast, Nate and Jason talk about what it means to relight the flame—in your calling, your marriage, your ministry, your work, and your everyday life. Because most people know how to start with passion, but far fewer know how to stay faithful when the novelty wears off and consistency becomes the real test. Together, they unpack four key shifts that move us out of drift and back into intentionality: from apathy to enthusiasm, from “I have to” to “I get to,” from focusing on what’s wrong to what’s right, and from living in maintenance mode to doing something great. Through stories about fire pits, preaching to a camera during COVID, parenting little kids, and learning to stop chasing every shiny new thing, this conversation gets honest about how quickly purpose can cool when it goes untended—and how often what needs to change is not our whole life, but our posture. This episode is a reminder that the good old days are often happening right now, and that calling doesn’t stay alive by accident. It is fed by gratitude, vision, attentiveness, and a willingness to dream again. If you’ve felt spiritually flat, emotionally dulled, or just stuck in the motions of life, this conversation will help you recognize where the fire has gone low—and how to start feeding it again.

The Fight for Gen Z and Gen Alpha What if the next generation isn’t lazy, fragile, or lost—but uniquely positioned for a move of God if someone will help them see who they are? In this episode of the Rise Up Podcast, Nate sits down with Youth Pastor Jordan Fahlman to talk about Gen Z, Gen Alpha, and what it means to disciple a generation being shaped by technology, social anxiety, activism, and a deep hunger for purpose. Jordan shares his own story of growing up as both an outdoors kid and a digital native, while Nate reflects on being raised in youth ministry and watching the cultural shift happen in real time. Together, they explore how the pandemic reshaped students, how social media now competes to raise them, and why so many young people are aching for identity, connection, and a reason to give their lives to something bigger than themselves. Here's the challenge for parents, pastors, leaders, and mentors: if we don’t raise this generation, something else will. From phones and isolation to purpose, passion, and the need for consistent voices that speak louder than the noise, this episode is a call to see the next generation with spiritual clarity. If you’ve ever wondered how to lead young people in this cultural moment—or how to help them move from anxiety and confusion into calling and conviction—this conversation will give you language, urgency, and hope. Challenge: Who is God asking you to intentionally invest in right now? Don’t just criticize the next generation—contend for them. Speak identity over them, model faith in front of them, and help them discover the purpose they were created for.

EP 08 | When a Coffee Shop Becomes a Kingdom Space What if God wants to use every area of your life—work, calling, even a cup of coffee—for His Kingdom purpose? In this episode of the Rise Up Podcast, Jason and Nate sit down with Will Ray, owner-operator of Pause Coffee, to talk about calling, entrepreneurship, hospitality, and what it looks like to be on fire for Jesus in the marketplace. Will shares the story behind his journey from Northern California to Portland, from restaurant life and film school to a Spirit-marked moment outside a taco truck that changed everything. He opens up about giving his life to Jesus, learning how to belong in church as a new believer, and the slow unfolding of a dream that became Pause—a space born through prayer, shaped by obedience, and built to feel different the moment you walk through the doors. A story about trust, sacrifice, and the hidden faithfulness behind what most people only experience as a finished product. Then the conversation widens into the why behind it all: why details matter, why hospitality is spiritual, and how a coffee shop can become a gateway to discipleship, community, and even the church itself. From awkward first dates to Bible studies, mentorships, sermons being written, and people first discovering Rise through a latte. This episode is a powerful reminder that God loves to use ordinary spaces for holy work. If you’ve ever wondered whether your work matters, whether business can be ministry, or whether the small things you do really count, this conversation will help you see your calling with fresh eyes.