Media

Kent Doehne served as Lead Pastor at Columbia Heights Assembly of God for 15 years and recently went through a 2.5-year succession in leadership, handing leadership of the church to his son-in-law, Josh McCann. I sit down with Kent and talk about the succession process, what he learned, and how he would encourage other pastors to prepare for what’s “next.”

Check out the Columbia Heights Assembly website at: https://columbiaheights.org/

Brad Thorstenson has been leading Interstate Pest Management as President/Owner for the past 30 years, a business he bought from his father and will soon be turning over to his son, Ryan. Today, we have a conversation about how business leaders can use their gifts, talents, and experiences to help encourage and strengthen leadership in the local church.

Check out Interstate Pest Management’s website below: https://www.interstatepest.com/

We spend some time today with Sam Sanden, Associate Pastor at Father’s House Church in Longview, WA. Sam is activily involved in getting the “church” not separated from culture, but intentionally seeking ways to engage with a world that desperately needs hope.

Check out the Father’s House website at… https://fathershousechurch.com/

Russ Jorgenson has been serving Kelso Christian Assembly as Lead Pastor for the past 11 years. This congregation puts a great deal of its energy and resources into serving the local community. Russ leads in a way that empowers people to fulfill the vision God has given them, encouraging growth, outreach, and discipleship.

Check out Kelso Christian Assembly website at: https://www.welcome-wearekca.com/

Rodgers Audi is the Founder of Ambassadors of Hope in the Nairobi area of Kenya. There, he and his wife Cynthia oversee a school and feeding program for elementary-age children. About 300 miles away, in a village Rodgers grew up in, A of H also provides food and builds houses (40 houses to date!) for widows who have very little support. Renewal City Church and Evangel Christian Fellowship currently partner to pay the teacher’s salaries at the school. If you are interested in taking a look at Ambassadors of Hope, or you would like to support them, click on the links below…

Web: https://www.calvarybirmingham.com/ambassadors-of-hope-kenya/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068402120135

Nick Sizemore is the Lead Pastor at The Promise Church – Longview. This new congregation is an extension of The Promise Church in Woodland, WA. Both churches work hard to impact their communities with a Presence-based gospel of the Kingdom. Nick is a student of the Word, with a deep desire to see the Body of Christ be obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit as follower of Jesus.

Check out The Promise Church website at: https://www.thepromisechurch.com/

Sarah Hancock is the Executive Director of the Emergency Support Shelter in Longview. I’m not sure what you think someone in that role will look and sound like, but I am sure of one thing…Sarah will make you smile! She has an important leadership position in our County and fills it with integrity, honesty, and JOY!

Check out the Emergency Support Shelter website at: https://www.emergencysupportshelter.com/

John Leffler has pastored Castle Rock Christian Church for the past 22 years and his personal investment in that congregation is palpable when you walk into the building. It doesn’t have John’s fingerprints on things, but rather his influence in the lives of others that encourages them to excel. John has a real hunger to teach the Word in a way that makes discipleship exciting and challenging. This church has surely benefited from his diligent leadership.

Check out the Castle Rock Christian Church website at: https://www.cr-cc.org/

Scott Hemberry has led Exodus Church for the past 15 years. His consistency as a congregational leader has created stability at Exodus which is truly remarkable. Scott is always growing as a leader and has a real desire to see others grow in the same way. Enjoy hearing from a pastor who values the leadership of the Holy Spirit in his life, discipling young believers with that same intensity.

Check out the Exodus Church website at: https://exoduschurch.churchcenter.com/home

Mikinzi Rambo was recently ordained by Renewal City Church as their Youth Pastor. Don’t let the length of her stay in this role dissuade you. Mikinzi is wise beyond her years, which becomes obvious after watching only a few minutes of this interview. Her insights into encouraging hope in the next generation of the church are insightful and encouraging. Enjoy!

Check out the Renewal City Church website at: https://www.rcclongview.org/

Dean Young is the lead pastor of The Potter’s House Christian Church in Longview, WA. He and his wife relocated from Federal Way to plant the church 18 months ago. Dean has a huge heart to see those who have no relationship with Jesus saved, discipled, and released to do the ministry of the church. The Potter’s House Christian Church is a Christian Fellowship Ministries’ Church (CFM). CFM, Inc. was founded in 1970 by Pastor Wayman Mitchell. Now, over 2,700 churches have been planted in over 130 nations of the world. Their message is simple,…Jesus Christ is the only hope for man’s salvation and that is true with every person in every nation on the globe!

Check out The Potter’s House website at: https://www.pottershouselongview.com

Major Phil Smith has been providing leadership for the Longview Salvation Army for the past year. He brings with him a treasure trove of community leadership experience, especially with the unsheltered population. Unlike most leaders, he has both received and given support to the needs of a local community. You will really enjoy his perspective and his enthusiasm for loving and serving people.

Check out the local Salvation website at: https://longview.salvationarmy.org/

Erin Hart serves as Superintendent of Three Rivers Christian School & Early Learning Center. Erin literally grew up within the TRCS system, from pre-school to High School graduation, on to college, post-graduate work, and ended up returning to TRCS as the head of the Administrative Team. Erin is an outstanding leader while maintaining her heartfelt love for the school’s students at every level.

Check out Three Rivers Christian School & Early Learning Center at: https://3riversschool.net/

Marcus Truesdale pastors one of the few true “community” churches in Cowlitz County. Most all the attendees of his congregation come from the Abernathy Creek area, just West of Longview. Marcus has served as pastor of the Abernathy Creek Assembly of God for the past 6 years and has a deep desire to see the local church put its roots down and begin to grow and bear fruit, even when things get difficult in ministry.

Check out Abernathy Creek Assembly of God Church at: https://abernathyag.wordpress.com/

Kevin and Nina Salinas have taken over the Lead Pastor role at Evangel Christian Fellowship. They are launching into ministry at the tail end of a global pandemic. Not your typical start, but both of them are excited to serve and grow with the Body of Evangel. They will be a great addition to church leadership in the Longview area.

Check out Evangel Christian fellowship at: https://evangel-online.com

Cole Pruitt is Lead Pastor at Valley View Church in Longview. For the past 5 years, Cole and his wife have poured their hearts into revitalizing this beautiful congregation. When approached about pastoring Valley View, they had other opportunities available, but after their trip from Alabama to Longview to visit the church, they both fell in love with the city and that was that! Cole is an innovator and pioneer at heart and taking this assignment from the Lord was just what he and his wife were hoping for.

Check out West View Church of God at: https://valleyviewchurch.online

Robert Hays has been pastoring Rose Valley Friends Church in Kelso for the past 5 years. Is pastoring a difficult job? Absolutely! Is it worth it to see people’s lives impacted by the love of God and their lives restored? No doubt about it. When we see lives changed, we witness the church at its best. This is all very real for Robert. Enjoy his story and his gratitude while leading a local church congregation.

Check out Rose Valley Friends Church at: https://www.rosevalleyfriends.com

Eli Whatley has been pastoring Longview Foursquare Church for the past four years. He loves the neighborhood where his congregation calls “home.” Eli has built some significant relationships in the Highlands area of Longview that began bearing fruit from the very beginning. His pastor’s heart is tender, but enduring and resilient. His is not the biggest church in town, but his impact upon the people who live close bye is undeniable. He’s another beautiful example of a leader who is deeply committed to his assignment!

Check out Longview Foursquare Church at: https://longview4squarechurch.com/

Chuck Kennedy has served as pastor of Ryderwood Community Church for a little over a year now. In that short time, he has seen a significant spiritual shift in this small retirement community at the Northern edge of Cowlitz County. People in his congregation are coming alive. The average age of his congregation is over 70, yet this past Easter, they celebrated 5 baptisms and one wedding together! You will really enjoy Chuck’s authentic style and enthusiastic faith.

Check out Ryderwood Community Church at: https://www.ryderwoodcc.com

Josh McCann has seen his life radically transformed by God. In his words, “My life has gone from 65 MPH across the Kelso/Longview bridge to pastoring this church!” Josh’s story is inspiring for anyone who has ever wondered, or even doubted that God could do amazing things in your life. He has a real heart to see the church grow organically…where we all work together to see God restore lives.

Check out Columbia Heights Assembly of God: https://columbiaheights.org

Chris Donald is wired to share the gospel. Everywhere he goes he finds opportunities to share the Good News with people and most of them have a real interest in what he has to share. Chris is the co-founder of 33rd Company, a ministry that encourages congregations to expand their sphere of influence through prayer, evangelism and discipleship. He and his family are leaders at The Promise Church in Woodland, WA and take teams on evangelistic outreach in Longview on Tuesdays and Woodland on Thursdays. After the outreach in the afternoon, they gather those interested in discipleship to gather that evening to learn and grow together.

Check out 33rd Company: https://www.33rdcompany.org/

Jonathan Christopherson serves on the Pastoral Leadership Team at The Promise Church in Woodland, Washington. Jonathan grew up at The Promise and about 8 years ago, he and his brother Aaron Christopherson and Casey Strang inherited the leadership of the church. They have a distinctively “team approach” to church leadership and ministry and a hunger to see the Presence of God welcomed and experienced. This past year, they launched The Promise–Longview as an extension of their ministry in Woodland.

Check out The Promise Church: https://www.thepromisechurch.com

MaryAlice Wallis is Mayor of the city of Longview. She is a seasoned leader who has a hunger and thirst to see our community thrive as we navigate these difficult times. She was immediately put to the test as her second term as mayor begun just 2 months before the official start of the Covid-19 pandemic in March of 2020. Jeff sits down with Mayor MaryAlice to talk about a subject they both enjoy pursuing…unity. What does unity look like and how can we lead with that goal in mind? This is what we explore in this CLP and we hope you are encouraged by it.

Check out The City of Longview: https://www.mylongview.com

Bishop Crenshaw pastors the House of Prayer For All Nations in Longview, Washington. HOPFAN is not one of the largest congregations, but is one of the most well known. A couple years ago, it was discovered that their church building, on 7th Avenue across from Victoria Freeman Park, was structurally unsafe. Local churches and business, under the leadership of then Love INC Director Larry Russell, did a complete remodel of the facility. It was truly beautiful watching the people of God come together for this project. No one was more grateful that Bishop Crenshaw. His congregation is known for their love for God, each other and the lost. We’re sure you will enjoy the honesty and tender heart of Bishop Eddie Crenshaw, one of Longview’s finest!

Check out House of Prayer for All Nations: https://hopfanwa.wixsite.com/hopfan-longview-wa

Chuck Tilton has served as the lead pastor at Father’s House Church in Longview since 2002. Father’s House has a unique history in Cowlitz County in that it was founded when three local congregations merged in 1998. Chuck was serving as Youth Pastor at the time and was later asked to take the Lead Pastor role as Father’s House began to grow. Jeff sits down with Chuck to talk about his passion, to see the church become a healthy, well-rounded place where people can grow in their relationship with God, enjoy the presence of God and invite others in the local community to join them on this journey.

Check out Fathers House Church: https://fathershousechurch.com

Al Fredrich is the Founding Pastor of Calvary Chapel, Longview. He has a huge heart to see Believers thrive in what happens both inside and outside the church. Al has found many ways to reach out into the community and present the Gospel in very practical ways. In this episode of the CitiServe Leadership Podcast, Al talks with Jeff about one of his favorite subjects, the “Calling of God” on a person’s life. He knows where he has come from and attributes much of his focus in ministry to following the leading of the Holy Spirit, empowered by the Word of God.

Check out Calvary Chapel, Longview: https://cclongview.com

Matt Carnahan serves as Director of Love In the Name of Christ, Cowlitz County (Love INC) in Longview, Washington. He has served as a volunteer of the local Love INC since its inception, being mentored under the leadership of Founder, Larry Russell, and brought on as its Director in July of 2021. Matt is one of Cowlitz County’s next-generation leaders who is inspiring innovation and creativity in leadership. He loves to tap into people’s passion for ministry and outreach. In this podcast, he sits down with Jeff to talk about discovering those those passions in yourself and looking for them in others.

Check out Love In the Name of Christ: http://loveinccowlitzwa.com

Leo Pisarchuk is the Founding Pastor of Church of Truth, in Longview, Washington. He and his family immigrated to Washington State from the former Soviet Union in 1995 because of the religious persecution they were experiencing there. Leo quickly felt the Lord calling him into the role of “Pastor” and has continued to lead Church of Truth faithfully ever since. Leo sits down with Jeff to talk about the power of the Word of God to guide His people through times of adversity. His insight and wisdom is inspiring. With everything the local church has experienced this past two years of the Covid-19 Pandemic, the timing of Leo’s words are encouraging for today’s church leaders.

Check out Church of Truth: https://www.longviewchurchoftruth.com

Paul Bricknell, lead pastor at Rivertown Church in Longview, WA, shares his insights into getting the church out of the building and back into their neighborhoods.”The Art of Neighboring” is a beautiful picture of how the Bible encourages us to live our lives. Rivertown Church meets in the C.O.R.E. Health Ascent building on Commerce in downtown Longview. Paul and his congregation have a real heart to minister to young people and those who devote their lives to caring for them. Enjoy!

Check out Rivertown Church: https://www.rivertownlvk.com

In this episode, Scott Olin, Lead Pastor of New Hope City Church, takes a dive into “The Church Led By The Word.” Scott has an authentic and rich love for the Word of God that comes out in every area of his ministry. He strives to understand, experience and be led by the Scriptures as her serves New Hope Church and beyond. Our hope is that enjoy this episode of the CitiServe Leadership Podcast and all that Scott brings to the table as a seasoned leader in the city.

Check out New Hope City Church: http://newhopecitychurch.com

James Dieter is the Lead Pastor at Renewal City Church in Longview, the church that he planted eight years ago. James has a real desire to see the impact of the church move outside the four walls of a building and into the neighborhood of our city and beyond. Jeff sits down with James in this week’s CitiServe Leadership Podcast to talk about “Free-Range Church,” what we can do to stir the hearts of believers to take their faith out into the world with power.

Check out Renewal City Church: https://www.rcclongview.org

This week, Jeff sits down with Mark Schmutz, Lead Pastor at Northlake Church in Longview, to talk about his experience coming to Longview 25 years ago and his “new” adventures participating in global outreaches. Mark has always had a heart for global missions, but has really stepped things up the past couple years. He is a great local resource to help encourage the church to not just support missions, but to actively involves themselves in global outreach.

Check out Northlake Church: https://www.northlake-church.org

Dave Hendrickson is Lead Pastor at Longview Community Church. He took the position in August 2019 and six months later we found ourselves in a full-blown pandemic. This has been a difficult time for any church leader to navigate, let alone someone who is just settling in as a new Lead Pastor. Jeff sits down with Dave to talk about his insights on “Leading Through Transition.” He has a unique experience to draw from and has spent a great deal of time pondering the ideas he has to share. Enjoy!

Check out Longview Community Church: https://www.longviewcommunitychurch.org

In this CitiServe Podcast, Jeff talks with Jerry Chapman of “Drumspeaker to the Nations,” about the Church building bridges with First Nations People. Jerry has traveled the world sharing his insights on honor and embracing diversity to fulfill the mandate for unity in John 17.

Check out Drumspeaker: https://jerrychapmanministries.wordpress.com