To Be The Church
Religion & Spirituality
About
Each Friday, a few NGC pastors Andrew, Tyler, and Ben host a podcast about theology, the Christian life, and what it looks like ‘to be the church’ together.
Episodes
- 518. Men, Time To Wake Up
Sign up: nwgospel.com/mensretreat Passivity in men doesn’t just affect men individually — it shapes families, churches, and entire communities. In this episode, the guys talk about the danger of passive men, why biblical discipleship for m…
- 499. The 4 C's of Christian Leadership
This week on the podcast, Ben and Stephen Collins discuss the 4 C's of Christian leadership. The roles and qualifications of Elder & Deacon, as well how this relates to even Christians not currently in Church Leadership. Contact us at podc…
- 519. I Feel Invisible At Church
What does it actually look like for pastors to shepherd people in a large church? In this episode, the guys respond to a listener question about church membership, shepherding elders, accountability, and the tension between the ideal of bi…
- 517. Can Women Be Pastors? What Does That Mean?
In this episode of To Be The Church, we tackle a listener-submitted question on women serving as pastors/elders and their role in the church. What does 1 Timothy 2 actually teach? Is Paul addressing a specific cultural moment, or laying ou…
- 516. Baptism, Membership, Communion: Why They Matter
In this episode, we unpack the purpose behind our annual Gospel Church series and why we take time each year to focus on what the church is and what it does. We walk through three core topics—baptism, church membership, and communion—and e…
- 515. Should Your Pastor Be Your Therapist?
What should church members expect from their pastors when it comes to counseling? And where is the line between pastoral care and professional help? In this episode, the team discusses the launch of a new Biblical Counseling Ministry and u…
- 514. How To Go To Church (On Easter and Always)
Easter is one of the biggest Sundays of the year—but how should we actually approach it? In this episode, we talk about how to “be the church” during Holy Week: praying with intention, rejecting a consumer mindset, and stepping into the mi…
- 513. The Not So Normal Church
What does it mean to be a normal church? In this episode, we react to a song about churches trying to be something they’re not and talk about why faithfulness matters more than image. Email: Podcast@tobethechurch.com
- 512. How Expository Preachers Break Down a Book of the Bible
expository preaching, preaching, bible preaching, sermon preparation, preaching through the bible, expositional preaching, pastoral ministry, sermon writing, bible study, church leadership, preaching the word, bible teaching, christian pod…
- 511. Pastors With Day Jobs: Serving as a Volunteer Elder
What does it look like to pastor a church while holding a full-time job? In this episode of To Be the Church, Andrew sits down with Gavin Hesse, a longtime marketplace elder at Northwest Gospel Church. Gavin works in the automotive electro…
- 510. The Church in 2056
What will the church be like 30 years from now? In this episode, we look ahead to 2056 and ask a serious question: What do we hope Northwest Gospel Church is known for when we’re long gone? We talk about preaching the whole Bible, staying…
- 509. Volunteer Pastors: The Role Marketplace Elders Play
In this episode of To Be the Church, Andrew sits down with John Dombroski, a marketplace elder at Northwest Gospel Church, to talk about what it means to pastor people while holding a full-time job. They cover calling, plurality and mutual…
- 508. Loving the People Who Cheer for the Wrong Team
TBTC merch available now: tobethechurch.com Andrew watched his least favorite team win the Super Bowl — surrounded by die-hard fans of that team. What happened next surprised him. In this episode, the guys talk about rivalry, fandom, and w…
- 507. Current Events in Church On Sunday
In this episode of To Be The Church, the pastors respond to a listener’s question about current events, politics, and the pulpit. How do pastors decide when—or if—they should pray about or address cultural moments during a Sunday gathering…
- 506. Context, Genre, and Reading the Bible Faithfully
In this episode of To Be the Church, we talk about why context and genre matter when interpreting Scripture. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible includes historical narrative, poetry, wisdom literature, letters, and apocalyptic imagery—a…
- 505. Christian Myths & Hobbyhorses
The apostle Paul warns Timothy to avoid “irreverent, silly myths” and instead train for godliness. But what do those myths look like today? In this episode of To Be the Church, we talk about Christian myths and theological hobbyhorses — fr…
- 504. Your Pastor Gets Paid?
In this episode of the To Be the Church Podcast, we respond to a thoughtful listener question: How do churches determine salary ranges when hiring staff? Unlike many industries with clear deliverables and sales metrics, church roles often…
- 503. Evangelism Isn’t the Problem... We Are
We’re back. Not with a reset episode, not with resolutions—but with a real conversation. This episode wrestles with evangelism as it actually exists for pastors and everyday Christians: fear, hesitation, prayer, relational tension, transfe…
- 502. Why Conflict Isn’t Always Bad for the Church
Ben welcomes new co-host Jonathan Wallace to talk about conflict in the church—why it’s inevitable and how God uses it for growth and unity. With 25 years of ministry experience, Jonathan shares practical wisdom on slowing down, naming dif…
- 501. The Christian Idolizing Entertainment
Entertainment isn’t neutral—it disciples us. In this episode, Kenan and Stephen explore how movies, sports, social media, and even fitness can move from hobbies to heart-level idols. They discuss the subtle ways Christians trade worship fo…
- 500. Parents Who Make Kids Sports Their Top Priority
Trevor and Tyler sit down to talk about a growing challenge in many churches: families prioritizing youth sports over church gatherings, community groups, and spiritual development. Trevor asks Tyler how pastors and leaders can faithfully…
- 498. Planting a Church in Portland, Oregon?
What does it really take to plant a church? In this episode, Ben sits down with John Seabert (who planted what’s now NGC Battleground) and Ryan McDonald (our church planter in residence, preparing to plant in Portland). John shares the sto…
- 497. After Charlie Kirk’s Death: How Should the Church Respond?
In this episode of To Be the Church, Tyler and Andrew are joined by Pastor Jon, the lead pastor of NGC Battle Ground) to process a heavy week. They discuss the reported assassination of Charlie Kirk, how our five churches addressed it on S…
- 496. Restful Habits: What a Sabbatical Can Teach Us
In this episode, Ben sits down with Kenan, the Lead Pastor at NGC Westside, to talk about his recent sabbatical. Kenan shares what the time away taught him about himself, the importance of stepping back, and how to build lasting habits of…
- 495. When the Holy Spirit Wrecks Your Set List
Andrew, Tyler, and Ben respond to a Facebook post about what it means to be a Spirit-led church. Is there room for spontaneity in gathered worship? How should churches think about planning while staying sensitive to the leading of the Holy…
- 494. Jesus’ Body Wasn’t Broken
A listener asked why we sometimes say Jesus’ body was “broken” when Scripture says otherwise. Ben and Tyler start there, but the conversation quickly opens up into a bigger question: how precise should we be with our language in the church…
- 493. A Call to Gospel Men
Andrew and Tyler introduce Gospel Men, a new monthly breakfast gathering designed to encourage and equip men to live with Gospel clarity and conviction. Rooted in the heart of Titus 2, this ministry aims to foster multi-generational discip…
- 492. What We Wish We Knew Before Going into Ministry
In this episode, Tyler peppers Ben with rapid-fire questions about life in ministry—what it’s really like, how to know if you're called, and what we wish someone had told us at the beginning. Whether you’re finishing an internship or just…
- 491. What Chick-fil-A Can Teach You About Leadership
This week, Andrew sits down with Eastside Youth Pastor Jacob to explore what one of America’s most iconic fast food chains can teach us about leadership in the church and beyond. Drawing from Jacob’s years at Chick-fil-A, they unpack pract…
- 490. Our Church Doesn't Have Community for You
Andrew is joined by two special guests for a candid conversation about what church community really is—and what it isn’t. Centered on a thought-provoking tweet from Seth Trout, they explore why community isn’t something a church can simply…
- 489. Why Weekly Communion? And Other Questions About Our Liturgy
This week, Andrew and Tyler answer some questions we’ve gotten about our Sunday liturgy. Why do we take communion every week—but skip it on baptism Sundays? Why do we say “Thanks be to God” after the Bible reading? How did it originate and…
- 488. Why Did Jesus Tell Demons to Shut Up?
This week on To Be The Church, Ben is joined by Trevor (Associate Minister at NGC Battle Ground) and Stephen (Local Lead Pastor at NGC Summit View) to explore a fascinating moment in the Gospel of Mark—when Jesus repeatedly tells demons to…
- 487. Baptism and the Holy Spirit: What's the Connection?
Today we're following up on last week's baptism episode by addressing a listener question: What is the relationship between baptism and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit? The team reads from Acts 2:38 and Acts 19:1–7, discusses different t…
- 486. Baptism: A Hill to Die On?
In this episode, Tyler, Ben, and Andrew dive into the topic of baptism and ask the question: Is this a hill to die on? They explore the role of baptism in the life of the church, where it falls in the framework of theological triage, and w…
- 485. Everyone’s Playing—Should Christians Be?
We all play video games—but is that a problem? In this episode, we talk about how gaming fits (or doesn’t fit) into the life of a Christian. Is it just a hobby, or could it be something deeper? Something harmful? Join us as we explore the…
- 484. We’ve Got Some Explaining to Do…
We’ve been gone for a minute… okay, more like six weeks. In this episode of To Be The Church, we explain why the podcast went dark for a bit, what we’ve been working on behind the scenes, and why we’re filming from a brand new set. (Spoile…
- 483. Are Lent and Ash Wednesday Biblical?
A listener asks why NGC doesn’t observe Ash Wednesday or Lent, given their background in a church that did. In this episode, we discuss how we approach the church calendar—using it when helpful but not feeling bound by tradition. Is Lent s…
- 482. Preaching to Pastors vs. Preaching to the Church
This week, Andrew and Tyler discuss their time at the Church Ventures conference, where Andrew preached to a room full of pastors. They explore the differences between preparing a sermon for pastors versus a typical congregation, the uniqu…
- 481. No Gospel at All: When Hymns Turn Secular
It’s time for another round of Lyrical Analysis! This week, a listener sent in some wild hymn rewrites from an album called Reclaimed Hymns for Former Church Kids—where classic church songs get a secular, anti-religious twist. The guys bre…
- 480. Do We Care What Songwriters Say, or Just What They Sing?
In this episode, Andrew, Tyler, and Ben dive into the question: Should church leaders be concerned with the personal beliefs and statements of worship songwriters, or just the lyrics we sing on Sundays? They also explore how this applies t…
- 479. Did Jesus Show Up At Jericho?
This week, the guys dive into the encounter between Joshua and the Commander of the Lord’s Army in Joshua 5 and 6. Was this a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus, or an embodiment of God's divine presence? Contact us at podcast@tobethechurch…
- 478. How Not to Misuse Old Testament Texts in Preaching & Music
Snowed in? No problem. This week, the guys jump on Zoom to tackle an important topic: how to handle Old Testament passages with care—both in preaching and in musical worship songs. Haven't watched us on youtube. Head to youtube.com/tobethe…
- 477. Religion in America: Donald Trump & Bishop Budde's "Plea"
Today on TBTC, the guys discuss Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde's plea to President Donald Trump during a national interfaith prayer gathering earlier this week, the recent history of the Episcopal Church & prominent religious leaders within po…
- 476. Preaching The Old Testament Correctly
At The Family of Churches, we began teaching through the book of Joshua. Andrew and Ben talk about how Northwest Gospel and the other preachers will be approaching this Old Testament Historical Narrative, as well as how to handle most of t…
- 475. Today is Quitter's Day: New Years Resolutions at TBTC
Today is Quitter's Day. Have you kept up with your New Year's resolutions? If you have, what are yours? Today, the guys talk about their personal New Year resolutions as well as a quote one of the local lead pastors shared with them on God…
- 474. Married Christians Commanded To Have Children
Are Christians who are married commanded to have children? Is waiting a sin? Can a married couple be obedient and not have children? Ben, Tyler, and Andrew dive deep into this question. Contact us at podcast@tobethechurch.com Social Media:…
- 473. What Does My Pastor Do All Day?!
What does the day in the life of a pastor look like? This week, Andrew, Ben, and Tyler discuss their average week as full-time lead and executive pastors. Contact us at podcast@tobethechurch.com Social Media: Instagram.com/tobethechurch fa…
- 472. How To Do Youth Ministry In A Very Large Church
Tim Keller wrote an article in 2010 on church-size dynamics. Does the size of your church change the way you do youth ministry? Should a youth group function as a church within a church? How much time should a youth pastor spend with each…
- 471. Business Practices In The Church
Should the local church be run like a business? How can a Pastor and leadership learn and lean on general business practices? Andrew and Ben discuss a book Andrew read recently and how it influences how he leads the church. Contact us at p…
- 470. Abortion and Cultural Conversation
Andrew is joined by guest Cody Wisenbaker to talk about abortion and cultural conversations. How should Christians engage the culture in a meaningful way that doesn't devolve into shouting? They talk through both the local and global level…