Episode 06 — When God Replants Your Life with Kristen Friend

What if the place you were trying to leave was the very place God was calling you to help transform? In this episode of the Rise Up Podcast, Jason and Nate sit down with Kristen Friend, Executive Director of Ministry at Rise, to talk about how a casual stop at Stomping Grounds turned into a Spirit-led redirection, a family mission, and a life fully poured out for the gospel in Gresham.

Kristen shares the honest story of coming from a deeply rooted church community on the west side, sensing the Holy Spirit in an ordinary coffee shop, and stepping into a tiny young church that her husband knew was “it” before she did. She also opens up about the family vision that once pulled them toward Wyoming, the season away that exposed deeper fears, and the moment God made it clear that the place they were looking for was heaven—not a perfect place on earth.

Then the conversation moves into mission, legacy, and what it means to build a church for generations you may never meet. Kristen reflects on raising a family on mission, why ministry joy outweighs ministry difficulty, and how the Pacific Northwest has forged a unique unity among churches that know the gospel is too urgent for petty division. If you’ve ever wrestled with discontent, wondered whether you’re in the right place, or needed fresh courage to take the next faithful step, this episode will help you lift your eyes and see the bigger story God is writing.

Challenge: Are you chasing the perfect place, the perfect life, or the perfect circumstances? Ask God to show you where He has already planted you—and what it would look like to stop searching for heaven somewhere else and start bringing its hope right where you are.

Episode 05 — Rewriting the Story of the Next Generation

What if the future of your city is being shaped right now—in a kids hallway, in a classroom, in the quiet courage of a leader who almost said no? In this episode of the Rise Up Podcast, Jason sits down with Kids Ministry Director Marisa Brown (with Jordan jumping in) to explore the calling, cost, and conviction behind next-gen ministry at Rise.

Marisa shares how her family first came to Rise in a season of heartbreak, loneliness, and loss—and how an unexpected encounter with the Holy Spirit met her before she even had language for it. From feeling overwhelmed by “church culture” to stepping into serving, then leadership, you’ll hear how God often builds calling the same way He builds faith: invitation after invitation, one brave yes at a time.

This conversation goes deeper than “kids ministry strategies.” It’s about legacy. It’s about rewriting generational stories. Marisa opens up about a messy upbringing and the few stable adults who changed everything—fueling her burden to know kids by name, to love them well, and to become the kind of steady presence that can reshape a life. And in one of the most practical takeaways of the series, she distills the “secret sauce” of next-gen ministry into a single word: connection—because kids don’t just learn Jesus through information, they trust Him through relationships.

Challenge: Who was the steady presence God used in your story—and who might He be calling you to become for someone else? Spend time with Jesus, listen for the quiet invitation, and take the brave next step—because what feels small today could become someone’s foundation tomorrow.

What if the place you’ve written off is the very place God is still writing a story? In this episode of the Rise Up Podcast, Jason and Nate sit down with Alex Lessler, lead pastor of Willamette Christian Church, to talk about growing up in Gresham, watching it change over decades, and discovering that cities—like people—have seasons of promise, disappointment, and renewal.

Alex shares stories from his childhood in Gresham, the economic optimism of the early ’90s, and the deep nostalgia of a city that once felt “up and coming.” From café discipleship that awakened his calling to prayer gatherings contending for revival, what unfolds is a powerful reminder that we are often links in a longer chain, standing on the shoulders of those who prayed before us.

Then the focus widens to the church in the Portland metro—unity across denominations, a rising spiritual hunger, and why hard ground may actually be fertile soil for the gospel. If you’ve ever wondered whether your city is too far gone, your prayers too delayed, or your role too small, this episode will renew your perspective and strengthen your faith.

What if the thing you’re chasing—purpose, clarity, fulfillment—is actually the doorway God uses to lead you to Himself? In Episode 2 of the Rise Up Podcast, we sit down with Kassie Cox to talk about her journey from never imagining she’d be a Christian to helping shape the Discipleship Pathway at Rise.

Kassie shares the honest behind-the-scenes of coming to church post-COVID as a tired mom, feeling out of place, and being drawn back—through something as simple as her daughter loving kids ministry. From anxiety-filled hotel rooms to slow, question-filled faith, you’ll hear how God often meets us through relationship first, then reshapes everything: identity, calling, and the way we see work, family, and purpose.

Then the conversation turns to this cultural moment: why discipleship has to speak to a region that’s not just post-Christian, but increasingly pre-Christian—and how the Pathway exists to help people know where they are, what’s next, and how faith moves from belief into practice.

What really goes into building a church that’s trying to saturate a city with the gospel—beyond what you see on a Sunday? In the very first episode of the Rise Up Podcast, Nate sits down with Lead Pastor Jason and Youth Pastor Jordan to pull back the curtain on the conversations, risks, and small steps of obedience that shaped Rise from the beginning.

You’ll hear the origin stories (Chick-fil-ationships, Dairy Queen blizzards, & trial church services), but this episode quickly moves deeper: how God guides people through peace, provision, and prophetic pictures lead us to take the "next right step.”

Together they reflect on what makes ministry in the Portland metro uniquely challenging—and uniquely fruitful in this cultural moment in time. If you’ve ever wondered how vision becomes a movement, how discipleship becomes a lifestyle, and how ordinary people become everyday missionaries in their own city, this episode will help you see it—and step into it.