PNA Connect 2025 - SOAR. - Part 5
The Pacific Northwest Association of the Church of God gathers annually at rotating host churches. This year we gathered in Spokane at New Horizons Community Church. These conversations are about what we heard and experienced at PNA Connect 2025 and go beyond, listening for God's divine echoes calling to us, reminding of us of who He is and who we are because of Him. The theme this year was SOAR. out of Isaiah 40.
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Hey guys, welcome to another episode of Beyond Sunday podcast. This one is a special edition. Although if you've seen the previous other part one through part uh four, this would not be surprising. Uh but on this one is another episode from PNA Connect. Uh it was a little over a month ago and our PNA family gathered in Spokane [music] at New Horizon Community Church. And so on this episode we have uh Pastor Ryan joining us. [music] Uh so Ryan, how you doing? >> Another day in paradise.
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>> All right, good deal. And then also we have our executive director Frank uh Frank Borst. Frank, how are you doing today? >> All so well, thank you. Good to be a part of the podcast. >> All right, before we dive into the conversation though, take a look at this video. [music] >> [music] >> Heat. [music] Heat. [music] >> [music] [music] >> Heat. Heat. [music] Heat. Heat. [music] [music] [music] [music] >> [music] >> Heat. [music] Heat. >> [music]
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[music] [music] [music] >> All right, welcome back. So, uh, Pastor Ryan Frank, uh, as as you know, we this is a space for us to just talk about what God's still saying. And so, we spent time together. Um, actually, we got to spend an extra amount of time together since we were kind of behind the scenes getting stuff set up. Uh, Ryan, uh, your church, let's let's take a minute on this podcast to just first of all say you hosted so incredibly well. Um, and so we are unbelievably
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grateful for the way that you cared for us and welcomed us in. um not just the the conference as a whole and everybody, but even even beforehand, you took really good care of us as we were getting prepared and uh set up and in the the hectic craziness that is the few days beforehand. So, thank you uh for for loving us well in that way. Um so, this is a space we got to be together. Um you know, the the theme of soore and and what that looks like, but really we want to hear maybe what's still sitting
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for you guys or what's still resonating coming out of there. Um, so who wants to who wants to open up with that? What's something still sitting from connect for you? Well, one of the things that was new to us or [snorts] at least to me because I haven't been uh participating in hosting a conference before. Uh >> there was a tremendous amount of just spiritual nourishment that came out for us as a team and as a church getting the opportunity to serve and and love and and care for other leaders.
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um our church really was encouraged by being able to rally around taking care of other pastors and leaders throughout the district. And so it was something new for us and it gave us a new perspective. our elders have kind of a new take on, oh goodness, there's there's other churches within the district here that we can we can really lock arms with and and share ideas and share resources and and and ask for help if we need help and do our part to contributing to helping others if something comes up for an opportunity in
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a in a variety of ways, whether it's ministry strategy or helping resource things for, you know, needs within their particular communities. And so this was a real eye opener to us as a church because being on the east side, being in Spokane, not having very many Church of God communities around us, um we we have a little bit now, well, I'll just say it, we have definitely an isolationist um uh mindset just by the environment that we're in. And so we hear about stories of, you know, the churches along
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the I5 corridor and different pockets being able to fellowship and meet monthly for lunches. It's just not in our wheelhouse over here with how few uh Church of God families we have within proximity. And so what was nice about this was I think a big takeaway was we know we don't feel like we're alone. >> And and that's [clears throat] that's important for us. And so we don't feel like we're alone. >> Yeah. That's huge. >> That's really good.
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>> Yeah. >> You know, for me, guys, I think uh this is act three of a three-year journey since I've been an executive director and um we set out three years ago to begin to impact the culture here in the PNA and um this collection and to your point, Ryan, this idea of having churches spread out across Washington State as well as, you know, a couple sprinkled in Idaho and and Oregon. we do not have the the um the number the it's it's not condensed like it is in the Midwest for example where the majority
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of our churches are Great Lakes region. So um for us to build this community to build family to get us moving away from a collection of 40 churches to a family of 40 churches really speaks to a change in culture and engagement with with the folks. And so for me, this is this has been uh just a the latest in the three-year journey of moving us in that direction. And what was what was exciting for me was to see >> to see the PNA family come together and and not just attend but but also behave
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like family. So it was really cool to see and you know and and we've we've um this has been the most successful PNA we've had yet. And this concern of of will people come to the east side? Will people come to the east side? you know, um 41% I think of the attendees were were from from the west side, for example, and we had uh uh 160 people who registered for the event. And so we had a lot of people showing up and and even even on the east side, we had um you know, a number of churches who brought
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people in the double digits. San Point Church of God, for example, had 15 people there. So, and we had people come from as far as Bellingham and Port Angeles and and um and Aberdine. if you you know on the west side. So, so it was it was a huge thing and this idea of a journey that God had us on. You know, one of the things that we'll be announcing um on Monday, which will be our annual business meeting, is this idea of what our what our next church versus. And it's really shaped us and guided us as
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we as I reflect on the on the church versus we had these last three years, where this is going, where God is leading us into yet another season of ministry is upon us. And it's an exciting time. PNA connect just an opportunity, one of many that brings us together that way. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think um to and I've said this on another uh episode, but to both of those points, I think connect is an opportunity for us to see in real time the the way that God has brought called us to shift the culture in other spaces.
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So, it's just a reflection of like the the relationships because I know Ryan um like you're you're talking about um >> maybe not having as many churches around you to be able to, you know, grab lunch and and those kinds of things, but I also know that you guys have been kind of a hub for a number of churches over there. Um maybe not able to meet as frequently, but um but also I've been encouraged in the way over just even the last few years um in conversation with you and with Pastor Randy uh hearing the
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relationships that you guys have developed. Um, and so that's kind of like a slow shift, a slow change, but um, that's that's not nothing. Um, and that kind of stuff, the stuff in between the events like Connect is actually what makes Connect feel different than it used to feel. Um, it's it's those things so that when we come together, it's not like, oh yeah, I saw you a year ago. It's like, hey, you know, there's there's something that took place in between. Um and so I yeah I think for me
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that was that was also a big thing was like this feels like family and we're coming together and uh it feels markedly different than it did a number of years ago where it was more like a conference we just showed up for. >> Yeah. I remember one of the observations you made a number of years ago, Shay, was this idea of, you know, wanting to wanting to exercise really good stewardship over connect, right? And so I remember uh at at my ratification at PNA Connect 22 in in at the Fairview Church, um we had a speaker
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come in and the speakers I could see from the budgets, right, with travel and everything else would cost us in the neighborhood of $4 to $6,000. And so, and so this idea of I remember I remember distinctly the conversation you and I had this idea of we have a really lot a lot of really talented people in the PNA family. Why do we need to go out and spend five grand on on an outside speaker? That's not to say we wouldn't necessarily do it again if that's what God leads us to. But as you know, as as
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this latest PNA connect attests, we have a bunch of wonderful leaders and pastors in our district um both both vocational ministry as well as lay leaders who um who have stepped in beautifully and really been vessels for what God wanted to do through us through our through our annual gatherings. >> I was going to say to complement both of those thoughts, yeah, voices from the family for the family. And uh what I have liked is what Shay was talking about is at at New Horizons, we've hosted a few of what we call
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little Northeast connects that we do one or two times a year. And we've done I think we've done three now over the last two years. And the biggest lesson for us at least or one of the things for me is just like any other relationship in life, relationships require intentionality. You've got to make an effort. You have to invest in the relationship. You have to pour something in. And then hopefully there's some reciprocity where the people that are on the other end contribute. And at our
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last little PNA Northeast Connect that we did uh this springtime, 6 months ago, we had three different speakers. They were all from Church of God churches in the Northeast. Somebody talked about this topic. Somebody talked about this topic. Somebody talked about this topic. We're not having people come to our church as a hub to hear what I have to say. It's what's what are voices from the PNA family have to say to contribute to the other voices within the PNA family. And we have learned ourselves
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exactly what both of you were talking about. We've got amazing talented people that have great things that are useful for others to say. And when we make intentions to meet together and to get together, it just builds that family bond. And when we were hosting uh just a month and a half ago, I was seeing my family. I was seeing my friends. I wasn't seeing strangers. >> Yeah, that's so good. >> Yeah, that's a that's a very uh cool call out. uh and one that I don't I
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don't want to miss that here and now that um and even for those who are listening um that doesn't happen everywhere and it's also um uh new and growing. I mean it shouldn't be new but it's new and growing at least in the PNA family that there would be this kind of uh vision and vision for connection and growing and and encouraging one another in the different contexts and spaces we're serving. And uh Ryan, I just want to call out uh in the for you and and and the New Horizon uh church family,
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the uh the ways in which that you loved people and cared for them. Uh even to the details of things that existed in your church uh when when the PNA families coming together. Um, there was such in when you talk about intentionality, there was such intentionality with the big things, hosting the space and making sure everything was working properly and the table set up and the chairs because there was a number of things that needed to be moved around even throughout the weekend from Mon uh Friday through uh
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Sunday. Uh, but to the detail pieces, uh, the things that, um, honestly, uh, bathroom posters hanging it on the wall there in the bathrooms, uh, signs out for the coffee, the stickers, uh, of, uh, Frankie Boy coffee, uh, to just, I mean, the again the the the big things that are, um, obvious to call out and to see, but, also the little things that also speak to the heart of hospitality and care. And and in that space it was in all of those ways I just felt more and more cared for, more and more seen,
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more and more like we were we've been anticipating you and we want you to feel like this is a space that you can feel at home and at ease and um and and gathering with the PNA family and it came across in every in every scope at every space. >> Yep. >> Yeah. So true. So true. >> Thank you for that encouragement. I'll share that with the team. We uh we had a lot of fun and and that's the that's the perk is we had a blast doing it. It was fun >> trying to think through how how can we
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be uh as loving and welcoming as possible. So we're not meeting strangers, we're hanging out with our family. Thank you for that encouragement. I appreciate that. >> Real quick on that subject, um that's one of the other learnings that we've had over PNA Connect these last three years. um you know you and I Shay sat down three years ago and said okay of the 40 odd churches who could even host a PNA connect right >> and so we we put our short list of of of churches together and what we've
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realized particularly all these last three years we were in Centriia the previous two years um I think it's not so much about the venue as it is about the culture in the church and the hospitality muscle that is part of the culture in that church and that's what we've been able to experience I think that's part of what Pina connect so unique and so familyfriendly is this and you know Centria Devon you guys have it as well and so going from these Centria to then to Spokane um and and when I spoke to to
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Matt and Laura Klaus where we'll be at Olympia Lacy next year right it wasn't about the size of the facility it was about yeah you know we we're we're excited to be able to love on on the PNA family like like Spokane and Cria have done so it's pretty cool >> yeah it's so good uh so Uh, one of the the things that we do and Frank you've called out a few different numbers and and stats coming out of connect that uh we receive because we do a survey um at the at the end and uh in looking through
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those results a couple of the my my favorite comments in those um were calling out the fact that the spirit moved and that that it was a place where uh people got to hear from God. And we we had somebody on the the podcast um a gal from my church came and her statement was like, "I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit for the first time in decades." And like that's not that's not nothing. Um and so with that in mind, uh I'm curious, especially because with a group of the four of us that are on
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here, um we're busy that weekend, right? So we're behind the scenes. We're doing all the things. um probably actually more so I'm realizing as I'm looking at you guys um more so than any of the other editions of this this uh podcast that uh we were doing things all weekend. So everybody else maybe had a responsibility or a role and we all had many. Um, and so I'm curious though if there was still something that's resonating, um, something maybe God was speaking to you or something that you
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experienced or heard in that space. Um, that's just that you've kind of taken with you out of that. >> I will say this, um, PNA connect is a journey. It's a journey certainly for the board chair and the executive director, but for the board of directors and the host church as well. And by that I mean um you know gosh guys you know we open up for second at 5:00 on a Friday and by noon on Sunday it's done. Yet another PNA connect has passed. And yet planning for PNA connect begins. It'll
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begin right after the holidays where we'll begin having conversations. We'll be spending time um with God to to figure out what he has for us in in 2026. And I will tell you um in 2025 uh I will ask for his forgiveness that we probably didn't start um sharpening iron sooner because in 2024 it all came to us so quickly. God just put it on a plate for us. Right? So this whole thing around Isaiah 40 and and this also first time that we experienced with scripture. So a takeaway for me is um I
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this one flowed a lot easier than the others did. Now, we had a lot more moving parts in Cria last year with breakout sessions and the like, but I find myself as someone who is very committed to creating the best experience possible, you know, including posters and bathrooms, Ryan. Um, this idea of every touch is important, right? We're we want to create that that opportunity and that requires uh management, that requires oversight. And what I found with this year's PNA connect was uh this there was there was
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already a momentum in the room. People were talking. We didn't have to be proactively trying to get people together. In fact, people asked, you know, a couple comments came back that said it would be great if we could have had more time. I'm not sure how we do even more time because we were at tables this year. So, but anyway, I I think that's been the thing for me is this this PNA connect um came together not because we forced it, not because we managed it, but we planned well and the Holy Spirit
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led the way. >> Yeah, >> I yeah, I completely agree with the management, you know, conversation or how those things contribute to the Holy Spirit being present. I think for me what's what was really fun for us as a team and not just the staff that were here because we had I think 29 registered volunteers that were running the event was that again I feel like I'm I'm on repeat. It opened their eyes. It opened more of our church's eyes that we are >> a kingdom-minded community versus a
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Spokane, Washingtonminded community. and the awareness uh a a big part of breaking out of this isolationist thinking that we have was just seeing other people. And so 30 of our of our key volunteers that are big players throughout the life of the church. And we had more volunteers that came that helped move tables and set stuff up that didn't attend a session. So they weren't registered. But we had more than 50 people that call New Horizons Community Church their home see this and get the
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opportunity to develop a kingdom mindset more so than our little church on the prairie mindset. And so that was a big way that the spirit I think encouraged our community was there was the buzz of this is what happened and then lots of people our you know church community came to church that Sunday morning and saw a bunch of new faces they didn't know and weren't familiar with and got the chance to see the Frank and Shay show from the stage. So that was a lot of fun. But I think I think the spirit
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really moved in our community by giving us a more kingdom mindset versus a community mindset. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. One of the big pieces for me um was the Sunday morning and coming together and worshiping with the New Horizon Community Church family and uh being there and also the connection to you were preaching out of first Peter and this um message of of hope in the in this one on Sunday. And the one that stuck with me and has still stuck with me is that that one of your points was hope is holy. And uh there was something
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too about the weekend that we had together coming in to Sunday and worshiping all together. Many of the PNA family uh stayed and um were gathered together with um with the with the New Horizon church family and and and yeah, just like there >> you're preaching on out of first Peter Peter and and and the hope and and I was like I'm seeing it. I'm actually seeing it in real time. It being lived out, that there is hope in what God is doing. And the idea for me of the hope is holy
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is the um that actually when I um live this out, when I walk this out and have this kind of hope in in in God, that actually there's a there's a righteousness, a holiness that gets to be lived out in the ways that I am showing up in these spaces. And um I I I experience that in in the way of when we get to come together, when we get to see each other and recognize like we're actually family here. Uh not just strangers who uh meet annually, but but friends and family and other places of
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connection, that breeds a level of hope within me uh to okay, there is there is a place that God's called me. There's a community here in Centroia he has called me to uh to serve and to minister to and yet I am a part of the bigger family and like you said Ryan a kingdom family a kingdom mindset so it's much bigger than here and I get to be a part of that and the hope that gets to be infused in spaces like that. >> Yeah. Uh, I think for me also, uh, on Sunday morning, uh, it's it's so cool how God
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works. And Frank, you were just calling this out that part of the, um, part of what you noticed this year, uh, or that maybe was just undeniable was the way that everything was spirit spirit-ledd, spirit directed. Um, >> and one of those things is that I I remember Ryan having a conversation with you. We we consider Sunday morning the last session kind of, right? And so, um, which is great. And, and what's really cool is that then we knew what the sessions on Friday and Saturday were going to look like. And you said, "I'll
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be in First Peter. Is that okay?" And I said, "Yes, absolutely." But without any further conversation, there was still a tie-in and a connection because one of the things that you talked about on Sunday morning, Ryan, uh out of out of first Peter and this idea of hope that uh has just stuck with me, and I don't I don't know the wording that you use, but essentially that hope isn't something we manufacture. You talked about hope being something that like this is something
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the spirit God is going to give to us and it's not my job with hope and joy both. I know you were talking about, but in light of listening the day before to uh Matt and Laura talk about abiding and and so as I'm sitting there and I'm hearing you, I think so often, at least for myself, it's this idea of like, okay, I have to choose to have hope, which makes it something I'm creating for myself. Like, okay, whatever my circumstances, I'll still have hope. and that the reminder from you of like
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actually if I'm abiding and if I'm remaining in the presence that hope is something God's giving and that comes through through him through his presence. Um and so that was powerful both because that's a good reminder. Um but also because it was cool for me as as uh somebody on the team putting this all together to to be reminded that like the spirit's covering all of this. Um, and the way that you just happened to be in a First Peter series where you were going to talk about hope um to wrap up a
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weekend where we're talking about those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. Like um that's the kind of thing that we didn't have a hand in. We didn't plan. We we didn't tell you what to do um or what what to preach on. Uh but God knew how to kind of wrap that up in a way that um was a a word that was important to hear at the end of that. And so that was really cool. >> Yeah. Can I make a shameful plug before we we finish with our time together? >> Well, I would expect nothing less from
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you. >> Thank you. Thank [laughter] you, Shay. Um, I will say this is, you know, uh, we realize that not everybody can get to Peanut Connect. And so, we we've got into this ribbon rhythm where we live stream live the Friday night session, which we typically refer to as the family session, right? Where we celebrate ordinations and things of that nature, our leadership team and so forth. And we also then do live stream for the last session which is the Sunday morning session. Um we are in the habit
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now of creating what we call the PNA connect toolbox. And I just want to let your listeners know that within the next couple weeks certainly by December 1, we'll have that the toolbox available which will have all the presentations in it all of the videos in it um the speakers all that stuff will be in there. So for those of you who did miss or want to revisit another presentation again, we'll have that available for you and it'll be on the website under PNA connect under events. So we'll have that
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available. Yeah, it's good. >> Nice. Nice plug, Frank. Good job. [laughter] >> Yeah. Well, and um and thank you for being with us. Uh [music] Frank, uh thank you for your leadership um and joining us on this one. Ryan, thank you for hosting and your church and your church leadership. Um and thank you uh in your just your leadership with MPNA and your voice in the places that um that that you are um an encouragement and inspiration. And so I I thank you for the ways you show up and the
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presence. Um, thanks for joining us on on this uh Beyond Sunday podcast, PNA Connect Edition. I love the PNA Connect because it's a it's a chance to reconnect and connect and hear stories of what God's been doing around our PNA family. And it's good to be here. >> [music] >> I love the PNA Connect because the relationships that are represented here and just the collaboration and camaraderie of the leaders in our district. [music] >> I love the PNA Connect because one, free
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coffee. >> M way to go, New Horizons. >> I think it's important because [music] um it's an opportunity for us to connect with other pastors and for us to know that we're not alone in this wonderful [music] work that we get to do. And um it's just a great time to connect with other folks. >> [music] >> PNA [music] Connect is important because not only is it a space for us to come to to say hi to people we haven't seen in a while to build connection, but it's also
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the place that we get to come and hear collectively from God for what he's doing already, the way the kingdom is already breaking through in our district and for what he's inviting us into going forward. I love the PNA connect because it's an awesome opportunity to reignite our plans as ministry leaders and connect as a family to get ready for the year ahead. I love the PNA Connect because I love connecting with other people. >> I love the PNA Connect because it's [music] a great way to connect with
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other churches in the area as well as other churches that are farther away that we don't always get to communicate with. I love the PNA connect because it is a time to connect with fellow pastors and ministry leaders and to just pause, reflect, and be [music] inspired to continue on the work of the ministry for the sake of the kingdom. We love [music] boy coffee. Woohoo [music] [music] as they go back to their respective locations and regions. Father God, I thank you Lord that they Lord God
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will expel darkness in that area because they are the carriers of your glory in the mighty name of Jesus.
