Hosts Dr. Dee stokes and Dwight Zscheile welcome church planter of North City Church, JD Larson.
It’s time to Pivot! In episode seven of season four, our hosts Dr. Dee stokes and Dwight Zscheile welcome this weeks special guest, Church Planter and Co-Lead Pastor of North City Church, JD Larson.
In todays episode, we explore a few questions around JD and his work.
How do dinner church gatherings work? What happens?
What theological commitments underlie dinner church?
What are you learning? What are some challenges and opportunities you’re facing?
J.D. Larson is Coordinator of Community Development for Dinner Church Collective with Fresh Expressions. He and his wife, ChristianAnn, co-pastor a Dinner Church called North City Church in Minneapolis. North City is currently working to open a second Dinner Church and has helped other churches in their area. J.D. previously served as an Executive Pastor at Mill City Church and graduated from Bethel Seminary with a M.Div. He and his wife have three kids and a springer spaniel who all love the outdoors and good food.
Dwight Zscheile is Vice President of Innovation and Professor of Congregational Mission and Leadership at Luther Seminary. He has authored or co-authored several books, including Leading Faithful Innovation: Following God into a Hopeful Future, The Agile Church: Spirit-Led Innovation in an Uncertain Age, and The Missional Church in Perspective: Mapping Trends and Shaping the Conversation.
A graduate of Stanford University (BA), Yale University (MDiv) and Luther Seminary (PhD, Congregational Mission and Leadership), Dwight previously served congregations in Minnesota, Virginia and Connecticut. Dwight’s experience growing up in a secular home in California has shaped his commitment to helping the church cultivate Christian community with neighbors in today’s changing world.
Dr. Dee Stokes is a lover of Jesus and strives to love others like Jesus does and see them as they are in the image of God. She also loves deep conversations, and Dr. Dee Stokes is an entrepreneurial minister, educator, consultant, and program builder. In each of her diverse branches of work, she aims to repurpose organizations and support influential people who change the world and live out the Gospel.
Dr. Stokes serves as the Teaching Pastor at Christ Wesleyan Church in Greensboro, North Carolina; as the Director of Multicultural Ministry for the NC East District of The Wesleyan Church; as the President and CEO of her own non-profit ministry; and as the Director of the Seeds Project for Luther Seminary's Faith+Lead innovation team. She holds multiple degrees with focuses ranging from Educational Leadership (Ed.S. & Ed.D.) to Biblical and Theological Foundations (MBTF), and is a dedicated and devoted follower of Jesus whose deepest wish is for everyone to experience the Gospel in their lives!
