About this episode

Pastor Bobby Pell interviews elders Carey Bockting, Ivan McDonald, and James Sanders about their faith journeys and the future of NorthWoods Church.

In this special episode of the NorthWoods Church Matters Podcast, Pastor Bobby Pell sits down with elders Carey Bockting, Ivan McDonald, and James Sanders for an honest conversation about faith, family, leadership, and the life of the church. From growing up in Southern Illinois, Newburgh, and Darmstadt to finding their way to NorthWoods, each elder shares the story God has written in his life and the path that led him to serve the congregation. Along the way, they discuss everything from cycling, gardening, and technology projects to the joys and challenges of family life. The conversation also explores what excites them most about the future of NorthWoods, including the church's growing outreach to international communities and the Deaf community, as well as the many ways they see God at work among the people of the church.

People in this episode

Host: Bobby Pell

Guests: Carey Bockting, Ivan McDonald, James Sanders

Topics covered

• faith
• family
• leadership
• church life
• community outreach
• personal stories

Keywords

• NorthWoods Church
• elders
• faith
• leadership
• community
• outreach
• family life
• personal stories

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: NorthWoods Church

Places: Southern Illinois, Newburgh, Darmstadt

More episodes of NorthWoods Church Matters

• Ep 275 | Meet our New Discipleship Pastor · July 16, 2026 · 34 min
• Ep 274 | The Impact of a prayerful Invite to VBS · July 14, 2026 · 31 min
• Ep 273 | Who can baptize? · June 29, 2026 · 37 min
• Ep 272 | Following Up on the SBC Annual Meeting · June 17, 2026 · 32 min

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