Transcription
And so I've got this dream that there would be Daniels and Joseph's and Danielas and Josephins. They would be raised up and launched into places to partner with Kings to see culture reformed, culture shifted. But the way we do that is not through these eerie fairy-like big ideas, but it's through people. It's through dads with two kids that have their lives changed. It's through moms that have five kids that come in and they get transformed internally. It's through high school students that come through and they say, "I want God in my vocation," and they are touched by God on the ground, and a moment creates a movement. That's the dream for me.
Well, welcome everyone. This is our final episode of the Bethel College Roundtable. We had our first one with Bill and Chris, and then we had our next one with the directors, and this one's extra special. This, I get to sit with the students from our schools that their lives have been transformed by being part of this college. And you know, you can hear a vision from me, you can hear a vision from our leaders, but a story tells a thousand words. And I'm so excited that you get to hear from people that have been on the ground with us and what God, God has done in their lives.
So, with us, I've got Nick. He's a graduate from Bethel School of Technology. He's joining us from Kentucky. Nick, good to see you. Great to see you. Thanks for having me on. And we've got Chandra, and she's graduated Bethel School of Music, Vancouver, Washington. Woohoo! And Avery, love your hair, Avery, who's a current student at the Bethel Conservatory of Art, and she's living here in Reading, California. Thank you so much for jumping online with us. What a privilege to have you, and I'm so excited for the world to hear your story.
So, I'm going to start with Nick. So, Nick, I'd love you to share a little bit. You, you, of your journey of applying for Bethel School of Technology. Where, where are you from? My understanding, you were a chemistry teacher, and you went on a journey of dreaming and applying to the school. So, take us on the story. Tell us a little bit about the journey.
Yeah, so I taught chemistry as a high school chemistry teacher for six years. But my wife had a dream to stay home, uh, with our kids and raise our kids. And, uh, as a teacher, we just didn't know how we were going to do that. So we started to pray about it and see, you know, what the options would be for me. And I just felt a little lost. I didn't know what, uh, to do, how to make that happen. So, um, I actually, um, I'm a longtime fan of Dave Ramsey, started watching the Ken Coleman show, career expert, Ken Coleman. And, um, I heard him mention Bethel School of Technology. My wife was sitting right next to me, and we listened to it. And it was a coding boot camp, and he gave a little talk about it. And she said, "Well, why can't you do that?" And I said, "Well, I think I can." So I called in, um, I actually signed up, I believe, that day. Um, and in two weeks, I started in the next cohort. So it was really good timing. Um, I attended Bethel while I was working as a teacher and graduated in June of 2023.
That's epic. So, while you're a teacher, you're doing the course? Yeah. It, um, so I worked, um, 7:30 to 2:30 as a teacher, and then, uh, in the afternoon and evening, I, uh, did the program.
I love that. So now I want to get into the juicy part. Um, you know, I want to find that the glory in the story. Tell me, during the journey, um, what were some of the most transformative pieces? Like, what, what, what did God do? What were some of the moments where you think back, you're like, "Wow, there was a transformation moment for me?"
Well, I think at the very beginning of the program, uh, it was the hardest for me because right when you start, um, you know, you've never done this before, you don't have any experience, and things are very difficult. And you, you start to doubt yourself a little bit, and you question your faith a little bit. Like, "Am I smart enough to do this? Do I have what it takes? Am I going to let my wife down? This is her dream, and I, you know, I want to make it happen." And I started having some of these thoughts at the beginning as the curriculum was a little bit difficult for me. But what they do is, right at the beginning, they have you read a book, "The Supernatural Ways of Royalty" by Kris Vallotton. And it was absolutely perfect timing for me because it just switched my mindset right at the beginning of the program. And it, and they knew that it was perfectly placed, um, right there. And it, it just, I don't know, it was really, really, really, um, I, I would say it was the turning point for me about two or three weeks in, where I just stopped doubting myself, I started trusting God, and things just kind of started going uphill for me. And the, um, not only the book, but the, the teachings that went along with it were, um, very big for me.
Come on! I love that you said it was that was the turning point for you. How crazy, you came to do a tech school, but the turning point for you was a spiritual, a journey, a spiritual moment that God filled you with hope to like actually push through. That's the dream. Tell me, um, what does your wife think? What did your wife think about, you know, was she nervous? Was like, what, what did your wife think about it? And then when you finished, what, what's, what's the impact on your family?
She was less nervous than me. She, she's always had faith in me more so than I've had in myself. So that's been a really, really big blessing. Um, but I, I would say, um, it, it's just had a massive impact on our lives in general. Um, for instance, we were, I was teaching, she was teaching. Now, uh, I work from home. I get to spend a lot of time with my family. We are actually able to move because I work remotely. We, we weren't around any family at all, and we moved, um, to Kentucky, not necessarily for work, but we're near our family. And, um, it was just an absolute blessing being able to do that. And it's just kind of changed the, changed the way that we live. Um, we no longer, um, are teachers. I'm working as a software engineer remotely from home. I get to see my family all the time, and I'm in the same neighborhood as a lot of my other family members. So it's just, it's just been awesome that I, uh, was able to do that after the program.
Oh, that's epic. So you're working remotely, software engineer at home. Uh, your wife doesn't have to, did you say your wife's not working? Yeah, she is not. That's amazing. And you get to spend more time with your kids. That's the dream. Um, something we love to do at Bethel College is to prepare people for the workplace, for, or for the, the unique environment that they're being launched into. How did you feel like, uh, this prepared you?
Um, I was lucky enough to join a company that used, um, many of the same technologies that I learned at Bethel. And not only that, even if you joined a company that didn't use the same technologies, um, they, you learn the fundamentals that really equip you for the workplace. And not only that, um, the spiritual side of the program offers so much more than just learning about technology because it's not, that's not really why, um, you're being hired to do what you do. You, you're more than the technology is, and you can bring more to the workplace than just that. But, um, and so that's how I feel about it. But I, I was fortunate enough to join a company that used a lot of the things that I worked with at Bethel, and it made a fairly smooth transition for me, and I, um, very much appreciate that.
That's epic, Nick. I love that. It's like, you said, it, I didn't have to say it. When people look to hire, they're not actually looking specifically at all the skills. They're looking at the person. They're looking at the character. You know, I've hired and fired a bunch of people, and if anyone listening has ever done that, when you've got someone in front of you, you're not so much looking, um, at if you got someone that has an A+ character and a C-level skill, or someone who has a D character and a, a skill. Every time, you're going to take the person that you trust. And I just love, like, I love seeing people like you guys just excel. And, uh, it's just my dream, dream to see our students come up, their character get touched by the presence of God, transformed, and then launched into the workplace. And we're so proud of you, Nick. We're so proud.
I've got to ask, you know, are you earning more than you were when you're a teacher?
Uh, yes, I am. Um, yes, I am. Um, it was, it was a real blessing going into this, uh, position because it allowed my wife to, um, quit her job and spend time raising the kids, and that was our ultimate goal. And it's something that I love to do as well. So that's just an added bonus.
Come on! That's awesome, Nick. We're so proud of you. So proud of you. Okay, Avery. Avery, uh, I know your story is a little bit different. You joined the Conservatory of Arts right out of high school, okay? And, uh, uh, I'm just interested to hear, what was the journey of you thinking, "I want to be part of the arts," but I don't want to just go to any institute. I want to go to an institute that prizes the presence of God. What was the journey?
Yeah, um, at the time, I was in a high school where, uh, for Fine Arts, where I was in for musical theater and theater and dance. And so that's what I was doing in high school. Um, and since I was really little, I've always been very connected to music and theater and, um, just entertainment in general. I love to dance and sing. And so, um, yeah, whenever my mom told me, cuz she was really connected to Bethel, whenever she told me that they had a school for creatives, I was like, "I got chills," and I was like, "I think I have to go there." Um, but yeah, it, I, I knew that I needed some sort of a buffer kind of before I went into the world of entertainment. And I just needed, like, restoration, really, from the high school that I went to, cuz it was really hard being there, for me, just spiritually, um, but also emotionally, it was really draining a lot of the time. So, um, I was like, "I need something where I can be filled up in the spirit, but also learn how to learn more of how to be an actor and how to live and work in that environment."
I love it. So yeah, I love it, Avery. And we're so honored that, uh, straight out of high school, you're like, "This is where I want to be." And what a privilege to have you, and you're full of fire, and I love that. I'm going to ask you a couple more questions a little later. So Chandra, you've been in ministry for several years, leading worship. You, I've, you've come to many Bethel conferences, but when the Bethel School of Music came on, you were like, "I have to be part of that." And, uh, you've been one of the standout stars of the school. Mom of five, but just one of the standout students. Um, I hear your name with our instructors. You won an award recently with us. Um, talk to us, talk to us a little bit about why did you choose to come?
Oh, man. Well, I have grown up in the church. I've grown up in, um, worship. My dad was a worship leader, and so that's kind of all I've known for a long time. And my husband and I got married young because having five kids. I'm 40 now. Now, um, I graduated high school, became a mom, and got married. And I still did worship at my local church for many years, and led, um, in all kinds of different ways, led groups of women, led groups of men. But I, I knew that I knew that there was more for me. And I had always had this insecurity, kind of these lies that I believed, that I, I didn't know enough because I didn't go to college right out of high school, somewhere in some kind of form. Um, but it just never felt right. Like, I, I just never felt like it had aligned with where my season was. And so, um, of course, being in the church world and in the worship culture, even here in the Northwest, we're not far from Redding. And so, in Bethel Music, I know the label songs began to kind of just flow out of the house of Bethel. Of course, we were leading those songs. And so I found out more and more about you guys, and there was just this culture that I was drawn to that I wanted to be able to bring here to the Northwest. And so I got an email randomly. I'll never forget it. I was sitting on my porch. I, my daughter, my youngest, was, I think, five at the time. And it, it said something like, "Apply here." And I remember just praying and going, "Okay, Lord, I don't know how I'm going to pay for this. I don't know how I'm going to do this. I work full-time in ministry. I have five children that I was part-time homeschooling at the time, too." And I said, "You're going to have to, you're going to have to do this. You're going to have to show up." And I pushed the button, and it just was door after door after door, and God just met me in so many ways. And so the college, it's not just a certificate. It's just, you know, it was my pastoring heart was always there, but there was something about the school that it came alongside of what God was already doing and met, met that calling on my life.
Come on. Um, and it's just been, it's been such a blessing since day one. And this has been, I think, three years ago now, I graduated. So, wow. It's, it's amazing. We're so proud of you. And it's such a privilege to have you part of our Bethel School of Music family. And it's an honor. I love it. I'm going to jump back to you in a minute. But Avery, uh, I want to ask you a little bit about, you came from high school and then you jump into this Conservatory of Arts. I remember seeing a moment where God radically touched you in a group setting, and I just get excited about those moments because it's often, um, moments in our lives that create movement. Yes. And I'm wondering if you could just let us in to, like, a moment that created movement in your life towards God in the entertainment space.
Yeah, um, well, I don't know if this is what you're talking about, but the retreat that we had. Um, I had never been called out in a community setting for a prophetic word or anything like that. Um, I had seen it so many times, but just hadn't happened to me. Um, and then when you were like, "Hey, you with the pigtails," I had little, I had two braids. Um, um, yeah, it just, it really touched me. But I think what you said, um, I don't fully remember what you said because I like, kind of went out. Um, I was just touched by the Holy Spirit, and I just, like, I remember crying, and like, something like the Lord really needed to release me from something, and it needed to happen before I went into what I was going to go into in that year. Um, and so it was like a connection to my, um, it was like a generational tie that I needed to let go of with my family. And so, uh, yeah, that happened in one of the RGS, and that kind of kickstarted, um, my journey into finding my, it's kind of weird to say, but like, my enoughness, that it's not centered around what I do, or the grades that I make, or if I'm good at what I'm doing, but that it's just centered around who I am, that I'm a daughter of the King, and that's enough. Um, and yeah, that was the kickstarter. And then also being in my acting tech, tech class, and having a really crazy experience with our first technique, um, was another kickstarter for that of realizing, "Oh, Lord, You're trying to tell me that I'm enough."
On in your acting technique class, you had an encounter with God? Yes. Yeah.
I love that. I mean, how many places can say that? I had an encounter with God in my acting technique class? I'm like, "What?" Yeah. And it affected your identity, your, your enoughness, your, your self-love? Yeah. Wow. And that's really what he needed to get to me, 'cause the whole year, it was just about him telling me, "You are enough. You are my daughter, and that's enough." So, yeah.
From the start. This makes me so excited. You know, the dream for us, you know, basic psychology is there's a moment that happens in our lives. That moment creates an emotion. That emotion develops a belief system. That belief system dictates your actions for the rest of your life. And so I get pumped. I get so excited that we get to see moments created with God where people get touched by God, an emotion gets created, a new belief system, you said it, enoughness, a new belief system gets developed, and a whole new movement or way of doing life gets established. We are so proud of you. This is what we dream of for our students. That is the dream.
Okay, so Chandra, back to you. Uh, now you went through the Bethel School of Music. And I want to ask, not just how you experienced the school, but how has the school prepared you for the craft that you're in? Very, you're leading worship. What is the impact and, and what does it look like? How's it impacted your worship leading now when you're leading a band, when you're leading a team, when you're pursuing to host the presence?
Yeah, yeah. Wow. It was a, there was definitely a shift for me because worship leading was, I knew a call in my life, and I was very comfortable in that role. But like we've said, I, I knew that there was a, a different level, I think, of leadership, kind of this mothering, pastoring, shepherding, um, place that I knew God had kind of called me into. And that, that had been words, you know, from Antonio and from students and just a lot of people coming and going, of course, at a lot of conferences and school with, with Bethel. And, um, I was sharing a little bit with, um, Nick and Avery how I had graduated from the college, got the certificate, was already working the dream job, working full-time in, in that church that I was at. And God actually called me to step away. And so I took an entire year off. I graduated that April or May, and in April, I stepped down, and I took a whole year off that God asked me to step, you know, to take a breather. And I thought, "What, what is happening? This isn't what's supposed to happen." Um, and lo and behold, I ended up getting hired at the church that I'm at now as one of their first female pastors over the whole worship department here. And it has impacted me greatly because in that time, that short amount of time, the teachers and the students just breathed so much life into the calling that I knew was there, but I couldn't really find it in my own hometown. Um, and that, that was a game-changer. See, having other people that didn't really know me be able to speak over my life, and like I said, align with what I knew God was already doing, to then put me in a role now where I get, I get to do this, right? I get to pastor and mother musicians and men and students and women. And, um, it's, it's a whole different thing. And coming into this role, I knew that I knew that I knew that God called me here to bring a different spiritual breath to this church, um, that I think was lacking a little bit. And it was, it was life-changing. But it was one of those moments where God, God spoke to me and said, "I want you to bring my presence into this place. Love my people, and care about the program, but in that order." It was presence, people, program. And I was like, "All right, I'm in." So it, it was a game-changer for me. The school really, it was a launching pad, I would say, with what God was already doing in my life, but I needed a little bit more, kind of support and encouragement. And everything about the school did that for me. So, yeah.
Presence, people, program. Come on. And I love that. That's my, that's what I live by now. You said something, you said a fresh, a spiritual breath. Yep. And, uh, I just love that you, you really represent a lot of what we dreamt of when we started that school. That for God to touch someone, to anoint someone. And we're so proud of you. And, yeah.
Oh, it's an honor. You guys have been amazing for me. I wouldn't be here without it.
I love it. We're so, so proud of you. Thank you. Nick, uh, I'd say to you, you know, if there's somebody maybe watching this and they're like, "Man, like, I don't know if I could, if I could take the risk to try a new career. Like, like, I don't know." Like, you sound like a really practical guy. Where did that courage come from?
Well, when I first started, I didn't have as much courage as I would have liked to have. And that's where you just have to, you have to trust God. And ultimately, believe that, you know, he knows what's best for you. And I felt called to join Bethel School of Technology right when I heard about it. I knew that was the path that was going to, uh, take me to the new career that would ultimately change how my family, um, operates. And I just, I didn't necessarily believe that I had all the skills that I needed to complete it, but I believed that was the path that, uh, God had in store for me. So I just kind of put my faith in him. And, uh, my wife was behind me the whole way, and it ended up being an amazing experience that I'm super proud that I stuck with, and has ultimately had a major impact on, uh, just the relationships that I have with my wife, my kids, and the amount of time that I'm able to spend with them is much, much different. And I'm truly thankful for, um, what the program did for me.
Come on. Nick, how many kids do you have?
I have two kids. I have one that's three and one that's five.
Stop. I have a three-year-old and a five-year-old too. They're great.
Yeah, that's the best.
Too cute. Chandra's like, "I got five. Don't worry. I got every." "Don't worry, you'll get there." You just left high school.
Just so, um, a question to all of you. How has Bethel College impacted your faith or your intimacy with God? And can you share a little bit about that impact? Because a lot of people think they come to study a skill, and they kind of don't expect that, "Oops, now I'm actually closer to the Lord."
Um, for the first time, I think I was able to connect the creativity, the talent, the imagination that the Lord had given me and Him. Which is funny to say, but there was a disconnect there. I, I was learning how to act, but I wasn't learning how to act with Him. So being at BCA, I, I was able to connect those together and realize that my creativity, my imagination, it all comes from Him.
Wow. Come on. And Chandra?
Oh, I would say, um, I feel like the Lord became even more of my best friend. I feel like the Holy Spirit, um, I knew a lot about Him for many years, but even just in classes and in our group time, um, the Spirit just began to be even closer to me. And, um, I'm able to just live every single day, every moment, just constantly in this state of knowing that God's with me all the time. His fingerprints are all over my story, and I can't, I can't deny that. I just see Him everywhere now. And so, um, I think it just awakened another level, um, of who God created me to be, especially in the worship world and the church world and the songwriting world now. So it's, it's amazing. It was life-changing.
Come on. And Nick, for you?
Before joining the program, if someone would ask me, "Do you trust God's plan for your life?" I would say, "Yes, of course I do." But it's a different thing to leave your career entirely, go out on a path for a new career, and trust that everything's going to work out in your favor, and that, you know, you will come out on the other side, uh, better than you left. And that was really hard for me because I'm just a person that likes to have everything mapped out perfectly. But, uh, it just, my relationship changed with God in that way, that, you know, I don't have all the answers, and I never will. I don't, I have very few answers, uh, to be honest with you. And just putting my faith in Him and knowing that He has a plan for my family and my life, um, was the way that I was impacted the most.
A. This is the dream. Oh, man. I'm so proud of you guys. So proud of you. Um, okay, let's just move in, just so we can get a snapshot of what you're dreaming about. You know, what are the God dreams in your heart for your future? Just hit us, like, with what's, what's resting inside there. Um, Avery, we'll start with you. Like, what's the God dream? What are you dreaming for now?
So much. Um, the main thing is to be able to create and produce, um, musicals and, and, uh, filmed or live. I would love to do that. But also just to see, um, purity and light be brought into the entertainment realm, or world, where, um, yeah, kingdom stories are being told, and true stories are being told. Um, but also, not, not only for the audience, but for, um, the people telling those stories, that there would be, like, a heart change for them. Um, and so passionate about that, that the, that the people behind the entertaining would actually come to know the Lord. And, um, yeah.
I love that. I can see Chandra's mom heart is like, "Yes, Avery, that's real." And, and for you, Chandra, what's, what's the God dream in your heart?
Yeah, there's, there's a few, and I think they kind of intersect. Um, and but the first one, really, is, I mean, when I say I love to encourage and just mother and coach creatives as a whole, um, and I know that there's a call here in the Northwest, especially the Pacific Northwest. There's so many creatives and artists that just don't have a lot of, um, I think nurturing, I dare say, um, and so I think the Spirit is really stirring in me how to, uh, create that here, of course, in my local church, but also just in my community at large. Um, and I know being able to partner with Bethel is, is key. It's just this sister church and this, this well that I like to go to to kind of get filled and bring back here. And so, um, yeah, and I have, I just have a massive heart for songwriting. I know that God has called me to do that. And so since, um, graduating from the School of Music, it, it helped encourage me and, um, give me so much, so much confidence in writing a couple songs and releasing them out there. And I knew that I needed to kind of go first if I wanted to encourage and coach others to risk and, um, write whatever it was that God was putting on their heart for that to be able to be released out to the world. And so it's kind of both for me. It's, it's, um, it's been, it's been amazing to even dream up this kind of stuff with God and know that He will, He will guide me and He'll make the path very clear for me. So.
Oh, we're so proud of you. Nick, for you and for your family, what's, what are you dreaming? What are you, what are you believing for?
For me, before joining Bethel and going into software, I was a teacher, and I still have the heart to teach. And my dream is to get to the point in my career, uh, as a software developer so that I can, um, I, I really have, uh, the desire to mentor other software developers and help other people get into the field, uh, because it is a hard thing to do, and it takes a lot of determination. And there, um, I just want to support aspiring software developers, and I just want to be a blessing to people at work and invest in other people's careers because I still have the heart to be a teacher, and it's something that I've always loved to do, but just doing it, uh, in a different circumstance is kind of my dream. So, kind of getting to the point where I'm more of a, at a senior level, um, in software so that I can invest, invest in other software developers is my dream.
That's amazing. We're so thankful for you guys and your stories. Uh, they, they, they tell a thousand words of who we are and what we represent. You know, we could, we could tell you our core values, but just listening to each of you guys, that's this is the dream. This is the dream. I, I'll tell you my dream. My dream is that we would raise up Kingdom-minded believers for specific skills and we would launch them into the dark places because that's where the light shines the absolute brightest. And so I've got this dream that there would be Daniels and Joseph's and Danielas and Josephins. They would be raised up and launched into places to partner with Kings to see culture reformed, culture shifted. But the way we do that is not through these eerie fairy-like big ideas, but it's through people. It's through dads with two kids that have their lives changed. It's through moms that have five kids that come in and they get transformed internally. It's through high school students that come through and they say, "I want God in my vocation," and they are touched by God on the ground, and a moment creates a movement. That's the dream for me. And we're so proud of you guys. We're so proud of you. Thank you, everyone, for joining us for these three episodes of Bethel College Roundtable. If something that you've heard sparks interest for you or for a family member, we want to invite you to come to BethelCollege.edu to find out more.
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