#165: Spokane Wildfires, Being the Church When Disaster Hits | with Amanda Farley

Pastors Unfiltered is back for Season 4!Tony and Brandon catch up on everything from Disneyland and Banff to ADHD diagnoses, social media, and a passionate Mariners rant before welcoming Amanda Farley, location pastor of Venture Church Spokane.Amanda shares the story behind planting Venture Spokane, why church planting requires grit, and what it looks like to put down roots in a community and live on mission together.The conversation then turns to the devastating Spokane wildfires. Amanda gives a firsthand update on the impact across the community, how churches and local organizations are responding, and why the work of recovery will continue long after the initial crisis is over.They also talk about Venture Church raising more than $20,000 for Convoy of Hope’s Spokane relief efforts and what it practically looks like for the Church to show up, serve, and love its neighbors when tragedy hits.Timestamps0:00 Welcome to Season 40:39 Back in the New Studio1:56 Brandon & Jared Ming at Disneyland3:37 Talking Israel, Politics & Difficult Conversations6:13 Brandon's Trip to Banff7:10 Seeing the Spokane Wildfire Smoke7:32 Preaching on Lust9:28 Listener Shoutouts10:29 Dallas Looks Like Cole Young11:07 Tony's ADHD & OCD Diagnosis11:59 Why Tony Quit Social Media15:04 The Mariners Rant Begins18:16 Seahawks, Hard Knocks & the NFL20:50 Introducing Amanda Farley21:33 Meet Amanda & Venture Spokane23:54 Amanda's Favorite Venture Spokane Story25:54 Amanda's Family & Life Outside Church29:03 Why Amanda Became a Church Planter30:50 Why They Chose Venture Church33:45 Church Planting Takes Grit35:28 The Future of Venture Spokane37:19 Putting Down Roots in a Community37:34 Spokane Wildfire Update38:21 Hundreds of Families Displaced39:42 How Spokane Is Responding40:33 The Long Road to Recovery41:20 Pastoring Through a Wildfire43:26 Venture Raises $20,000 for Spokane Relief43:52 How Convoy of Hope Is Helping44:11 What Will Families Need Long-Term?45:44 When Should Teams Come Help?46:57 Spokane's Community Response48:44 How Should the Church Respond to Disaster?49:09 A Chance for the Church to Be the Church51:28 Thinking Beyond the Initial Response51:51 The Three Big Questions52:14 What Amanda Is Reading53:02 What Amanda Is Watching & Listening To55:56 Looking Ahead at Spokane Recovery56:47 A Wedding Story for Next Week57:28 Revival Weekend58:14 Closing