A Little Better // BONUS Chat with Daniel White

Transcript

Aaron Hixson:  Hey Northridge, welcome to A Little Better, where our goal is to know God better and to do better, so that we can be a little better. 

Well hey everyone, welcome back to A Little Better. I'm already laughing because I'm excited about this episode of the podcast. This is going to be a bonus episode where we're going to be doing things a little differently, and what we are going to be doing is introducing a brand new member of our staff.  You may or may not know this, but we have a new kids ministry executive director.

His name is Daniel White, and he has snuck in under the radar, without any, you know, fanfare or anything at all he's just dropped right into Rochester out of nowhere and we're excited to introduce you to him. He and his wife moved here in the middle of the COVID crazy, and so we haven't had a chance to do what we'd like to do, which is introduce them in person to each campus and all that kind of stuff.

We had a big roll out and all of it disappeared when COVID happened. So what we're gonna be having is an interview between some important people, not to include me, and you'll get to know Daniel a little better. So we've got Daniel White. Why don't you go and say hi?

Daniel White: Hey.

Aaron: So we got Daniel, we've got Nate Logan. He is our Pastor of Spiritual Development. So what's up Nate? 

Nate Logan: Hey everyone. 

Aaron: And then we've also got Courtney Dyer who -- I'm going to get her title right -- her title is Director of Human Resources?

Courtney Dyer: Yes, or Keeper of Aaron.

Aaron: Either one, either one.

Yeah, Courtney oversees all of our hiring processes, Nate will be overseeing Daniel and his role. Nate oversees all family ministry and that kind of stuff, so he brings leadership to that team, so he'll be actually Daniel's direct boss. Which, by the way, Daniel, I just want you to know like we have started a weekly prayer meeting for you, working with and alongside Nate Logan --

Nate: Great Guy.

Aaron: So you're gonna need it, you're going to need it, and we didn't mention that before we hired you. But yeah, let's go ahead and jump in. I know Courtney and Nate, you both got a litany of tough questions for Daniel in the hot seat. So let's let our church get to know him a little bit. Go ahead, Court.

Courtney: Sounds great. Daniel, so we are so glad to have you with us, and we just want to give you an opportunity to introduce yourself. Tell us, you know, where you're coming from, like, location-wise where you're coming from, and but also, you know, what you did there and how you got here.

Daniel: Awesome. Well thanks so much. You know, Aaron did say that we came from nowhere, and probably feels like it because I was born and raised in northeast Arkansas.

Aaron: Oh man, now I feel bad. I just was trying to make it seem like you appeared from the ether or something but no. Now I sound like I'm bashing this.

Daniel: That's okay. And so I'm from Northeast Arkansas, born and raised in a small community called Rector, like, less than 2,000 people in population. So I was born there, and my wife is from South Arkansas, basically in Louisiana. And so if you can hint an accent, you know, just very subtle, you're not dreaming it's it's real, and it's --

Courtney: Oh, it's very real.

Daniel: Yeah. Yes it is. And so, that's where we're from, I came from a community called Jonesboro, one of the bigger cities in Arkansas, about 90 to 100,000. 

The best Northridge story that I'll go ahead and interject is we've jumped into some community groups online already. And there is an individual in our community group who said he's been to Little Rock. He's like, “Oh, that's a cute little town,” and it's the largest town in Arkansas and so that was fun. Like I was like, That's funny. It's a very rural state.

Aaron: Oh, that's not terribly offensive. Welcome to the biblical community.

Daniel: But I was a junior high pastor in Jonesboro at Central Baptist Church. I served there for three years. Before that I was at my home church at First Baptist Rector for three and a half years, during my undergraduate degree, and really enjoyed it. 

So our family, so my wife's name is Rena. We have a dog named Millie. She's a cockapoo. And we're expecting our first human child in August, and so she's due August 18. And so we're really excited about that. 

Courtney: That is so awesome!

Nate: I see we're doing this interview, you're actually holding Millie in your lap. Yeah, it's like she is part of the family. 

Daniel: She is, she's all in.

Courtney: That's why he said "human child."

Aaron: Okay, I hope we get to hear from Millie at some point.

Daniel: If there's a squirrel outside, we will hear Millie, for sure.

Courtney: Love it. Well, Daniel, tell us a little bit about what you and Rena like to do for fun, I mean when you're allowed to go outside and when you're allowed to maybe be in public places and maybe be social. What are some of the things you guys like to do together?

Daniel: Yeah. And so we have a lot of activities and hobbies that we do together, one is Rena's favorite hobby is beating me at golf. So she's way better than I am. She doesn't like to brag on herself, but she went to, like, the state tournament every year in high school playing golf and would have went to college before she really messed up her shoulder pitching in softball. So she's super athletic, more than I am. 

And we also like to cycle and so are ready for the day where we get out and cycle together. I'd be out cycling right now but she doesn't want me to go without her and she's seven months pregnant almost and so I was like, come on, why not? 

Aaron: Rookie mistake, bro, rookie mistake. Which, by the way, you know you're into cycling when you call it cycling, because everyone else calls it biking, until you're into it and then they start calling it cycling. Right, Logan?

Nate: I appreciate that, Daniel. That's right, you got it Hixson. Yeah.

Courtney: I'm personally a bike rider.

Daniel: I was hoping you were gonna say biker Courtney and --

Courtney: No, that's next year's goal.

Aaron: Just this past weekend on the one nice day, I actually -- we have two bikes, which were purchased at a garage sale. The front tire of one was flat and the back tire of the other was flat, so I literally exchanged the working tire so that Lauren could go on a bike ride with the boys.

Daniel: Nice. 

Aaron: So we could only one of us at a time.

Courtney: That's awesome. Well, Daniel, from what you know of Rochester from, you know, visiting prior to coming onto our team,  what's something that you're looking forward to doing in Rochester once COVID is over and we can all leave our homes again?

Daniel: We've already been hitting up so many parks in the evening times on pretty days and everything like that. And I'm taking Millie on walks and just getting some exercise and fresh air and so we love all the, the feel of each different little park that that is in Rochester. 

I'm excited to go to Niagara Falls. Like, I know that's not in Rochester, but it's really close and I've never been personally. That's one thing. And I'm ready for the snow, like, I love the cold.

Aaron: Hallelujah, this man.

Daniel: Right, praise God. And I'm ready for some like real snow. I want to get lost in it.

Nate: Well, you came to the right place.

Daniel: That's right. That's what I hear.

Courtney: You did, but I don't really want to hear that word again for at least five months. It just snowed here last week, which is very unprecedented for April.

So, so tell us a little bit about, like, some of your favorites, like do you have a favorite fast food restaurant that you like? Favorite snacks? Do you guys follow any sports teams? Help us know, like, your little intricacies. 

Daniel: For sure, for sure> Food-wise, our favorite family food is pizza. And so, we love pizza, making pizza at home for ourselves, a good pizza place in general. In that regard, we love pizza. And just being together in that regard. 

Sports teams, Arkansas doesn't have any professional sports teams. And there's a fun fact if you didn't know that. And so for someone from Arkansas, to be a sports team follower. It's always random, you know? It's like, why do you like that team? Because there's nobody even close. The Memphis Grizzlies NBA team was really close to us and so I like to go into their games and things like that. We're sports fans, in general. 

Probably the closest affiliate to our family, it would be the St. Louis Cardinals because we're big baseball people, you know, my wife played softball, and I played baseball in high school. Yeah, so that's part of my story and, yeah, we love the Cardinals. 

A little bit more intricacies about family and just a little bit in general. So Rena and I are both only kids that's, like, something very rare out there.

Courtney: That is rare!

Daniel: We're only children, but definitely don't want just one, Lord willing, and so hopefully want more, more than one child in our family.

Courtney: Thank you for sharing. Go ahead Aaron.

Aaron: Yeah, I'm trying to even remember, just going back to your biographical details. What did you study in school and what did Rena study in school? I'm trying to remember that, and where'd you go. I know you're doing seminary now.

Daniel: So, seminary till Saturday. 

Aaron: Oh, wow. 

Daniel: I graduate on Saturday, during the COVID season.

Aaron: Congratulations.

Courtney: Awesome.

Daniel: Yeah, so I just, before we jumped on, uploaded my last paper. Praise the Lord. 

Aaron: Dude, that is huge!

Daniel: Amazing. Um, and so with school and stuff like that Rena, she's a school hopper. And so she got signed on a college softball scholarship, but in the first semester, really messed up her shoulder, and she was a pitcher. And so kind of softball got taken off the table for her.

And so she started studying nursing, transferred schools to go to a nursing school, but her softball injury really impacted the physical toll it took to be a nurse. And so that kind of, like our whole lives the first year of marriage was kind of like a whirlwind of just big life changes after another. 

And so she's currently, she still has a few more semesters left to finish up her undergraduate, but she's doing a biology degree to hopefully be -- her end goal would be college professor for like pre nursing students and things like that. She's a really, really great teacher, just in general. 

For me, I went to Arkansas State University for one year before transferring to Williams Baptist University, it's a small Bible College. I studied biblical linguistics, which sounds really nerdy.

Aaron: It doesn't just sound nerdy, it is nerdy, Daniel.

Daniel: Yeah, so I just studied biblical languages, and then finishing up my Master's of theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City. Shout out to Graham, he's also going in, that's where we met.

Aaron: That's right, G Money Spruill, I love it.

Daniel: That's right. Let's go, shout out.

Courtney: Daniel would you share that story? Because I know a few of us on staff have heard that story and I think it's phenomenal. But I would love for some in our church to kind of hear how you got connected to Northridge.

Aaron: Especially because of how nerdy you and Graham both are, it just makes me so happy.

Courtney: Well, Aaron you calling other people nerds…  

Aaron: Yeah, doesn't really work. By the way, I'm just realizing that Daniel, Courtney and I are all wearing like some shade of pink or coral. So we're kind of rocking that right now. Logan, I don't know if you didn't get the memo.

Nate: Man, I'm just wearing black and white, I got gray on or something. So, I gotta go throw some pink on I think. 

Aaron: All right, sorry Daniel, go back to that story. I'm killing this interview. 

Daniel: Yeah, so how I got connected with Northridge and just Graham in general. So, Graham and I were both students at Midwestern, but working full time in ministry. So we went to school, online. But both of us had kind of really the desire to get connected with professors and fellow students as much as possible. 

And one great thing that Midwestern and other seminaries alike do is they'll do things like study trips. So, in order to accomplish our church history credits, they offered a New England church history study trip. So just in the Boston, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maine areas. That was what was offered. 

And so we both were flying in to go to that trip last May, a year to date almost, pretty close. And  both of our connecting flights -- I was flying from Memphis, he was from Rochester -- was in Philly. And I landed in Philly, walk into the terminal, there's a, there's a tall lanky guy sitting in the corner, reading, like, Church History Volume Two, which is like a 750 page book. I'm like, there's no way that that guy's reading that book, getting on this plane, and not doing what I'm doing. 

I walked up to him, I was like “Hey man, you're doing this church history study trip?” And he was like, “Yeah,” so that's, that's where we got connected. We ended up being roommates on that trip, so we roomed together for like two weeks and really got to know each other and strike a friendship. 

And then a couple months go by, we stay connected and he lets me know about this opportunity with Northridge. We started praying about it and God opened the door. So it was really cool. 

Nate: Daniel, I remember this story is like so called evidence of God's providence. And I remember Graham coming in and talking to me in this search process. He's like, dude, Nate. What about Daniel? We should talk with him and see if he’d be even interested in this, you know conversation, this position. So I love just how this all kind of worked out with your life crossed the paths of our lives and serving together now. 

Daniel: Mm hmm. Absolutely.

Courtney: I love it, love that God brought you guys together and God brought you here. What's one thing that you're most looking forward to about serving on the Northridge staff team?

Daniel: The day we get to gather again, as a church.

Aaron: Oh, so Labor Day weekend? Is that what? No?

Courtney: Aaron, don't say that!

Aaron: Oh, I'm just kidding.

Daniel: But I think one of the great things that just Northridge staff has done is connecting in various formats with Zoom meetings and things like that and, you know, Rena and I, we just felt really loved and appreciated, even in the midst of this, with different people just reaching out even a simple text message, email, groceries on our back door whatever the case would be. 

But one thing we're looking most forward to is the people working alongside. There's just so many incredible people that we've already met, who have kind of the same cadence and heartbeat to reach people far from God and get families connected and moving in taking the next steps. And so that's what we're really excited about, to see what God does just during this season and even moving past it.

Courtney: Awesome. Awesome. So, you know, you talked about, shared how you connected with Graham and then they reached out and talked about this, you know this opportunity here. Why kids ministry? What makes you excited about kids ministry?

Daniel: Since like God called me into ministry, I'd always had a heartbeat for kids and family. We have a big family on both sides for Rena and I, even though we are only kids, like extended cousins and different things like that. Arkansas, right, Aaron?

Aaron: I wasn't gonna say anything!

Daniel: But I just love kids and love the family, and I'm in that aspect, and then putting that together with God calling me into ministry. I love just family ministry. Part of my faith journey is just my mother just pouring into me, even as a young child, and then through my teenage years and just her hand, and God working in and through her in that regard. And I just have that as my backstory and just saw the impact that parents who lead their kids in a godly way have on their lives.

And that was my heartbeat was, how can we resource families and parents better and every different ministry role I've had that's been the question that I keep coming back to. And then Northridge that is the first church where God brought that kind of all that to fruition together, and I'm just really excited to resource parents, to partner with them to inspire and introduce faith to their kids and then continue on through NYM and in their high school years. 

Nate: Daniel, I love that, man, and I know you've seen some of the Northridge kids ministry from a limited perspective, just because we haven't gotten meetings in person, but I know you've been connecting online with teams and our incredible volunteers and our kids ministry across our campuses. 

What have you seen from Northridge kids that excites you, what are you looking forward to doing to get when we're back in person? Just talk us through some of that passion for Northridge kids ministry as well. 

Daniel: Yeah, that's, that's awesome. That's a great question. Some of the things we've been doing is, I've been trying to make as many steps to make as many connections as possible with volunteers and different families. Like this past week we've done Zoom calls with all the different campuses individually, and that  has been really fun to get to see and connect faces with campuses and positions and ministry roles and things like that. 

What excites me and what I'm really excited about is just bringing the passion that all these different people have in different ministry roles and just trying to channel that in a direction. I think Northridge Kids has so many great things going for it as a ministry of Northridge Church and our heartbeat is to better align those ministries across the board and reaching out our arms with NYM to better partner with parents and set up the family for the win. 

And so some of the things that we're really excited about is, when we do get back together again, but also in that meantime, of figuring out ways to better get parents connected and get those who aren't connected connected, those who are connected, even better resourced and just continue that journey together. 

Nate: That's awesome. Um, hey, you mentioned that you're finishing up seminary this this week and big, big step for you and maybe even get further education down the road. You mentioned that 750 page church history book, and you've been a part of some great teams, you know in the past, learning from some great leaders. What are some books that have influenced you or a person like who's really impacted your life, in your ministry journey so far? 

Daniel: Like I see the questions that we sent out before this, and that was probably the hardest one of like, how do I just pick one book like, or just like a whole different books. I love reading, and really enjoy just learning about church leadership, Bible, theology. I just love reading, I always have a stack of books on my nightstand that I'm reading in different pieces. 

But I would say just in regards to ministry and what my journey has been and who's influenced me the most, when it comes to people that's the easiest one to answer. I had a college professor at Williams, who really impacted me. His name was Dr. Norvell, who probably had the biggest hand in my heartbeat of clarifying all the passions that I had for discipleship, family ministry, and then my journey, bringing those all together. And he mentored me, my senior year of college. We met every Friday to talk about discipleship pathways and maps and like how to get people taking next steps in faith and so he's impacted me probably the most in the most recent phase of my life, several years ago. But then my mom played a huge role in that as another person who's impacted my faith.

When it comes to books, I think Paul Tripp and Dangerous Calling has been a book that's like, in pastoral ministry, as well as other books helping me clarify my calling like Jeff Iorg’s Is God Calling Me? and different things like that of what it means to be in ministry and have a heart for that. Other ones for just ministry sake, I could just list them I could keep going, but The Pastor as Public Theologian by Dr. Strachan. I mean they just keep, they just keep going. Jared Wilson's book on pastoral leadership, the title slips me in this regard, but it just talks about pastors' holiness and things like that. So, I could keep listing books that have impacted and influence me. I really enjoy reading and listening to podcasts and just always learning and growing. 

Courtney: Do you have a favorite podcast, I mean, besides this, obviously.

Daniel: A Little Better. And so --

Aaron: Are there other podcasts? I'm pretty sure this is it.

Daniel: I didn't realize that there was more. And so --

Courtney: Good answer.

Daniel: Just to be short in this regard, I'll just list three. I'm trying to narrow it down in my mind. Before I answer. My favorite podcast probably to listen to is The Bible Project, just as they do like thematically and just dive deeper into scripture and like the message of what the Bible is actually saying. That's probably my favorite podcast that I am most religious about listening to, like, I always listen to the new episode. 

I subscribe -- I think, Courtney, we had a conversation about this my first visit up here. I subscribe to a lot of podcasts, but then based on how good their title is is whether I listened to it or not.

Courtney: Yeah, those are excellent. Me too.

Daniel: Because I don't have time to obviously listen to a lot of things, but in leadership I love the Andy Stanley, Prager Show, and the Carey Nieuwhof podcast. Those are the three that I really enjoy listening to, as well. 

Aaron: Yeah, if you had to say if I was the biggest influence in your life or, or the biggest five influences in your life, what would you say?

Daniel: Like you personally?

Aaron: Yeah, just me personally, yeah.

Daniel: I guess I would probably say over our one pot of coffee that you made me drink on February the first. I still remember it because I'm still jittering from it. My first interaction with Aaron, we went to a coffee shop and it just kept filling my cup up. I'm pretty sure I had seven cups of coffee in that one three hour interaction.

Aaron: Well, dude, you had gotten up at like 2am, flown in, and already had seven interviews by lunch, so I was just like, this man needs coffee.

Daniel: He just kept filling it up, and I was just jittery, and that was our first meeting, and I just kept drinking it. I wasn't even paying attention. It was like, man, this coffee is like a bottomless cup.

Nate: Dude, that's awesome. 

Courtney: It's just because Aaron's such a snoozer.

Aaron: Oh, that's true. Most people that hang out with me need as much coffee as I can make them.

Courtney: Anyway, go on Nate, I know you got a couple questions tied to kids ministry here.

Nate: Yeah, we're wrapping things up here, but Daniel, anything you'd like to say to parents who might be listening to this podcast and as they're kind of looking forward to getting connected with you, and just hear your heart? Anything you want to share with parents? 

Daniel: Absolutely. I think during this special season that we find ourselves in, with being at home and social distancing, COVID-19, all that kind of stuff like that. Just make them aware of the resources we're putting out. We're calling it Church at Home at northridgekids.org, just go and check that out. 

A few things that we've done and just the shorts six or seven weeks that I've been here is we've started the parent blog back up to give weekly resources every Monday. They land in your inbox. Subscribe to that. That's going to be our primary mode of communication resource. Just like a lot of other ministries that Northridge do, like NYM and community groups, and the list goes on. So that's going to be our primary mode of communication, so just to stay connected in that way. 

And we're constantly trying to refine and better clarify how we're partnering with parents. That's one of the big projects we're doing as a kids staff. Because inside of this unique opportunity, we now have a lot of time to devote to more specific things that probably would classify as working on the ministry. Since like some of the aspects for Sunday morning, we're no longer in it because we're not getting to be with people, and that's what ministry is and so we're getting to work on the things we're doing. And we're excited to come back with a vengeance whenever that is. And so, yeah. So those are the few things I'd say. 

Nate: I love that, "coming back with a vengeance." That's awesome. I love what you and the team have been putting out and how you're serving our families. You guys are doing a really great job.

Aaron: I say that I would agree with that as a parent of a pre-k kid. I just love that Greyson gets to watch that. For us it's before the nine o'clock service because we get up real early with young kids, but that's been a huge blessing to us throughout this.

Nate: Daniel, how can we be praying for you guys, and then how can our church family be praying for you and Rena in this time, this transition, what are some things that we could lift you guys up in prayer? 

Daniel: Absolutely, that's a great thing. It's a unique season to be having a baby and I know we're not the only ones, but you know, there's just a lot of moving pieces inside of moving across the country. While, you know, my wife's pregnant, she's approaching, like the third trimester, month seven, and so everything's healthy and looking good so far. But just being in prayer for her, what's this gonna look like inside of it, we're still in the midst of this social distancing when August comes. Hopefully not, but who knows?

Courtney: Hopefully not!

Daniel White: So that would be our biggest prayer request is inside of her pregnancy. And then, just for God to keep blessing in all the things that he's already doing and consistently does.

Aaron: I love it. Hey, Daniel, Courtney, Nate, thank you so much for jumping on. I hope for our church, this is a helpful introduction to a great addition to our team. I mean, goodness, we feel so blessed, Daniel, to have you and Rena around. 

Daniel: I'm blessed to be with you, Aaron. 

Aaron: Oh, you know what, I can't tell you how often I get that. How ridiculous.

No, but we genuinely are excited. It's amazing to see young leaders passionate about, you know, the deep things of God and simultaneously doing practical ministry. Those aren't always a gift set that comes together in one person. And I think people like Graham, people like you -- and many others on our team -- but I just think that having the two of you teaming together from birth through the end of high school is a really amazing combination that I'm excited for my kids to experience the leadership and discipleship of, you know, those two amazing leaders. And I'm sure Courtney and Nate are saying the same thing. 

Nate: Completely agree. 

Courtney: Absolutely. 

Aaron: Discipleship for me at the moment looks like teaching  my kids not to throw food on the floor, but it's one step at a time. But anyways, Daniel, thank you so much for taking the time. Everybody, thanks for jumping on. 

And for our listeners and the people of our church if you've got questions you want to send to Daniel or his team or whatever, feel free to reach out to any contacts from our staff that go to your campus, or if you want to reach out to Daniel directly, you can do that by doing... what?

Daniel: There's two email addresses or things like that you can reach: dwhite@northridgerochester.com, or there's a blanket kids min, just kidsmin@northridgerochester.com, or just social media. Look us up on social media at Northridge Kids, or personally, you can friend me on Facebook.

Aaron: Daniel White, right? Daniel White. 

Daniel: Yeah, just Daniel White. 

Aaron: All right. Thanks everybody, and thank you everybody for listening to A Little Better. We look forward to hearing from you. And as always, questions, comments can come to us and we would love to address them on the next episode. Thanks for listening.

Transcript lightly edited for readability.