Episode 23 | Rick and Jill Mlakar

Episode 24 | Joan Nosal

In this episode of The First 50, we see how Joan Nosal’s story became woven deeply into the fabric of Fellowship City Church, not through titles or a platform, but through decades of faithful service, hospitality, and genuine investment in people. Joan reflects on her early years, her marriage to Bob, and how the two of them became a quiet anchor for couples, families, and friendships across generations. She shares openly about mentoring, hospitality, loss, grief, and what it looks like to keep living with purpose and joy through life’s hardest seasons. And her story is still very much being written, with a continuing heart for people, relationships, and mission that hasn’t slowed down. This conversation is for anyone who has been impacted by Joan and Bob’s lives, and for anyone who needs a reminder that the most lasting legacies are often built quietly, through faithfulness, one person at a time.

Episode 23 | Rick and Jill Mlakar

In this episode, we sit down with Rick and Jill Mlakar to hear their story marked by hardship, honesty, and the relentless faithfulness of God. Rick shares openly about seasons of anxiety, depression, addiction, spiritual drifting, and relapse, along with how God continued pursuing him even in the darkest moments of his story. Jill reflects on what it looked like to walk through those seasons as a couple, and how grace, authentic community, and faithful relationships helped carry them both toward healing and restoration. The conversation also explores how Fellowship City Church became part of their story, and the role that honesty and belonging played in the long road back. If you or someone you love has ever felt beyond reach, this conversation is for you. This episode is a reminder that no season is beyond the reach of God's grace and that restoration is possible even when life feels completely broken.

Episode 22 | Dave Lynden

In this episode, we sit down with former Fellowship Senior Pastor Dave Lynden, a pastor whose path to Fellowship began with a phone call he never saw coming. Dave reflects on his early years, coming to faith, and the people God used to shape a deep love for Scripture and a calling to ministry. He shares openly about seasons of uncertainty, what it looked like to follow God's direction one step at a time, and how God often uses unexpected seasons to shape us more deeply than we realize. The conversation traces Dave's unexpected journey from serving in Dayton to eventually becoming Senior Pastor at Fellowship, and what that season of leadership taught him about calling, family, and trusting God when the next step isn't fully clear. Dave also shares openly about a significant health scare just eighteen months ago, and how that season deepened his faith, reshaped his perspective, and reminded him that God's faithfulness doesn't change when life takes an unexpected turn. This episode is a reminder that God is often doing His deepest work in the seasons we least expect.

Episode 21 | Jamie Rasmussen

In this episode, we sit down with Jamie Rasmussen, a Chagrin Falls native, who came to faith as a high schooler, served as a young intern at Fellowship, and eventually returned years later to succeed founding pastor Lud Golz as Lead Pastor. Jamie reflects on the journey God took him through across those seasons, sharing stories from the early days of Fellowship, the vision behind the new sanctuary, the weight of stepping into senior leadership, and the moments of life change that shaped both the church and his own calling. The conversation also explores Jamie's years after Fellowship, including nearly two decades leading Scottsdale Bible Church, writing books that have encouraged readers across the country, and continuing to invest in churches and leaders today. This episode is a powerful reminder of God's faithfulness through every season of leadership, calling, and the long arc of a life given to ministry.

Episode 20 | Dave Chittock

In this episode, we sit down with Dave Chittock, someone who has spent decades faithfully investing in people at Fellowship City Church and far beyond. As an Elder and longtime leader in men's ministry, Dave's impact has been showing up, staying consistent, and walking with people through seasons of life. Dave also shares about his experiences in Kenya through ASPIRE Globally, and what those Fellowship trips taught him about discipleship, global perspective, and what it really means to say yes when God opens a door you didn't expect. This conversation is a reminder that some of the greatest Kingdom impact doesn't always happen from a stage, but through faithfully serving, mentoring, and caring for people year after year. And don't miss The Rewind (at the end)… where Dave takes on one of our funniest challenges yet: "Was this quote written by Watchman Nee or Aaron Tredway?" (the might even be a special guest that shows up)