Currently, Nate is living in Bend, OR, working as the co-founder for VillageWorks (celebrating abundance | creative connectivity) and the singular Bend|OR advocate of BridgeWorks (an educational 501[c]3). He is connecting and holding space for an emerging community of people, young and old, who are seeking to grow into more sustainable and mature relationships… with self, community and God. The vision on his heart is one of giving people experience of village culture and practice.
Nate can be found connecting people through at The Hub, VillageWorks’ Central Oregon community connection center (www.rockthevillage.com) and making oven pancakes for the biggest regular “village” breakfast in Bend every Saturday morning at 9:30.
Nate went to Bethel College in St Paul, MN (’03), got his BA in Youth Ministry, completed his Masters in Divinity at Bethel Seminary (’06) with an emphasis in Spiritual Formation, and is currently pursuing a certificate in Spiritual Formation at George Fox Seminary in Portland. His hope is to continue to pursue community spiritual formation within the framework of the neighborhood conversation and cross-cultural dialog.
Nate has been connecting people into more authentic community in Bend | OR since June ’07. Since day one of his arrival, Nate has been gifted with the chance to listen and learn about the culture and people of Central Oregon. Because of his passion for conversation and community, he has fallen in love with the people of this wonderful city and is committed to the growth of more intentional and transformational community.
Nate’s particular areas of interest are:
- conversational transformation
- spiritual formation
- relational mentoring and counseling
- small group strengthening
- men’s work (spiritual, emotional, and relational)
- “Village Knowledge” of homecraft, live food, etc
- Intergenerational community
- New visions of the gifts we offer to the community
- teaching for the 21st century, and more.
At this time Nate has not written any books, but hopes to some day have enough material to put into some type of publication. At this point, he is dedicated to building relationships in Bend, Central Oregon, and across the United States to connect people to what is happening in an emerging and evolving paradigm and with those who are seeking to follow God and live more authentically in the transforming presence of the divine.
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**for those who care…
My statement of Emergent can be found here.
If your church is serious.intentional about building the Kingdom…you want Nate on your team, by your side…in it with you. He gets the church…
he gets the ones in the margins…on the edge, and he gets them together…sitting with the questions.wondering. Nate is totally sold out…bent on building the bridges of truth and trust with the hungry ones. What he is learning in the listening places is stuff you need to hear and understand if your desire is connect, bring into community the ones he is knowing and loving. I count it as honor to walk with Nate as mentor, friend, partner in ministry…he teaches me.
~…parker | founder.director of bridgeworks.
I have known Nate for several years. He is safe, kind, loving, honest, joyful, a creative thinker and a force for bringing disparate folks together to enjoy community — in ways that they may have yet to experience — He is truly gifted in this way. My family also enjoys Nate. He is one dedicated to making contributions to the lives of others that he does not take credit for. He is trustworthy and should be considered as an invaluable addition to any effort to truly explore and experience what it means to live in community.
~Bill Dahl (Author of The Porpoise Diving Life, community and educational activist in Redmond, OR)
“Nate is the Johnny Appleseed of the 21st Century for Bend, but instead of sharing seeds for fruit trees, he is sharing the love, challenge and vision of Christ’s message to any and all who will take time to recognize his gift.
His ability to empathize with whomever he is with will be the genesis for a faith-based intentional community, unfettered by age, walls, income, political agenda or preconceived notions about what spirituality is about.
The Bettger “seeds” will bring fruition and harvest for the Bend community which will make it a future place for tolerance, spiritual growth and exceptional Christian love. “
~Tim Conlon (advisor to bridgeWORKS – bend)
“Nate is well grounded in Christian faith which frees him to serve others regardless of their circumstances. He accepts others, listens well, and seeks to know each person as created by God. He builds relationships with young adults, caring for them with the love of Christ. His personal disciplines keep him healthy spiritually and physically, leading others in the way of Jesus. He is articulate and perceptive and seeks to learn from every situation.”
~Rev. Lorraine Stuart (Spiritual Director, pastor of Spiritual formation @ 1st Presbyterian Church Bend)
