The Austin Stone Podcast

Justin Lopez teaches on the ministry of reconciliation from 2 Corinthians 5:17-20.

“I wasn’t in a good place when Jesus began pursuing me, and I didn’t want to be a part of His family, but He didn’t stop pursuing me.” Jon and Ben felt convicted by the Spirit to serve in the foster care system, but as two single men, they weren’t sure what role they could play. With the Lord’s leading, they enacted a plan to start a Parents’ Night Out program on a monthly basis to give parents an opportunity to have a night to themselves. Developing the Parents’ Night Out has been hard, and its growth has been stalled along the way. But with the support of their Missional Community, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, God is using Jon and Ben to serve foster families.

Greg Breazeale teaches on setting our minds on the hope that we have in Jesus Christ from 1 Peter 1:13.

"That would have never happened if God had not developed these relationships. Absolutely, hands down, no way."When Ben and Jessica decided to be Goers, they looked for an unreached Muslim community with which to share the grace and love of Jesus. They could have never imagined the remote island where they would end up or the pizza restaurant the community would help them build. Though at times they are overwhelmed with loneliness as the only believers they know, they have faith that God has put them there for a reason.

Matt Carter teaches on remembering the joy of our salvation from 1 Peter 1:10-12.

Matt Carter teaches on the three characteristics of genuine faith from 1 Peter 1:8-9.

Matt Carter teaches on how suffering reveals genuine faith, for the praise and honor and glory of Christ from 1 Peter 1:6-7.

“An abortion is something you never forget. I’ll always be sad, but I’m forgiven."Less than two months into a relationship with her boyfriend, Michelle found herself pregnant at 18. Fearing the consequences of being a young mother and the disappointment of her parents, she followed her boyfriend’s advice and got an abortion. Her sin haunted her for years, but she has now been fully redeemed in Christ.

Halim Suh teaches on our secure, living hope from 1 Peter 1:3-5.

When Kenny discovered his gift for debate in high school, he thought the Lord was calling him to be an attorney. He led weekly worship services for his classmates in high school and college, but he was still pursuing his own desires and struggling with self-righteousness and self-glorification.Ultimately, God used corporate worship to change Kenny’s heart, and now he sees what the Lord always had planned for him.

Tyler David continues our new series in 1 Peter by teaching on our title of "elect exiles" from 1 Peter 1:1-2.

Matt Carter starts our series in 1 Peter by teaching on Peter's introduction to his letter to the persecuted church form 1 Peter 1:1.

"My wife and I were redeemed to redeem. It’s not a private faith." Christopher was hesitant when his wife told him of her convictions to help a former gang member. But when he felt the Lord calling him to be obedient as well, he found the courage to invite Alex, a former gang member who had spent 18 years in prison, to live in his home. Since then, Alex has been baptized, and though he still has struggles, he is walking in Christ.

Matt Carter teaches on why we value life from Genesis 1:25-28 and Psalm 139:14-16.

Andy Kampman preaches on our motivation to continue to send goers to unreached people groups from Revelation 5:9 and Romans 10:13-15.

“My father referred to me as the cancer of our family. He said I need to be cut out and removed because I was affecting everyone’s well-being." In high school, Alex Scaro lived for football. When an injury ended any hopes for a college career in the sport, Alex began smoking marijuana on a regular basis, and eventually turned to harder drugs. After a near-death overdose, Alex entered a recovery program where he joined a Bible study and heard the gospel for the first time. Then, Alex discovered where true hope, peace, and identity are found.

Greg Breazeale teaches on being shaped by the Word from Psalm 19:1-3 and 7-11.

When Kellen Nichols learned of his father's death, he was overcome with grief. Having developed a strong relationship with the members of his Missional Community, Kellen relied on them for support in his time of need. "From that moment on, his community stepped up and became a physical picture of what it looked like to obey God's command to bear one another's burdens."

Tyler David teaches during our Christmas Eve service on the incarnation of Christ from Hebrews: 2:14-17 and Hebrews 7:16.

“Precious Jesus, our Savior and King, You came to us this holy night, but not in the way we expected…" Merry Christmas! This poetic prayer focuses on the actual night our Savior was born.

Matt Carter finishes our Advent series by teaching from Exodus 40:20-34 on how we were created to be in God's presence, and how the completion of the Tabernacle points us to Christ, who enables us to boldly enter God's presence.

"Immanuel, God with us,You, our Redeemer King, full of grace and glory, came one holy night, to save us and change our story." For this year’s Advent readings at The Austin Stone Community Church, we asked some of our Story Team artists to write poetic prayers that center around the birth of Jesus and the salvation that first came to us in a manger. We hope these prayers stir your heart to worship Jesus along with us.

"Long ago laws were carved in stone, Rules for flesh and rules for bone. Kept inside a solid-gold ark, Waiting in the dark, Beneath the mercy seat..." For this year’s Advent readings at The Austin Stone Community Church, we asked some of our Story Team artists to write poetic prayers that center around the birth of Jesus and the salvation that first came to us in a manger. We hope these prayers stir your heart to worship Jesus along with us.

"O God of Kindness, God of Grace, You have had compassion On an empty-handed people..." For this year’s Advent readings at The Austin Stone Community Church, we asked some of our Story Team artists to write poetic prayers that center around the birth of Jesus and the salvation that first came to us in a manger. We hope these prayers stir your heart to worship Jesus along with us.

"When darkness lurked and shadows prowled, the light of Your Son broke in..." This Advent season, we want to celebrate the coming of our Lord with you, and rejoice as we connect more deeply with Christ. For this year’s Advent readings at The Austin Stone Community Church, we have asked some of our Story Team artists to write poetic prayers that center around the birth of Jesus and the salvation that first came to us in a manger. Over the next four weeks, we will share those prayers with you, and we hope that they will stir your heart to worship Jesus along with us.

Matt Carter continues our Advent series by teaching on how the Mercy Seat in the Tabernacle points us to the coming Messiah, from Exodus 25:16-21.

Halim Suh continues our Advent series by teaching on how the Altar of Incense in the Tabernacle points us to the coming Messiah, from Exodus 30:1-10.

Matt Blackwell kicks off our Advent series on how the Tabernacle and its components point us to the coming Messiah, Jesus, who is the true lampstand as the light of the world, from Exodus 25:31-32 and Exodus 40:16-33.

Ryan King teaches on striving together in prayer as a church for those taking the gospel to the unreached from Romans 15:30-31.

“Our goal is that you would know Jesus, and He does the rest."On the day she was born, Tiffany was abandoned by her parents. In the midst of her pain, Christ drew near to her, and she found new comfort in her heavenly father. Through God's healing grace, a new desire was ignited in Tiffany's heart to seek out and minister to others who, similarly, felt bound to their circumstances. Now, working alongside other women with the same vision, Tiffany devotes her time to sharing the love of Christ with women who feel trapped in the commercial sex industry.

Tyler David concludes our "Money: An Eternal Perspective" series by teaching on the New Testament standard for giving from Luke 21:1-4 and Matthew 23:23.

“So my wife would say, “honey, just quit doing what you are doing, because I am telling you, God wants to kill this thing.”Ron moved to Dallas to help pastor a declining church located in a transitional neighborhood. Despite his years of experience and many attempts to lead the people, the church continued to experience a mass exodus. This left Ron questioning everything he knew and did. Faced with having to close the doors of the church, he knew something had to change, and change is exactly what they did.

Matt Carter continues our "Money: An Eternal Perspective" series by teaching on trusting God with money from Exodus 35: 5-9 and Leviticus 27:30.

“When tragedy strikes or when suffering hits or when everything that you’re holding onto is ripped out of your hands, you really start to identify where your treasure is.” Andrew Burkhart, a pastor in Moore, Oklahoma lost everything he owned in the storm of May 20, 2013. His pregnant wife and young daughter were in their house moments before the tornado struck, but got out just in time before it was destroyed. Andrew tells his story of the wreckage and realizing where his true treasure is found.

Matt Carter kicks off our "Money: An Eternal Perspective" series by teaching from Exodus 35: 4-9 and Matthew 6:19-21.

“I just remember loading my syringe stronger and stronger each time, just wanting a way out of this, and the only way for me was to kill myself.”For Anthony, the abandonment of his earthly father led him to seek comfort in the atmosphere of gay bars and the rollercoaster high of designer drugs. After hearing the gospel, the darkness that shrouded Anthony's life was overtaken by the true hope and new life found in Jesus.

Halim Suh teaches on Moses' plea to God, "Please show me your glory," from Exodus 33.

“Love is not a feeling, love is a decision that we make.” Justin and Jana Cofield found themselves on a roller coaster of emotions when they decided to pursue adoption through foster care. As God continues to write their family's story, the Cofields trust His faithfulness and cling to Jesus as their hope.

Tyler David teaches on God's anger and mercy towards sin from Exodus 32:1-6.

For years, Shawn felt burdened by the guilt of her abortions and was weighed down by past sins. She didn’t feel like she deserved to be a mother and coped with the pain by indulging in alcohol. But then she heard the gospel and began to experience the true freedom found in Christ!

Matt Carter teaches on how to discover your calling from Exodus 31:1-6.

"We go off of the truths that every tribe, tongue, and nation will be there in heaven one day." Paul and Alice, compelled by the love of Jesus in their own lives, left everything they have in order to share the gospel with Muslims and unreached peoples in the Arab Peninsula. Despite their fears, they went with confidence and strength that only God can provide.

Halim Suh prepares us to resume our study in the book of Exodus by teaching on Christ's fulfillment of the Law from Matthew 5:17-19.

Living in inner-city Houston, Corey grew up with an abusive, drug-addicted stepfather who eventually hung himself in the attic of a house. Despite his traumatic childhood, Corey now believes God used this to shape him into the man he is today, and it’s by God’s grace alone that he “made it out.”

Tyler David concludes our "This Matters" series by teaching on why we value covenant membership from 1 John 4:7-12.

“I was basically like a sex slave and a mistress for him.” After being exposed to pornography at a young age, Lorraine found herself wanting to live a life of worldly pleasure. For years she tried to find her fulfillment in sex and in men. Desperate for real love, Lorraine quit college in order to have an affair with a man in Sweden for several months. When that relationship painfully ended, Lorraine was left at her breaking point, searching for a way out.

Matt Carter continues our "This Matters" series by teaching on why we baptize from Matthew 3:13-17.

“I remember that fear gripped me, I knew what was coming. I remember thinking please, God, don’t let it happen. And it happened anyway.”As a child, Danielle experienced the trauma of sexual and physical abuse that distorted her view of God’s love. After having two children as a teenager, another in her twenties, and experiencing a handful of broken relationships, she was at the point of giving up.But Jesus intervened—giving her a new life, and teaching her about true forgiveness found in Him.

Matt Carter continues our "This Matters" series by teaching on why we take the Lord's Supper from 1 Corinthians 11:24-26.

“If God is so loving, then why would He smite me with albinism?”Born with albinism and legally blind, Jimmie grew up in a small Oklahoma town where people constantly ridiculed him for the way he looked. This led him to despise God and search for his identity in music and drugs.By the grace of God and through a discipleship relationship with an ex-drug dealer, Jimmie experienced the love and forgiveness of Jesus, and his life changed forever.