Welcome to today's edition of One Single Story! Pastor Stephen Mizell and Pastor Jay Rivenbark are joined by Pastor Alyssa Bream for a rich conversation in Romans 4:1-12, exploring the difference between wages and gifts, and what it means to be justified by faith rather than works.

Scripture Focus: Romans 4:1-12 - Paul defends the doctrine of justification by faith, using Abraham as his central example. He shows that Abraham was credited righteousness through faith before he was circumcised, proving that God's grace has never depended on religious ritual or performance, for Jew or Gentile alike.

In This Episode:

• How our cultural "bootstraps" work ethic distorts our understanding of grace
• Why viewing God as an employer instead of a Father leads us astray
• The shocking truth that God "justifies the ungodly" and what that phrase means across Bible translations
• Wrestling honestly with which sins we struggle to believe are truly forgivable
• What justification really means: "just as if you had never done it"
• Why Abraham's circumcision timeline matters for both Jews and Gentiles
• How faith always comes before outward signs, in the Old Testament and the New

Key Quote: "Justification means just as if you had never done it. You have been made right, or righteous. And whether it is pride or greed or lying or adultery... the same act of forgiveness and justification happens."

One Single Story is a daily devotional podcast walking through the One Year Bible reading plan, offering brief, honest, and thought-provoking conversations around God's Word. Each weekday, our hosts break down a passage from the current reading to help you grow in faith, one story at a time.

Join us at Open Door Church in Edenton, North Carolina. Learn more at visitopendoor.com and onesinglestory.com.

Subscribe and hit the bell so you never miss a new episode of One Single Story, and share it with a friend who could use some daily encouragement in the Word.

Hashtags: #OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #Romans #Justification #GraceNotWorks #Abraham #BibleTranslations

Join Pastor Stephen Mizell, Pastor Jay Rivenbark, and Pastor Alyssa Bream for today's conversation through Romans 3:9-31, one of the most pivotal passages in all of Scripture. As Romans turns from exposing human sinfulness to declaring the way of justification, this episode unpacks what it means that righteousness comes not through the law, but through faith in Jesus Christ.

Scripture Focus: Romans 3:9-31 - Paul builds his case that all people, Jew and Gentile alike, stand guilty before God, then reveals the solution: justification by faith apart from the works of the law. This passage is the theological hinge of Romans, moving from the diagnosis of universal sin to the good news of grace freely given through Christ's sacrifice.

In This Episode:

• Why the law was never meant to save us, but to reveal our need for a Savior
• Understanding total depravity - we're not just sick, we're spiritually dead
• A Leonard Ravenhill quote on why Jesus came to raise the dead, not improve the bad
• How the cross allows God to be both "just and the justifier" of those who believe
• Why justification by faith erases every cultural, racial, and social divide
• Stories from the mission field in India and Argentina on the unifying power of shared faith in Christ
• What it means that salvation is a gift, not a performance-based achievement

Key Quote: "When human performance stands bankrupt before the court of heaven, the righteousness of God stands in to write a check we could never clear."

About One Single Story

One Single Story is a weekday devotional podcast offering brief, thoughtful lessons from each day's reading in the One Year Bible. Hosted by the pastors of Open Door Church, this show helps listeners dig into Scripture with clarity, honesty, and practical application for everyday faith.

Open Door Church is located in Edenton, North Carolina. Learn more at visitopendoor.com or onesinglestory.com.

Subscribe to One Single Story so you never miss a daily lesson. New episodes release every weekday to help you stay grounded in God's Word one story at a time.

Coming This Week: We continue our journey through Romans, exploring how Paul builds on the foundation of justification by faith to unpack what it means to live in the freedom and assurance of God's grace. Grab your Bible and join us for the next edition of One Single Story.

Hashtags: #OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #BookOfRomans #Justification #Grace #Salvation

Welcome back to One Single Story! Join Pastor Stephen Mizell, Pastor Jay Rivenbark, and Pastor Alyssa Bream as they dig into Romans 2:25 through 3:8, wrestling with what it really means to belong to God — is it about outward religious markers, or a genuine transformation of the heart? This episode tackles heart transformation versus behavior modification, the assurance of our relationship with God, and the philosophical puzzle of whether our sin somehow gives God more glory.

Scripture Focus: Romans 2:25-3:8 - Paul confronts the Jewish reliance on circumcision as a badge of identity, arguing that true belonging to God is a matter of the heart, not an external ritual. He then turns to address whether human unfaithfulness can cancel out God's faithfulness, and closes by dismantling the twisted logic that sin might actually benefit God by showcasing His righteousness.

In This Episode:

• Why circumcision became a "badge" for the Jewish people, and why outward compliance alone falls short
• The danger of measuring spiritual growth only by attendance, giving, or visible behavior
• How the Holy Spirit produces a genuine change of heart rather than mere rule-following
• Wrestling with doubt: does personal failure cancel God's faithfulness?
• A powerful sharecropper illustration about assurance being God's grip on us, not our grip on Him
• Breaking down the "cheap grace" argument that sinning glorifies God
• Understanding that God redeems evil in spite of it, never because of it

Key Quote: "I tripped a couple more times, but I never failed because the tether was dependent on his holding, not my holding... the assurance we have is not based on our behavior, because that's useless. The assurance we have is based on his ability to hold us."

About One Single Story: One Single Story is a weekday devotional podcast offering brief, conversational lessons from each day's reading in the One Year Bible. Hosted by the pastoral team at Open Door Church, this podcast helps Christians dive deeper into Scripture, one story at a time, with practical application for everyday faith.

Open Door Church is located in Edenton, North Carolina. Learn more at visitopendoor.com or explore the full podcast library at onesinglestory.com.

Subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss a daily episode of One Single Story — join us Monday through Friday for fresh insight into God's Word.

Coming This Week: We continue our journey through Romans, exploring Paul's teaching on righteousness, faith, and the law as he builds the theological foundation for the Gospel. Be sure to follow along in your One Year Bible reading plan and join us for tomorrow's episode.

Hashtags: #OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #Romans #BookOfRomans #HeartTransformation #GodsGrace #ChristianAssurance #ApostlePaul

Pastor Stephen Mizell, Pastor Jay Rivenbark, and Pastor Alyssa Bream open Romans 2, exploring why we judge others' sins to excuse our own, how God's patience is meant to lead us to repentance, and how our hypocrisy shapes the world's view of God.

Scripture Focus: Romans 2:1-24 - Paul confronts the self-righteous, warning that knowing the law doesn't exempt anyone from its standard.

In This Episode:

• Why we deflect from our own sin by pointing at others
• "Big rock" sins vs. quieter internal sins like pride and envy
• Mistaking God's patience for approval
• How hypocrisy in leaders damages God's reputation

Key Quote: "The kindness is meant to draw us into God... we don't think of God's kindness as something to become comfortable with."

One Single Story is a weekday devotional walking through the One Year Bible, connecting scripture to everyday life in short, honest conversations.

Find us at Open Door Church, Edenton, NC, or online at visitopendoor.com and onesinglestory.com.

Subscribe so you never miss a daily episode.

Coming This Week: We continue in Romans, unpacking what true righteousness looks like from the inside out.

#OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #Romans #Repentance #Faith

Welcome to another episode of One Single Story! Host Pastor Stephen Mizell and Pastor Jay Rivenbark are joined by Pastor Alyssa Bream for a thought-provoking discussion on Romans 1:18-32, exploring what it means to suppress the truth of God and the subtle ways we trade the Creator's glory for idols of our own making.

Scripture Focus: Romans 1:18-32 - Paul lays the theological foundation for the book of Romans with a sobering indictment of human sin. In this passage, he explains how people willfully suppress the truth about God despite creation making His existence obvious, and describes the downward spiral that occurs when God "gives people over" to their own desires.

In This Episode:

• Understanding the difference between willful sin and actively encouraging others to sin
• How suppressing truth (like the tobacco industry hiding cigarette dangers) mirrors spiritual deception
• Why "entrapment evangelism" and pure apologetics often fail to lead people to genuine faith
• Modern-day idolatry: elevating personalities, denominations, family, and political movements above God
• The warning sign that "if God never contradicts you, you have an idol"
• Unpacking the three-fold repetition of "God abandoned them" and what it reveals about divine judgment
• Why God allowing us to experience the full consequences of sin can actually be an act of mercy

Key Quote: "The safest place to live is fully surrendered to a God that you cannot escape."

About One Single Story: One Single Story is a weekday podcast offering brief, conversational lessons drawn from each day's reading in the One Year Bible. Hosted by the pastoral team at Open Door Church, this podcast is designed to help listeners engage more deeply with Scripture through honest, real-world conversation and practical application.

Open Door Church, Edenton, North Carolina visitopendoor.com | onesinglestory.com

Subscribe to One Single Story so you never miss a daily conversation around God's Word. New episodes drop every weekday to help you stay grounded in Scripture, one story at a time.

Coming This Week: Join us as we continue working through the book of Romans in the One Year Bible reading plan, digging deeper into Paul's letter and uncovering fresh insight for daily faith and life application.

Hashtags: #OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #Romans #BookOfRomans #Idolatry #Evangelism #DivineJudgment #ChristianApologetics

Join Pastor Stephen Mizell, Pastor Jay Rivenbark, and Pastor Wendy Korbusieski as they close out this week's conversation on 1 Chronicles 9 and 10. Together they unpack the quiet, unseen work of gatekeepers and doorkeepers in God's house, the tragic downfall of King Saul, and how God uses painful leadership transitions to make room for what He wants to do next.

Scripture Focus: 1 Chronicles 9:1 – 10:14 - This passage closes out the genealogical prologue of Chronicles, highlighting the temple gatekeepers who guarded access to God's house and the various servants who supported temple worship, before recounting Saul's death on Mount Gilboa after he sought guidance from a medium instead of the Lord.

In This Episode:

• Why the temple gatekeepers and behind-the-scenes servants in 1 Chronicles 9 matter to God's kingdom
• How faithfulness, not visibility, determines true significance in ministry
• Practical ways Open Door Church honors unseen volunteers, from baptism teams to cleaning crews
• What it means that the gatekeepers were armed Levites entrusted with guarding access points
• Saul's death in 1 Chronicles 10 and his fatal choice to consult a medium rather than seek the Lord
• Modern-day "mediums" leaders turn to instead of God, including culture, politics, and artificial intelligence
• How to use AI as a tool without letting it replace discernment and hard work
• Navigating painful leadership transitions and successions, from Saul and David to the church today

Key Quote: "Significance in God's kingdom is really determined by faithfulness and not visibility."

About One Single Story: One Single Story is a daily weekday devotional podcast that walks through the One Year Bible reading plan, offering a brief, conversational lesson from Scripture to help you grow in your walk with God one day at a time.

Open Door Church is located in Edenton, North Carolina. Learn more at visitopendoor.com or onesinglestory.com.

Subscribe to One Single Story so you never miss a daily edition, and share this episode with someone who needs encouragement in God's Word today.

Coming This Week: Join us next time as we continue through the One Year Bible, exploring new passages and fresh conversations around Scripture, faithful service, and following God's Word together.

Hashtags: #OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #1Chronicles #KingSaul #Gatekeepers #ChristianLeadership

Join Pastor Stephen Mizell, Pastor Jay Rivenbark, and Pastor Wendy Korbusieski for today's edition of One Single Story as they walk through 1 Chronicles 7-8. In this raw and honest conversation, the hosts explore grief and mourning, the complexity of family dynamics, God's covenant faithfulness in the middle of human brokenness, and how different gifts and strengths work together to build up the local church.

Scripture Focus: 1 Chronicles 7:1 – 8:40 - These chapters trace the genealogies of Issachar, Benjamin, Naphtali, Manasseh, Ephraim, and Asher, pausing to record Ephraim's grief over his slain sons before turning to a detailed focus on the tribe of Benjamin, including the line that leads to King Saul.

In This Episode:

• Why God pauses a genealogical record to include Ephraim's raw grief over his sons
• The complexity of family dynamics when children from the same home turn out very differently
• A personal, present-day story of grief and the tension of showing up for a grieving friend
• Why grieving the loss of a child or grandchild is uniquely heavy for parents
• How God's meticulous preservation of Benjamin's line, despite Saul's failure, reveals His grace toward broken legacies
• The difference between God's commitment to us and our commitment to Him
• How the distinct strengths of the tribes picture the way spiritual gifts should work together in the local church
• The call to identify, empower, and release people into their God-given gifts

Key Quote: "Let God handle the broken pieces of your legacy. His grace is busy working in your future while you're busy processing your past."

About One Single Story: One Single Story is a weekday podcast offering a brief, honest conversation around a section of that day's reading in the One Year Bible. Each episode invites listeners to open their Bible, grab a pen and paper, and dig into the Word of God together, one single story at a time.

This episode is brought to you by Open Door Church in Edenton, North Carolina. Learn more and connect with the church at visitopendoor.com, and find more episodes and resources at onesinglestory.com.

Subscribe to One Single Story so you never miss a daily conversation around God's Word. New episodes release each weekday to walk alongside your One Year Bible reading plan.

Coming This Week: Stay tuned as the hosts continue through the Old Testament narrative, uncovering more raw, real, and redemptive stories tucked inside Scripture's genealogies and history books.

Hashtags: #OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #1Chronicles #GriefAndGrace #SpiritualGifts #BibleGenealogy #ChristianCommunity

Welcome to today's edition of One Single Story. Pastor Stephen Mizell and Pastor Jay Rivenbark are joined by Pastor Wendy Korbusieski for a conversation about short-term faithfulness, why worship must be the centerpiece of church culture, and why the Levites never received a plot of land of their own.

Scripture Focus: 1 Chronicles 5:18-6:81 - This passage covers the military victories of the eastern tribes before pivoting to their eventual exile due to spiritual adultery, then shifts into a detailed account of the tribe of Levi, mapping out the priests, temple musicians, and cities allocated to them throughout Israel.

In This Episode:

• Why continued obedience matters more than past victories, and why we're often most vulnerable right after a win
• The contrast between God answering Israel's prayers in battle and their later exile for unfaithfulness
• How true faith is a daily, lifelong endeavor rather than a single moment of crisis-driven decision
• Why worship and spiritual leadership must be prioritized over administrative structure and programming in the church
• The tension between spiritual passion and godly structure, and how both are needed to protect against abuse and manipulation
• The strategic reason the Levites were scattered among the other tribes instead of given their own territory
• How dependence on the obedience of others shaped the Levites' ministry and kept them from self-reliance

Key Quote: "We cry out in crisis, but we compromise in comfort."

About One Single Story: One Single Story is a weekday devotional podcast that walks through the One Year Bible reading plan, offering brief, practical lessons drawn from each day's Scripture reading. Hosted by the pastoral team at Open Door Church, each episode brings together different voices for an honest, conversational look at how God's Word applies to everyday life and faith.

Open Door Church is located in Edenton, North Carolina. Learn more at visitopendoor.com or onesinglestory.com.

Subscribe to One Single Story so you never miss a daily devotional. Join us every weekday as we dig into Scripture together, one story at a time.

Coming This Week: Join us as we continue journeying through First Chronicles this week, uncovering more of the genealogies, worship structures, and spiritual lessons woven throughout Israel's history that still speak to the church today.

Hashtags: #OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #FirstChronicles #Levites #Worship #ChristianLeadership #BibleDevotional

Pastor Stephen Mizell and Pastor Jay Rivenbark are joined by Pastor Wendy Korbusieski for a conversation through 1 Chronicles 4-5, exploring the line between godly ambition and worldly greed, and the quiet danger of settling for what's comfortable.

Scripture Focus: 1 Chronicles 4:5–5:17 - Jabez's famous prayer, Reuben's forfeited birthright, and the eastern tribes' choice to settle short of the Promised Land.

In This Episode:

• Reuben's costly choice and its ripple effect on future generations
• Jabez and why our pain never limits what God can do
• Discerning godly expansion from worldly greed through motive
• The trap of "good enough" and partial obedience

Key Quote: "Don't settle for the edge of the promise when the Father is inviting you into the center of his promise."

One Single Story is a daily podcast from Open Door Church, Edenton, NC, offering brief weekday lessons from the One Year Bible. Learn more at visitopendoor.com and onesinglestory.com. Subscribe so you never miss an episode.

Hashtags: #OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #Faith #1Chronicles #PrayerOfJabez

Welcome to One Single Story. Pastor Stephen Mizell and Pastor Jay Rivenbark are joined by Pastor Wendy Korbusieski. Today we're in 1 Chronicles 2:18-4:4 — a passage full of genealogies.

These family records mattered deeply to Israel. This community had just returned from seventy years in Babylonian exile. They were broken, displaced, and asking: do we still belong to the promise? Genealogies answered that. They established identity, settled land claims, and determined who could serve in the priesthood.

But there's a deeper lesson here too. Freedom from exile wasn't enough on its own — they still had to reestablish who they were. It's the same today: freedom from addiction, or sin, or a broken season, doesn't automatically give you a new identity. That has to be rebuilt in Christ.

Notice too that these genealogies don't just list kings — they name craftsmen, ordinary families, everyday people. That's a reminder that faithfulness in daily work and calling matters to God, even when it isn't glamorous.

And Judah's placement here — out of birth order, out of kingship order — points forward. It's a quiet reminder that a King was still coming from David's line: Jesus.

Here's our key thought for today: when human history gets reduced to a list of names, God looks for a single heart bold enough to pray for Him to do great things.

Thanks for joining us. We'll see you next time on One Single Story.