Pastor Stephen Mizell, Pastor Jay Rivenbark, and Pastor Alyssa Bream dig into Proverbs 22:2-4, wrestling with why God allows both rich and poor, how the church can avoid favoritism, and the warning signs that trouble is creeping into our lives or leadership.

Scripture Focus: Proverbs 22:2-4 - the rich and poor share one Maker, the prudent see danger coming, and humility with the fear of the Lord leads to true riches and honor.

In This Episode:

• Does God cause wealth and poverty, or is Proverbs about our response to it?
• Guarding the church against status and favoritism
• Warning signs of spiritual and organizational danger
• Self-promotion versus surrender before God

Key Quote: "When you walk in genuine humility before your Creator, you gain the eyes to spot danger early and a heart that can receive true honor."

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

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Welcome back to One Single Story! Today, Pastor Stephen Mizell and Pastor Jay Rivenbark are joined by Pastor Alyssa Bream to dig into Proverbs 22:1, exploring why a good reputation is worth more than silver or gold, and why guarding our character matters far more than the world often admits.

Scripture Focus: Proverbs 22:1 - "Choose a good reputation over great riches; being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold." This verse challenges the cultural assumption that net worth and metrics define success, calling believers instead to value integrity and character above financial gain.

In This Episode:

• Why a broken reputation takes far longer to rebuild than lost finances
• The danger of measuring leadership success by metrics and net worth alone
• Practical guardrails leaders can put in place to protect against temptation and financial mismanagement
• How personal reputation and organizational reputation become inseparable
• The connection between Romans and how our conduct affects how outsiders view the gospel
• Why the world looks for reasons to invalidate the cross, and how our character can serve as a shield

Key Quote: "When you value your character more than your capital, you can build a Kingdom legacy that outlasts any balance sheet."

About One Single Story: One Single Story is a weekday devotional podcast walking through the One Year Bible, offering short, practical lessons drawn straight from the day's reading. Each episode is designed to help you engage Scripture, spark meaningful conversation, and apply God's Word to everyday life.

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

If this episode encouraged you, subscribe to One Single Story so you never miss a daily devotional. Join us every weekday as we walk through Scripture together, one story at a time.

Coming This Week: Stay tuned as we continue our journey through the book of Proverbs, uncovering more wisdom for daily living, leadership, and walking faithfully with Christ.

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Welcome back to One Single Story. Pastor Stephen Mizell and Pastor Jay Rivenbark are joined by Pastor Alyssa Bream from Open Door Church in Edenton, North Carolina.

Today we're closing out Proverbs 21 — verses 30 and 31 — where Solomon reminds us that no wisdom, no plan, no strategy can override the will of God. The horse is prepared for battle, but victory belongs to the Lord.

We talk about where good planning turns into self-reliance, what Gideon's army teaches us about trusting God over numbers, and how easy it is to let past success — or today's tools, whether that's AI, technology, or social media — quietly become our modern-day warhorse.

Here's the line that sums it up: when you stop treating your preparation as your Savior, you free God to demonstrate his unfiltered sovereignty in all of your battles.

Subscribe so you don't miss a daily lesson from God's Word, and we'll see you tomorrow as we keep moving through Proverbs.

Welcome back to One Single Story, the daily devotional podcast walking through the One Year Bible. Today Pastor Stephen Mizell and Pastor Jay Rivenbark are joined by Pastor Wendy Korbusieski for a conversation about confidence, integrity, and the steady hand of God in the midst of life's stumbles.

Scripture Focus: Psalm 37:12-29 - David contrasts the schemes of the wicked with the security of the righteous, reminding us that the Lord laughs at those who oppose His people because He already sees their day of judgment coming. The passage promises daily provision, a lasting inheritance, and the assurance that even when the righteous stumble, they will not fall because the Lord holds them by the hand.

In This Episode:

• Why the Lord's laughter at human opposition should change how we respond to intimidation and fear
• The difference between measuring success by size versus measuring it by integrity and spiritual health
• Why sustainable growth, personal or corporate, is a slow process built on small daily disciplines
• Unpacking the promise that the righteous may stumble but will never utterly fall
• A missionary story from India illustrating the difference between holding onto God and being held by Him
• Pastor Jay's story of a literal fall in a hole, and the practical lessons behind it

Key Quote: "God's grip, no matter what slip I have... his grip is tighter than any failure, weakness that I have. And he's not going to allow me to get lost."

About One Single Story: One Single Story is a weekday Bible study podcast offering brief, honest lessons from each day's reading in the One Year Bible. Hosted by the pastoral team at Open Door Church, each episode is designed to help listeners grab their Bible, open a conversation around God's Word, and grow in daily relationship with Him.

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

Subscribe so you never miss a daily episode, and share this podcast with someone who needs encouragement from God's Word today.

Coming This Week: Join us as we continue walking through the One Year Bible together, exploring more of God's Word one story at a time and unpacking practical, honest applications for everyday faith and leadership.

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Join Pastor Stephen Mizell, Pastor Jay Rivenbark and Pastor Wendy Korbusieski for today's edition of One Single Story as they dig into Psalm 37:1-11, tackling why we're so easily fooled by the surface-level success of the wicked, and what it really means to trust, delight in, commit to, and rest in the Lord during seasons of resistance.

Scripture Focus: Psalm 37:1-11 - An acrostic psalm of David reflecting on a lifetime of watching the wicked prosper, this passage calls believers away from envy and worry and toward trust, delight, commitment, and stillness in God's character, closing with the promise that the humble will inherit the land.

In This Episode:

• Why the prosperity of the wicked can feel like such a personal irritant, even for someone like David
• How comparison quietly shifts our baseline from faithfulness to volume, platform, and popularity
• The "cut flowers" picture of ungodly success: pretty for a moment, but rootless and destined to wilt
• Unpacking the four disciplines of Psalm 37: trust, delight, commit, and be still
• Why "being still" so often feels passive but is actually a call to active trust
• What kingdom humility looks like in practice when everyone else is self-promoting
• How an ego deflated by grace changes the way we handle credit and recognition

Key Quote: "We need to just remember that God never has asked us to be impressive. He's just asked us to be faithful. And I think that's what needs to be measured."

One Single Story is a daily podcast walking through the One Year Bible, offering a brief, honest conversation around each day's reading. Every weekday, hosts from Open Door Church break open a short passage of Scripture to help listeners grow in faith, apply God's Word to everyday life, and stay grounded in a single story worth telling.

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

Subscribe so you never miss a day of One Single Story, and hit the bell to get notified when new episodes drop each weekday morning.

Coming This Week: The conversation continues tomorrow as the hosts return to Psalm 37 for more on freeing ourselves from envy and pursuing a life rooted in God's faithfulness rather than fleeting success.

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Welcome back to One Single Story! Today Pastor Stephen Mizell and Pastor Jay Rivenbark are joined by Pastor Wendy Korbusieski for a conversation about how sin quietly whispers to us, why self-awareness matters, and how God's love can be pictured as something unmovable and unshakable.

Scripture Focus: Psalm 36:1-12 - David contrasts the self-deceiving whispers of sin in the wicked heart with the vast, unshakable, and covenant-keeping love of God, pictured through the imagery of mountains, oceans, and the shelter of His wings.

In This Episode:

• How sin whispers to the wicked and gradually blinds them to their own faults
• Staying teachable, staying in community, and guarding against the dangers of isolation
• Why self-reliance and isolation often lead to self-delusion
• Comparing God's unfailing love to the towering mountains and the fathomless depths of the ocean
• The covenant imagery behind "shelter in the shadow of your wings" and its connection to Ruth and Boaz
• Living with an interpretive "baseline" of truth through daily intimacy with God
• A lighthearted detour into lie detector tests and using them as a picture of spiritual baseline truth

Key Quote: "Self-delusion starts when we self-rely, which comes from isolation."

About One Single Story: One Single Story is a weekday devotional podcast walking through the One Year Bible, offering a brief lesson and honest conversation from each day's reading. Hosted by the pastors of Open Door Church, the show is designed to help listeners grow in daily Scripture engagement, spiritual accountability, and practical faith.

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

Subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss a daily episode as we walk through the One Year Bible together, one single story at a time.

Coming This Week: Join us as we continue our journey through the Psalms and head into the Book of Proverbs, unpacking daily wisdom for walking closely with God.

Hashtags: #OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #Psalm36 #Psalms #GodsLove #SpiritualAccountability

Join Pastor Stephen Mizell, Pastor Jay Rivenbark and Pastor Wendy Korbusieski for today's edition of One Single Story, a daily walk through the One Year Bible. In this episode, the team wrestles with what it means to wait on God when He seems silent, how a leader's public failure impacts the wider community, and why celebrating one another's breakthroughs matters for the whole church family.

Scripture Focus: Psalm 35:17-28 - David's cry for vindication as he waits on God to act against his enemies, closing with a call for the community to rejoice together when God brings deliverance.

In This Episode:

• Learning to trust God's character during seasons of waiting, silence, and unanswered prayer
• Biblical examples of waiting well: Joseph, Esther, and Ruth
• How David modeled both private prayer and public praise
• The tension of asking, "Have you heard me, God?" and choosing to trust anyway
• How a leader's public stumble can affect the reputation of the gospel in a community
• The difference between humble repentance (David) and hardened refusal (Belshazzar)
• Why celebrating someone else's victory unifies the church and combats comparison
• Redirecting the glory of every breakthrough back to God

Key Quote: "We need to focus on his character, not his speed."

About One Single Story: One Single Story is a weekday devotional 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, the show brings Scripture to life through honest, practical discussion meant to encourage believers in their daily walk with God.

This episode is brought to you by Open Door Church in Edenton, North Carolina. Learn more at visitopendoor.com and onesinglestory.com.

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

Coming This Week: Stay tuned as the team continues walking through the Psalms in the One Year Bible reading plan, unpacking more lessons on faith, waiting on God, and living in community with other believers.

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This week on One Single Story, Pastor Stephen Mizell, Pastor Jay Rivenbark, and Pastor Wendy Korbusieski dig into Psalm 35:1-16, David's raw cry to God as his defender. The team talks honestly about betrayal, letting God fight our battles, and protecting our hearts from bitterness when people we've helped turn on us.

Scripture Focus: Psalm 35:1-16 - David asks God to take up shield and armor and fight for him against those who betrayed his trust.

In This Episode:

• Why betrayal from someone close cuts deeper than ordinary conflict
• Trusting God as defender instead of taking matters into your own hands
• Guarding against bitterness when people you've served turn against you
• Weighing gossip against constructive criticism without letting it ruminate

Key Quote: "The shepherd has to get bloody to help the sheep. It's hard to experience betrayal and still exercise restraint - but hurt people hurt people, so trusting God as your defender takes real maturity."

About One Single Story: A brief weekday conversation around that day's reading in the One Year Bible, hosted by the pastors of Open Door Church.

Find us at visitopendoor.com and onesinglestory.com. Subscribe so you never miss a daily episode.

Coming This Week: We continue in Psalm 35, exploring betrayal, God's protection, and guarding our hearts from bitterness.

Hashtags: #OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #Psalms #Psalm35 #Betrayal #TrustGod

Welcome to today's edition of One Single Story! Pastor Stephen Mizell and Pastor Jay Rivenbark are joined by Pastor Sheryl Daughety for a candid conversation about 1 Corinthians 9, exploring what it means to lay aside our personal rights for the sake of the gospel and how ministry leaders can guard against turning a calling into a mere career.

Scripture Focus: 1 Corinthians 9:1-16 - In this passage, Paul defends his authority as an apostle while explaining why he chose not to exercise his right to financial support from the churches he planted. Instead, he supported himself so that nothing would hinder the message of Christ, offering a powerful model of sacrificial leadership.

In This Episode:

• Why Paul built a biblical case for ministers receiving financial provision from their congregations
• The difference between being "by vocation" out of necessity versus by choice
• How churches can properly honor and sustain their leadership teams
• The danger of pastors compromising conviction to keep major givers happy
• Choosing to yield personal rights for the sake of a greater gospel impact
• How to maintain a holy sense of calling instead of treating ministry as just a job
• Recognizing the signs of someone pursuing ministry for status rather than purpose

Key Quote: "When your motivation shifts from what you can collect from your calling, rather than what you can surrender for the gospel, your ministry moves from a secular career to a supernatural force."

One Single Story is a weekday devotional podcast offering a brief, honest lesson from that day's reading in the One Year Bible. Hosted by the pastoral team at Open Door Church, each episode is a real conversation around the Word of God, designed to help you grow in your daily walk with Christ.

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

Subscribe to One Single Story so you never miss a daily dose of biblical encouragement. New episodes release every weekday to help you stay grounded in Scripture.

Coming This Week: Join us as we continue walking through the One Year Bible reading plan, digging into fresh passages each weekday and unpacking practical, faith-building truths for everyday life.

Hashtags: #OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #FirstCorinthians #PastoralMinistry #ChristianLeadership #MinistryLife #GospelFirst

Welcome back to One Single Story! Today Pastor Stephen Mizell and Pastor Jay Rivenbark are joined by Pastor Sheryl Daughety for a candid conversation on 1 Corinthians 8:1-13. This passage tackles a real flashpoint in the Corinthian church - eating meat sacrificed to idols - and uses it to unpack a truth that still challenges believers today: knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.

Scripture Focus: 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 - Paul addresses a cultural and theological controversy in Corinth over eating meat previously offered to idols. He teaches that while personal knowledge and freedom may be technically correct, love for others - especially those with a "weaker conscience" - must govern how believers exercise their liberty.

In This Episode:

• Why "anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn't really know very much" (v. 2)
• How knowledge without love becomes harsh, arrogant, and offensive
• Real-world examples of being textually correct but relationally harsh, from hot-button issues to church hiring decisions
• Why a teachable spirit matters more than being theologically "right"
• Modern-day liberties Christians may need to lay down out of love - money, alcohol, social media, entertainment choices, politics, and more
• The difference between what we have a right to do and what we should do
• Why greater influence means greater responsibility, not greater freedom
• How wounding a brother or sister's conscience is ultimately a sin against Christ

Key Quote: "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care."

About One Single Story: One Single Story is a weekday podcast offering a brief, focused conversation on a passage from the day's One Year Bible reading. Hosted by the pastors of Open Door Church, each episode is designed to help you dig into Scripture with your Bible, a pen, and paper in hand - encouraging honest, practical conversation around the Word of God.

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

Subscribe to One Single Story so you never miss a weekday episode, and join us as we walk through Scripture together, one story at a time.

Coming This Week: Join us as we continue through the One Year Bible reading plan, exploring more of God's Word together each weekday with fresh conversation and practical application for everyday faith.

Hashtags: #OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #1Corinthians #ChristianLiberty #LoveOverKnowledge #WalkInLove