One Single Story

Welcome back to One Single Story! Today Pastor Stephen Mizell and Pastor Jay Rivenbark are joined by Pastor Alyssa Bream for a conversation on Ezra chapters 3 and 4, exploring what it means to lay a spiritual foundation before anything else can be rightly built - in our churches, our families, and our own hearts.

Scripture Focus: Ezra 3:1 –4:23 - The remnant of Israel returns to Judah under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Joshua. Before rebuilding the temple walls, they rebuild the altar and restore worship, even in the face of fear and local opposition. When the foundation is laid, the younger generation shouts for joy while the older generation weeps over memories of what once was. In chapter 4, surrounding enemies offer to help with construction, and Zerubbabel must discern between true partnership and a dangerous compromise.

In This Episode:

• Why the returning exiles rebuilt the altar before the temple walls, and why our vertical alignment with God must come before we try to fix external structures or security
• How misalignment in our relationship with God shows up as cracks in every other area of life - marriage, finances, and beyond
• Navigating the tension between honoring the past and embracing what God is doing next
• Learning to distinguish mission from method as leaders and churches grow and change
• How to discern the difference between kingdom-minded collaboration and compromising partnerships
• Personal stories of when to say yes to working with others, and when to say no

Key Quote: "When you have the courage to say no to a false partnership, you clear the way for God to demonstrate His unfiltered power through your willingness to follow Him."

About One Single Story: One Single Story is a weekday devotional podcast that walks through the One Year Bible reading plan, offering a brief, honest conversation around God's Word. Hosted by the pastoral team at Open Door Church, each episode connects a short passage of Scripture to real, practical life so you can grow in your walk with God one day at a time.

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

Subscribe to One Single Story so you never miss a daily conversation around the Word of God. New episodes release every weekday - hit subscribe and turn on notifications to follow along with the One Year Bible reading plan all season long.

Coming This Week: Join us as we continue through the book of Ezra this week, following the returning exiles as they navigate opposition, rebuild what was broken, and learn to walk in faithful obedience to God even when the road isn't easy.

Hashtags: #OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #BookOfEzra #Zerubbabel #SpiritualFoundation #Worship #ChristianLeadership

Welcome to the August 5th edition of One Single Story. Today Pastor Stephen Mizell and Pastor Jay Rivenbark are joined by Pastor Alyssa Bream to open the book of Ezra, exploring what it means to trust God's sovereignty over volatile political landscapes and what kind of faith is required to leave comfort behind and rebuild what has been broken.

Scripture Focus: Ezra 1:1 –2:70 - Seventy years after the fall of Jerusalem, the Persian king Cyrus issues a decree allowing the exiles to return home. Ezra opens by linking directly to the close of 2 Chronicles, and chapter two records the detailed registry of families who answered the call to leave Babylon and rebuild the temple and the city.

In This Episode:

• How the Lord stirring the heart of Cyrus reveals God's control over every earthly leader and government
• Why comfort and convenience can keep believers from stepping into God's will
• The disruptive faith required to leave a settled, comfortable life for a hard rebuilding project
• Parallels between the returning exiles and modern-day missionaries who leave home for the sake of ministry
• Why Ezra 2's long list of names and numbers matters - authenticating heritage, honoring pioneers, and recognizing ordinary people who made restoration possible
• The connection between "deconstruction of faith" and the deeper rebuilding God calls his people to

Key Quote: "We just have to be ready to follow him, and it wouldn't be faith and trust if it was an easy path that you just walked in. It has to require some courage."

One Single Story is a weekday devotional podcast walking through the One Year Bible reading plan one section at a time. Each episode offers a brief, conversational lesson designed to help listeners connect Scripture to everyday life and grow in their walk with God.

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

If this episode encouraged you, subscribe to One Single Story so you never miss a daily lesson from God's Word, and share it with someone who needs encouragement in their faith today.

Coming This Week: Join us as we continue through the book of Ezra, tracing the story of the returning exiles as they lay the foundation for rebuilding the temple and face the challenges of restoration in Jerusalem.

Hashtags: #OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #Ezra #BookOfEzra #ReturnFromExile #GodsSovereignty #Rebuilding

div]:bg-bg-000/50 [&_pre>div]:border-0.5 [&_pre>div]:border-border-400 [&_.ignore-pre-bg>div]:bg-transparent [&_.standard-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pl-2 [&_.standard-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,ul,ol,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pr-8 [&_.progressive-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pl-2 [&_.progressive-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,ul,ol,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pr-8"> _*]:min-w-0 gap-3 standard-markdown">

Pastor Stephen Mizell and Pastor Jay Rivenbark are joined by Pastor Alyssa Bream to explore the final chapters of Judah's story - a hardened heart, missed Sabbaths, and God's surprising use of an unlikely king to move history forward.

Scripture Focus: 2 Chronicles 35-36 traces Judah's rapid decline through its last kings, ending in exile - but closes with the decree of Cyrus of Persia, pointing toward restoration.

In This Episode:

• What it means for a heart to reach "no remedy"
• Why rest is a matter of trust, not a reward
• How God used a pagan king, Cyrus, to fulfill his purposes
• The difference between being used by God and being godly

Key Quote: "The problem is not that God runs out of mercy - I think the human heart runs out of its capacity to receive it."

Join us at Open Door Church, Edenton, NC. visitopendoor.com | onesinglestory.com

Subscribe for daily conversations through the One Year Bible.

#OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #2Chronicles #Sabbath #Rest

Welcome back to One Single Story. Today Pastor Stephen Mizell and Pastor Jay Rivenbark are joined by Pastor Alyssa Bream for a conversation on how the authority of Scripture can quietly get lost inside our ministries and our personal lives, and what it looks like when a heart finally responds to God's Word with real conviction instead of casual familiarity.

Scripture Focus: 2 Chronicles 33:14-34:33 - This passage covers the collapse and restoration of the southern kingdom, from Manasseh's idolatry to young King Josiah's discovery of the lost Book of the Law and the last great revival before the exile.

In This Episode:

• How the Book of the Law was physically lost inside the temple meant to protect it, and what that says about how Scripture gets buried in churches today
• The difference between casually reading the Bible out of habit or obligation and reading it with intentionality, asking the Holy Spirit to bring real change
• Why emotional response alone, like "collective effervescence," isn't the same as true conviction unless it leads to actual life change
• Josiah's grief and public covenant renewal as a model for repentance, described as the one legal move believers have in the courts of Heaven
• The tension between individual mercy and corporate accountability, and how one tender heart can delay judgment even when it can't erase it
• How pastors' personal preferences, cultural pressure, and congregational comfort can each cause parts of Scripture to be avoided or ignored

Key Quote: "There is that collective effervescence that can happen in secular areas, all of this, but if it doesn't lead to change... it's just emotion that lands nowhere."

About One Single Story: One Single Story is a weekday devotional podcast walking through the One Year Bible reading plan. Each episode offers a short, conversational lesson connected to that day's Scripture reading, helping listeners move from simply reading the Bible to truly understanding and applying it.

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

Subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss a daily episode of One Single Story. Join thousands of believers building a consistent Bible reading habit, one weekday conversation at a time.

Coming This Week: We continue in 2 Chronicles this week, following the story of collapse and restoration in the southern kingdom. Stay with us all week as we dig into the reforms of Josiah and what they mean for us today.

Hashtags: #OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #2Chronicles #Josiah #Repentance #Revival #BibleReadingPlan

Welcome back to One Single Story! Today Pastor Stephen Mizell and Pastor Jay Rivenbark are joined by Pastor Wendy Korbusieski for a candid conversation about our eyes and ears as God-given gates to the heart and mind. As they close out this section of Proverbs, the team unpacks what it means to steward our senses well in a media-saturated world, and how to move from merely seeing and hearing to truly perceiving with spiritual clarity.

Scripture Focus: Proverbs 20:12 - Solomon closes this section of Proverbs by pointing to the hearing ear and the seeing eye as things the Lord has made, reminding us that our senses are not accidental but purposefully designed instruments meant to be used for His glory.

In This Episode:

• Why our eyes and ears are intentional gifts from God, not accidental features to be taken for granted
• How church "property use" guidelines offer a helpful picture for the personal stewardship of our senses
• The difference between quality and quantity when evaluating media intake, and why even "wholesome" content can become harmful in excess
• How information overload affects sleep, anxiety, and spiritual sensitivity
• Practical filtering questions to evaluate what we watch and listen to, including the classic "What would Jesus do?"
• The connection between physical senses and spiritual discernment, and how believers can become spiritually dull without realizing it
• A sound bar analogy for what it feels like when spiritual clarity finally comes into focus

Key Quote: "When you realize that your capacity to perceive is a direct gift from God, you stop wasting your vision on the temporary and you fix your gaze on things that are eternal."

About One Single Story: One Single Story is a weekday devotional podcast offering brief, practical lessons drawn from each day's reading in the One Year Bible. Hosted by the pastoral team at Open Door Church, each episode invites listeners to grab their Bible, a pen, and paper, and join a conversation centered on the Word of God.

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

Subscribe to One Single Story so you never miss a weekday devotional, and join us as we walk through the One Year Bible together, one single story at a time.

Coming This Week: Join us for more daily devotionals from the One Year Bible as we continue through Proverbs and beyond, exploring practical wisdom for everyday faith and life.

Hashtags: #OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #Proverbs #Wisdom #SpiritualDiscernment #ChristianMedia

Join Pastor Stephen Mizell, Pastor Jay Rivenbark, and Pastor Wendy Korbusieski for today's edition of One Single Story as they dig into Proverbs 20:11 and explore why our actions, not our words or potential, are the truest indicator of who we really are.

Scripture Focus: Proverbs 20:11 - Solomon teaches that even children are known by their actions, whether their conduct is pure and right. This verse challenges us to evaluate character not by charisma or potential, but by consistent, observable behavior.

In This Episode:

• Why behavior is a more reliable metric than potential, personality, or charisma
• How to shift focus from charisma and passion to a track record of daily conduct when evaluating interns, leaders, and staff
• The danger of overlooking red flags in dating and hiring because of surface-level charm
• Distinguishing authentic transformation of character from short-lived, well-rehearsed behavior modification
• How consistency and pressure reveal a person's true heart over time
• Practical questions for assessing faithfulness: Do they keep commitments? Are they teachable? Do they serve without recognition?

Key Quote: "You can write a beautiful description of your life, but your conduct is the only script the world reads."

About One Single Story: One Single Story is a weekday devotional podcast offering a brief, practical lesson from each day's reading in the One Year Bible. Hosted by the pastoral team at Open Door Church, this podcast helps listeners connect Scripture to everyday life through honest, conversational Bible study.

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

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

Coming This Week: Continue walking through the One Year Bible with us as we move deeper into Proverbs, uncovering practical wisdom for daily living, relationships, and character.

Hashtags: #OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #Proverbs #Wisdom #Character #Integrity

Pastor Stephen Mizell and Pastor Jay Rivenbark are joined by Pastor Wendy Korbusieski to unpack Proverbs 20:8-10 and its warning against self-righteousness and double standards.

Scripture Focus: Proverbs 20:8-10 - A king who scatters evil with his eyes, and the piercing question, "Who can say, I have made my heart clean?"

In This Episode:

• Why no one can honestly claim a fully cleansed heart
• How bias shapes judges, juries, and everyday decisions
• Why we excuse ourselves by intentions but judge others by actions
• How self-awareness and humility lead to fairer judgment and greater grace

Key Quote: "I think self-righteousness causes us to be willing to sink everything to pretend that we're right when we're wrong. Wisdom says, I'm right until you realize you're not, and then you've got to own it."

One Single Story is a daily podcast from Open Door Church pastors, walking through the One Year Bible reading plan with practical, Scripture-rooted encouragement.

Open Door Church, Edenton, NC | visitopendoor.com | onesinglestory.com

Subscribe for daily biblical encouragement, weekdays.

Coming This Week: More conversations through the One Year Bible plan on living out faith with humility and grace.

#OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #Faith #Proverbs #Humility

Welcome back to One Single Story! Today Pastor Stephen Mizell and Jay Rivenbark are joined by Wendy Korbusieski for a candid conversation about integrity, legacy, and what it really means to live a whole life in a culture obsessed with image and online personas. This episode digs into why what we build in private always finds its way into public, and why that matters for every parent, leader, and follower of Christ.

Scripture Focus: Proverbs 20:7 - This standalone proverb declares that the righteous walk in integrity, and blessed are their children after them. The hosts unpack this legacy-defining verse and what it means to leave behind more than material wealth.

In This Episode:

• The difference between leaving children a material inheritance versus a spiritual legacy of integrity
• Why character, not cash, is the true marker of a life well-lived
• What hidden, consistent integrity looks like for leaders in an age of online personas and public branding
• The critical difference between authenticity and transparency
• How private compromises can quietly shape the spiritual future of your children and grandchildren
• A powerful illustration comparing internal toxicity to a chemical leak, and how unresolved issues eventually affect the people around us
• Personal, honest reflections on owning past mistakes with grown children

Key Quote: "It's what's out of the spotlight that really defines who you are... it is my private life that enables me to have a public life of ministry."

About One Single Story: One Single Story is a weekday devotional podcast offering brief, thoughtful lessons drawn from that day's reading in the One Year Bible. Hosted by the pastoral team at Open Door Church, each episode brings scripture into conversation with real life, real questions, and real faith.

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

If this episode encouraged you, subscribe to One Single Story so you never miss a daily lesson from God's word. Share it with a friend who needs to hear this message today.

Coming This Week: Join us for more daily devotionals from this week's readings in the One Year Bible, as we continue exploring practical wisdom from Proverbs and beyond for everyday faith and leadership.

Hashtags: #OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #Proverbs #Integrity #ChristianLeadership #Legacy #Authenticity #DailyDevotion

Welcome back to One Single Story. This week, Pastor Stephen Mizell and Pastor Jay Rivenbark are joined by Pastor Wendy Korbusieski for a study in Proverbs 20:4-6 - three verses that diagnose laziness, hidden motives, and loud loyalty.

The team talks about why problems we discover "at harvest" were actually planted, or neglected, much earlier - in marriage, parenting, friendships, finances, and ministry. They dig into how genuine curiosity, not manipulation, is what draws real wisdom out of people. And they close on the difference between loud, self-promoting loyalty and the quiet faithfulness that only time can prove.

Key quote: "When you stop trying to market your own name and start executing the hidden seasonal obedience, you step out of the crowd of talkers into a rare company of faithful people."

One Single Story is a weekday devotional from Open Door Church in Edenton, North Carolina, walking through the One Year Bible. Learn more at visitopendoor.com and onesinglestory.com. Subscribe so you don't miss the rest of the week in Proverbs.

#OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #Proverbs #Faith

Welcome to today's edition of One Single Story. Pastor Stephen Mizell and Pastor Jay Rivenbark are joined by Pastor Sheryl Daughety to close out their study of Psalm 18, wrestling with what it means to win with humility, keep our hearts guarded when God gives us victory over our enemies, and rest in the truth that our lives are part of a much bigger, generational story than our current circumstances.

Scripture Focus: Psalm 18:37-50 - The closing verses of David's psalm of deliverance, celebrating his triumph over his enemies and crediting every bit of his strength and success to God, before anchoring the entire song in God's unfailing love toward him and his descendants forever.

In This Episode:

• Understanding David's bold language about pursuing and overtaking his enemies, and the difference between righteous confidence and prideful gloating
• Why some seasons of life call us to move from simply being rescued to actively taking the offensive
• How to maintain private humility so it never becomes a public pride problem
• The connection between ongoing challenges and staying spiritually dependent on God
• Why seasons of difficulty can actually protect us from complacency and decline
• How God's covenant love across generations gives us rest and perspective in chaotic seasons
• Seeing our lives as one chapter in a much larger story God is writing for the generations behind us

Key Quote: "When you realize that your victory is backed by an eternal covenant, your shout of praise becomes an anchor for the generation that's coming behind you."

About One Single Story: One Single Story is a weekday devotional podcast that walks through the One Year Bible reading plan, offering honest, conversational teaching that connects scripture to everyday life. Each episode brings together pastors in real dialogue around God's Word, making Bible study approachable, practical, and rooted in community.

This episode comes from Open Door Church in Edenton, North Carolina. Learn more at visitopendoor.com or onesinglestory.com.

Subscribe to One Single Story so you never miss a day of walking through God's Word together. New episodes release every weekday to help you stay grounded in scripture no matter how busy life gets.

Coming This Week: Join us as we continue moving through the One Year Bible reading plan, digging into new passages each weekday and unpacking how they speak to real challenges in our walk with God.

Hashtags: #OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #Psalm18 #Humility #GenerationalBlessing #KingDavid #BibleDevotionalf