The Bridge Austin

Today, Pastor Jack teaches that God wants us to be involved in a healthy church that is filled with the Holy Spirit, loving one another, and using their gifts according to His will, and His Word.

Do you realize that every day, you fall short of the glory of God? He has set out a list of rules that no one can keep except for Jesus, and because of that, He could leave you behind for breaking His law. However, He didn’t do that. He sent Jesus to keep His laws and to act as the sacrifice required to pay your debt —a debt you will never be able to pay. In today’s message, Pastor Chris teaches that, as a broken human, you cannot reach God, so God, in His mercy, reaches down to meet you.

In this final episode of this series, Rabbi Schneider pinpoints two heavy subjects: the importance of rejoicing amidst trials and the discipline of being quick to hear. Join today and learn how to discern the Spirit of the Lord.

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Dr. Gregory Jantz addresses the increasing anxiety being experienced in modern culture. 1 in 5 adults struggle with anxiety and 1 in 4 teens. With his whole-person approach, Jantz unpacks the myriads of reasons for this trend and shares practical solutions for healthy living. He will help you to attack the three-headed monster of worry, anxiety, and stress by asking you to take personal inventory, choose healthy habits and diet, and address your spiritual needs through God’s Word, prayer, and Christian community.

Receive the book The Anxiety Reset and the audio download of the broadcast "Overcoming Anxiety: Finding Peace in a Hectic World" for your donation of any amount! Your Gift DOUBLES to Help Deliver Hope and Joy! Save 2X the marriages and families this Christmas with your life-changing gift today!

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Many parents notice their teens acting out — whether through rebellion, risky choices or shutting down — but what’s driving those behaviors is often a deep pain kept out of sight. On today’s episode, Mark Gregston sits down with two Heartlight residents who both reveal how hurts from their past, like adoption struggles, family loss, confusion and unmet expectations, shaped their choices and relationships. Both teens share how their journey at Heartlight is helping them face what’s beneath the surface, reconnect with family and begin real healing. 

Interested in learning more about the Heartlight program? Go to heartlightministries.org today!

Parenting Today's Teens is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be, visit parentingtodayteens.org. 

Giving Tuesday has become a global moment to celebrate generosity. But for believers, it can be much more than a once-a-year opportunity to give. It can become a catalyst to cultivate a lifestyle of intentional, joy-filled stewardship all year long.

Today, we explore how to give with both heart and wisdom—so that our generosity reflects God’s purposes, not merely the moment. Joining the conversation is Al Mueller, founder and CEO of Excellence in Giving and former executive with Morgan Stanley and UBS.

For Al Mueller, Giving Tuesday is more than a charitable trend—it’s an invitation.

“Giving Tuesday is a great opportunity to begin acting on generosity,” he says, “but it’s also a moment to pause and align with God’s purposes.” Al reminds us of Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 9:7: “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart… for God loves a cheerful giver.”

In other words, generosity is more than an impulse. It is an act of worship. Giving Tuesday can be a spark, but intentional stewardship is the flame that keeps burning throughout the year.

Al summarizes biblical giving with a simple idea: “God gave us both a head and a heart—He didn’t say pick one.”

Wise stewardship holds both together:

• The heart expresses compassion, joy, and worship.
• The head evaluates impact, effectiveness, and alignment with God’s purposes.

Stewardship looks at the Kingdom outcomes we long to see and asks how we can best contribute to them. Some giving is planned, some spontaneous—but all of it can be intentional.

At Excellence in Giving, Al and his team equip high-capacity givers—often those giving $1 million or more annually—to make well-informed, impactful decisions. They offer research, due diligence, and accountability that help donors shift from reactive to proactive giving.

But these principles, Al emphasizes, are not reserved for the ultra-wealthy.

“Everyone can do their own homework,” he says. “Everyone can ask good questions. Everyone can give intentionally.”

Whether you’re giving $50 or $50,000, evaluating ministries wisely matters. Al recommends starting with three core questions:

1. What problem is the ministry trying to solve?
2. What do they believe is the root cause of that problem?
3. What measurable results have they seen?

Healthy ministries provide clear reporting, measurable outcomes, and transparent leadership. They welcome questions and view accountability as part of discipleship.

Key indicators to review include:

• Leadership stability
• Donor and staff retention
• Clear communication
• Transparent financial practices
• Evidence of life change

Strong ministries don’t hide their results—they celebrate them.

Just as there are markers of strong ministries, there are warning signs that should prompt caution:

• Vague vision without a clear plan
• Emotional pressure or over-spiritualizing results
• Lack of reporting or unwillingness to share outcomes
• Over-dependence on a single donor
• Repeated urgent appeals for funds

Al calls vague visions “ministry hallucinations”—dreams without blueprints. Just as you wouldn’t build a house without plans, you shouldn’t fund ministry without clarity.

One of the most exciting developments in philanthropy today is collaborative giving—donors pooling resources to make a larger, more strategic impact.

Pooling resources:

• Helps ministries secure larger grants

What sort of traditions do you enjoy at Christmas? Maybe you make a treasured family recipe or gather for a special Christmas Eve celebration. Well, Dr. Robert Jeffress helps us set aside all the glitter and lights to reflect on why we celebrate Christmas in the first place.

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