In this episode, Craig is joined by Jacob and Sophia, missionaries with Campus Crusade for Christ (CRU) serving in a 99% Muslim country in North Africa. They share what it looks like to proclaim the gospel in a closed country, how underground churches are born through relational evangelism, and the remarkable story of a young man named "Fred" who came to faith after a dream about Jesus.

Topics covered:

• How Jacob and Sophia got connected to Stone Oak Bible Church
• What drew them to the 10/40 Window and North Africa
• The legal landscape of sharing the gospel in a closed country
• Relational evangelism and what "win, build, send" looks like on the ground
• The story of "Fred," a Muslim-background believer who dreamed of Jesus
• The challenges of raising a child on the mission field
• Their daughter's hospitalization
• What keeps them going on the hard days
• How to get started in missions right where you are

If you are interested in hearing more about Jacob and Sophia and what God is doing in North Africa, they would absolutely love to have a call with you, regardless of your capacity to give!

Resources mentioned:

• Perspectives on the World Christian Movement: perspectives.org
• Campus Crusade for Christ (CRU): cru.org
• Support Jacob and Sophia financially: https://give.cru.org/1097504
  • Note that because they serve in a secure location, you won't see their names. It will say "International Staff" and then their giving ID number, 1097504.
• Join Jacob and Sophia's prayer newsletter: Email [email protected] and he will get you added to their newsletter
• Questions? Email Craig at [email protected]

What does the Bible actually say about how a church should be led? In this episode, Craig sits down with Justin to dig into one of the most foundational topics for any healthy church: biblical leadership through elders and deacons.

Justin and Craig both grew up in staff-heavy churches where these roles were either missing or misunderstood. Now, as leaders at Stone Oak Bible Church, they've seen firsthand why getting this right matters so much. They walk through what Scripture says about these two offices, why the language can get confusing, and how Stone Oak tries to live this out in a practical way.

They tackle the big questions: What is the difference between an elder, an overseer, a bishop, and a pastor? Are they the same thing? What separates a staff elder from a lay elder? Why does plurality of elders matter, and what is the difference between unity and uniformity around the elder table? And who is ultimately in charge of the church anyway?

From there, they turn to deacons, starting all the way back in Acts 6, where the first deacons were identified to make sure people were not being overlooked and neglected. That need, they argue, is just as real today, and they get honest about the fact that Stone Oak currently needs more deacons as the church continues to grow.

They also get practical: what does benevolence look like? How do people communicate needs to the church? And how can everyday church members actually serve and support their elders and deacons?

This one is for anyone who has ever wondered why church structure matters, or who wants to understand the church they call home a little better.

Topics covered:

• Why church leadership conversations shape church health and mission
• The biblical terms for elder and why they all point to the same office
• Staff elders vs. lay elders and how Stone Oak structures this
• Why Jesus, not the elders, is the ultimate head of the church
• The case for plurality of elders and why it protects the church
• Where deacons first appear in Scripture and what problem they solved
• How deacons and elders work side by side without overlapping
• Practical needs deacons meet: benevolence, facilities, congregational care
• Why people in our community rarely self-report needs and what to do about it
• How the congregation can pray for and support their leaders

Stone Oak Bible Church is located in San Antonio, Texas. Find us at stoneoakbible.com

What does it really mean to make someone feel seen when they walk through the doors of your church? In this episode, Craig sits down with Monica, the Serve Team Director at Stone Oak Bible Church, to talk about the art and heart of biblical hospitality.

Monica shares her experience of moving to San Antonio and visiting churches where she felt invisible, and how that shaped her passion for ensuring no one feels that way at Stone Oak. They dig into the difference between volunteering out of obligation versus out of a love for Christ, and why getting that order backwards leads straight to burnout.

Monica also lays out her practical top tips for being a genuinely welcoming church member on a Sunday morning, and they're not what you might expect. From checking your heart in the car on the way in, to being real about a hard morning, to spending just three minutes looking for an unfamiliar face in the lobby, these are simple, actionable things every believer can do.

They also tackle the things we need to stop doing, like holy huddles, closed-circle body language, and leading with a connect card before you've even learned someone's name.

This episode is for anyone who wants to love their neighbor well, starting with the person standing awkwardly in the lobby next Sunday.

Topics covered:

• Monica's background, from Lubbock to California to San Antonio
• What the Serve Team actually does and why it exists
• The difference between doing and being in our faith
• Monica's top tips for a welcoming Sunday morning
• Why "is this your first time?" is a dangerous question
• The seven-minute window that makes or breaks a first impression
• How to approach Connect cards without feeling like the AT&T guy at Costco

Stone Oak Bible Church is located in San Antonio, Texas. Find us at stoneoakbible.com