The Stoop Sessions

Welcome back to The Stoop Sessions, where we have casual, down-to-earth conversations about ministry—straight from a Baltimore stoop. In each episode, Joel Kurz, Stephanie Greer, and a guest unpack topics around healthy church ministry in the inner city.

In this episode, we’re joined by James Choi, pastor of New Covenant Baptist Church in Rockville, MD, and a PhD candidate at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, focusing on Charles Spurgeon’s theology of conversion.

We dig into a critical issue facing churches today: ministry that’s become professionalized, leaving many congregations as passive spectators rather than active Gospel workers. James shares about his recent visit to the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, offering a glimpse of Spurgeon’s legacy of a working church—a church where every member plays a part in the mission. Together we explore how pastors can equip their people not just to attend but to engage fully in the life-giving work of the local church.

Learn more about James' ministry at newcovbap.church.

In addition to their work with ONE HOPE, Joel serves as lead pastor at The Garden Church and where Stephanie also serves on staff. Visit thegardenbaltimore.com to learn more.

Learn more about ONE HOPE and how you can help build churches in the inner city: www.onehope.gives

Support the show: www.onehope.gives/donate

After a hiatus, The Stoop Sessions is back, coming to you from an (actual) stoop in Baltimore. Join Joel, Stephanie, and guests as we discuss all things related to healthy church ministry in the inner city. This episode is just a quick hello. New episodes to come soon. Like, subscribe, share, and do whatever you do. It helps!

Welcome back to The Stoop Sessions where we have casual conversations about ministry on the Baltimore stoop. In each episode, Joel, Stephanie, and Eric talk through different topics and occasionally bring on a friend.

In this episode, Matt Martens join us on the stoop. Matt is trial lawyer and partner at an international law firm in Washington, DC. Over the past 25 years, he has practiced criminal law both as a federal prosecutor and as a defense attorney. Matt served as a law clerk to Chief Justice Rehnquist at the U.S. Supreme Court and also served as a political appointee in the Criminal Division of the U.S. Justice Department under Attorney General Ashcroft.

In many neighborhoods, such as the communities we seek to plant churches, incarceration rates are double or triple the community next door. Join us as Matt shares why he wrote the forthcoming book, Reforming Criminal Justice: A Christian Proposal. Matt believes reform within our criminal justice system is necessary, and he presents a solution. The Christian is called to love one’s neighbor as himself. Listen as Matt explains how this changes our approach to criminal justice.

Matt and his wife are members at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, DC, and have two sons and a daughter. 

Learn more about Matt Martens: Twitter @martensmatt1 Website: https://matthew-martens.com

Learn more about ONE HOPE: www.onehope.gives

Support the show: www.onehope.gives/donate

Welcome back to The Stoop Sessions where we have casual conversations about ministry on the Baltimore stoop. In each episode, Joel, Stephanie, and Eric talk through different topics and occasionally bring on a friend.

In this episode, the Stoop crew wraps up a conversation on evangelism on the topic of church confirmation. Practically speaking, what do we do when someone makes a profession of faith? We baptize. However, Baptism is not merely the decision of an individual (an individual can’t baptize herself), and it is not merely the decision of a pastor. Baptism is a congregational act of confirmation and union.

Join us as we consider the topic of baptism and church membership in our evangelism. Listen as the crew explains why they would be concerned if someone made a “profession of faith” but never joined a church. Learn how the Body of Christ is given as fruit inspectors for new believers, and how this helps our personal evangelism.

Learn more about ONE HOPE: www.onehope.gives

Support the show: www.onehope.gives/donate

Welcome back to The Stoop Sessions where we have casual conversations about ministry on the Baltimore stoop. In each episode, Joel, Stephanie, and Eric talk through different topics and occasionally bring on a friend.

In this episode, we bring on a friend! Stephanie and Eric invite Lisa LeGeorge to the stoop for a chat on evangelism. Lisa has traveled the globe and has a passion for unreached areas. Currently working at Children’s Hunger Fund, she wants to see suffering children served through Gospel-centered local churches. The conversation begins with addressing the question of "overseas missions” versus “local evangelism.” Lisa argues that it’s not an either/or but a both/and. She speaks on the benefits and limitations of para-church ministry and the need for the local church. Lisa gives tips from her own personal evangelism experience and shares how she turns random Sunday mornings at church into a new evangelistic opportunity. As both an academic and a practitioner, this episode hits on all things evangelism: from the para-church to the church; from the nations to the block; from the church’s corporate witness to personal evangelism.

Lisa LaGeorge serves as the senior director of CHF Academy at Children’s Hunger Fund. She has previously served as a professor at The Master’s University, where she met Stephanie. Stephanie Greer is a Gospel Worker funded through ONE HOPE serving with The Garden Church. Eric Hill serves as an elder at The Garden Church and is a Physical Therapist Assistant by day.

Learn more about Lisa LaGeorge at www.lisalageorge.com

Learn more about ONE HOPE: www.onehope.gives

Support the show: www.onehope.gives/donate

Welcome back to The Stoop Sessions where we have casual conversations about ministry on the Baltimore stoop. In each episode, Joel, Stephanie, and Eric talk through different topics and occasionally bring on a friend.

In the last two episodes, we’ve highlighted “personal evangelism”—the individual Christian’s role and work in taking the Gospel to the lost. This episode asks the question: How does the church together evangelize? For some, they have unfortunately disconnected their personal ministry from the broader community of the gathered saints. For us, it’s not an either/or but a both/and. While we evangelize personally, we also evangelize together.

In today’s episode, Joel and Stephanie talk about the church’s role. Because the church feels different or irrelevant to our friends, it’s often hard to imagine how this church can help me reach my friends. Yet, we forget the power of the Gospel through the testimony of God’s people. If we combine our efforts and work together, we can make a bigger impact. Stephanie and Joel talk about the importance of starting with who actually shows up to your church services; How membership interviews can turn into evangelistic opportunities; The importance of asking professing Christians for their understanding of the Gospel; and How to tell someone they’re not a Christian (in a winsome and Biblical way). The episode closes with a look back to the need for personal evangelism and why being part of an “evangelistic church” doesn’t mean that I am personally doing any work.

Joel Kurz serves as the pastor of The Garden Church and director of ONE HOPE. Stephanie Greer is a Gospel Worker funded through ONE HOPE serving with The Garden Church.

Learn more about ONE HOPE: www.onehope.gives

Support the show: www.onehope.gives/donate

Welcome back to The Stoop Sessions where we have casual conversations about ministry on the Baltimore stoop. In each episode, Joel, Stephanie, and Eric talk through different topics and occasionally bring on a friend.

As the Stoop crew continues their focus on personal evangelism, we offer Eric’s testimony as an example of how the Lord uses people, sometimes without their knowing, to lead another to Christ.

In today’s episode, Stephanie interviews Eric on how his cousin, CJ, shared the Gospel with him. Eric began attending a church after his daughter was born. Around the same time, CJ was coming to an understanding of the Gospel, reading, and talking about Jesus. CJ and Eric met weekly to read and talk. God used these meetings to bring clarity and faith. Listen and be encouraged to take the Gospel to your own friend’s and family, leading them to know Jesus.

Stephanie Greer is a Gospel Worker funded through ONE HOPE serving with The Garden Church. Eric Hill is an elder at The Garden Church and a Physical Therapy Assistant by day.

Support the Show at www.onehope.gives/donate

Learn more about planting churches in the inner city at www.onehope.gives

Welcome back to The Stoop Sessions where we have casual conversations about ministry on the Baltimore stoop. In each episode, Joel, Stephanie, and Eric talk through different topics and occasionally bring on a friend.

This episode begins a conversation on evangelism. We get it—life is busy, you have tried to share Jesus with those you know, it hasn't seemed to “work,” and you don’t have time to develop new relationships. How can we possibly become better at personal evangelism when we’re just trying to get through life? Additionally, many are discouraged because they feel they’ve never effectively shared the Gospel or seen someone become a believer.

In today’s episode, the team discusses their own challenges as they seek simple solutions. Not all hope is lost. We can become better evangelists as we develop new eyes to see, strengthen our own understanding of the Gospel, and learn to help individuals from one step to another as they explore the faith. Join us as we consider the topic of personal evangelism: how to build strategic relationships, see opportunities we often miss, take the next step with an unbeliever, and share the Gospel with the lost.

Joel Kurz serves as the pastor of The Garden Church and director of ONE HOPE. Stephanie Greer is a Gospel Worker funded through ONE HOPE serving with The Garden Church. Eric Hill is an elder at The Garden Church and a Physical Therapy Assistant by day.

Learn more about ONE HOPE: www.onehope.gives

Support the show: www.onehope.gives/donate

Welcome back to The Stoop Sessions where we have casual conversations about ministry on the Baltimore stoop. In each episode, Joel, Stephanie, and Eric talk through different topics and occasionally bring on a friend. Today, while Eric is unable to join, we visit a friend. Join Joel and Stephanie as they meet with P.J. Tibayan and discuss new life for dying churches. P.J. serves as pastor at Bethany Baptist Church in Bellflower, CA near Los Angelos.

As the conversation begins, P.J. shares his background and experience in church ministry. Listen as P.J. explains how he debated once debated R.C. Sproul on the meaning of John Piper’s book Desiring God; How his love for the local church led to an internship at Capital Hill Baptist Church with Mark Dever; and to Bethany Baptist Church as senior pastor. As P.J. arrived at Bethany, the church was dying and in need of revitalization. P.J. defines what it means to revitalize a church and why we shouldn’t just let dying churches die. He also shares his approach in discipling others along with practical and Biblical lessons on helping dying churches live. Listen and be encouraged to love those around you and help them grow in their love for Christ.

Joel Kurz serves as the pastor of The Garden Church and director of ONE HOPE. Stephanie Greer is a Gospel Worker funded through ONE HOPE serving with The Garden Church.

Learn more about ONE HOPE: www.onehope.gives

Support the show: www.onehope.gives/donate

Learn more about P.J. Tibayan and Bethany Baptist Church at https://bethanybaptist.church

Welcome back to The Stoop Sessions where we have casual conversations about ministry on the Baltimore stoop. In each episode, Joel, Stephanie, and Eric talk through different topics and occasionally bring on a friend. Today, Bobby Scott joins the conversation. Bobby is serves as pastor at Community of Faith Bible Church.

In this episode, Stephanie and Joel meet with Bobby Scott in California. The conversation begins as Stephanie shares her own background at Community of Faith Bible Church and her appreciation for Bobby’s ministry. Bobby shares his own background and heart for raising up leaders in the local church. As the episode continues, Bobby speaks on best practices, lessons learned, and tips on training Bible teachers. Listen and learn from an experienced pastor with a long track record of faithful Gospel ministry and raising up leaders.

Joel Kurz serves as the pastor of The Garden Church and director of ONE HOPE. Stephanie Greer is a Gospel Worker funded through ONE HOPE serving with The Garden Church.

Learn more about ONE HOPE: www.onehope.gives

Support the show: www.onehope.gives/donate

Learn More about Bobby Scott: https://twitter.com/pastorbscott?lang=en

Learn More About Community of Faith Bible Church: http://cfbcla.org