The Stoop Sessions

In continuation of last week’s episode, director of the Edmiston Center in Atlanta, Karen Ellis, shares ways Christians are to be a completely different community to the world, belonging to a God who renders diverse people as the same by the blood of Christ. Stephanie, Eric, and Joel chat with Karen regarding her concerns for the current church in America. If it’s not about Christian nationalism, not about social justice, what is the church to be about? In a world hostile towards Christianity, Ellis discusses a need for the basics: how to pray under pressure for kingdom advance, moving forward on your knees; not your will, but His be done. Listen as Karen offers hope for a divided church in despair.

Born in Baltimore, Karen Ellis’ love for theater took her from Broadway to places throughout the U.S. and internationally. Although her experience growing up included directing church choirs, it was not until she studied at Yale that she came to know Christ as her Savior. Today, she is the director of The Edmiston Center in Atlanta, devoted to studying the priorities, presence, and practices of Christians enduring on the margins of society. Ellis sees marginalized Christians throughout history and around the world. Her work has focused on commonalities between these communities. In this episode, the Stoop crew calls her up and discusses what we can glean from the rich history of these believers as they display God’s kingdoms from worldly disadvantage and oppression. Additionally, Karen shares resources for learning more from voices often overlooked.

Support the podcast at www.onehope.gives/donate

Can we ever be content? From childhood to adulthood, nothing is ever enough. We believe that we will be content if we receive. And then we receive, only to discover continued discontentment. Christians are not exempt from this problem. Pastors and ministry leaders can be driven by a lust for more. Church members are often discontent with the state of their church and the maturity of other members. Is there hope for contentment? In this episode, Eric, Joel, and Stephanie chat on the stoop, seeking contentment. Listen as the crew explores how to be content.

This episode features brief talks which were shared at our Intentional Living Workshop. Listen to Sharon Dickens of Niddrie Community Church and 20Schemes in Scotland, Malcom Griswold of Reformation Church in Detroit, Jamie Dunlop of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington DC, and Alton Haynes of The Garden Church in Baltimore. These four come from different backgrounds and cultures, yet each offer excellent and unique perspectives on intentional living in their particular context. Listen and be encouraged to live near your church!

You can find the videos to these talks as well as our main sessions on our ONE HOPE YouTube page.

The church is weakened when its mission is unclear. Is the mission of the church simply to make disciples? Or is it also expanding or ushering in God’s kingdom? How does community transformation relate to our mission? Is it the church’s mission to paint every fence and feed every belly? If not, should the church do these things anyway? It is easy to confuse the church’s mission, and start acting as if we are God, instead of relying on God. In this episode, the Joel, Eric, and Stephanie discuss the primary mission of the church, as well as, the nuanced role it plays in the community. As the church makes disciples, disciples “love their neighbor.” And things change. Listen in and join the conversation!

Is seeing community change a good thing? Absolutely. Can “Change the Community” become a false gospel. Absolutely. While “Transform the Community” is a tag used by many non-profits, churches, and developers alike, is that the “good news” of the church? Is bettering the community be the mission of the church? Is a blighted, unchanged community a sign that the church is not loving their neighbors? How should Christians think of Gospel-centeredness and community transformation? Listen as this final episode on “false gospels” examines how a “Change the Community” false gospel can be stumbling block to truly reaching the community.

“Cut off toxic people” is another false gospel that has made its way from the community to the pulpit. “Cut ‘em off” is the belief that life would be better without toxic Individuals. If only one can separate himself from them, life would have no conflict. Therefore, “cut off” the people who don’t tell you what you want to hear. In this episode, Stephanie, Joel, and Eric explain that it’s right to have wisdom when choosing friends, but expose this false gospel. Listen as this stoop conversation discusses how this worldview depends on a dishonest view of self: that you are pure, and only others possess toxicity. How do we Biblically approach difficult relationships? Where would we be, if God cut off all who are toxic, tainted with sin?

This week’s episode looks at another common excuse used to reject the gospel: God knows my heart. Many cling to the belief that salvation can be found in having good intentions, in being “less wicked” than your neighbor, in the hope that good deeds will outweigh the bad. God does know our heart, but do we? Are we autonomous and good intentioned, or actually in bondage to sin? To recognize our guilt without hope is a burden that crushes the spirit, overwhelmed with the reality that we are never going to be good enough. Listen as Eric, Joel, and Stephanie examine the phrase “God knows my heart” through a theological and Biblical worldview. But they don’t stop with a critique. The Stoop crew presents a Savior who can remove our hearts marred by sin, and replace in us, a heart that holds the promise of eternal life.

“I’ve gotta get myself together,” is a refrain which aptly marks our present culture. It can be a point of pride, and a stumbling block for any who believe they have to “arrive” before meeting to Jesus. Must we reach a certain standard, accomplished by their own power, before coming to God? We think outward to appearances, when change can only come through the inward work of Christ. And while “I gotta get myself together” can be a works-based salvation, it can also simply be an excuse. In this episode, Joel, Eric, and Stephanie discuss some of the narratives that drive this false gospel, the barriers we put up, and excuses we make to put off the clear call of the true Gospel.