Planting a new church in East-Central Austin.

Austin, TX
Joined August 2020
We’re about to watch a position player pitch in the World Series. 2026 is all Brewers.
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Just read Robert Alter. There is no world that polygamy was viewed positively by the OT authors or audience. It was misery.
I believe we are going to see more and more Protestant churches affirm polygamy. It's actually not a huge step once you adopt the sort of hyper-literal Biblicism that's already the de facto approac in that world. It won't be the mainstream view, but could get traction.
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No one can explain it but it takes 12 hours to drive across the state of Texas and it also takes 12 hours to drive out of Texas from any starting point. It is the Texas paradox.
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Went to a community fall fest with one of our main local ministry partners tonight. Pretty much the whole event was run by college kids from the local Korean PCA… during a UT game… the kids are alright.
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Danny Morgan retweeted
Gen Z is the least religious generation we've ever polled. Today, about 36% of them say that they believe in God without a doubt. When Gen X was asked that same question when they were they same age as Gen Z now, 57% were certain of God's existence.
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Guys, we get to watch two small market, small ball, pitching dominant teams and neither has ever won a WS. Be happy. Baseball is awesome.
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1-2 of the skeptics in our orbit are interested in Rome. Nearly all of them talk about or check out bapticostal mega churches.
Much as I wish it weren’t the case there’s a lot of truth to this. The buzz has been about Catholicism in, but on campus I know as a Presbyterian for most kids the draw is not to Rome, but Bapticostalism. That said, theological diffusion being what it is, those boundaries are…
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Vladdy sr.
You can’t say Barry Bonds, David Ortiz, Albert Pujols, or Shohei Ohtani. Game 7 of the World Series. Bottom of the 9th, bases loaded, two outs, down 3. Name a hitter you’re trusting to hit the walk-off grand slam.
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One of the things you learn in church planting is that people do not need organized church programs. They don't need a perfect church community. They don't even need you to be perfect. But they really do need Jesus Christ, and you are someone (maybe the only person they know) who can bring them to Him. And, that is the greatest work on earth.
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Returning home from the Spanish River Church Planting Summit today. Guys, do not sleep on this. I'm bummed it took me this long to get out for it. Been to dozens of church planting conferences over the years. The content at SRC is incredible, and the planters who attend are filled with wisdom from all over the world. 11/10. @koobxwm talk on global immigration and the growth of Christianity was scholarly and pastoral. It gave me language for the dynamic I've watched in Austin over the past four years but couldn't explain. And @DPCassidyTKC talk on preaching with clarity and charity in your context was also stellar.
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So, here is the naivety here. What does a philosophy of ministry look like for a biblical, Christian, and Presbyterian church in LA, Austin, rural Kansas, Suburban Alabama, Laos, Sydney, Hong Kong... It's not one size fits all, and that is what is missing here. There are many ways to be thoroughly biblical, Christian, and Presbyterian. We are aligned yet not monolithic in expression.
Presbyterian church-planting should be thoroughly biblical, Christian, and Presbyterian. But we repeat ourselves.
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Boy... I can name a church plant in Urban Austin if anyone is looking to support that is pretty much only non-Xians let alone reformed familiar folks.
The PCA must resist the ease and appeal of planting churches that primarily attract Christians looking for a Presbyterian and Reformed church as opposed to planting churches that reach non-Christians who are converted and formed to be P&R.
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This week I’ve heard of four churches closing Austin and selling to private investors. All of them were over 50 years old and denominationally owned. Austin is nearing one congregation per 1,000 people which is on par top US post- Christian cities. I don't have the data for this, but I would not be surprised if Churches are closing faster than the pop is rising leading to Austins secularization.
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I get asked a lot why we wanted to plant in Texas? Well, Austin is unique within Texas as an Urban Secularizing city which was enough but the way Christianity and politics is so enmeshed was a compelling reason for us to stay and give people, not empire, but the gospel. A decade of ministry in CA and CO I had less conversations about Christianity and politics than I did in my first month in TX.
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At the end of the day, you just wanna go yard with your boys. Baseball is the best.
A few Padres are out on the field trying to hit a target on the wall 2+ hours after their season ended. One is Joe Musgrove. The other is Fernando Tatis Jr.
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Ok but they forgot one category. The person that defeats AI.
What does AI mean for your job? Although there is no crystal ball, former AI executive Clara Shih says she predicts there will be three types of jobs going forward: people who are building AI, people who are using AI, and people managed by AI.
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One less roof in game 1. One more strike in game 2. One more foot in game 4. All would have put the Padres winning or able to win the series. This team has crushed my family heart since 1969.
GARRETT MITCHELL TAKES AWAY A GAME-TYING HOME RUN 🤯
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I am a very simple man.
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Brewers are about to learn the meaning of Dad strength.
We have returned RHP Mason Miller from the paternity list today. He will take the place of LHP Wandy Peralta on the active NLDS roster.
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One of the hardest things about ministry to skeptics is that many Christians are uncomfortable around others with doubts because they have not thought through the objections and questions being raised, so they leave. One of the best things (besides conversions) is the Christians who stick around begin to understand that to the degree they understand the gospel is the degree to which they will grow and mature in Christ. We've seen this just 5 weeks into our church plant because we have both groups learning and growing together.
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