Welcome back to The Stoop Sessions—where we gather for honest, down-to-earth conversations about ministry and the life of the church, straight from a Baltimore stoop.

In this episode, Joel, Akin, and Stephanie sit on the stoop of the ONE HOPE Mission House in Baltimore, Maryland to talk about the importance of doctrine in the life of the church—especially in the inner city. In communities often shaped by a lack of theological training and constant exposure to shallow or false teaching, doctrine is not a luxury; it is a necessity.

Why does doctrine matter for everyday believers? How does sound doctrine shape the health, worship, and mission of the church? And how do pastors and congregations alike receive, guard, and pass on good doctrine?

Together, they discuss the real challenges facing this community, the danger of drifting from biblical truth, and the urgent call to combat false doctrine with the life-giving doctrine of Scripture. This conversation makes the case that doctrine is not cold or abstract—it is deeply pastoral, profoundly practical, and essential for faithfulness and endurance.

Joel Kurz is the Lead Pastor at The Garden Church and Director of ONE HOPE.

Akin Omisanmi serves as Pastor at Southwest Baptist Church, a ONE HOPE church.

Stephanie serves alongside ONE HOPE, laboring for healthy churches and rooted discipleship in the city.

📍 Learn more about The Garden Church: thegardenbaltimore.com

📍 Learn more about Southwest Baptist Church: swbcbaltimore.com

🌱 Learn more about ONE HOPE: onehope.gives

❤️ Support the show: onehope.gives/donate

Welcome back to The Stoop Sessions, where we have casual, down-to-earth conversations about ministry—straight from a Baltimore stoop. Each episode unpacks topics around healthy church ministry in the inner city.

In this episode, Joel and Akin are joined by Pastor Zach Schlegel of First Baptist Church of Upper Marlboro. Together, they open 1 Timothy 4:16 and explore a sobering and hopeful theme: You don’t want to ruin your life—stay faithful until the end. Zach unpacks what it means to “keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching,” and why this command is essential for every pastor and church member.

The conversation moves from the role of the conscience in keeping us on track, to how watching your life and doctrine protects both you and your church. They discuss the devastating ripple effects when a pastor falls, and offer practical helps for guarding the soul, persevering in the faith, and finishing the race well.

Together, they make the case that finishing well is not an accident—it’s the fruit of intentional watchfulness, gospel-centered endurance, and God’s sustaining grace.

Joel is the Lead Pastor at The Garden Church and director of ONE HOPE. Akin serves as Pastor at Southwest Baptist Church, a ONE HOPE church. Zach serves as Pastor at First Baptist Church of Upper Marlboro.

📍 Learn more about FBC Upper Marlboro: fbcum.org

📍 Learn more about The Garden Church: thegardenbaltimore.com

📍 Learn more about Southwest Baptist Church: swbcbaltimore.com

📍 Learn more about First Baptist Church of Upper Marlboro: fbcum.org

🌱 Learn more about ONE HOPE: onehope.gives

❤️ Support the show: onehope.gives/donate

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 unpack topics around healthy church ministry in the inner city.

In today’s culture, everything is on the move—always running, always grinding, always reaching for more. But where’s it all going? There’s no finish line, just an endless chase for greatness. Sadly, pastors, ministry leaders, and church members often get caught in the same cycle. Even in the midst of doing great things for God, many are running on empty—exhausted, burned out, and wondering if this is how it’s supposed to be.

In this episode, we explore how pride can quietly fuel our exhaustion. Joel and Stephanie discuss how pride in place, planning, and purpose often leads to spiritual—and even physical—burnout. But there is a remedy: humility. In humility, we learn to rest—not by striving, but by trusting. This episode calls us to a deeper dependent trust in God, the only true source of rest.

In addition to their work with ONE HOPE, Joel serves as lead pastor at The Garden Church, 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

The love of money is not just a problem of the rich, it can also grip the poor and working class. Many who grew up with little desire much. And we get it. Poverty hurts. It’s not what we want for our kids. But how should we think of having and pursuing wealth?.

The stoop crew first defines wealth. On one hand, wealth is defined as having more than you need. In this sense, most every American is “wealthy” in comparison to other cultures. But a more popular definition is to have enough money so that “I don’t have to think about money.” People don’t like budgets because they don’t like restraints. The desire for wealth is to pursue enough in order to spend without constraint.

Can Christians have this kind of wealth? We usual, Joel, Stephane, and Eric take it to the Word. What does the Bible teach on having money? Listen as they read plenty of Scripture and discuss God’s view of wealth and the Christian.

This episode is part one of three as The Stoop Sessions considers the topic of wealth.

Support the show at www.onehope.gives/donate

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.

Support the podcast at www.onehope.gives/donate

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.