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. What does it actually mean for a church to get the gospel right? And why does it matter so much—especially in the context of urban ministry?

In this episode of The Stoop Sessions, Joel, Akin, and Stephanie talk about why the Gospel must remain at the center of everything the church does. They discuss what the gospel actually is, why it is more than a prayer, a to-do list, or “fire insurance,” and why churches can easily drift from the good news even when they would affirm the right doctrine.

The conversation gets especially practical as they consider ministry in neighborhoods marked by poverty, addiction, violence, homelessness, and other visible needs. How do we care for people's physical needs without losing sight of their deepest spiritual need? How can the church serve its community while making sure the gospel remains the reason and purpose behind that service?

The conversation also explores several false gospels that can creep into the church, including the prosperity gospel, syncretism, and a newer form of prosperity teaching centered on personal purpose, dreams, success, and self-fulfillment.

Finally, the conversation turns toward what it practically looks like for a church to get the gospel right: teaching every member to articulate the gospel, clearly preaching Christ and calling people to repent and believe, and remembering that the gospel isn't merely how we become Christians—it is how we grow as Christians. The gospel that saves us is the same gospel that sanctifies us. If we lose the gospel, we lose Christ.

In this episode, we discuss:

Why churches need to continually ask whether they are getting the gospel right

What the gospel is—and what it is not

Why the gospel must remain central to urban ministry

How churches can balance meeting physical needs with proclaiming spiritual truth

The danger of prosperity, syncretism, and “purpose”-centered false gospels

Why every church member should be able to articulate the gospel

How the gospel shapes sanctification, not just conversion Why we should never stop preaching the gospel—even to Christians

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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

Getting the Gospel Right

ONE HOPE

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

Evangelism: Fruit Inspection

ONE HOPE

Paul instructs Titus to train up the older women to instruct the younger women. In some church circles, the man’s role in the home and church is devalued through a lack of emphasis on the man. This is also seen in the context where men are often absent from the church and home. On the flip side, many churches, often in our own theological circles, have placed an emphasis on training men to the degree that women are overlooked and sometimes not even trained at all. Still others merely focus on determining what women should not do in the church. Theology is frequently watered down in women’s studies. Women may be overlooked for roles in ministry in which they may faithfully and Biblically serve. Jesus spent time with women, affirmed them, and the New Testament calls women to serve the church. This episode discusses the importance of having Godly women in the church. Additionally, as women are more likely to be affected by poverty and violence, this necessitates outreach that is empathetic to their past, as well as, current experiences. Listen as Stephanie, Joel, and Eric discuss training women for the work.

Support the Show: www.onehope.gives/donate

Women Who Whistle

ONE HOPE