Planting a new church in East-Central Austin.
Austin, TX
Joined August 2020
- Tweets5.9K
- Following481
- Followers693
- Likes5.1K
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Ok but they forgot one category. The person that defeats AI.
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.
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.
Post season baseball is here and 37 y/o Chris Sale struck out Bryce Harper on a 100 MPH fastball. Baseball is the best.
Danny Morgan retweeted
Our 2026 Wild Card Roster:
ALT Graphic announcing the Padres 26-man roster for the 2026 National League Wild Card Series. The background of the graphic is a gold sky with palm trees. Text at the top of the graphic reads “2026 Wild Card Roster”. Listed below that is the roster divided by position: RHP (8): Jason Adam, Walker Buehler, Michael King, Mason Miller, David Morgan, Joe Musgrove, Nick Pivetta, Bradgley Rodriguez | LHP (3): Yuki Matsui, Adrian Morejon, Robbie Ray | C (3): Luis Campusano, Freddy Fermin, Ethan Salas | INF (6): Miguel Andujar, Xander Bogaerts, Jake Cronenworth, Ty France, Manny Machado, Gavin Sheets | OF (6): Jase Bowen, Dustin Harris, Austin Hays, Jackson Merrill, Fernando Tatis Jr., Samad Taylor. At the bottom of the graphic, there is a white and gold “Fight For The Faithful” logo.
Read my essay, "Hospitality in an Age of Skepticism" to see how the Bible talks about the idea of welcoming outsiders. substack.com/home/post/p-206…
New newsletter: THE DEATH OF THE AMERICAN HOST
The share of Americans who say they host friends or family at their home at least monthly has declined by 70 percent in the last 50 years.
derekthompson.org/p/the-deat…
My 2026 pick was pitiful🤦🏻♂️ First time I missed both leagues not even in the playoffs in like 5-6 years.
My heart says 1998 repeat but my head says Braves v. Yankees
To those pushing back in the comments... please engage with Sutano's 'Intro to Neo-Calvinism' esp. the chapter on the Church as Organism. Good pastoral implications there. Also, @matthewkaemingk edited volume 'Reformed Public Theology' is filled with pastoral implications.
