Citizen ATX

"Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live" Deueronomy 30:19b. There are many places in God's Word where He instructs us to protect the vulnerable in our community. One of the best ways to do this is by helping out local pro life ministries. Our next guest is Jo Markham. Jo is the Executive Director of Agape Women's Clinic which provides help to families facing an unplanned pregnancy. 

Relationships are important for everyone. This most important relationship is our relationship with God. However, we all need to learn how to have a good relationship with people as well. It is always good to have someone come along side us and help us get better at forming these relationships. Today's guest has a heart for helping people build healthy relationships with both family and coworkers. Welcome Lindsey Werner the Founder and Relational Coach of the Relational Equipping Center here in Austin, TX. 

Many of us have political biases. We can lean hard one way or the other. It take a person of extremely respectable character to throw out your bias in order to make a proper judgement of another person. Today's guest is exactly that type of person. Justice Scott Field serves as a Justice on the 15th Court of Appeals for Texas. We hope that you can gain insights from the way that Scott's faith has influenced his life and career. 

We all have different skills/expertise that set us apart. God can use you to make a difference in people, no matter your circumstance. That is why, in this brand new series, we are sitting down with some of the leaders in our community that have had a major impact on the people they lead. Today's leader is Drew Sanders. Drew is the Head Football coach for the 6A Texas State Champion's, Vandergrift High School. Join Matt and Drew as they discuss coaching, leadership, and how to use your faith to motivate others around you.

Perhaps, the most iconic scene from "The Office", is the episode when Toby comes back and Michael immediately shouts "NOOOOOOO!!" Sometimes God's "no's" feel this loud and abrasive to us. Other times He delivers a soft and subtle "no". Regardless, it is important for us, as DualCitizens, to recognize that God does sometimes respond to us with a "no" and that it is wise to respect His will in all circumstances. Join Matt, Stephen, and Jonathan as they discuss David's ability to accept God's "no". 

Producer Stephen recently shared that one of his favorite hymns is "Trust and Obey". A great line from that hymn is "For there's no other way, to be happy in Jesus. Than to Trust and Obey." Obeying the Lord is certainly an important factor of living a life that is connected to God. As dual citizens, we must find ways to obey God both inside and outside the walls of the church. 

Who is the best leader you can think of? Is there anyone in your life that was super easy to follow? King David was certainly a great leader. However, even as a great leader, we can see a massive difference between David leading the Israelites towards God's plan and David ignoring God's plan to suit his own desires. Join Jonathan, Matt, and Stephen as they discuss David's rise to leadership and the beginning of his new role as king. 

Many of us read the story of the end of Saul's life and can't but think to a time where it seemed like nothing was going our way. Although most of us have probably never had an experience with conjuring the ghost of a prophet, I think we can all identify with Saul's story to some degree. Join Stephen, Matt, and Jonathan as they discuss chapters 28 & 31 of 1 Samuel. 

"Don't make me angry. You won't like me when I'm angry." Anger is a strange emotion that is often misconstrued. While most of us don't necessarily turn into The Hulk when we get angry, many of us do struggle with allowing anger to get the best of us. How do we approach difficult situations that make us angry? Is there a proper use of anger in a Biblical context? Learn the answer to these questions and many more with Nathan, Matt, and Stephen as they talk through the events of 1 Samuel 25:9-35. 

Does anyone remember the movie Jungle Book? (I am of-course referring to the better made cartoon version from the 90's). Every time I think of someone getting another person to trust them I can't help but think of Kaa singing "Trusssssssst in meeeeee".....am I the only one...I guess so.... WELL, God doesn't have to beg for our attention. He knows exactly how to call us into the next part of His plan. No one understood that more than David. Join Matt, Jonathan, and Stephen as they discuss the ways that David trusted in God's plan, and rose to the occasion when He called. 

Any spelunkers out there? There are two types of people when it comes to caves; Those that find them scary and those that find them fascinating. I think it is safe to say that David was more of the first type of person. He didn't like caves very much, but he didn't let that stop him from accomplishing God's plan. Join Matt, Jonathan, and Stephen as they discuss the way that David responds to being in a season of caves. 

"You've got a friend in me. Oh you've got a friend in me!" I can't help but think of this song when I read about Jonathan and David's friendship. Maybe you had a great friend that you think of who was more of a best friend. Jonathan and David were definitely best friends. Join Matt, Jonathan, and Stephen as they talk about the true meaning of friendship by diving into 1 Samuel 20.

Comparison is a hard topic these days. We tend to compare ourselves to others often. Jealousy is running rampant in our culture as it has for all of time. It is hard for us to root for someones success amidst our own failures. Especially when our phones bring us a constant image of people who seem to have everything put together and perfect. How does Daniel remain so humble in the midst of his season of winning? How do Saul and Jonathan react to the rise of David as a leader? What can we learn from Saul's struggle with comparison? Join Jonathan, Matt, and Stephen as they discuss 1 Samuel 18:1-11. 

How many times in life have you felt as if you have to over come a giant in order to do what God has called you to? Did you trust God enough to stand in courage in the face of such a daunting task? How did David stand with so much courage when facing Goliath? Join Matt and Jonathan as they discuss the story of David vs Goliath.

How do we know if God has called us to a new purpose? What is the difference between calling and anointing? The story of Saul and David paints two separate reactions to calls from God. Join Matt, Jonathan, and Stephen as they discuss this passage from 1 Samuel 16:14-23.

Many have probably heard David described as a "man after God's own heart". But what does it mean to seek after God's heart? What should I hold on to or give away in order to pursue God with all of my heart? Join Matt, Jonathan, and Stephen as they discuss this aspect of seeking after God's heart. 

We hope that you all have enjoyed listening to CitizenATX this year. Feel free to go back and listen to past episodes during the holiday season. Join Matt, Jonathan, and Stephen as they look to wrap up 2024 with one final episode of retrospective to look back on the past year and give vision for the future of the podcast. 

Swords are known as one of the longest used weapons in the history of the world. Any soldier during biblical times would tell you that it is a death sentence to enter a battle without your sword. Why then would Christians go out of their way to leave their spiritual sword at home? In today's episode, Matt, Jonathan, and Stephen discuss why we should cling to the Sword of the Spirit as we walk through life as a DualCitizen. 

Those that have played a sport with a helmet know how weird it can be to put on someone else's helmet. Even though technically the helmets are made the same way, a helmet has a way of fitting to our head that begins to get comfortable and helps us to play better. Having the right helmet makes a big difference in our performance. There is nothing more personal in our faith than our own story of salvation. Join Matt, Stephen, and Jonathan as they discuss this how we can use this helmet to be effective in the pursuit of the directive God has placed in our lives.

"Thou O Lord, are a shield for me." As a kid growing up I never really understood what those words, in Psalm 3:3, really meant. How is God shielding us? It wasn't until I got older that I realized that faith is the shield in our life. The stronger we are in our faith, the more protected we are from the enemy's schemes. Join Matt, Jonathan, and Stephen as they discuss this aspect of the Shield of Faith. 

There is no more important objective of the Church or the Dual Citizen, than to advance the Gospel of Jesus Christ. However, to gain our footing in this objective we must first invest in the right footwear. Join Matt, Jonathan, and Stephen as they discuss the importance of spreading the Gospel. 

Have you ever played basketball with a guy who really had no offense, but was exceptional at defense? Sometimes he was worth having on the team solely to stop the other side from gaining any ground while we rallied for an upset. This is sort of like the Breastplate of Righteousness. It will help to guard your heart so that you can move forward in the battle. Join Matt, Jonathan, and Stephen as they discuss the importance of leaning on the righteousness of God.

What is true? Do we even know anymore? It just so happens that biblical truth is unchanging. No matter what the world tries to pass as truth, the Word of God is unwavering in its stance on the truth. This is why it is so crucial that the believer put on this Belt of Truth every day to protect and defend themselves from the lies of Satan and the world. Join Matt, Jonathan, and Stephen as they discuss how we are to live with this Belt of Truth.

The Armor of God is one of the most important concepts to understand on your walk with God. As we search to find our place as Dual Citizens, it is crucial that we rely on the Armor of God protect us and to give us confidence as we move forward in the faith. Join Matt, Stephen, and Jonathan as they tease this new series.

To think that we came all the way from people pouring tea in the harbor over a tea tax, to everyone paying taxes on the same money multiple times; is astonishing...but I digress... Churches are currently under fire for the tax breaks and benefits that they receive. Many dual citizens are wondering what that will do to a church? Will it be the end of churches in America? Also, how do ADA and environmental regulations affect the way a church is allowed to operate? Join Matt, Jonathan, and Stephen as they answer these questions and more on the last episode of Future Church.

If you have been around a church long enough, then you may have heard that church staff members often experience burnout from their role on staff. Pastors are pressed with the difficult responsibility to not only take care of their own spiritual and mental health, but to also care for the spiritual and mental health of their staff. "Soul Care" is a term used to describe the concept of biblical stress relief and comfort that can help limit or prevent burnout, and help you to be the most effective member of the church that you can be. Join Jonathan, Matt, and Stephen as they discuss how soul care will change with the future of the church.

They have never lived in the world without smartphones, but they certainly know how to use technology better than the rest of us. Generation Z (GenZ for short) has been called the "hopeless generation", but they call themselves the "hopeful generation". Join Matt, Garrett, and Corbin as they discuss what the future church might look like as GenZ grows into leadership rolls.  

There will likely be an increased population of people on earth in the future, but will there be an increased population of people in church in the future? Is the physical building of church going to be replaced? Find the answer to these questions, and many more, on todays episode about the future of church membership. Join Matt. Jonathan, and Stephen as they discuss what the church may look like, and how we can encourage people to stay connected as a body of believers.

The future may be uncertain, but we know that the Lord has a plan and purpose for whatever may happen. Still it begs the question, what will the church look like in the future? Perhaps the biggest component to the future of the church is the innovation of technology in the coming years. How is the church to respond to this increased demand to use technology? Should we push forward in the opposite direction of culture or use the technology to our advantage? Join Matt, Jonathan, and Stephen as they discuss the future roll of technology in the church.

How many times, in recent years, have you heard someone talk about how "divided" the country is? We hear about it nearly every day, but why is it that we seem so divided? How are we as Christians to respond to people who have different beliefs than us? Join Matt and Stephen as they take a look at the state of today's culture and what role the Dual Citizen plays in it.

For those that grew up in the 2000's, you probably remember movies like "The Day After Tomorrow", which dealt with the idea of climate change. Whether it be in the form of Global Cooling in the 60's or Global Warming in the 2000's, Climate Change has been a hot button issue for quite some time. There is not doubt that this has become a politically charged point of disagreement between many people. Join Matt and Stephen as they discuss how we as Dual Citizens are to respond to this idea of climate change. 

As we step into this 2024 election season, it seems like abortion might one of the biggest issues on the ballot. This will be an important topic at the federal level, but especially at the state level as several states begin to shape legislation. So how are we as Christians to think about this issue? What can the Church do to help in this political climate? Join Matt, Jonathan, and Stephen as they discuss the topic of abortion. 

If you have paid any attention to the news in the first part of 2024, then you likely have seen that Israel and Hamas (Gaza) are at war. The back lash to this war has been highly politicized from the very beginning. So how are we as dual citizens supposed to react to situations like this one. Join Matt, Jonathan, and Stephen as they open up our new series PreHeat. 

"And they all lived happily ever after." There is something inside of us that desires a good ending to a story. All the classic fairy tales follow this rule to end on a high note with everyone living happy together forever. The story of Revelation is even better than a fairy tale because it is true. Although there is wrath and judgement in this book, the great promise that we get from God is that: "All who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Acts 2:21). Join Matt, Jonathan, and Stephen in this final episode of Revelation_Directors Cut.

For centuries humanity has been obsessed with creating stories of characters with the magical power to fix anything with the move of a wand or the snap of a finger. Stories like: Disney's "Fantasia", the old cartoon "Popeye the Sailor Man", or even "Harry Potter". While these are all fictional stories that every human could only dream of, the story of God creating a "New Heaven" and a "New Earth" are very much real! Join Matt, Stephen, and Jonathan as they discuss the new creation found in Revelation 21.

At this point in Revelation, Armageddon  is over and the anti-christ and the dragon are done for. However, Satan is still around. Also, everyone left on earth that hasn't chosen to follow Christ is killed and sent to Hades. What more is left to do? Join Jonathan, Matt, and Stephen to find out the next step of God's master plan in Revelation 20. 

What are your favorite battle scene speeches in cinematic history? My top two are: the Braveheart speech and Russell Crowe's final monologue from Gladiator. We all have this picture of what a great war hero looks like. However, Jesus' final battle will be much greater! Join Matt, Stephen, and Jonathan as they discuss the battle that is already won in Revelation 19:11-21.

"Here comes the bride..." Any of you married ladies remember the day of walking down the aisle? Do you remember how happy everyone was to see you? What about the reception afterwards? The church is referred to as the "Bride of Christ". This is, of course, a metaphor used to show how much Jesus loves us. Join Matt, Stephen, and Jonathan as they discuss this "Marriage Reception" found in Revelation 19:1-10.

In this episode, we take the time to read and answer YOUR questions. Revelation is a complicated book, and there are a lot of concepts left open for interpretation. While we can't find all of the answers, the one thing we can be sure of is that "Our Hope Is on the Throne". Join Matt, Jonathan, and Stephen as they unpack these questions from fellow listeners. 

Send us your questions about Revelation 1-18. You can send those questions to our Instagram on @AustinBaptistChurch or by emailing info@austinbaptistchurch.com . We look forward to answering your questions on a special Ask Me Anything edition of Revelation_Directors Cut. 

We have all heard the old adage, "The Pride Comes Before the Fall". This all the more true in the context of Babylon and the  end times. Join Matt, Jonathan, and Stephen as they discuss "Babylon's Fall" in Revelation 17&18. 

Every great drama has a point where circumstances become so low that it looks like the characters are at "rock bottom". Then something major happens and the characters life begins to look up. If they are lucky, then they might even get a "happily ever after". That is similar to this section of Revelation, except there is no luck involved. The only path for hope and the only way out of eternal suffering is through faith in God. Join Matt, Jonathan, and Stephen as they unpack the end of tribulation in Revelation 14-16.

I suppose you could say that John was envisioning: "Demons and Dragons and Beasts...Oh My!" With dreams like that you have to  imagine that John really wasn't getting a lot of sleep... In any case, isn't it great that God gave us a path to avoid all of the destruction that will come from these evil creatures?! Join Matt, Jonathan, and Stephen as they discuss Revelation 12 & 13. 

Have you ever been watching a drama show and get the overwhelming feeling of suspense only to be halted by a commercial right at a cliffhanger?!? ...it's a touchy subject I know... That is kinda what this section of Revelation is like, only the people living it will greatly welcome the pause in chaos! Join Matt, Jonathan, and Stephen as they discuss Revelation chapters 10 & 11. 

If you are like me, you may have imagined the blowing of the trumpets in Revelation to sound like the beginning of "Sweet Victory" from SpongeBob...or perhaps you imagine the trumpet fanfare from Princess Bride. Either way, while we don't know what song the trumpets will play, we do get a glimpse at the type of wrath that God will bring at the sounding of each trumpet. Join Matt, Jonathan, and Stephen as they take a closer look at Revelation chapters 8 & 9. 

"Who knows what the future holds?" This question often pops up as we get into the unknowns of the book of Revelation. There have been many that say "Why does it matter?" or "Do we really have to talk about this?". However, there are also many that have spent hours speculating and even debating their eschatological views. The one thing that we know for sure is that Jesus is coming back, and when He does it will be to win the battle. In todays episode, we move from instruction for the past to projection of the future. Join Matt, Jonathan, and Stephen as they discuss the meaning of the 7 Seals in Revelation 6 & 7. 

Ever find yourself thinking about what Heaven will be like? Many people like to talk about what Heaven will look like, or who will be there...will my dog be there?...etc. While we don't get a ton of insight into all of these questions, one thing that is made clear is that we will all be fully captivated in the awe and wonder of God. Join Matt, Jonathan, and Stephen as they unpack this glimpse of the Throne Room of God, and discuss the importance of worship as shown in chapters 4&5 of Revelation. 

Ever wonder what the possible pitfalls of a church can be? A church is full of people, and people are sinful by nature. It might be easy for a church that isn't seeking after God, to steer off path. In chapters 2 & 3 of Revelation, Jesus gives us 7 letters to 7 churches that describe a variety of different situations a church can go through. Join Matt, Jonathan, and Stephen as they discuss the 7 letters from Jesus, and what they mean for the modern church. 

The Apocalypse is coming!!! Well...it is coming...but we aren't really too sure about when. The book of Revelation has always been one that is wrapped in mystery and intrigue. Many great debates have been held on this book from: whether you're pre/post/mid trib to whether or not you spell it with an "S" on the end. Join Matt, Jonathan, and Stephen as we unpack (as much as we can) from Revelation 1. Also, feel free to go watch the sermon on this passage at austinbaptistchurch.com/watch . 

Merry Christmas everyone! We hope that you are taking the time to spend time next to those you love, and enjoy the true spirit of Christmas. In this final episode of the year, we wanted to unpack a few other Christmas myths and discuss the idea of tradition in the Christmas season. Join Matt, Stephen, and Nathan as they discuss the traditions of Christmas.