Writing
Essays and working ideas from more than fifteen years of writing about faith, leadership, discipleship, the church, family, and life in Austin.
Start here
New here? These four pieces offer a way into the writing: what shapes the church, how we lead, and how faith takes form in community. Begin with the recent essays, then explore the earlier work that helped shape those questions.
The church and the Spirit · 2026
The Organizing Principle of the Church
Start with a recent reflection on how spiritual gifts shape the church, and why I’m revisiting an old conviction about mission.
Leadership in practice · 2026
Leadership and Administration
Why leading people and bringing order to the work are gifts to recognize and steward, and what gets lost when we treat them only as skills.
Community and mission · 2013
What is a Missional Community? – Definition
A short introduction to the definition we used at The Austin Stone, and why a community of Christians is essential to a faithful witness.
Leading through change · 2013
Transitioning Your Church to Missional Communities
The opening of a practical series on our transition at The Austin Stone, with lessons about patience, learning, and the time real change takes.
For sustained explorations of a topic, browse the Selected Series.
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Missional community · Leadership · Christianity · Church · Personal · Austin Stone · Discipleship · Theology
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All writing
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The Austin Stone on Campus – Review
Wednesday night we gathered the students of The Austin Stone to worship on campus and cast vision for this coming semester. I preached on our call as believers to make disciples through Matthew 4:18-22 (we are…
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TASCC Student Story | Aaron Hayslip
Another story from the TASCC College Blog here.
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The Austin Stone on Campus
If you are a college student in Austin, you should come join me for The Austin Stone on Campus. January 28th, 7 p.m. at the Texas Union Ballroom. You can see the event on Facebook here.
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Extreme Snowshoeing
One quick post from our vacation: fun on snowshoes. Extreme snowshoeing is the only way to go!
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Missional Authors | The Forgotten Ways
This image from The Forgotten Ways has a great breakdown of some authors who have influenced my thinking. From: the missional family tree according to leadership journal : The Forgotten Ways.
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unChristian 6
The thesis of Chapter 6 is that Christians must move from being perceived as naive and disengaged (“Sheltered” is the title of the chapter) to informed and involved with sophisticated nuance. The creation of Christian subculture…
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TASCC Student Story | A Heart for Prayer
Another story of how God is working in the students in our ministry. Check it out here.
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TASCC Student Story | College Blog
I am blessed to serve some incredible students at The Austin Stone. Check out Andrea’s story.
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Gospel and Method | TheResurgence
As a minister in a megachurch focusing on assimilation where the ministry strategy is small missional community, I consistently wrestle with the tension of model. This article by Jonathan Dodson is a very helpful, short statement…
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The Holy Spirit and the American Church
Just read thought provoking post at Church Planting Novice discussing history of the early church and the comparative deficiency in the American church of demonstrations of the power of the Holy Spirit. Give it a read…
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Old Stuff – Biblical Individualism Redux
Number 7 ———————- From Bonhoeffer’s Cost of Discipleship, Chapter 5 (Discipleship and the Individual): “Through the call of Jesus men become individuals…It is no choice of their own that makes them individuals: it is Christ who…
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Matt Carter Interviewed by Leadership Network for Innovation3
Our senior pastor, Matt Carter, was interviewed yesterday by Leadership Network. It’s a great snapshot of who we are as a church…give it a look! http://vimeo.com/2841879