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
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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 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, Matt Martens join us on the stoop. Matt is trial lawyer and partner at an international law firm in Washington, DC. Over the past 25 years, he has practiced criminal law both as a federal prosecutor and as a defense attorney. Matt served as a law clerk to Chief Justice Rehnquist at the U.S. Supreme Court and also served as a political appointee in the Criminal Division of the U.S. Justice Department under Attorney General Ashcroft.
In many neighborhoods, such as the communities we seek to plant churches, incarceration rates are double or triple the community next door. Join us as Matt shares why he wrote the forthcoming book, Reforming Criminal Justice: A Christian Proposal. Matt believes reform within our criminal justice system is necessary, and he presents a solution. The Christian is called to love one’s neighbor as himself. Listen as Matt explains how this changes our approach to criminal justice.
Matt and his wife are members at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, DC, and have two sons and a daughter.
Learn more about Matt Martens: Twitter @martensmatt1 Website: https://matthew-martens.com
Learn more about ONE HOPE: www.onehope.gives
Support the show: www.onehope.gives/donate
The Stoop Sessions
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
