In this episode of the SOBC Pod, Craig sits down with Phil, one of Stone Oak Bible Church’s deacons, to talk about crisis response ministry. Phil shares his story of coming to Stone Oak, his background, and how God led him to step into leading a crisis response team after the devastating floods in the Hill Country.

They walk through what crisis response actually looks like on the ground—from clearing debris and tearing out drywall to sitting with homeowners, praying with them, and offering hope in the midst of loss. Phil also shares powerful stories from time spent serving in affected communities and how those experiences have shaped his faith.

This conversation highlights the heart behind crisis response: not just rebuilding homes, but caring for people and pointing them to Christ in some of their hardest moments.

Topics covered in this episode include:

• Phil’s background, family, and journey to Stone Oak Bible Church
• How he first connected with the church and got involved serving
• His role as a deacon and heart for the church body
• How the crisis response ministry began after the Hill Country floods
• Partnering with Reach Global and existing EFCA relationships
• What disaster response work actually looks like day-to-day
• The importance of organization in crisis situations
• Moving from cleanup efforts to caring for people spiritually and emotionally
• Real stories from serving homeowners in devastated areas
• How crisis response creates opportunities for prayer, gospel conversations, and discipleship
• The role of the local church in responding to crisis
• How serving in crisis has shaped Phil’s personal faith and perspective
• Why crisis response is about more than rebuilding homes—it’s about bringing hope

If you’re part of Stone Oak Bible Church and want to get involved, you can sign up through Church Center under the Crisis Response team. The team regularly serves in the Hill Country and welcomes anyone who wants to help.

Stone Oak Bible Church is located in San Antonio, Texas. Learn more at stoneoakbible.com

They talk about what it looks like to lead a young family, practice family worship with small children, and pursue Christ in the middle of a busy season of life. Hunter also shares about his work as an investment advisor, the challenges of handling money faithfully, and how he thinks about stewardship, legacy, and keeping Christ first in a world centered on wealth.

This episode is an encouraging conversation about discipleship in everyday life and the grace of God in shaping men to lead their homes, serve the church, and walk faithfully in their work.

Topics covered in this episode include:

• Hunter and Landis’s story and how they got together
• Marriage, parenting, and raising three young boys
• Growing up around church without yet having a deep personal faith
• How fatherhood sharpened Hunter’s sense of spiritual responsibility
• What led their family to Stone Oak Bible Church
• Family worship with young children and the challenges of leading at home
• How the Jesus Storybook Bible has helped shape family discipleship
• The importance of men’s discipleship and learning in community
• What Hunter is learning through leadership and doctrinal study
• Working in finance as an investment advisor and staying grounded in Christ
• Stewardship, savings, wealth, and the danger of loving money
• Thinking biblically about legacy and generational faithfulness
• Following Christ faithfully in work, marriage, and parenting

Stone Oak Bible Church is located in San Antonio, Texas. Learn more at stoneoakbible.com

In this episode of the SOBC Pod, Craig and Justin talk through the meaning and practice of communion. They discuss what communion is, why Jesus gave it to the church, and why it remains such an important part of worship at Stone Oak Bible Church.

They also walk through several major views of Christ’s presence in communion, explain where Stone Oak Bible Church lands theologically, and talk about why the church recently adjusted the way communion is practiced during Sunday services.

Topics covered in this episode include:

• What communion is and why it matters
• Other names for communion, including the Lord’s Supper and Eucharist
• The biblical foundation of communion in the Last Supper
• Reflection, confession, remembrance, proclamation, and participation in communion
• The difference between ordinary shared meals and communion
• Four major Christian views of Christ’s presence in communion
• Transubstantiation
• Consubstantiation
• Memorialism
• Real spiritual presence
• Where Stone Oak Bible Church lands theologically on communion
• Whether the elements themselves matter
• Why Stone Oak Bible Church practices communion weekly
• How communion helps keep the gospel central in worship
• Why communion is one of the most participatory and evangelistic moments in the service
• Why the church recently changed how communion is taken together
• The importance of unity, shepherding, and corporate participation in communion

Stone Oak Bible Church is located in San Antonio, Texas. Learn more at stoneoakbible.com

In this episode of the SOBC Pod, Craig sits down with Rick to hear his story of faith, work, and the surprising ways God reshaped his life. From a successful career in church insurance to a season of deep personal conviction, Rick shares how God shifted his identity from achievement to surrender.

Rick opens up about his upbringing, marriage, and family, and how he and Blanca found Stone Oak Bible Church. He also shares how a pivotal moment at age 60 forced him to confront his identity, leading to a renewed commitment to Christ as Lord, not just Savior.

Now in retirement, Rick is more active in ministry than ever- discipling men, leading Bible studies, and intentionally engaging people in everyday life. His story is a powerful reminder that following Jesus is not something we retire from, but something we grow deeper into.

Topics covered:

• Rick’s background, marriage, and family life
• Growing up Catholic and coming to faith in Christ
• How Rick and Blanca found Stone Oak Bible Church
• Rick’s role as a deacon, men’s ministry leader, and assimilation leader
• The unexpected launch of the men’s ministry during COVID
• Lessons from 25+ years working with churches and pastors
• The danger of finding identity in career success
• A pivotal moment at age 60 that reshaped Rick’s faith
• What it means to truly make Christ Lord of your life
• Learning to listen to God and spend intentional time in His Word
• How retirement became a season of deeper purpose, not rest
• The importance of discipleship and investing in others
• Living with intentionality in everyday moments (even neighborhood walks)
• Why Christians never truly retire from their calling

Ross shares about growing up in the San Antonio area, his time at Texas A&M, and the unexpected ways God used relationships, church involvement, and mission trips to redirect his path. What began as a desire to simply “help people” eventually turned into a clear calling to ministry through small group leadership, discipleship, and global missions.

Along the way, Ross reflects on the importance of the local church in his own life and how simple invitations, faithful presence, and intentional discipleship played a major role in his growth. He also shares his heart for children and students today, and why helping them connect to Christ and the local church right now is so important.

If you’ve ever wondered how God leads people into ministry, or how your own story might be used for something bigger, this conversation is both encouraging and practical.

Topics covered:

• Ross’s background growing up in the San Antonio area and his path through Texas A&M
• Why he initially pursued elementary education and what changed
• The role of mentoring, teaching, and influential leaders in shaping his direction
• How an invitation to church and small group leadership impacted his faith
• Lessons learned about finding a church and staying grounded in core doctrine
• How mission trips helped clarify his calling to ministry
• His experience in a church residency and seminary training
• How God led him to Stone Oak Bible Church
• The importance of the local church in spiritual growth and discipleship
• His vision for children’s and youth ministry at Stone Oak Bible Church
• Why kids and students are not the church of tomorrow, but the church today

Closing line

Stone Oak Bible Church is located in San Antonio, Texas. Learn more at stoneoakbible.com

They talk through the earliest days of the church, including Justin Evans’ connection with Northeast Bible Church, the awkward “speed dating” phase of meeting people before the launch, the first core group gatherings, and what it was like to start with a simple vision for a gospel-centered church.

They also revisit the different locations Stone Oak Bible has called home over the years, from Stone Oak Elementary to Bush Middle School, through the uncertainty of COVID, and into the church’s current home at San Antonio Christian. Along the way, they share funny stories, meaningful memories, and reflect on God’s steady faithfulness through every season.

If you’ve ever wondered where Stone Oak Bible Church came from, what shaped its DNA, and what has stayed the same over the last 11 years, this episode is for you.

Topics covered:

• How Stone Oak Bible Church began as a seminary church-planting project
• Why Justin Evans felt called to plant in North Central San Antonio
• The role Northeast Bible Church played in launching Stone Oak Bible
• The early “core group” days and the vision of an intentionally simple church
• What the first preview services and launch season were like
• Memories from Stone Oak Elementary, Bush Middle School, Living Rock, the Shrine, and San Antonio Christian
• Funny stories from the life of the church, including broken chairs, popped baptism pools, and church planting chaos
• What has remained the same at Stone Oak Bible Church from day one until now
• How God has shown His faithfulness through every season of the church’s history

Topics covered:

• How Jacob and Sophia got connected to Stone Oak Bible Church
• What drew them to the 10/40 Window and North Africa
• The legal landscape of sharing the gospel in a closed country
• Relational evangelism and what "win, build, send" looks like on the ground
• The story of "Fred," a Muslim-background believer who dreamed of Jesus
• The challenges of raising a child on the mission field
• Their daughter's hospitalization
• What keeps them going on the hard days
• How to get started in missions right where you are

If you are interested in hearing more about Jacob and Sophia and what God is doing in North Africa, they would absolutely love to have a call with you, regardless of your capacity to give!

Resources mentioned:

• Perspectives on the World Christian Movement: perspectives.org
• Campus Crusade for Christ (CRU): cru.org
• Support Jacob and Sophia financially: https://give.cru.org/1097504
  • Note that because they serve in a secure location, you won't see their names. It will say "International Staff" and then their giving ID number, 1097504.
• Join Jacob and Sophia's prayer newsletter: Email craig@stoneoakbible.com and he will get you added to their newsletter
• Questions? Email Craig at craig@stoneoakbible.com

Justin and Craig both grew up in staff-heavy churches where these roles were either missing or misunderstood. Now, as leaders at Stone Oak Bible Church, they've seen firsthand why getting this right matters so much. They walk through what Scripture says about these two offices, why the language can get confusing, and how Stone Oak tries to live this out in a practical way.

They tackle the big questions: What is the difference between an elder, an overseer, a bishop, and a pastor? Are they the same thing? What separates a staff elder from a lay elder? Why does plurality of elders matter, and what is the difference between unity and uniformity around the elder table? And who is ultimately in charge of the church anyway?

From there, they turn to deacons, starting all the way back in Acts 6, where the first deacons were identified to make sure people were not being overlooked and neglected. That need, they argue, is just as real today, and they get honest about the fact that Stone Oak currently needs more deacons as the church continues to grow.

They also get practical: what does benevolence look like? How do people communicate needs to the church? And how can everyday church members actually serve and support their elders and deacons?

This one is for anyone who has ever wondered why church structure matters, or who wants to understand the church they call home a little better.

Topics covered:

• Why church leadership conversations shape church health and mission
• The biblical terms for elder and why they all point to the same office
• Staff elders vs. lay elders and how Stone Oak structures this
• Why Jesus, not the elders, is the ultimate head of the church
• The case for plurality of elders and why it protects the church
• Where deacons first appear in Scripture and what problem they solved
• How deacons and elders work side by side without overlapping
• Practical needs deacons meet: benevolence, facilities, congregational care
• Why people in our community rarely self-report needs and what to do about it
• How the congregation can pray for and support their leaders

Stone Oak Bible Church is located in San Antonio, Texas. Find us at stoneoakbible.com

Monica shares her experience of moving to San Antonio and visiting churches where she felt invisible, and how that shaped her passion for ensuring no one feels that way at Stone Oak. They dig into the difference between volunteering out of obligation versus out of a love for Christ, and why getting that order backwards leads straight to burnout.

Monica also lays out her practical top tips for being a genuinely welcoming church member on a Sunday morning, and they're not what you might expect. From checking your heart in the car on the way in, to being real about a hard morning, to spending just three minutes looking for an unfamiliar face in the lobby, these are simple, actionable things every believer can do.

They also tackle the things we need to stop doing, like holy huddles, closed-circle body language, and leading with a connect card before you've even learned someone's name.

This episode is for anyone who wants to love their neighbor well, starting with the person standing awkwardly in the lobby next Sunday.

Topics covered:

• Monica's background, from Lubbock to California to San Antonio
• What the Serve Team actually does and why it exists
• The difference between doing and being in our faith
• Monica's top tips for a welcoming Sunday morning
• Why "is this your first time?" is a dangerous question
• The seven-minute window that makes or breaks a first impression
• How to approach Connect cards without feeling like the AT&T guy at Costco

Stone Oak Bible Church is located in San Antonio, Texas. Find us at stoneoakbible.com