The Starting Point // Andy Stanley

The story of Jesus didn’t begin with confident believers. It began with disillusioned followers who walked away, only to be pulled back by something they couldn’t ignore.

The gap between skepticism and faith starts to close when Christianity is viewed through the lens of history. In this conversation with Andy Stanley and John Dickson, the story of Jesus is presented as something meant to be investigated, not avoided.

Jesus regularly challenged people’s assumptions about both wealth and eternity, and when he did so it revealed that the way we handle what’s temporary points to what we truly believe is permanent.

Many people experience faith primarily as something they attend or consume. But the moments that deepen faith most often come when we begin giving it away.

It’s easy to assume that prosperity leads to generosity. But many times the opposite is true—generosity becomes the turning point that leads to prosperity.

One year ago, we kicked off our generosity initiative across our Atlanta-area churches. What if we’re not just making progress—but crossing into a defining moment?

The fires of life expose what we’re made of. When the pressure rises, will we protect our comfort and reputation or remain faithful when it costs us?

You don’t actually know what guides you until doing the right thing threatens your outcome.

Resolve in the small moments shapes who you become in the big ones.

We often assume purpose requires perfection, while Jesus points to a kind of completeness that comes through growth, not flawlessness.