Light Up Austin

Welcome back to Light Up Austin, where host Pete Inman sits down with the impact players God has placed in Greater Austin to shine a light on Kingdom work happening right in our backyard.This episode may be one of the most urgent conversations we've had. Pete sits with two extraordinary leaders from Jails to Jobs, Eddie Franz, Executive Director, and Pastor Cornelius Craft, Program Director, for an inspiring and deeply practical conversation about what it actually takes to break the cycle of incarceration and generational poverty in Central Texas.Eddie Franz didn't come to this work from a seminary or a nonprofit board. He came out of ten years in federal prison. After spending his first three years inside getting angrier and more lost, a single movie — Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ, shown in the prison by a Christian inmate named Norm — cracked something open in him that no amount of money, drugs, or power ever could. He devoured a study Bible his mom air-shipped him overnight, spent four years mentoring and teaching inside, and walked out determined to make that his life's work. Eleven years later, he runs one of the most effective reentry ministries in Texas.Pastor Cornelius Craft came a different route: a respected city council member and dean of chapel at a Mississippi school, married to a great woman who, by his own admission, told him he needed to do better at home. God called him to Central Texas in 2015 — and after a decade of doing "17 different things," including running an IT company through COVID, he found his purpose inside the doors of Jails to Jobs.Together, they lead a 12-week, wraparound reentry program for justice-involved young men and women ages 17–26, providing:- Stipends and paid training to incentivize show-up from Day One- Trades training: culinary, electrical, plumbing, general construction, and screen printing- Wraparound support: housing assistance, transportation, parole fee coverage, and more- Career placement — not just jobs, but careers with upward mobility- Life skills, soft skills, mock interviews, resume building, and leadership development- Friday "Pathway" programming focused entirely on holistic character and job readiness- And most importantly: the Gospel of Jesus Christ, presented to every participantGet InvolvedWebsite: https://jailstojobs.org/Chapters0:00 Welcome & Introducing Jails to Jobs 01:51 Eddie Franz: From Federal Prison to Executive Director 04:19 The Mel Gibson Movie That Changed Everything 06:23 Pastor Cornelius Craft: Called from Mississippi to Austin 11:29 "God Was Building a Man" — Finding Purpose After Burnout 12:13 The Mission: Break the Cycle, Launch Careers, End Generational Poverty 14:13 Why This Matters Even If You've Never Been Near a Jail 20:54 The Founding Story: Hill Country Bible Church & Nineveh Ministries 28:56 Why Hire a Justice-Involved Young Person? Eddie's Answer 31:36 "We Only Sell One Product — and Jesus Paid for It" 36:57 Jose, Christian Vaquero & the Stories That Keep Them Going 42:34 The New 13,000 Sq Ft Headquarters: A City Shows Up 46:23 Public Safety Is More Than Police — The Proactive Case 59:42 "Greater Austin Would Be Better If Every Young Person Had…"About Light Up AustinLight Up Austin is a conversation series hosted by Pete Inman, dedicated to shining a light on how God is moving in Greater Austin, across Texas, and around the globe — through faith leaders, community builders, and Kingdom impact players both on the frontlines and behind the scenes."There is a hunger to know more about what's going on in the church and the Kingdom of God — and that's what this whole conversation is about." — Pete InmanSubscribe, share, and join the conversation. Greater Austin, we love you

ATX Outreach Connection exists to build relationships among outreach-minded church leaders who share a passion for reducing the lostness of Greater Austin. Developed by local church outreach leaders for outreach leaders, our Bible-based gatherings intentionally cross denominational lines to strengthen the impact the The Church. This is a place where leaders connect, collaborate, and return to their communities better equipped to serve through shared knowledge, trusted relationships, and a unified commitment to advancing the Gospel.

In this episode, Pete Inman welcomes Bishop Aaron Blake, Founder of HFLM and Scott Platter, Sr. VP of CarePortal to discuss Empowering The Church to Successfully Meet God's Call to Serve Orphans and Vulnerable Families.Websites for Harvest Family Life Ministries (HFLM.org) and CarePortal (CarePortal.org)

Welcome to the very first episode of Light Up Austin, a conversation series that explores where The Kingdom of God intersects with the Community of Greater Austin and Central Texas.Your host, Pete Inman, opens this inaugural episode with a simple but powerful mission: to create a space where people can hear stories of the Kingdom at work — stories that don't always happen within the walls of a church building, but are no less miraculous for it.And for the first conversation, Pete sits down with one of the most remarkable men alive today: David Eubank, founder of Free Burma Rangers.David was born in Texas, raised as a missionary kid in Thailand, earned his commission through Texas A&M's Corps of Cadets, and served as a U.S. Army Ranger and Special Forces officer before answering a call to something even more dangerous — following Jesus into the longest-running war on earth. For over 33 years, David, his wife Karen, and their three children have served displaced peoples in Burma/Myanmar, Sudan, Iraq, Syria, Ukraine, and beyond.The episode closes with a stunning, live acoustic performance by David's eldest daughter, Sahale Eubank — a nurse and singer-songwriter — of her original song "Deeds, Not Words.PODCAST CHAPTERS00:00:00 — Cold Open: A former enemy soldier confesses his crimes to the people he wronged — and is forgiven and baptized00:01:22 — Welcome to Light Up Austin — Pete Inman introduces the inaugural episode and the mission of the podcast00:04:44 — Austin as a center of Kingdom unity: the unseen spiritual significance behind Texas's economic rise00:06:35 — Introducing David Eubank: warrior, missionary, husband, father, and founder of Free Burma Rangers00:12:10 — Life in the U.S. Army: Panama, the Ranger Battalion, Special Forces, and the call to leave it all behind in 199200:15:14 — The mission of Free Burma Rangers: sharing the Gospel, delivering medicine, blankets, and hope to people in war zones00:16:29 — The hardest question: "What happens when you bring your children into a war zone?"00:19:40 — Miracle in the jungle: 93 villagers, one newborn mother, an 80-year-old man with malaria, six Burmese Army battalions — and a spy with a misshapen head00:25:21 — Free Burma Rangers today: 150 active teams, 33 years of service, 79 team members killed, 250 wounded00:29:32 — The documentary film Free Burma Rangers: how it was made, Austin's role in it, and why it almost didn't happen00:33:22 — The decision to make a movie: a year of prayer, the fear of scrutiny, and the conviction that Jesus is the point00:36:31 — Burma today: the biggest fighting since World War II, Chinese jets, Russian jets, drones — and Free Burma Rangers still in it00:37:41 — The full story of the former Burma Army soldier who confessed to killing a pregnant woman — and was forgiven and baptized by those he wronged00:40:36 — What's next: David heads to Washington D.C. to speak to government; son Peter competes at West Point00:41:49 — The sequel documentary: centered on the next generation — the Eubank children growing up between war zones and Texas00:44:48 — Two gifts from the Middle East: a supernatural love for the Iraqi people, and the difference between justice and revenge00:49:12 — The rescue of the little girl in Mosul00:51:37 — Eight months later: the grandmother reunited with her granddaughter00:57:19 — Introducing Sahale Eubank: nurse, singer-songwriter, eldest daughter of the Eubank family.00:58:33 — Setting up the song: the story of Rito00:59:50 — Sahale Eubank performs "Deeds, Not Words" LINKS & RESOURCESFree Burma Rangers Website: freeburmarangers.org The documentary Free Burma Rangers is currently in an exciting transition for new marketing and distribution. Please contact mailto:[email protected] for inquiries about how to eventually view the documentary film again.David Eubank's Book: Do This for Love: https://www.amazon.com/Do-This-Love-Rangers-Battle/dp/1642935034