Kevin peck

Life Story
I won’t strain your eyes by making you read through the novel of my life, but I will tell you the overriding theme: God is faithful and Jesus Christ saved my life. From the moment I was enabled to trust in His grace, I have known His Name to be worthy of praise. My salvation is a great demonstration of the saving power of Christ. I grew up in textbook California postmodern home. We were not influenced to believe any one theology, only to “find our way.” Upon entering college, I was invited to a small group Bible study by some friends whom I interacted with in intramural sports. I reluctantly agreed but was willing to go based on the trust I had gained for my friends. The leader of the Bible study made a single comment that cut to my heart, as empowered by the Spirit of God. “You can bow down to Christ now, but you will be made to later.” It was the most authoritative statements regarding destiny I had ever heard. It was spoken with a saddened yet firm conviction, driving urgency into my heart. That night, I read through the Gospel of Matthew and, upon reading the final words, I told God that I identified completely with the prideful Jews. I needed His salvation and would believe whatever else was written in the remaining books of His Scriptures, no matter what they said of me or of my life to come.

A year later, one of the most distinct and significant moments in my life was spent looking up at the stars in the middle of the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas. I gathered a few students from a college bible study I was leading at the time and retreated to the mountains for some R&R. While preparing for the message that night, my mind was captivated by a verse I had spent the day reading over. Deuteronomy 3:24, which delivers, “Oh Sovereign Lord, you have begun to show your servant your greatness and strong hand; for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such mighty works and acts as Thine?” A thought cut through me, all the way to the core of my soul, and in that moment, I was changed by the thought of the Greatness of our Lord. I feasted on the magnitude of the verse, in so much as, Moses, at the end of a long life still cried out for more grace, knowing God had only just begun to reveal His greatness and strong hand.

And, to think of what Moses had already seen by the end of his life; plagues, manna, healing, a burning bush, the Back of the Living God! Just begun to show him! What a hope! My friend, that great Truth, Hope, and Promise caused my very soul to worship. But as quickly as I had begun to worship, the Spirit of God inclined my heart to know an even weightier truth. I was quite certain of two facts in that moment: one, that I really was worshipping God with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength, and two, that even as I did, He still deserved so much more. The implications of that truth raced through my mind that night, as they still do to this day. My heart is propelled to confess every time I kneel before the Father that when I worship God with all that I have, He still is worthy of more, and, thus, the only means to increase worship, is to increase the number of worshipers! Well, friend, this is my heart: to know Christ, and to make Him known.

Vision for The Austin Stone
To see a community of believers sold out for the cause of Christ. I look forward to the day when the Stone will be a place where all partners are living out the abundant life of Christ by investing their gifts and affections in building one another into the image of Christ. As we enjoy Christ with one another, and love the lost, I eagerly expect the Lord to build His Kingdom among us!