Tim Henderson opens a study of John 15, exploring Jesus' declaration as the 'true vine' in contrast to Israel, the faithless vine of the Old Testament. He focuses on two key repeated themes: remaining in Christ as the essential posture of the Christian life, and bearing fruit as the goal the Father pursues by both cutting off fruitless branches and pruning fruitful ones. Tim closes with three practical assignments: memorize John 15, examine what shapes your desires toward or away from Christ, and discover for yourself what the 'fruit' metaphor means by comparing the passage's first and second paragraphs.

Tim Henderson continues the church's doctrine series with a lesson on seraphim, exploring how the Hebrew word for seraph is the same word translated as 'snake' elsewhere in the Old Testament, connecting the serpent in the garden to the angelic realm. He walks through Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 as the primary biblical basis for understanding Satan as a fallen angelic being who desired to be like God and was cast down. Henderson closes by calling listeners to hold their worldviews loosely and allow Scripture to reshape their understanding, previewing a challenging look at Genesis 6 the following week.

Dave Sloop explores Jesus' promise of peace in John 14, contrasting it with the world's strategies of fixing or forgetting circumstances. He argues that Jesus' peace is not the absence of trouble but peace in the midst of it, modeled by Jesus himself on the eve of his crucifixion and made possible through the Holy Spirit. Sloop concludes that lasting peace begins with being reconciled to God through Christ, who made peace by the blood of his cross.

Dave Sloop examines John 14:15-24, where Jesus repeatedly links love and obedience, distinguishes his disciples from the world, and promises his coming presence through the Spirit. Sloop argues that obedience is not equivalent to love but is its fruit, and that the core human problem is not bad behavior but a disordered heart that cannot see God clearly. He calls listeners to ask the Holy Spirit for help both to see Christ's true beauty and to obey, trusting that genuine affection for God naturally produces heartfelt obedience.

Tim Henderson opens a new Sunday School series on Angelology and Demonology, introducing a broad biblical vocabulary for supernatural beings—including angels, cherubim, seraphim, sons of God, the host of heaven, and the divine council described in Psalm 82. He argues that Scripture presents a populated unseen realm of intelligent, created beings (broadly termed Elohim) who are subordinate to Yahweh, some of whom are faithful and some of whom have rebelled. Tim challenges the class to move beyond Enlightenment assumptions and engage the biblical worldview that an unseen realm of real spiritual beings actively affects the visible world.

Tim Henderson addresses two common misreadings of John 14:12-14: that believers are more powerful than Jesus, and that Jesus functions as a genie granting any wish. He argues that the 'greater works' Jesus promises are only possible because Jesus accomplished his mission, died, rose, and sent the Spirit, inaugurating a new age of kingdom expansion. Drawing on John Piper's 'wartime walkie-talkie' framework, Tim calls believers to pray primarily in alignment with Jesus' mission rather than for personal comfort, while also affirming that personal needs and kingdom purposes are often braided together.

Tim Henderson walks through the biblical framework for church discipline, centering on Matthew 18's progressive steps: one-on-one confrontation, bringing witnesses, and finally involving the church. He emphasizes that the essence of Christian discipline is not punishment but shunning—stepping back relationally—always aimed at restoration and repentance rather than condemnation. Henderson also addresses the higher evidentiary and public accountability standards that apply when disciplining pastors and teachers.

Sloop preaches from John 14:1-11, placing the disciples in the devastating moment when Jesus announced his departure and their world fell apart. Working through the passage in reverse, Sloop addresses Philip's need for proof and Thomas's need for a plan, showing that Jesus himself—not instructions or paradise—is the answer to both. The sermon's central thrust is that the prize of human existence is not heaven but the person of Jesus Christ, in whose face the glory of God is seen.

Tim Henderson walks through the three historic forms of church government—Presbyterianism, Episcopalianism, and Congregationalism—examining the biblical evidence for each. He argues that the New Testament most clearly supports elder-led governance, while acknowledging that bishops and congregational authority also have legitimate biblical and historical grounding. Henderson concludes that no single structure has proven foolproof in church history, and that faithfulness ultimately depends on leaders and congregations submitting to Christ rather than any particular governmental form.

Dave Sloop walks through Jesus' farewell discourse in John 13, focusing on the 'new commandment' to love one another as Christ has loved us. He explores what makes this commandment new — a new pattern modeled by Christ's servant love, a new priority within the community of believers, and a public witness to the watching world. Sloop uses Peter's bold but hollow declaration to illustrate that before anyone can love like Jesus, they must first be personally pierced by his love and receive what only the cross can provide.

Tim Henderson explores the biblical relationship between the church and Israel, arguing that there is one people of God — 'true Israel' — comprised of both Jewish believers and grafted-in Gentiles, not two separate peoples. Drawing heavily from Ephesians 2 and Romans 9–11, he traces how the composition of God's people has shifted dramatically toward Gentiles while God's promises to Abraham's descendants remain irrevocable. Henderson concludes that Scripture anticipates a future revival among Jewish people before the return of Christ, and warns Gentile believers against arrogance over those who were first invited to the party.

Tim Henderson explores John 13:21-30, focusing on the moment Jesus offers bread to Judas at the Last Supper despite knowing Judas would betray him. Henderson uses this act as a lens to understand the radical, costly hospitality at the heart of communion and the Christian life. He calls listeners to receive Christ's grace freely at the table and to extend that same unreasonable mercy to others in their own lives.

Tim Henderson continues a series on Christian doctrine by exploring what the church is and what it is called to do. Using biblical metaphors — body, bride, temple, family, flock, branches, and holy nation — he shows that the church is defined by its dependent relationship with Christ and its identity as recipients of undeserved grace. He then connects the Great Commandment, the Great Commission, and the Creation Mandate to argue that the church's mission is to love God, love others, and fill the world with Christ-like disciples prepared for works of service.

Dave Sloop walks through John 13:1-20, focusing on Jesus washing the disciples' feet as the opening scene of the 'Book of Glory.' He argues that Jesus' act of washing feet points beyond itself to the cross, where Christ meets us at our deepest shame to cleanse what we cannot cleanse ourselves. Sloop calls listeners to first receive Christ's love personally before they can authentically reflect it to others, warning that love which terminates on self grows stagnant rather than life-giving.

Tim Henderson opens a new section of a systematic theology series on ecclesiology, exploring what the church is through major biblical metaphors. Drawing from passages across the New Testament, he walks through images including the body of Christ, the bride of Christ, the temple of God, and the household of God, unpacking the implications of each. A central theme is the intimacy between Christ and His church, and what each metaphor demands of believers in terms of unity, purity, submission, and love.

Tim Henderson walks through John 12:44-50, focusing on two interlocking themes: Jesus being sent by the Father and his role as judge. Henderson explains that Jesus' radical submission to the Father is not weakness but love, and serves as a model for believers. He resolves the apparent contradiction about Jesus judging by showing that Jesus acts only in obedience to the Father, and calls listeners to receive Jesus as the only path to the Father and escape from judgment.

Dave Sloop examines John 12:37-50, exploring why Israel rejected Jesus despite witnessing his miracles and having the prophetic promises. He diagnoses their unbelief through three compounding reasons: they wanted a political Messiah rather than a humble savior, God judicially hardened their hearts as a consequence of their prior rejection, and God sovereignly ordained their unbelief while they remained fully responsible for it. Sloop then invites listeners to hold the tension of divine sovereignty and human responsibility, arguing that doing so produces humility, security, peace, and deeper trust in God.

Tim Henderson addresses tough Q&A questions about Calvinism, focusing on whether God is the author of sin, how God's sovereign will relates to his genuine desire for all to be saved, and why a sovereign God permits so much rebellion. He explains that God has two levels of will—perfect and permissive—and argues from Romans 11:32 that God allowed human disobedience so that his mercy and grace could be fully displayed. Henderson also addresses how the doctrine of election produces humility, rest in salvation, better prayer for the lost, and compels rather than hinders evangelism.

Tim Henderson walks through John 12:27-36, unpacking four consequences of the cross: glorifying the Father, judging the world, defeating Satan, and drawing people to Jesus through radical self-sacrifice. He draws a pointed contrast between Jesus's words 'This is my body broken for you' and the cultural refrain of self-ownership, applying it especially to the abortion debate. He concludes by noting that even when Jesus confounds our understanding, his call remains the same—trust and believe in him.

Tim Henderson leads a Q&A session on the doctrine of salvation, addressing questions about original sin, irresistible grace, and Calvinism. He argues from Romans 5 that all humans are born guilty through Adam's federal headship, and that this same principle is the basis for Christ's righteousness being credited to believers. Tim also clarifies that irresistible grace is not coercive but rather God reordering a person's desires so they freely and willingly come to Christ.

Dave Sloop explores John 12:20-26, where Gentiles seeking Jesus trigger his announcement that 'the hour has come' for the Son of Man to be glorified through death. Sloop argues that humanity's deepest need is to see God, a need that only Christ's cross can meet, since his death provides the holiness we lack. He calls listeners to daily die to self so that Christ's life can shine through them and the world can truly see Jesus.

Tim Henderson concludes his series on the 'P' of TULIP by addressing whether believers can lose their salvation, engaging passages that seem to challenge eternal security. He argues that Hebrews 6 is best understood through the lens of Israel's wilderness period, where the warning is not that true believers can lose salvation but that those merely in the community without genuine faith may never have had it. Tim calls listeners to examine themselves and make their calling and election sure, confident that those truly in Christ are secure in his hands.

Tim Henderson preaches on John's unique account of the triumphal entry, highlighting two details absent from Matthew, Mark, and Luke: that Lazarus' resurrection was the catalyst for the Palm Sunday crowd, likely omitted by the synoptic authors to protect Lazarus while he was still alive. Henderson then unpacks Psalm 118 as a messianic psalm, showing how Jesus is the one who can enter the gates of righteousness, is the rejected stone made cornerstone, and is the fulfillment of all Scripture — a realization the disciples only reached after the resurrection.

Tim Henderson makes the case for the preservation of the saints — the 'P' in TULIP — arguing that a believer's eternal security rests entirely on God's sovereign commitment to keep them, not on their own faithfulness or willpower. Drawing from passages across both Testaments, Tim emphasizes that God is the actor and believers are the acted upon, with Christ continually interceding to cover sin's penalty and empower against sin's power. Tim acknowledges the real tension posed by people who appear to fall away and by challenging scriptures like Hebrews 6, promising to address those next week.

Dave Sloop examines Mary's anointing of Jesus in John 12, arguing that her extravagant act of pouring out costly perfume on Jesus' feet represents the normal, reasonable response of someone who truly understands the gospel. He connects Mary's sacrifice to Jesus' declaration that her story would be told wherever the gospel is preached, suggesting that a proper response to grace is inseparable from the gospel itself. Dave challenges listeners to sit at Jesus' feet as Mary did, letting the reality of Christ's personal, sacrificial death naturally produce wholehearted devotion.

Tim Henderson continues a series on the Reformed doctrine of salvation, focusing on irresistible grace — the 'I' in TULIP. He argues from Ephesians 2, Romans 8, and other passages that God is always the acting subject in salvation, regeneration precedes faith, and when God calls the elect, they unfailingly respond because the Spirit removes their blindness and changes their will. Tim emphasizes that this is not coercion but liberation — God frees people from slavery to sin so they can finally, joyfully run to Christ.

Tim Henderson examines the aftermath of Lazarus's resurrection, focusing on how the religious leaders' political fears blinded them to the Messiah standing before them, and how Caiaphas unknowingly prophesied the true purpose of Jesus's death. Henderson then explores why Jesus chose Passover as the moment of his crucifixion, explaining that the cross accomplished not only penal substitutionary atonement but also the Christus Victor victory over Satan, freeing believers from both the penalty and the power of sin.

Tim Henderson teaches on the 'I' in TULIP—Irresistible Grace—arguing that when God issues an inward call to a person, they will always respond in faith, not because they are coerced, but because God removes their spiritual blindness so they can finally see his true beauty. Drawing from Ezekiel 36, John 6, Acts, and 2 Timothy, Henderson demonstrates that repentance and faith are themselves gifts granted by God, not self-generated human contributions. He uses C. S. Lewis's reluctant, kicking-and-struggling conversion as a vivid real-world illustration of grace that overcomes resistance.

Dave Sloop preaches from John 11 on the raising of Lazarus, focusing on Jesus' conversation with Martha to show that belief is not mere mental assent but an active trust that produces life now, not just in the future. He argues that Martha's tendency to push Jesus' promises into the future reflects a common struggle to experience his present resurrection power. The sermon concludes with a call to self-denial, contending that the degree to which believers die to self is the degree to which Christ's life and power flow through them.

Tim Henderson teaches on limited atonement, the 'L' in TULIP, explaining why he identifies as a four-point Calvinist who rejects this particular doctrine. He walks through biblical passages that show both the particular focus of Christ's atoning work on his church and the broader language describing Christ dying for the whole world. Henderson concludes that scripture's breadth of language—especially in 1 Timothy, 1 John, and 2 Peter—requires affirming an unlimited atonement, while maintaining that salvation is effectively applied only to those who believe.

Dave Sloop examines Jesus' encounter with Mary at the death of Lazarus, contrasting it with his earlier conversation with Martha. While Jesus gave Martha truth and theological clarity, he responds to Mary with tears and emotional presence, demonstrating his full humanity alongside his divinity. Dave argues that Jesus enters into our pain rather than explaining it away, and invites listeners to bring their deepest grief and shame to the God who truly sees them.

Tim Henderson examines Martha's encounter with Jesus in John 11, highlighting three virtues: her action-oriented nature, her theological understanding of the resurrection, and her bold confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Henderson traces the Old Testament roots of resurrection hope through Job, Isaiah, and Daniel, showing that Martha had grasped what many miss — that bodily resurrection is the ultimate hope of the gospel. He concludes by holding Martha up as a model for all believers, both men and women, in diligence, biblical literacy, and proclaiming who Jesus truly is.

Tim Henderson uses the short film 'Forevergreen' as an allegory for the gospel, drawing parallels between a self-sacrificing tree and Jesus's love and death for humanity, and between a wayward bear and our own tendency toward disobedience. He explains how the tree's death and the sprouting of a new sapling mirror Jesus's resurrection, and how the bear's eventual devotion to the new tree pictures a life lived in loving response to Christ. The sermon was delivered on VBS Sunday as a way to celebrate and reinforce what the children learned throughout the week.

Tim Henderson continues a systematic study of Calvinist soteriology, focusing on unconditional election through key passages in Ephesians, Colossians, Thessalonians, and Romans 9. He argues that regeneration precedes faith, that God sovereignly chooses whom to save not based on human merit, and that Romans 9 presents an inescapable case for God's sovereign mercy. Henderson also addresses how this doctrine fuels rather than undermines evangelism, using the analogy of the US Olympic Dream Team to illustrate that certainty of outcome motivates participation.

Tim Henderson preaches from John 11:1-16, focusing on the word 'so' in the ESV translation — Jesus delayed going to Lazarus not despite his love, but because of it. Henderson argues that God's highest priority is developing faith in his people, and that he often works through cycles of loss and gain to make us into people who truly trust him. Drawing on personal stories of fear and provision, Henderson encourages those currently suffering to trust that Jesus has not abandoned them but is purposefully at work.

Tim Henderson addresses the question of why only some people come to believe, arguing from Scripture that God sovereignly chooses and draws sinners who are otherwise dead in sin and incapable of choosing him. He walks through key New Testament passages to show that election is God's initiative, not a response to foreseen human choices, and grounds this in the Old Testament pattern of God choosing Israel. Tim also contends that the doctrine of election, far from discouraging evangelism, actually fueled Paul's tireless missionary work because he trusted that God's elect would be saved.

Dave Sloop walks through John 10:22-42, showing how Jesus' claim to be one with the Father emerges not as a theological lecture but as a declaration of God's radical commitment to save and keep his sheep. Sloop explores the Feast of Dedication as a backdrop of longing for God's glory to return, fulfilled in Jesus entering through the Eastern Gate. He concludes with the cross as the moment Jesus, the rejected shepherd turned sacrificial lamb, fulfills every Old Testament promise of redemption.

Mike Massey challenges believers to be equally people of the Word and the Spirit, warning against practical cessationism that leaves Christians powerless despite being Spirit-filled. He races through key Acts passages showing no single formula for how the Holy Spirit comes, arguing the Spirit cannot be boxed into a method. Mike closes by calling listeners to daily ask for the Spirit's power, study the real to discern counterfeits, and take at least one risky step of Spirit-led obedience each day.

Dave Sloop unpacks Jesus' claim to be the Good Shepherd in John 10, showing how Jesus is not merely using a metaphor but fulfilling specific Old Testament promises about the promised shepherd-king who would gather, feed, and rescue God's people. Sloop explains that Jesus gives his followers salvation, security, and deep satisfaction — made possible by laying down his life as a substitute for sinful, wayward sheep. He closes by challenging listeners to move beyond 'bible deism' and actively engage with the indwelling Holy Spirit, expecting to experience the joy and presence of God.

Dave Sloop leads a Sunday school class through the doctrine of unconditional election, addressing objections and questions arising from the previous week's lesson on total depravity. Dave argues that Calvinism is not a philosophical imposition on Scripture but an attempt to faithfully explain what the Bible consistently teaches about God's sovereignty in salvation. He holds in tension passages that emphasize human response with those affirming divine sovereignty, illustrating with Lydia's conversion in Acts 16 and the valley of dry bones in Ezekiel 37, while acknowledging unresolved difficulties.

Tim Henderson walks through John 9, the healing of the man born blind, arguing that the miracle's primary purpose was not just compassion but to incite an investigation into the identity of Jesus. Henderson connects Jesus' use of the title 'Son of Man' to Daniel 7, revealing Jesus as the one granted all authority and worthy of worship. He closes by calling the church to embody both the good deeds and the good news of the gospel, especially stirring curiosity about who Jesus is.

Tim Henderson opens a multi-week series on Calvinism by arguing that the proper starting point is the 'T' in TULIP — Total Depravity — before discussing election or any other point. Drawing on a wide range of Scripture from Genesis to Titus, Tim makes the case that fallen humanity is not free but enslaved to sin, spiritually blind, and dead, incapable of and unwilling to come to God without divine intervention. He contends that understanding how broken humanity truly is forms the essential foundation for appreciating why Calvinism's view of salvation is not dark but necessary.

Tim Henderson works through the end of John 8, where Jesus declares 'Before Abraham was, I am,' provoking his opponents to attempt stoning him for blasphemy. Drawing on C.S. Lewis's 'Lord, Liar, or Lunatic' trilemma, Tim argues that Jesus's radical claims to deity leave no neutral ground — he is either Lord, a demonic deceiver, or a raving lunatic. Tim also highlights the paradox of Jesus's glory, showing that throughout John's Gospel Jesus consistently defines his own glorification as dying on the cross for sinners.

Dave Sloop uses John 8 to show that all humanity is born under one of two spiritual fathers—God or the devil—and that most people, like the fictional Truman Burbank, are enslaved to a false reality without knowing it. He argues that our behavior and our origin reveal which family we belong to, and that Satan works through the 'pattern of this world' to keep people blind and comfortable in spiritual bondage. Dave calls listeners either to come home to God for the first time or, for those already believers, to pursue the fullness of freedom and joy available through wholehearted seeking of God.

Tim Henderson resumes a comprehensive Christian doctrine survey by introducing soteriology, the doctrine of salvation, breaking it into three phases: justification (declared righteous by God), sanctification (ongoing transformation), and glorification (final restoration at Christ's return). He explains that salvation involves being rescued from both the penalty and power of sin, and being restored to holiness and intimacy with God. Tim closes by previewing upcoming sessions on election and predestination, grounding those discussions in the doctrine of total depravity.

Dave Sloop preaches from John 8:31-38, exploring Jesus' teaching that true freedom comes not from independence but from abiding in His word and being changed from slave to son. Dave argues that all people are enslaved to something—sin governs the will whether we see it or not—and that genuine disciples are those whose nature, not just behavior, is transformed by Christ. Using the illustration of a cult survivor who entered a broken community to purchase freedom others didn't know they needed, Dave draws a parallel to Jesus entering our world to free us from chains we cannot see.

Dave Sloop makes the biblical case for church membership, arguing that while no single verse commands it explicitly, the concepts of belonging to a family, body, and flock are undeniable throughout Scripture. He outlines what membership means in practice—covenant commitment to worship, community, growth, service, generosity, submission, and mission. He closes with Elton Trueblood's vision of an intensely loving fellowship as Jesus' chosen strategy for reaching the world.

Paul Donison preaches on the story of Peter walking on water in Matthew 14, arguing the passage is not primarily about the quality of our faith but about the constant presence of Jesus with us—whether we are walking on water or sinking. Drawing on personal stories of ministry failure and restoration, Donison emphasizes that Jesus immediately reaches out to save us when we wobble, because he is the great I AM who walks on the waters with his people. The sermon concludes that recognizing Christ's faithful presence in both our highs and lows naturally draws us to worship him as the Son of God.

Dave Sloop teaches that money is the fourth most discussed topic in the gospels because it reveals what people truly worship, warning that greed hides in plain sight and competes with devotion to God more than almost anything else. He walks through Old Testament tithing standards (roughly 22-23% annually) and New Testament examples to argue that grace should produce greater generosity, not less, and that requiring giving becomes legalism only when treated as a path to salvation rather than a response of the heart. Sloop concludes with practical steps toward generosity, framing giving as a means of loosening the grip of idolatry and deepening one's experience of Christ.

Dave Sloop explores Jesus' declaration 'I am the light of the world' in John 8, set against the rich backdrop of the Feast of Tabernacles and its lampstand ritual, showing how Jesus claimed to be the fulfillment of God's guiding presence with Israel in the wilderness. Sloop explains that Jesus' I Am statements simultaneously reveal who God is, confront humanity's spiritual blindness and sin, and extend an invitation to follow him. He calls both believers and unbelievers to honestly face their own sin—symbolized by being the ones who 'lifted up' Jesus—so they can receive all that Christ offers through his death and resurrection.