Episodes
Giving is never just about money — it's a declaration of trust. In this episode, Dr. John works through Deuteronomy 26, the closing chapter of Moses' second sermon, exploring two ancient acts of worship tied to giving: the firstfruits offering and the third-year tithe for the poor. With characteristic honesty about why money sermons make people uncomfortable, Dr. John unpacks what faithful generosity looks like — and why it flows not from obligation, but from remembering all that God has given.The Law and Holy Living: The laws of ancient Israel can feel distant and irrelevant to modern read...
The family isn't just a social unit — it's the foundation God built society upon. In this episode, Dr. John works through Deuteronomy 25:5–19, examining four laws designed to protect family life in ancient Israel: caring for widows through levirate marriage, safeguarding future generations, ensuring honest dealings in business, and remembering the ruthless attack of Amalek on Israel's most vulnerable. Ancient laws with a timeless message about why family still matters.The Law and Holy Living: The laws of ancient Israel can feel distant and irrelevant to modern readers — but look closer, and...
God had a lot to say about how a society treats its most vulnerable. In this episode, Dr. John works through Deuteronomy 24:5–25:4, unpacking a sweeping set of ancient laws that speak directly to the issues of our day: protecting marriage and family, defending the poor from exploitation, safeguarding public health, extending justice to foreigners, and ensuring punishment never crosses into cruelty. A challenging and timely word for the church today.The Law and Holy Living: The laws of ancient Israel can feel distant and irrelevant to modern readers — but look closer, and you'll find they re...
Marriage was never meant to be disposable. In this episode, Dr. John works through Deuteronomy 24:1–5, tackling one of Scripture's most debated passages on divorce — and letting Jesus have the final word. With pastoral honesty and personal reflection, Dr. John explores what God's law truly permits, what it never intended, and why the sanctity of marriage remains one of the most important battles the church must fight today.The Law and Holy Living: The laws of ancient Israel can feel distant and irrelevant to modern readers — but look closer, and you'll find they reveal something timeless ab...
Rituals are easy — it's the heart that's hard to clean. In this episode, Dr. John walks through Deuteronomy 23, exploring how ancient Israel's laws of ritual purity speak to four timeless areas of Christian integrity: worship, personal hygiene, money, and care for others. Drawing on Jesus' warning about cleaning "the outside of the cup," Dr. John challenges listeners to move beyond outward religious observance and pursue genuine inward holiness — where what we appear to be on the outside matches who we truly are on the inside.The Law and Holy Living: The laws of ancient Israel can feel dist...
The 7th commandment — you shall not commit adultery — is one of the most countercultural truths in all of Scripture. In this message from Deuteronomy 22:13–30, Dr. John works through six civil laws in ancient Israel that flow from this command, addressing everything from virginity at marriage to sexual violence, and makes a compelling case for why God's standard of sexual faithfulness is not primitive or outdated — but a reflection of just how seriously he takes the gift he created.The Law and Holy Living: The laws of ancient Israel can feel distant and irrelevant to modern readers — but lo...
What do lost livestock, building codes, and bird nests have in common? In this message from Deuteronomy 22:1–12, Dr. John works through six seemingly incidental laws given to Israel and uncovers the thread running through all of them — a call to live not for yourself, but for the good of others. A surprisingly practical and convicting episode rooted in one simple question: if everyone lived the way you live, would the world be better or worse?The Law and Holy Living: The laws of ancient Israel can feel distant and irrelevant to modern readers — but look closer, and you'll find they reveal s...
What does God's law have to say about family? In this message from Deuteronomy 21:15–23, Dr. John works through three of the harder family laws in Scripture, covering polygamy and inheritance rights, the rebellious son, and the burial of the executed — and shows how each one points us toward a God who cares deeply about justice, order, and ultimately, grace. This episode ends in a place you might not expect: at the foot of the cross.The Law and Holy Living: The laws of ancient Israel can feel distant and irrelevant to modern readers — but look closer, and you'll find they reveal something t...
Ministry gets messy — and so does life. In this message from Deuteronomy 21:1–14, Dr. John works through two of the messier laws in Israel's legal code: what to do when a murder goes unsolved, and how to treat a woman captured in war. Far from brushing past the difficulty of these passages, he unpacks what they reveal about a God who takes sin seriously, values every human life, and meets us not in our righteousness — but in the complicated mess our sin has created.The Law and Holy Living: The laws of ancient Israel can feel distant and irrelevant to modern readers — but look closer, and yo...
What are the limits of a just war? In this message from Deuteronomy 20:10–20, Dr. John tackles some of the most difficult passages in all of Scripture, addressing the laws governing Israel's warfare with surrounding nations, the command to completely destroy the inhabitants of Canaan, and what all of it reveals about the character of a righteous God who will not be trifled with.The Law and Holy Living: The laws of ancient Israel can feel distant and irrelevant to modern readers — but look closer, and you'll find they reveal something timeless about the character of God. In this series on De...
Is there such a thing as a just war? In this message from Deuteronomy 20:1–9, Dr. John explores what the laws of Israel reveal about warfare — not from the perspective of military strategy, but from the perspective of justice for the soldiers themselves. From the priest's blessing before battle to the surprising list of exemptions that allowed men to go home before the fight, this episode uncovers a God who is deeply compassionate, even in the midst of an evil and broken world.The Law and Holy Living: The laws of ancient Israel can feel distant and irrelevant to modern readers — but look cl...
What stands between a civilized society and the law of the jungle? In this message from Deuteronomy 19:1–21, Dr. John walks through three distinct laws given to Israel — covering homicide, property rights, and the integrity of the courts — and makes a compelling case for why God's perfect standard of justice is as relevant today as it ever was. From cities of refuge to the danger of false witnesses, this episode reveals a God who cares deeply about truth, fairness, and the protection of the innocent.The Law and Holy Living: The laws of ancient Israel can feel distant and irrelevant to moder...
Who speaks for God? It's a question that created conflict in Moses' day and continues to cause chaos in churches around the world today. In this message from Deuteronomy 18:15–22, Dr. John examines the biblical marks of a true prophet, traces the line from Moses to Jesus as the ultimate fulfillment of God's promise to send a prophet like no other, and offers a timely warning against the vague impressions and false voices that so easily lead God's people astray.The Law and Holy Living: The laws of ancient Israel can feel distant and irrelevant to modern readers — but look closer, and you'll ...
God loves diversity — but not everywhere. In this message from Deuteronomy 18:1–14, Dr. John explores why the one true God demands exclusivity in worship, not plurality. From the role of the Levitical priests and how they were to be treated, to the strict prohibition of occult practices among God's people, this episode makes a compelling case for why Israel's religion was never a product of human development — and what that means for how we worship today.The Law and Holy Living: The laws of ancient Israel can feel distant and irrelevant to modern readers — but look closer, and you'll find t...
What do the ancient laws of Israel have to do with us today? In this introduction to a new series on Deuteronomy 18–26, Dr. John unpacks the relationship between Israel and the church, addresses the hotly debated topic of Christian nationalism, and lays out four principles for applying these ancient laws to our lives today. If you've ever been tempted to skip over the Old Testament law, this episode will change the way you see it.The Law and Holy Living: The laws of ancient Israel can feel distant and irrelevant to modern readers — but look closer, and you'll find they reveal something time...
Life is full of pivotal moments that change us forever. In this message from John 14, Dr. John Neufeld explores how the Holy Spirit transforms us from the inside out — giving us certainty in Christ's truth, a peace the world can't offer or take away, and a passion for God that finally moves us beyond our own self-absorption.Passion: Easter is a pivotal time in the life of a Christian. The foundation of our faith relies on the death and more importantly, the resurrection of Jesus. This 15-message series will prepare our hearts for the Easter season as Dr. Neufeld walks us through the various...
How do you stay focused on eternity when life keeps pulling you back down to earth? In this message from John 14, Dr. John Neufeld introduces the Holy Spirit — the Helper Jesus promised his disciples before he left — and explores what it means to have God himself living inside us, keeping our perspective, and giving us the power to actually live the life we know we should.Passion: Easter is a pivotal time in the life of a Christian. The foundation of our faith relies on the death and more importantly, the resurrection of Jesus. This 15-message series will prepare our hearts for the Easter s...
Who was Jesus, really? In this message from John 14, Dr. John Neufeld cuts through centuries of speculation and revisionist history to explore what eyewitnesses actually said about Jesus — the way, the truth, and the life. He unpacks Jesus' breathtaking claim to be the very image of the Father, and what that means for who we are and how we can approach God today.Passion: Easter is a pivotal time in the life of a Christian. The foundation of our faith relies on the death and more importantly, the resurrection of Jesus. This 15-message series will prepare our hearts for the Easter season as D...
Every civilization in human history has longed for something beyond the grave. In this message from John 14, Dr. John Neufeld explores what God has revealed about heaven — a real, physical place where the greatest joy won't just be the place itself, but coming face to face with Jesus. He also addresses the most important question any of us will ever face: how do you actually get there?Passion: Easter is a pivotal time in the life of a Christian. The foundation of our faith relies on the death and more importantly, the resurrection of Jesus. This 15-message series will prepare our hearts for...
What would it mean to truly know you are loved? Not for what you do, but simply for who you are? In this message from John 13, Dr. John Neufeld reminds us that we cannot truly love until we have first experienced being loved. Exploring the mutual glorification of the Father and Son at the moment of Christ's betrayal, he outlines the marks of Christlike love — trust, sacrifice, and authenticity — and calls us to honest reflection about the gap between the love we profess and the love we live out.Passion: Easter is a pivotal time in the life of a Christian. The foundation of our faith relies ...
Judas had every opportunity to turn back — but he didn't. In this episode, Dr. John Neufeld walks through John 13:20–30, tracing the final moments before Judas leaves the upper room to betray Jesus. It's a sobering portrait of what happens when a heart grows so hardened that even the outstretched hand of Jesus is refused — and a warning that the darkness we choose can eventually become the darkness that owns us.Passion: Easter is a pivotal time in the life of a Christian. The foundation of our faith relies on the death and more importantly, the resurrection of Jesus. This 15-message series ...
What does it really mean to be a servant leader — and does serving others mean giving up authority? In this episode, Dr. John Neufeld unpacks John 13:12–20, exploring what Jesus taught his disciples after washing their feet. True servant leadership, Dr. John shows, isn't about flattening hierarchy — it's about using whatever position you hold to sacrificially love and care for those entrusted to you.Passion: Easter is a pivotal time in the life of a Christian. The foundation of our faith relies on the death and more importantly, the resurrection of Jesus. This 15-message series will prepare...
On the night of his arrest, Jesus did something no one expected — he knelt down and washed his disciples' feet, including the feet of the man who would betray him. In this episode, Dr. John Neufeld explores John 13:1–17, unpacking what this remarkable act of humble service reveals about the love of Jesus — a love that serves, gives, forgives, and ultimately leads him to the cross.Passion: Easter is a pivotal time in the life of a Christian. The foundation of our faith relies on the death and more importantly, the resurrection of Jesus. This 15-message series will prepare our hearts for the ...
Why do some people secretly believe in Jesus but never act on it — and what keeps others from believing at all? In this episode, Dr. John Neufeld unpacks John 12:42–50, exploring the danger of hardening your heart against the gospel. As Jesus brings his public ministry to a close, his final appeal to the crowds carries an urgent warning: the longer we delay, the harder our hearts can become.Passion: Easter is a pivotal time in the life of a Christian. The foundation of our faith relies on the death and more importantly, the resurrection of Jesus. This 15-message series will prepare our hear...
Why do some people believe in Jesus and others don't — even when they've seen the same evidence? In this episode, Dr. John Neufeld explores the mystery of faith, unpacking John 12:36–43 to show why believing in Jesus is never simply a matter of seeing enough proof. Ultimately, faith is not about having access to better evidence — it's about surrender, trust, and the miraculous work of God in the human heart.Passion: Easter is a pivotal time in the life of a Christian. The foundation of our faith relies on the death and more importantly, the resurrection of Jesus. This 15-message series will...
As Jesus draws closer to the cross, he openly confesses that his soul is in turmoil — not from doubt, but from the weight of what he knows is coming. Dr. John Neufeld walks us through this remarkable passage, showing that the cross is far more than a moment of suffering: it is the judgment of the world, the defeat of Satan, and the magnetic power that draws people from every nation to Christ.Passion: Easter is a pivotal time in the life of a Christian. The foundation of our faith relies on the death and more importantly, the resurrection of Jesus. This 15-message series will prepare our hea...
When a group of Greeks approaches Jesus seeking an audience, Jesus sees something remarkable — the first fruits of a worldwide harvest of souls. Dr. John Neufeld unpacks what that harvest requires: a grain of wheat that falls to the ground and dies. Just as Christ's death was the only path to life for the world, our willingness to surrender our own lives is what makes us fruitful for his kingdom.Passion: Easter is a pivotal time in the life of a Christian. The foundation of our faith relies on the death and more importantly, the resurrection of Jesus. This 15-message series will prepare our...
On Palm Sunday, the crowds welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem with palm branches and shouts of "Hosanna," longing for a conquering king to free them from Roman oppression. But Dr. John Neufeld shows that Jesus deliberately gave them something far different — and far better. Riding in on a humble donkey, he came not to defeat Rome, but to defeat sin and death itself, offering the salvation we desperately need rather than the liberation we desperately wanted.Passion: Easter is a pivotal time in the life of a Christian. The foundation of our faith relies on the death and more importantly, the resur...
As Jesus makes his way toward Jerusalem and the cross, he pauses in Bethany among the people he loves. Dr. John Neufeld reflects on the tender scene at Simon the Leper's home — where Martha serves, Mary offers extravagant worship, and Judas reveals a heart of cold cynicism. Through these vivid contrasts, Dr. Neufeld calls us to examine what our own passion for Christ looks like, and to let the story of Passion Week awaken it afresh.Passion: Easter is a pivotal time in the life of a Christian. The foundation of our faith relies on the death and more importantly, the resurrection of Jesus. Th...
As Easter approaches, Dr. John Neufeld opens a three-week study in John 12–14 by exploring what we truly mean by "the passion of our Lord." Drawing a sharp contrast between the world's destructive passions and the purposeful, sacrificial passion of Jesus, Dr. Neufeld shows that Christ's journey to Jerusalem was no tragedy — it was a mission, driven by a singular zeal to fulfill the Father's will.Passion: Easter is a pivotal time in the life of a Christian. The foundation of our faith relies on the death and more importantly, the resurrection of Jesus. This 15-message series will prepare our...