Episodes
What if you spend your life climbing a ladder that leans against the wrong wall? From Romans 3:1–3, Dr. John Neufeld traces Israel’s history to show that even zeal for God’s law can misfire. He celebrates the advantage the Jews had in being entrusted with the Word of God, but warns that familiarity with Scripture can leave us inoculated to its truth.The Heart of the Gospel: This 25-message series on Romans 1–4 presents us with Christianity 101. It is the basics of our faith, teaching us how we can know for certain that sins are forgiven and what it is to live by faith.
How can you tell whether your faith is real or only a facade? Studying Romans 2:17–29, Dr. John Neufeld honours the privileges God gave Israel, then shows how religion can hide hypocrisy. Outward symbols like circumcision, baptism, or a wedding ring mean nothing without the reality they signify. Genuine faith is a heart transformed by the Holy Spirit.The Heart of the Gospel: This 25-message series on Romans 1–4 presents us with Christianity 101. It is the basics of our faith, teaching us how we can know for certain that sins are forgiven and what it is to live by faith.
Will God judge fairly those who never heard His law? Working through Romans 2:12–16, Dr. John Neufeld shows that God is perfectly impartial: everyone who sins is condemned, whether judged by Scripture, by creation, or by the law written on the heart and conscience. Hearing God’s Word only raises our accountability, and the right place to start is admitting we have no hope on our own.The Heart of the Gospel: This 25-message series on Romans 1–4 presents us with Christianity 101. It is the basics of our faith, teaching us how we can know for certain that sins are forgiven and what it is to li...
If salvation is by faith, why does Paul say God judges by works? From Romans 2:6–11, Dr. John Neufeld shows that we are judged by our works but saved from judgment by faith in Christ. He contrasts the marks of those who are self-seeking and reject the truth with those bound for heaven, who patiently seek God’s glory, honour, and immortality.The Heart of the Gospel: This 25-message series on Romans 1–4 presents us with Christianity 101. It is the basics of our faith, teaching us how we can know for certain that sins are forgiven and what it is to live by faith.
Are you a good person? Paul has something to say to you. Looking at Romans 2:1–5, Dr. John Neufeld shows that those who judge others are just as guilty and condemn themselves. Don't look down on God’s kindness, forbearance, and patience; the fact that God's wrath has not yet come on you is not His approval but an invitation to repentance before the day of wrath.The Heart of the Gospel: This 25-message series on Romans 1–4 presents us with Christianity 101. It is the basics of our faith, teaching us how we can know for certain that sins are forgiven and what it is to live by faith.
What happens when we ignore the elephant in the room: God Himself? Studying Romans 1:24–32, Dr. John Neufeld examines the three times “God gave them up”: to sexual impurity, to dishonourable passions contrary to the Creator’s design, and to a debased mind. As it was in Paul's day, this is a counter-cultural expression about God's original design and authority over our bodies. At the heart of these issues is idolatry and failing to worship God — a great evil for which we need a Saviour.The Heart of the Gospel: This 25-message series on Romans 1–4 presents us with Christianity 101. It is the ...
With all our progress, is the human situation getting worse? Working through Romans 1:21–25, Dr. John Neufeld shows how failing to give God glory and thanks leads to futile thinking and idolatry, with gods remade in our own image. He explains what it means that God “gave them up”: a judgment that exposes how evil our hearts really are. Yet in this bad news comes the hope of the Gospel.The Heart of the Gospel: This 25-message series on Romans 1–4 presents us with Christianity 101. It is the basics of our faith, teaching us how we can know for certain that sins are forgiven and what it is to ...
What about people who have never heard of God? From Romans 1:19–23, Dr. John Neufeld sets out six truths creation makes plain to everyone: God exists, He is the Creator, we owe Him our existence and our gratitude, we have been ungrateful, and we need mercy. Natural theology cannot save us; it shows we are guilty suppressors of truth. Only a Saviour can fix this situation.The Heart of the Gospel: This 25-message series on Romans 1–4 presents us with Christianity 101. It is the basics of our faith, teaching us how we can know for certain that sins are forgiven and what it is to live by faith.
Can a God of love also be angry? From Romans 1:18–23, Dr. John Neufeld explains why real love can never be separated from righteousness and how God’s wrath is already being revealed in the world. Why do we need a Saviour? The good news of the Cross only makes sense after the bad news that comes from humanity's ungodliness, broken moral law, and suppression of the truth.The Heart of the Gospel: This 25-message series on Romans 1–4 presents us with Christianity 101. It is the basics of our faith, teaching us how we can know for certain that sins are forgiven and what it is to live by faith.
Why would anyone be tempted to be ashamed of good news? Looking at Romans 1:16–17, Dr. John Neufeld gives three reasons Paul was not ashamed of the gospel: because of its power, its content, and its promise. Here we begin to explore what the gospel actually is: that Jesus saves anyone who believes, crediting us with His righteousness.The Heart of the Gospel: This 25-message series on Romans 1–4 presents us with Christianity 101. It is the basics of our faith, teaching us how we can know for certain that sins are forgiven and what it is to live by faith.
Can you truly lead people you have never spent time with? Continuing through Romans 1:10–15, Dr. John Neufeld traces five more marks of Paul’s spiritual leadership: a longing to be present with God’s people, ministry that strengthens them, humility to learn from them, hope for a harvest of converts, and a vision that sees no barriers to the gospel.The Heart of the Gospel: This 25-message series on Romans 1–4 presents us with Christianity 101. It is the basics of our faith, teaching us how we can know for certain that sins are forgiven and what it is to live by faith.
What gives a leader real influence when no one is forced to follow? Studying Romans 1:8–10, Dr. John Neufeld finds in the Apostle Paul a Christ-like model of spiritual leadership that begins with thanking God for the grace evident in others and is sustained by constant, specific prayer. Before Paul condemns sins, we see his heart of deep love for Christ and those he is called to lead.The Heart of the Gospel: This 25-message series on Romans 1–4 presents us with Christianity 101. It is the basics of our faith, teaching us how we can know for certain that sins are forgiven and what it is to l...
If the gospel isn’t a great church or a set of rules, what is it? Working through Romans 1:1–7, Dr. John Neufeld shows that Christianity is about a person: Jesus, promised by the prophets, fully human in real history, and declared the Son of God by His resurrection. Genuine faith invests your whole life in Him and produces the obedience of faith.The Heart of the Gospel: This 25-message series on Romans 1–4 presents us with Christianity 101. It is the basics of our faith, teaching us how we can know for certain that sins are forgiven and what it is to live by faith.
With so many voices defining Christianity, whom should you trust? From Romans 1:1, Dr. John Neufeld shows that Paul’s authority to define the gospel rests on three things: he was a servant wholly devoted to Jesus, an apostle called and taught directly by the risen Christ, and a man set apart to make the once-for-all message of the gospel plain. Jesus has given authority to the Apostles to teach His divine truth, and Paul is one of those Apostles.The Heart of the Gospel: This 25-message series on Romans 1–4 presents us with Christianity 101. It is the basics of our faith, teaching us how we ...
Why do so many believers try to build their faith without a foundation? And what is the foundation? Dr. John Neufeld outlines the book of Romans explains why it was written to a church divided between Jewish and Gentile believers. Romans is what Paul preached everywhere, beginning with the foundational truth of the Gospel and ending with its practical result in our lives. Discover why Paul's letter to the Romans is Christianity 101.The Heart of the Gospel: This 25-message series on Romans 1–4 presents us with Christianity 101. It is the basics of our faith, teaching us how we can know for c...
How can the righteousness of God be good news to a sinner? Introducing Romans 1–4, Dr. John Neufeld tells how this book launched the Protestant Reformation when Martin Luther considered how the Cross was good news revealing the righteousness of God. The book of Romans will reveal the goodness of God displayed in the Cross, why Jesus died, and how we're reconciled to God. It will reveal the foundation for salvation and real assurance before God.The Heart of the Gospel: This 25-message series on Romans 1–4 presents us with Christianity 101. It is the basics of our faith, teaching us how we ca...
Who did Jesus die for? Did He descend into hell after He died? From Galatians 6:14, Dr. John Neufeld concludes this series by showing why the Cross stands at the centre of Christian faith and life and explaining how Christ’s death is a free offer to all and a debt truly paid for believers.The Mysteries of the Cross: Why did Jesus have to die, and what really happened on the Cross? “The Mysteries of the Cross” is a five-message series where Dr. John Neufeld teaches from Scripture on the important and contentious issue of the atonement. He covers the fundamental topics of sacrifice and wrath ...
How could a humiliating death on a Roman cross be history’s greatest victory? Working through Colossians 2:13–15, Dr. John Neufeld traces Satan’s defeat from the promise of Genesis 3:15 to the Cross, where God cancelled our record of debt, disarmed the powers of darkness, and broke Satan’s authority to hold his captives. His only remaining weapon is the lie.The Mysteries of the Cross: Why did Jesus have to die, and what really happened on the Cross? “The Mysteries of the Cross” is a five-message series where Dr. John Neufeld teaches from Scripture on the important and contentious issue of t...
If God is love, how could the Father pour out wrath on his own Son? From Romans 3:25, Dr. John Neufeld answers the charge of “cosmic child abuse,” showing that God’s wrath runs through nearly every book of the Bible and that Jesus became our propitiation, fully satisfying God’s righteous anger against sin. For those who trust Christ, the Cross is where wrath and mercy meet.The Mysteries of the Cross: Why did Jesus have to die, and what really happened on the Cross? “The Mysteries of the Cross” is a five-message series where Dr. John Neufeld teaches from Scripture on the important and conten...
How can anyone be sure God will accept them on the last day? From 2 Corinthians 5:21, Dr. John Neufeld explains the doctrine of imputation: Adam’s sin is reckoned to us, our sin was reckoned to the sinless Christ, and Christ’s perfect righteousness is credited to all who trust Him by faith. It’s the great exchange at the heart of the Gospel.The Mysteries of the Cross: Why did Jesus have to die, and what really happened on the Cross? “The Mysteries of the Cross” is a five-message series where Dr. John Neufeld teaches from Scripture on the important and contentious issue of the atonement. He ...
Why can’t we just tell God we’re sorry? From 1 Corinthians 15:3, Dr. John Neufeld traces sacrifice from Abel, Noah, Abraham’s ram, and the Passover Lamb to show that sin demands the shedding of blood, that animal sacrifices never took sins away, and that all of them pointed to Christ’s death as our substitute. Discover why Paul calls the Cross “of first importance.”The Mysteries of the Cross: Why did Jesus have to die, and what really happened on the Cross? “The Mysteries of the Cross” is a five-message series where Dr. John Neufeld teaches from Scripture on the important and contentious is...
Closing the series, Dr. John Neufeld tackles the claim that 40,000 Christian denominations disprove Jesus' words about love. He then turns to Philippians 2:1–2 to unpack Paul's four conditions for genuine unity among believers: encouragement in Christ, comfort from love, participation in the Spirit, and affection and sympathy.Rediscovering the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is God, fully equal with the Father and Son, yet he's the member of the Trinity most Christians know least about. In this 10-message series, Dr. John sets out to change that, tracing the Spirit's work from creation through...
When everything is shaking, where can you go for truth you can trust? Dr. John Neufeld makes the case that the Holy Spirit both inspired every word of Scripture and illuminates believers' minds to understand it. This means that the Bible, not our inner feelings, is the trustworthy instrument for navigating the Christian life.Rediscovering the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is God, fully equal with the Father and Son, yet he's the member of the Trinity most Christians know least about. In this 10-message series, Dr. John sets out to change that, tracing the Spirit's work from creation through ...
Why did God make snowflakes instead of ice cubes? Working through 1 Corinthians 12, Dr. John Neufeld shows that spiritual gifts are grace-gifts distributed by the Spirit for the good of others (never a ranking of who's more spiritual) and that using them is how an invisible Spirit becomes visible in the life of the church.Rediscovering the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is God, fully equal with the Father and Son, yet he's the member of the Trinity most Christians know least about. In this 10-message series, Dr. John sets out to change that, tracing the Spirit's work from creation through the...
Old Testament saints had power too, so what did Pentecost actually change? Dr. John Neufeld unpacks four kinds of power the church received that no one had known before: power to win converts at an unprecedented scale, power over indwelling sin, power over Satan and the demonic, and power for spiritual gifts.Rediscovering the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is God, fully equal with the Father and Son, yet he's the member of the Trinity most Christians know least about. In this 10-message series, Dr. John sets out to change that, tracing the Spirit's work from creation through the Old Testament...
Old Testament saints had power too, so what did Pentecost actually change? Dr. John Neufeld unpacks four kinds of power the church received that no one had known before: power to win converts at an unprecedented scale, power over indwelling sin, power over Satan and the demonic, and power for spiritual gifts.Rediscovering the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is God, fully equal with the Father and Son, yet he's the member of the Trinity most Christians know least about. In this 10-message series, Dr. John sets out to change that, tracing the Spirit's work from creation through the Old Testament...
This topic has divided churches for years, so Dr. John looks at every place the Bible talks about the "baptism of the Holy Spirit" to figure out what it really means. His answer: every believer receives this the moment they trust in Christ — it isn't a separate experience reserved for some Christians. He also explains why the Bible talks about being "filled" with the Spirit again and again, and why that's something different — a renewal every Christian can keep asking for.Rediscovering the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is God, fully equal with the Father and Son, yet he's the member of the T...
Dr. John argues that most believers tell their conversion story while quietly leaving out the Holy Spirit — the one who actually raised their spiritually dead heart to respond to Christ. Drawing on Ephesians 2, Ezekiel 36, and the story of Lazarus, he traces how regeneration, sanctification, and ongoing growth in holiness are all the Spirit's work, and why giving him credit matters for guarding against pride.Rediscovering the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is God, fully equal with the Father and Son, yet he's the member of the Trinity most Christians know least about. In this 10-message serie...
Dr. John explores the meaning of Pentecost — the Jewish Feast of Weeks — and the momentous events of Acts 2, where the Spirit descends with wind, fire, and tongues. He explains what made this day genuinely new compared to the Spirit's Old Testament activity: a fuller indwelling, a deeper understanding of Christ, and unprecedented power to draw people to salvation, evidenced by 3,000 conversions on a single day.Rediscovering the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is God, fully equal with the Father and Son, yet he's the member of the Trinity most Christians know least about. In this 10-message ser...
Dr. John traces the Holy Spirit's work throughout the Old Testament — sustaining creation, empowering judges and kings, and inspiring prophets — then tackles a key question: did Old Testament believers actually have the Spirit dwelling in them, or only resting on them temporarily? Drawing on Romans 8 and the lives of Enoch, Abraham, and David, he argues the Spirit was already at work within God's people, even as Pentecost would bring something greater still.Rediscovering the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is God, fully equal with the Father and Son, yet he's the member of the Trinity most Chr...