Making Maturing Disciples of Christ | Week 7 | This week, Darrell dives deep into Apostle Paul’s exhortation in Galatians 5:16-18 to walk by the Spirit and how doing so means you won’t carry out the desires of the flesh. Walking by the Spirit means putting Jesus at the center of our lives and living our lives for Him and with Him. It is only through walking by the Spirit that we develop the fruits of Spirit and become more like Jesus. This act does not come naturally to us, so we must learn to be ruthless towards our sinful desires and work together with the Holy Spirit to put it to death. This is done through developing a rhythm of abstinence from the things of this world and taking time to engage with the Holy Spirit through spiritual practices. First Baptist Church, Vancouver, BC | June 16, 2013 | Galatians 3:1-3, 5:16-25; 6:7-8

Making Maturing Disciples of Christ | Week 6 | “Walk by the Spirit,” writes the apostle Paul in his letter to the Galatians, urging followers of Jesus to surrender to the new way of Christ so that the old way– the way of the flesh– is put to death. In this message, Darrell explores this text that gets at the heart of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Our flesh, with all its warped desires, self-centredness, and earthly drives, resists the Spirit, but the Spirit has power to overcome the flesh and to form in us the very character traits of Christ. As we continue to walk by the Spirit, the Spirit bears fruit in our lives, displaying the life of Jesus in us, showing us to be His disciples. First Baptist Church, Vancouver, BC | June 9, 2013 | Galatians 5:16

Making Maturing Disciples of Christ | Week 5 | This week, Darrell speaks on Paul's letter to the Romans and how we are meant to be a living sacrifice to God. Jesus’ disciples didn't choose him, he was the one who chose the disciples, it was him who initiated and anointed them. Because Jesus chooses us, we must be a living sacrifice to the living God since the only thing we have to offer is our life to God. When we encounter this calling, it often comes with six factors that inform us on God's calling for us and how to best serve the Lord as a living sacrifice. Darrell breaks down these factors and what they might look like so that when they happen, we are encouraged to respond in obedience. First Baptist Church, Vancouver, BC | May 26, 2013 | Romans 12:1-8

Making Maturing Disciples of Christ | Week 4 | It is a privilege to be a follower of Jesus, but the real question is, what does it take to grow up as a follower of Jesus? In Acts 2:37-47 Luke shows us the fellowship that developed amongst the crowd after the day of Pentecost and what they devoted themselves to. In this message, Darrell takes it a step further by breaking down the importance of their devotion and how it correlates to a fellowship with the triune God. A spirit-animated community that spends time in the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer. First Baptist Church, Vancouver, BC | May 12, 2013 | Acts 2:37-47

Making Maturing Disciples of Christ | Week 3 | Darrell invites us to do an exercise of renewing the mind by putting on three different lenses — western, eastern, and the gospel of Jesus Christ. We see different realities through these three sets of lenses. As Jesus called us to come, and follow him, we are invited to put on the gospel glasses every day, in every situation. Through this set of glasses, we see a Person in the center of reality. A living Person — Crucified and Risen, offering us Himself, making all things new. Through the gospel glasses, the rest of reality also comes into focus. We see that our lives have meaning - that each one of us has been uniquely gifted to participate in the life of God and His mission in the world. First Baptist Church, Vancouver, BC | May 5, 2013 | Romans 12:1-8

Special Episode: Darrell Johnson on the Pastor as Shepherd, Dealing With Hurt in Ministry & What Has and Has Not Changed for Pastors. We have had quite a few conversations with Darrell Johnson now, and it still feels like we are just scratching the surface of what the Lord has taught him in his 50+ years of ministry. For this special episode, we interviewed Darrell live and online in front of pastors from across Canada, using the questions they submitted. In this conversation, Darrell and Jason discuss the definition of a pastor, how to serve churches while prioritizing family, teaching a biblically illiterate church, what Darrell prays for pastors & more. We hope this episode serves you as you in turn serve those the Lord has entrusted to you.

In this series we are going to be looking at seven miracles Jesus performed, signs that were witnessed first-hand by the apostle John, one of Jesus’ closest friends, who wrote them down for us all. And our hope is that, as we explore these stories we would see the glory of Jesus — the one who reveals the essence of God’s character — and move toward him in faith and worship, as His opinion, approval and desire for us become the weightiest reality in our lives.

Making Maturing Disciples of Christ | Week 2 | As we listen to the words of the Apostle Paul in Romans 12:1-8, we hear about the unspeakable privilege that Jesus is giving us, to come, participate in serving the world through his Body. Darrell Johnson uses the term “hard-wired” to express and live-out a participation in the life of the Triune God. Each of us has been graced to participate in a unique way. We in the Body of Christ cannot operate alone, we must work together. Darrell unpacks the seven gifts or “wirings” in a practical, helpful way, encouraging us to exercise our gifts as an expression of one of the key functions of a maturing disciple of Jesus Christ. First Baptist Church, Vancouver, BC | April 28, 2013 | Romans 12:1-8

Making Maturing Disciples of Christ | Week 1 | In this introductory message to a series on discipleship, Darrell cracks open the question of how a follower of Jesus Christ is meant to function in the real world. At the heart of this ‘real world’ is the audacious truth that “all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to [Jesus].” To truly live in this Real World as His disciple is an ongoing, intentional formation process by which we learn to know as Jesus knows, believe as Jesus believes, and trust as Jesus trusts. As we stay connected to Jesus through His Word, through prayer, community, service, and other practices that help us spiritually grow, we mature as His disciples and become more and more like the One we follow. First Baptist Church, Vancouver, BC | April 14, 2013 | Matthew 28:16; Ephesians 4:11; Colossians 1:28