The Darrell Johnson Podcast

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 glas...

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 uni...

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 ongoi...

Before we begin a new series next week, here's a few updates from our team at the Canadian Church Leaders Network.  1) Pastoring Today: A Digital Gathering with Darrell Johnson | November 3rd, 10:00AM-12:00PM (PST). Creating space for pastors to learn together and connect with one another. Register here .  2) Join Darrell's Giving Community. In the coming months, we will be forming a com...

Ephesians | Week 27 | In this sermon, Darrell wraps up the 3 part message on standing firm against the powers and principalities, and finishes his time preaching from the book of Ephesians. Here Darrell describes how standing firm is not simply a defensive posture. He shares how disciples can move off of our heels and into front-foot offence by wielding both the sword of the Spirit and prayer in t...

Ephesians | Week 26 | In part 2 of exploring how disciples can stand firm against principalities and powers, Darrell delves deeper into defining the five pieces that make up the whole armour of God. While we await the day where evil is done away with for good, referencing Ephesians 6, Darrell also outlines four compelling principles to help us live out Paul’s instructions. The prevailing thread th...

Ephesians | Week 25 | Closing this series in Ephesians, Darrell preaches a 3 part message on standing firm against principalities and powers. In part 1, Darrell explains how we can step into the enemy-defeating-reality of the cross, showing us the importance of wearing the armour of God - our only true defense against an enemy who is hell-bent on turning us away from the Lord. First Baptist Church...

Ephesians | Week 24 | In the 3rd and final part of Darrell’s preaching on Ephesians 5:15-6:9, he continues to explore how the Spirit impacts all types of relationships. Here Darrell shows how the Apostle Paul first of all dignifies women, children and slaves, addressing them as peers and fellow citizens in God’s Kingdom. He then references the everyday relationships at the time, like that between...

Ephesians | Week 23 | In part 2 of Darrell’s preaching on a revolutionary text, Ephesians 5:15-6:9, Darrell seeks to explore a theme that no culture in history has ever got right. Darrell explains how the command to “be filled with the Spirit” works itself out in all of our human relationships. Referencing different relational models - husbands and wives, Christ and the Church - Darrell shows how...

Ephesians | Week 22 | Darrell expands on the commands laid out in Ephesians 5:15-6:9. These verses give us a more rounded understanding of how God entering our lives changes not only us, but also our relationship dynamics. Darrell explains what it means for us to become subject to one another out of a deep reverence for Christ - moving from an un-kingdomized, un-spirit-filled humanity, to one that...

Ephesians | Week 21 | At the heart of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus is a bold directive to “be filled”-- not with what the world can offer with its pleasures and temptations, but to “be filled with the Spirit.” In this sermon, Darrell illuminates that life-giving command and explores how its lived-out obedience is essential for anyone who desires to follow Christ. Though God i...

Ephesians | Week 20 | Despite what seem to be challenging verses to accept, Darrell shows us in this message that this text is in fact very liberating. In this section of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he is showing us what happens when Jesus Christ, the light of the world, shines on us. If we are to be “children of the light”, that means we will walk in dark places where Jesus wants to expose de...

Ephesians | Week 19 | Darrell picks up again from Ephesians 5:1-2, on Paul’s command to imitate God; a command that seems impossible! Through this sermon, Darrell asks not just “What Would Jesus Do?” but, “What Is Jesus Doing?” From there we are invited to see all the ways Jesus is at work today, and to participate with him as his beloved children. First Baptist Church, Vancouver, BC | September 1...

Ephesians | Week 18 | In this section, Paul is shifting gears and brings “the airplane out of the clouds and lands it where we live 24/7”. In Ephesians chapters 1-3, Paul is calling us to this live we have been called. He explains that this new life comes because of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. However in chapters 4-6, he challenges us to walk in a matter WORTHY of this new life. He...

Ephesians | Week 17 | Darrell takes us deeper into Paul's instructions for Christian living in chapter 4. Paul instructs believers to renew their minds and put on their new selves, something that has happen from outside ourselves. That is why Jesus came in to the world to be the renewer of our brains, rewiring them so we can think clearly as redeemed people.  First Baptist Church, Vancouver,...

Ephesians | Week 15 | After the first three chapters of Ephesians outline the good news of the gospel, we now move into the next section of the letter where Paul exhorts us how we should therefore live. A central calling for all Christians, is to unity within the body, but how can we create that? Well, in fact, we can’t. Rather, the Spirit has already created it, we all simply called to be diligen...

Ephesians | Week 14 | What are you facing today? In today’s message, we hear Darrell preach from Ephesians 3, learning that Paul, who is in prison, is down on his knees praying what some have called the boldest prayer ever prayed. As you listen, pray God gives you a receptive heart to hear and understand the breadth, and length, and height and depth of the love of Christ, and may you be filled tod...

Ephesians | Week 13 | In this message, Darrell invites us to Paul’s prison cell, where Paul has gone from preaching the gospel in Ephesians 2, to praying the gospel in this letter to the Ephesians. On his knees, a posture of reverence to God, Paul is praying that the Christians would allow the Holy Spirit, the same Spirit who hovered over the earth to create the world and the same Spirit who hover...

Ephesians | Week 12 | When grace grabs hold of us, as seen in the life of the Apostle Paul, it radically changes our lives. As we surrender to Jesus, we become stewards of the mystery of the gospel, ministers in the kingdom, and we find our true identity and place in the family of God. Drawing from the unique call of Jesus upon the life of Paul, Darrell shows who we can become when grace grabs hol...

Ephesians | Week 11 | In this message, Darrel looks at Ephesians 1:15-23, and describes how the same resurrection power that raised Jesus from the dead, is the same power that created the world out of nothing. The amazing news of Easter is that that power is now available to those who believe. And more than just that, this power is now at work IN those who believe. First Baptist Church, Vancouver,...

Ephesians | Week 10 | In today’s message, from Ephesians 2:11-22, Darrell explains that because of what Jesus did on the cross, Jesus broke down all walls and now, as followers of Jesus, we are granted direct access to the holy God. Jesus is building a new human race through his followers, a new temple, where the creator of ALL things will dwell with us. First Baptist Church, Vancouver, BC | April...

Darrell invites us to think about and celebrate a mystery which takes place every time we worship. When we worship here on earth, we are joining a worship service that is already in progress in heaven. By looking at the passages of Isa. 6, and Rev. 4&5, we see the heavenly worship has changed before and after the death and resurrection of Jesus. The changing dynamic of the heavenly worship sha...

In this message from Worship Central Canada's Conference in 2018, Darrell explores the story of the women at the well in John 4. You can also see a full video of this sermon on Darrell's Youtube Channel .  February 17, 2018 | John 4:1-12 The Bible Course by the Canadian Bible Society | www.biblesociety.ca/thebiblecourse/ Mailing List | www.darrelljohnson.ca/#subscribe-form Give to the ministr...

Ephesians | Week 9 | Paul’s letter to the Ephesians articulates the gospel of Jesus as a gift received by grace through faith. In everyone who receives this gift of salvation, God is at work, transforming each life into a new creation, a holy poem, a masterpiece crafted by the Maker. Focusing on Ephesians 2:8-10, Darrell explores the core tenets of what it means to become a vibrant new creation in...

Ephesians | Week 8 | In this message, Darrell focuses on three verbs in Ephesians 2:4-7. Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension has changed the structure of the universe.  In God’s rich mercy and grace, He made us alive, raised us up, and seated us with Christ. Christ is on the throne, so too are all who belong to Christ! As we are on the throne, we live in His kingdom, a very different ki...