The TakeAway

Send us Fan Mail Hungry for change but exhausted by striving? We open John 6:22–34 and walk with the crowd who chased Jesus for another meal while missing the meaning of the miracle. Pastor Harry Burns draws a clear line between the life we try to manage on our own and the life Jesus alone can give. The tension is real: we often want the gifts without the Giver, upgrades without surrender, resurre...

Send us Fan Mail Bread filled a hillside, but the real turning point happens on black water where oars bite wind and fear tastes like salt. We pick up in John 6:16–21 and trace the movement from provision to presence, watching Jesus walk into the very place his friends feel most helpless. The disciples obey, the storm rises, and instead of a quick fix we hear a voice over the waves: “I am.” That o...

Send us Fan Mail Hunger can hide the heart. We step into John 6:1–15 and watch a familiar story open like a doorway: a hillside crowd, five loaves, two fish, and a question from Jesus that exposes motives and invites surrender. What begins as a need for food becomes a revelation of identity, purpose, and the kind of kingdom no crowd can control. We trace the deliberate details John gives—wildernes...

Send us Fan Mail Step into the scene where the religious leaders thought they were trying Jesus, and watch as he takes the judge’s seat and calls five witnesses that leave no doubt about his identity. We walk through John 5 with open eyes and open Bibles, tracing how the prophetic voice of John, the public power of Jesus’ works, the Father’s own testimony, the witness of Scripture, and Moses’ cove...

Send us Fan Mail What if the miracle was only the opening act—and the real shock was what Jesus said next? We walk through John 5 as Jesus moves from healing to declaring divine authority, claiming unity with the Father and staking out two breathtaking prerogatives: to give life and to judge. This is not a teacher asking for a hearing but the eternal Son defining himself, inviting awe that matures...

Send us Fan Mail What if the very words of Jesus don’t just tell you what to do, but give you the power to do it? We step into John 5 and the crowded colonnades of Bethesda, where a man has waited thirty-eight years for change. Jesus sees him, knows him, and speaks a simple command that carries resurrection weight: “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” That moment moves beyond a healing story into...

Send us Fan Mail When the cheers of Samaria fade, Galilee greets Jesus with polite admiration and cold hearts—and that tension exposes a deeper question: what sustains faith when the signs stop? We trace John 4:43–54 with Pastor Harry Behrens as a royal official rushes to Cana, not with polished theology, but with the ache of a dying child. One sentence from Jesus—“Go, your son will live”—becomes...

Send us Fan Mail A single conversation at a well turns into a townwide awakening—without a strategy meeting, a platform, or a polished script. We follow the Samaritan woman’s journey from shame to fearless witness and explore why Jesus calls obedience his food, not his reward. It’s a story that refuses to stay in the past, because the pattern still plays out in our lives: command reveals need, gra...

Send us Fan Mail A midday encounter at Jacob’s well becomes a masterclass in how God rescues hearts. We walk through John 4 with Pastor Harry Behrens to uncover a striking pattern at the core of the gospel: God commands, sin is exposed, grace is offered, and glory rises in worship. From the quiet urgency of he had to pass through Samaria to the gentle yet piercing Go call your husband, this conver...

Send us Fan Mail What if the problem isn’t that we talk about God’s love too much—but that we talk about it without His glory? We dig into how a well-meaning focus on feelings and personal fulfillment quietly turned worship into a performance and faith into self-help, and why Scripture’s story pulls us back to a far better center. With Andrew Fuentes, who leads a young adult gathering in Millville...

Send us Fan Mail What if the greatest joy in ministry is learning to step aside? We walk through John 3:22–36 and watch John the Baptist face the moment many leaders fear: the crowds shift, influence fades, and another rises. Instead of clutching the spotlight, John rejoices. His secret is simple and searching: every gift comes from heaven, and the friend of the Bridegroom delights in the Bridegro...

Send us Fan Mail What if your most sincere efforts could never open the door to God—and that’s the best news you’ll ever hear? We sit with Jesus and Nicodemus under the cover of night and watch the conversation that reframes salvation from the ground up: you must be born from above. Pastor Harry Behrens traces the thread from Ezekiel’s promise of cleansing and a new heart to the wind of the Spirit...

Send us Fan Mail The coins scatter, the animals bolt, and all at once the temple grows quiet enough to hear what really matters. We walk through John 2:13–25 with Pastor Harry Barens to see why Jesus’ most confrontational moment is also one of His most loving—an act of cleansing that restores worship to its true center. We start with the Passover backdrop and how a system meant to serve pilgrims d...

Send us Fan Mail The story of Jesus turning water into wine reveals so much more than a simple miracle. When we look deeper at the wedding at Cana, we discover a profound revelation of Christ's identity and mission that changes everything. This first sign Jesus performed wasn't merely about solving a social embarrassment at a wedding feast. It was a carefully positioned moment revealing...

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever noticed the remarkable pattern hidden within the opening chapters of John's Gospel? Like an intricate tapestry, John weaves together days and events that mirror Genesis creation week, revealing Jesus as the divine Bridegroom of new creation. From the very first words—"In the beginning"—John invites us beyond mere history into divine revelation. As Past...

Send us Fan Mail The ancient scriptures didn't just predict Jesus—they revealed him. When Philip encountered Christ and immediately sought Nathanael, he framed his discovery not as personal opinion but as scriptural fulfillment: "We have found him of whom Moses and the prophets wrote." Though Nathanael's initial skepticism echoes our modern doubts, Philip's simple invitati...

Send us Fan Mail What are you truly seeking? This question—the first words Jesus speaks in John's gospel—cuts straight to the heart of our faith journey and forms the centerpiece of our exploration in "Revealed and Recognized." Pastor Harry Behrens guides us through John 1:29-42, where we witness two profound revelations of Jesus Christ. First comes the public declaration by John th...

Send us Fan Mail The question echoes through time: "Who are you?" When religious leaders confronted John the Baptist, his answer wasn't about credentials or achievements. "I am not the Christ," he declared with striking humility. "I am a voice." Pastor Harry takes us to the banks of the Jordan River in John 1:19-28, where this pivotal exchange reveals profound tr...

Send us Fan Mail The mystery of incarnation—God wrapping Himself in human flesh—stands as Christianity's most profound paradox. When John writes that "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us," he uses language deliberately echoing the ancient tabernacle, where God's presence once dwelled among Israel. But this dwelling was different. Not a sacred tent but a sacred person. Not...

Send us Fan Mail What does it really mean that Jesus is the Word who was with God and is God? How can we reconcile our theological understanding with persistent feelings of spiritual darkness? And perhaps most importantly, how can we know if our faith is genuine? These questions aren't just intellectual exercises—they touch the very heart of what it means to follow Christ. In this special Q&a...

Send us Fan Mail How does God make Himself known in a world drowning in noise? What happens when the eternal Word—the very Creator—steps into His creation? Pastor Harry takes us deep into John 1:6-13, unpacking the profound revelation of how light entered our darkness. At the heart of this passage stands John the Baptist, divinely commissioned as the first witness to Christ. Far from generating li...

Send us Fan Mail Ever felt like something fundamental was missing in your understanding of salvation? That nagging sense that there's more to Jesus being "the life" than we typically grasp? Pastor Harry Behrens tackles this profound mystery by diving deep into John 1:4-5, where we encounter one of Scripture's most transformative truths: "In Him was life, and the life was t...

Send us Fan Mail Beyond mangers and miracles lies a profound revelation—Jesus as the eternal Word who existed before time began. Pastor Harry Behrens launches Season 3 of The Takeaway by diving into the theological depths of John's Gospel, exploring why John takes such a dramatically different approach than Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Unlike the synoptic gospels that begin with earthly events, J...

Send us Fan Mail What if you could arm yourself against life's greatest challenges with a divine toolkit? Unravel the profound teachings of Ephesians 6:10-24 in our latest episode, where we unpack the concept of "Putting on the Whole Armor of God." We journey through Paul's powerful guidance on the transformation from sin's enslavement to becoming true embodiments of Chris...

Send us Fan Mail Is faith the key to unlocking a Christ-like life, even in our professional relationships? On this episode of The Takeaway, we dissect Ephesians 5:5-9, shedding light on the profound teachings about the master-servant dynamic. We'll uncover how embodying Jesus' unwavering trust in the Father's love can transform our daily interactions and actions. With insights from...