The word "parable" that we find in the New Testament means "something thrown alongside." Ultimately, a parable is a comparison or an analogy. Parables were used in the ancient world as a picturesque way to present the truth. The New Testament gospels make clear that our Lord Jesus taught over sixty parables throughout His teaching and preaching ministry

In his first letter, the apostle Peter describes Christians "as newborn babes" who naturally "desire the sincere milk of the word." And the author of Hebrews takes it further—urging believers in Jesus Christ to grow beyond the basics, moving from milk to solid food. But here's the question: How do we cultivate that kind of hunger? Psalm 119 show us how to develop a deep, genuine appetite for God's inerrant Word.

The primary way a true disciple of Jesus Christ continues to progress in their sanctification is through the written Word of God along with the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit. As Christians, it is vital that we learn to develop and build an appetite for Scripture.

How important is your spiritual growth in the Lord Jesus Christ? And do you genuinely care about the spiritual growth of your brothers and sisters in your local church? In Philippians chapter one, Paul displays his passionate pursuit of pleasing the Lord and his deep longing to see Christ's people grow in their sanctification. Throughout this series, we've walked through Paul's seven essential principles for spiritual growth, and Pastor Tom has shown us why they can transform your life.

Pastor Tom helps us understand what it truly means to guard our hearts and why we must fight daily against the relentless temptations of our flesh, of Satan, and of this world system that pulls us from Christ. So let me ask you: Are you standing firm today? Or are you vulnerable to the next temptation?

Is your public persona different from what God knows you to be? Is your public ministry different from your private devotion to Christ? Have you developed habits of doing what Scripture requires simply so other people will notice? These are uncomfortable questions, but vital ones. In Paul's prayer in Philippians chapter one, he calls Christians to reject hypocrisy and to be truly sincere in Christ—genuine and authentic, the same person, whether anyone's watching or not.

Tom Pennington continues unpacking Philippians 1, compelling Christians to live out these truths daily, particularly this vital principle: as believers, we are called to seek to please Christ in all areas of life—not just on Sundays, but in every decision, every conversation, every moment.

The apostle Paul took spiritual growth seriously, which is one of the reasons why he prayed for the Philippians. He was deeply concerned about their growth in godliness and Christlikeness—so He goes to Father in prayer on their behalf. And in Paul’s prayer, the verses we’ll be studying together in this series, he identifies seven essential principles of spiritual growth.

Pastor Tom explains this verse and encourages believers to daily fight against their unredeemed humanness. Because when you understand where every good gift comes from, the battle against temptation looks radically different.

In God's wisdom, He gives us—through James—four godly responses to temptation. Responses we must earnestly heed if we want to break free. Tom Pennington explains from Scripture how Christians must feel the weight of temptation and sin and then relentlessly pursue the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the book of James, we find exactly that—a roadmap. James helps us understand not just temptation and sin themselves, but why we must be prepared to fight against them. Pastor Tom Pennington takes us deeper into James chapter one, unpacking the four godly responses that we as Christians must make when temptation comes knocking and when sin tries to take root.

We as Christians need to acknowledge that temptation will come and then we need to ask ourselves: How are we supposed to respond when we find ourselves being tempted? In the passage we’ll consider together in this series, James, the half-brother of our Lord, answers that question at length.

Pastor Tom considers various translations of the Bible and then urges Christians to have a high view of Scripture just like our Lord Jesus Christ did. Do you have a high view of the Bible and desire to obey its every word?

In God’s providence, not only is Scripture inspired of God and without error but it has also been preserved by God. But how exactly has God preserved the Bible? Today, Pastor Tom considers how God has providentially preserved His written Word throughout history and how it will by no means ever pass away.

Unfortunately, many professing believers claim that the Bible is God’s Word but cannot explain the crucial doctrine of the inerrancy of Scripture. But why does the inerrancy of Scripture matter for us as Christians? What we come to understand from Scripture is that all of the Bible is true, trustworthy, and certain—it is without error. And because of this reality, we can trust that its contents rightly direct us to glorify God and enjoy Him.

In 2 Timothy 3:16 the apostle Paul says that “All Scripture is God-breathed,” meaning every word in Scripture is the product of the breath of God! And because Scripture is the product of God’s breath, it is inerrant, meaning in the original autographs it is without error.

Pastor Tom reveals the specific criteria the early church used to recognize the writings of the apostles and their associates—the writings that were authorized to be Scripture.

The Apocrypha is a collection of writings, written before the time of Jesus, between the Old and New Testaments. While many claim authority for these books, the evidence tells a different story. Pastor Tom Pennington reveals the historical and scriptural reasons the early church rejected the Apocrypha—arguments you may never have heard before.

Many evangelicals have never considered how the Bible came to be or why we accept certain books and reject others. Some even doubt whether these books are God's Word at all. Pastor Tom helps us understand the Bible's origins, particularly the Old Testament, and why we can trust we have the right books.