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Episodes
Podcast channel for The Avenue Community Church, located in Memphis, Tennessee. Tune in each week to find this past week's sermon as well as periodic special episodes.
Episodes

Dec 29, 2025
Dec 29, 2025
37 min
The holidays promise joy—but for many of us, they arrive tangled with grief, loneliness, stress, and unanswered prayers. In this deeply human and hope-filled message, we sit with the honesty of Psalm 61 and discover what it means to cry out to God when our hearts are faint and we feel at the ends of the earth.
Through humor, storytelling, and pastoral wisdom, this episode explores how David teaches us to pray with our full selves—without pretense, without qualifiers, and without fear. We’re invited to petition God directly, to remember His faithfulness in the past, and to lift our eyes toward a future grounded not in our own resolve, but in His steadfast love.
As we stand on the threshold of a new year, this message speaks tenderly to those who are weary, distant, or discouraged—and gently challenges us to stop anchoring ourselves to our circumstances and instead climb toward the Rock that is higher than us. This is an episode for anyone who has ever felt far from God, overwhelmed by life, or unsure where to turn next.
Come be reminded: God hears your cry. He has been faithful. And He will be your refuge—now and forever.

Dec 22, 2025
Dec 22, 2025
41 min
What moves you—and where is it moving you?
In this reflective Advent message from the Avenue Community Church, we’re invited to slow down and experience God rather than merely analyze Him. Drawing from Psalm 25, this sermon explores the power of poetry, prayer, and presence—reminding us that Scripture is meant to shape our hearts, not just inform our minds.
Through vivid illustrations—from children reciting poetry, to fathers singing over their kids, to the stories and songs that move us during the Christmas season—we’re asked honest questions:
What stirs our emotions?
What do we run to when life brings joy, disappointment, or waiting?
And are we learning God’s ways experientially, or just talking about them?
This message weaves together themes of guidance, hope, and deliverance, pointing us beyond consumer-driven hope and seasonal sentimentality to a better hope: trusting, waiting, and being led by the Lord—even in the in-between. As we celebrate the Christ child, we’re challenged not just to admire Him, but to follow Him.
Whether you’re feeling restless, weary, hopeful, or unsure, this sermon invites you to listen for the God who still teaches, still guides, and still sings over His people.
🎧 Listen in, reflect deeply, and allow the Word of God to move you—and move you toward Him.

Dec 15, 2025
Dec 15, 2025
22 min
The Humble King
What kind of King trades riches for poverty—on purpose? In this Advent message from 2 Corinthians 8, we’re invited to rediscover a truth woven into the very fabric of Christianity: Jesus, though rich, became poor for our sake.
Drawing from Paul’s reflection on the radically generous Macedonian church, this sermon explores the stunning humility of Christ—the God who stepped out of divine glory, wrapped Himself in flesh, and entered our broken world to rescue, redeem, and restore. This is not a sentimental Christmas story or a distant theology lesson. It’s a bold reminder that Jesus didn’t come to take from us, but to give Himself fully for us.
Whether you’re wrestling with shame, longing for hope, or wondering what God is really like, this message reintroduces us to the gentle, lowly, and generous King whose grace changes how we think, how we feel, and how we live.
Listen in and be reminded: the incarnation wasn’t about condemnation—it was about love, rescue, and a King who traded down so we could become rich in Him.

Dec 8, 2025
Dec 8, 2025
45 min
In this week’s message, Pastor Tim leads us deep into one of the most pivotal moments in the entire Old Testament—2 Samuel 6–7—and uncovers why the Davidic Covenant stands at the center of God’s unfolding story of redemption.
From the triumphant return of the Ark to Jerusalem to David’s desire to build God a house, we witness a stunning reversal: God doesn’t need David to build Him a home—God Himself promises to build a house for David. Not a structure of stone and cedar, but a dynasty, a forever-kingdom, fulfilled ultimately in Jesus Christ.
With humor, clarity, and pastoral weight, this sermon invites us to marvel at a God whose plans outrun our imagination and whose promises hold firm forever. As we enter the Advent season, we’re reminded that the baby in the manger is the long-expected Son of David, the fulfillment of ancient hope, and the guarantee that God is with us—now and always.
Listen in and be encouraged as the story of Scripture lifts your eyes to the King who reigns on David’s throne forever.

Dec 1, 2025
Dec 1, 2025
50 min
In this powerful sermon, Pastor Tim Johnson takes us deep in to 2 Samuel 6 to explore why the details of obedience matter more than we often realize. Through humor, storytelling, and a rich journey across Scripture, he traces the movement of the Ark of the Covenant—a symbol of God's holy presence—and what happens when God's people forget His instructions.
Along the way, he calls us to wrestle honestly with our own fears, frustrations, and even anger toward God—reminding us that God is big enough to handle our honesty, but too holy to be handled casually.
This sermon is a compelling reminder that God will not be trifled with, His presence is precious, and obedience—even in the smallest details—is an act of worship.
Listen in, lean in, and let the Word shape you.

Nov 24, 2025
Nov 24, 2025
25 min
In this week’s message, we journey into Psalm 65 to rediscover a God who provides, sustains, forgives, and patiently reshapes His people. Through vivid storytelling this sermon invites us to see God’s daily mercies not just in the miraculous, but in the ordinary rhythms of life.
Josh Warren unpacks the ancient harvest festival of Israel, showing how God’s provision in barren places points us ultimately to Jesus, the true and better Israel—the One who perfectly fulfilled the law, bore the curse, and now offers us full forgiveness and unshakeable hope.
With humor, insight, and pastoral clarity, this message challenges us to trust God not out of fear or superstition, but as beloved sons and daughters who can pray boldly, receive grace freely, and walk with gratitude through every season.
If you’ve ever wondered whether God is present in your daily struggles, or if your small prayers matter, this sermon will realign your heart toward the God who sees, sustains, and saves.
Listen in—and be encouraged to rest in the God who provides everything you need.

Nov 17, 2025
Nov 17, 2025
40 min
In this week’s message at The Avenue Community Church, we step into the raw, dramatic transition between 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel—a pivotal moment when Israel’s first king falls, and God’s promise moves forward through David.
Pastor Tim walks us through Saul’s tragic downward spiral, David’s wilderness training, and the sobering reminder that what we fail to kill may one day kill us. Through powerful storytelling and deep biblical insight, this sermon explores the contrast between the world’s “good news” and the true Gospel, the consequences of rebellion, and the relentless grace of a God who forms His people—even in the wilderness.
With passion, humor, and conviction, Pastor Tim challenges us to confront the sins we try to manage, embrace a kingdom-minded posture, and trust God even when we can’t trace Him. Whether you’re navigating a wilderness season, wrestling with compromise, or longing for a stronger walk with Christ, this message offers hope, clarity, and a call to action.
Lean in as we discover why fearing God, fighting sin, and trusting His timing isn’t bondage—it’s the only path to life.

Nov 10, 2025
Nov 10, 2025
40 min
When life feels barren and confusing, could it be that God is doing His best work? In this powerful message, Pastor Tim explores David’s wilderness journey and reveals how seasons of testing are often God’s divine classrooms. From caves to heartbreak, David’s story teaches us that every wilderness moment is designed to shape our trust, deepen our dependence, and reveal God’s faithful provision.
Whether you’re facing loss, uncertainty, or frustration, this sermon reminds you that the wilderness is not punishment—it’s preparation. Discover how to hold fast to God’s promises, wait on His timing, and find strength in His presence when everything else runs dry.
Tune in and be encouraged to see your wilderness as the place where God still provides, still protects, and still proves Himself faithful.

Nov 3, 2025
Nov 3, 2025
34 min
In this powerful message from Avenue Community Church, Pastor Tim explores the intersection of faith, mental health,and God’s grace through the story of Saul and David in 1 Samuel 16. What happens when disobedience opens the door to distress? How does God’s grace reach into our emotional, psychological, and spiritual struggles?
With honesty, humor, and biblical depth, Pastor Tim challenges us to rethink the false divide between faith and mental wellness. Discover how God’s “common grace” — the blessings He extends to all people — reveals His care for our whole person: body, mind, and soul.
Whether you’re wrestling with your own mental health, walking alongside someone in pain, or simply longing to see how the gospel speaks to real-life struggles, this sermon offers hope, insight, and a fresh vision of God’s healing presence in everyday life.
Key Themes:
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God’s sovereignty and human responsibility
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The spiritual roots of emotional distress
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Mental health and discipleship in the church
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Common grace vs. special grace
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Learning the language of the Kingdom
Listen and be reminded: God’s grace meets us not just in our spirit—but in every part of who we are.

Oct 27, 2025
Oct 27, 2025
54 min
In this powerful message, Pastor Tim takes us deep into the story of David and Goliath—not as a children’s tale of bravery, but as a vivid portrait of the cosmic battle between good and evil, faith and fear. Through David’s unlikely victory and Saul’s growing jealousy, we’re reminded that the true battleground of the kingdom isn’t fought with swords or spears—it’s waged in the human heart.
Discover how Jesus, the true and greater David, has already secured victory, and how faith—not self-reliance—is our only weapon in life’s fiercest fights. Pastor Tim challenges us to examine where our trust really lies, to confront our inner giants, and to step off the sidelines into God’s mission.
💡 Faith is the victory that overcomes the world. The question is—what are you trusting in?
