A Seed Must Die - John 12:20-50 | May 22, 2026
One Single Story
Welcome to One Single Story, Season 5 -- a weekday podcast where Pastor Stephen Mizell, Pastor Jay Rivenbark, and Pastor Sheryl Daughety walk through the One Year Bible one passage at a time. Today we are in John 12:20-50, where Jesus reframes death as a pathway to glory and calls his followers to walk in the light. In This Episode: * What it means that a seed must die to produce life -- and how that applies to Christ's sacrifice and our own daily surrender * Why resisting the light is always a choice, never an accident * How God's kingdom measures success by obedience and faithfulness, not...
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When Worship Costs Everything - John 11:55–12:19 | May 21, 2026
One Single Story
Welcome to One Single Story, where each weekday Pastor Stephen Mizell, Pastor Jay Rivenbark, and Pastor Sheryl Daughety walk through the One Year Bible together. Today we are in John 11-12, looking at Mary's extravagant act of worship, the triumphal entry, and why the crowd so consistently misunderstood who Jesus was and why he came. Scripture Focus: John 11-12 - As Jesus raises Lazarus and enters Jerusalem to the crowd's acclaim, Mary anoints his feet with costly perfume while Judas objects, and the religious leaders plot against them both. In This Episode: What Mary's sacrifice reveals...
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Why Jesus Waited: Lazarus, Grief, and the Bigger Picture - John 11:1-54 | May 20, 2026
One Single Story
Welcome to One Single Story, the weekday podcast where we open the Word of God and draw out lessons from the One Year Bible reading plan. Today we are in John chapter 11 -- the raising of Lazarus -- and we are talking about why Jesus delayed, what his authority over death really means, and whether grief and faith can coexist in the same heart at the same time. Scripture Focus: John 11 -- Jesus intentionally waits before going to Bethany. By the time he arrives, Lazarus has been in the tomb four days. What follows is a stunning display of Christ's power over death -- and a window into his...
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The Claim That Changes Everything - John 10:22-42 | May 19, 2026
One Single Story
Welcome to One Single Story, where each weekday Pastor Stephen Mizell and Jay Rivenbark and guest host sit down with one passage from the One Year Bible. Today Pastor Sheryl Daughety and the hosts dig into John 10:22-42, where Jesus declares "the Father and I are one" — one of the boldest claims to deity in all of Scripture — and the fierce reactions that follow. Scripture Focus: John 10:22-42 - Jesus claims unity with the Father, defends his identity through his works, and divides every listener into one of two camps. In This Episode: Why Jesus' claim to deity makes neutrality...
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The Good Shepherd - John 10:1-21 | May 18, 2026
One Single Story
Welcome to One Single Story, your weekday guide through the One Year Bible. Pastor Stephen Mizell and Pastor Jay Rivenbark are joined by Pastor Sheryl Daughety for a conversation from John 10, exploring Jesus as the Good Shepherd, what it truly means to hear his voice, and how his leadership differs from anything the world has to offer. Scripture Focus: John 10:1-21 - Jesus fulfills the Old Testament promise of a true shepherd, contrasting himself with leaders who exploit rather than serve. In This Episode: What it means to recognize Jesus's voice in a world full of imitations Why...
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David and Goliath: Redefining Strength - 1 Samuel 17:1–18:4 | May 15, 2026
One Single Story
Pastor Stephen Mizell and Pastor Jay Rivenbark are joined by Pastor Alyssa Bream for the May 15th edition of One Single Story. Today's discussion centers on David and Goliath — and what it truly means to face overwhelming odds with faith instead of fear. Scripture Focus: 1 Samuel 17:1 - 18:4 — Young David steps forward to face the Philistine giant Goliath while the entire army of Israel stands paralyzed, and what follows in the aftermath of his remarkable victory. In This Episode: Why David's confidence came from a history of faithfulness, built through past battles with a lion and a...
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Partial Obedience, The Heart, and Why God Chose David - 1 Samuel 15:1–16:23 | May 14, 2026
One Single Story
Welcome to One Single Story, the weekday podcast where Pastor Stephen Mizell, Pastor Jay Rivenbark, and Pastor Alyssa Bream walk through the One Year Bible one passage at a time. Today we are in 1 Samuel 15 and 16, where Saul's partial obedience costs him the kingdom -- and an overlooked shepherd boy is quietly anointed as Israel's next king. Scripture Focus: 1 Samuel 15-16 -- Saul's rejection and David's anointing. In This Episode: Why partial obedience is still disobedience -- and how we rationalize our way around what God clearly asks Saul's fall from humility to self-glorification,...
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What Jonathan and Saul Teach Us About Trusting God - 1 Samuel 14:1-52 | May 13, 2026
One Single Story
Welcome to the May 13th edition of One Single Story. Pastor Stephen Mizell and Pastor Jay Rivenbark are joined by Pastor Alyssa Bream for a look at one of Scripture's sharpest leadership contrasts -- Jonathan's fearless faith against Saul's fear-driven control in 1 Samuel 14. Scripture Focus: 1 Samuel 14:1-52 -- Jonathan leads his armor bearer in an uphill assault on a Philistine garrison that should have been military suicide. Meanwhile, Saul's rash oath forbidding his troops from eating nearly destroys the very army God just used to win the battle. In This Episode: * Why Jonathan didn't tell...
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The Danger of Impatience - 1 Samuel 12:1–13:23 | May 12, 2026
One Single Story
Welcome to One Single Story, Season 5. Pastor Stephen Mizell and Pastor Jay Rivenbark are joined by Pastor Alyssa Bream for today's reading in 1 Samuel 12 and 13, where we explore the danger of impatience and what happens when pressure pushes us ahead of God. Scripture Focus: 1 Samuel 12-13 - King Saul, facing enemy threats and a restless army, takes matters into his own hands rather than waiting on God. In This Episode: Why religious activity and genuine obedience are not the same thing How pressure reveals where we truly place our trust What Saul's impatience cost him and what it teaches...
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Humble Beginnings and the Promise of Leadership - 1 Samuel 10:1–11:15 | May 11, 2026
One Single Story
Welcome to One Single Story, Season 5. Pastor Stephen Mizell and Pastor Jay Rivenbark are joined by Pastor Alyssa Bream for today's weekday devotional from the One Year Bible. In this episode, the team explores Saul's early reign in 1 Samuel 10-11:15, unpacking what humble beginnings, divine confirmation, and unified purpose look like in the life of a leader called by God. Scripture Focus: 1 Samuel 10-11:15 - Samuel anoints Saul as Israel's first king, confirms his calling through a sequence of signs, and Saul leads a unified Israel to victory over the Ammonites. In This Episode: How...
info_outlineWelcome to One Single Story, Season 5 -- a weekday podcast where Pastor Stephen Mizell, Pastor Jay Rivenbark, and Pastor Sheryl Daughety walk through the One Year Bible one passage at a time. Today we are in John 12:20-50, where Jesus reframes death as a pathway to glory and calls his followers to walk in the light.
In This Episode:
* What it means that a seed must die to produce life -- and how that applies to Christ's sacrifice and our own daily surrender
* Why resisting the light is always a choice, never an accident
* How God's kingdom measures success by obedience and faithfulness, not visibility or outcomes
Key Quote: "Faithfulness is more important than visibility in the kingdom -- and obedience is more important than outcomes."
New episodes every weekday at onesinglestory.com. Open Door Church, Edenton, North Carolina -- visitopendoor.com.
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