Wingfoot Church

In Revelation 13–14, John introduces two beasts that reveal the deceptive power of empire, political authority, propaganda, and idolatry. One beast represents the coercive power of political systems that demand our allegiance. The other deceives the world through religious imagery, signs, and messages that make the way of the dragon look like the way of Jesus.

But the central question isn't simply what the mark of the beast means or who 666 represents. It's this: Whose kingdom are you part of, and where does your allegiance belong?

As we explore the meaning of the beasts, the number 666, and the seal of the Lamb, we discover a call to resist the allure of political power, discern the propaganda of our age, and maintain our primary allegiance to Jesus.

If Jesus has won the victory, why does life still feel like a fight?

In Revelation 12, John pulls back the curtain on the spiritual conflict behind the struggles we experience every day. Through the dramatic images of a woman, a dragon, and a child, we see the deeper reality of the world we live in: Jesus has defeated the enemy, but the battle is not yet over.

Satan’s time is short, and his fury is real. He wages war against God’s people through accusation, deception, and persecution, seeking to distract us from what is true and draw us away from faithful discipleship.

But Revelation 12 shows us how to stand firm in the tension between Christ’s victory and the final defeat of evil: we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony, remaining faithful even when following Jesus comes at a cost.

How is the church supposed to stand in a world full of conflict, chaos, and opposition?

In Revelation 11, John presents a striking vision of two witnesses who proclaim the gospel, confront the powers of the world, and ultimately follow the pattern of Jesus through suffering, death, and resurrection.

As we untangle the symbols of the temple, the witnesses, the beast, and the numbers that shape this passage, we discover a central message about the mission of the church: our power is not found in cultural influence, political status, wealth, or military might. It is found in the Spirit-empowered witness of a people who proclaim the gospel and embody the way of Jesus—even when that witness comes at a cost.

Through Revelation 11, we explore what it means for the church to engage the world with presence, prophetic witness, and the power of the Holy Spirit, trusting that the apparent victory of evil will not last and that the kingdom of the world will become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ.

How long until Jesus returns and God finally makes all things right?

In Revelation 10, John is confronted with a mighty angel, an edible scroll, and seven thunders that deliver a mystery: the timing of God's kingdom is certain, but the specific date remains hidden. So what are we supposed to do while we wait?

John is invited to eat the scroll - to internalize the message and become a participant in the ongoing events of Revelation. He shows us that faithfulness while we wait looks like getting the Scriptures into us, working out the mystery of faith in us, and getting the gospel out of us to the world.

Who can stand when the world is falling apart?

In Revelation 7, John sees a vision of a countless multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language gathered before the throne of God and the Lamb. In the middle of a world marked by chaos, conflict, suffering, and pressure to compromise, God is forming a people who find their security in Jesus.

This is the vision of the Lamb's victory: a people united not by nationality, ethnicity, or culture, but by the blood of the Lamb who was slain. Their victory challenges the divisions, racism, and ethnocentrism of human empires and reveals a new kind of community shaped by the way of Jesus.

The book of Revelation can feel confusing, overwhelming, and even frightening. What are all the symbols? What do the numbers mean? How do the seals, trumpets, and bowls fit together? And what is Revelation actually trying to say to followers of Jesus?

In this teaching, we step back and use a whiteboard to map out the book of Revelation as a whole. We look at its major symbols—the Lamb, the dragon, the beasts, the martyrs, and the multitude—as well as its numbers, structure, and recurring cycles of seven. We trace the connections between the beginning and end of the book and see how Revelation's many visions fit together into one story.

At the center of the whole book is the slaughtered Lamb: Jesus, who conquers not through the power and violence of the beast, but through self-giving love and faithfulness.

This overview is designed to give you a framework for reading Revelation with greater clarity and confidence—and to help us hear its central invitation: stay faithful to Jesus, even when the world around us pressures us to compromise.

What does victory look like in the way of Jesus?

In Revelation 4–5, John is given a vision of the throne room of God. In the middle of a world marked by violence, empire, suffering, and fear, he sees that God is still on the throne. But then John hears about a conquering Lion—and turns to see a slaughtered Lamb.

This is the central revelation of Revelation: Jesus conquers not through military power, political influence, or violence, but through sacrificial love. The Lamb who was slain is the one who stands victorious, and his people are called to follow him in that same way.

As we follow Jesus in a world of conflict, confrontation, and compromise, what does it mean to conquer in the way of the Lamb?

The book of Revelation can feel confusing, frightening, and impossible to understand. But what if we’ve been reading it the wrong way?

As we begin our journey through Revelation, we discover that this book is not primarily about predicting the end of the world. Revelation is an apocalypse - a revealing or unveiling - and its central purpose is to reveal Jesus, form our imagination, and teach us how to remain faithful to him in a world full of competing narratives.

In Revelation 1, John introduces this book as apocalypse, prophecy, and letter. Understanding its biblical context, historical context, and present-day implications helps us see why Revelation was good news to its first readers and why it still speaks to us today.

Revelation challenges the propaganda, nationalism, and civil religion of every age and calls us to worship Jesus, follow Jesus, and remain faithful to him no matter who is in power.

What does Jesus mean when he teaches us to pray, “Do not bring us into temptation”? In the final teaching of our How to Pray series, we explore this difficult line from the Lord’s Prayer and discover that it is ultimately a prayer of surrender: “Not my will, but yours be done.”

Prayer is not about getting our will into God—it’s about allowing God’s will, character, and vision for our lives to be formed in us. We look at how God leads us out of sin and into the life of Jesus, and why yielding to God is actually a sign of spiritual maturity.

We’ll also explore the ancient practice of the Prayer of Examen, a simple way of paying attention to God’s presence, recognizing our patterns and motivations, confessing our sin, and learning to discern God’s leading in our everyday lives.

As we close the Lord’s Prayer, we’re invited to move beyond simply praying God’s will and become people who live God’s will—people shaped by his kingdom and formed into the kind of people Jesus calls us to be.

In this message from the How to Pray series, we come to one of the most challenging lines in Jesus’ prayer: “Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone in debt to us.”

Jesus teaches us that prayer is not just about asking God to change our circumstances—it is also about allowing God to change us. As we come before our holy Father, we begin to see ourselves honestly, receive the forgiveness already secured for us through Jesus, and learn to extend that forgiveness to others.

But what does forgiveness actually look like? And what does it mean to forgive someone without pretending that what happened was okay, forgetting the harm, or allowing further harm to happen?

This message explores the connection between receiving God's forgiveness and extending forgiveness to others, and how prayer can become a place where God begins to heal our wounds, free us from bitterness, and transform our relationships.

We’ll look at four movements of Christian forgiveness: naming the wrong, understanding the wrongdoer, releasing the debt, and restoring the relationship.

Scripture: Luke 11:1–4

Series: How to Pray