THE POTTER’S CLAY
A STUDY IN 1 + 2 TIMOTHY
We are not self-made. The life of faith is not something we fabricate. It’s something we receive, something shaped in us by the steady, loving hands of God. In a world obsessed with control, performance, and image, Paul’s final letters to Timothy offer us a different way: the way of formation.
Through the intimate, urgent words of a spiritual father to his beloved son in the faith, we are invited into the process of becoming: of being shaped like clay on the wheel, molded by truth, refined through hardship, and made useful in the hands of the Potter.
In 1 and 2 Timothy, Paul knows his time is short. He doesn’t waste words. He passes on what matters most: the gospel, the charge to disciple others, and the call to endure with faithfulness to the end. These letters are deeply formational. They press into character, integrity, godliness, perseverance, and multiplication.
In a cultural moment where many are deconstructing, drifting, or disillusioned, The Potter’s Clay is a return to the slow, sacred process of discipleship. It’s a reminder that we are vessels, not finished, but being formed. And we are not formed for ourselves, we are formed to carry the gospel forward.
- The Downtown Hope Theology Team
Shaped by Courage | 2 Timothy 1:3-8
Join us this Sunday as we continue our series, The Potter’s Clay, from 2 Timothy 1:3-8. Paul writes to a young leader struggling with fear and reminds him to rekindle the flame of faith and rely on the Spirit’s power, love, and self-control. Together, we’ll discover what it looks like to be formed by the Potter into people who live unashamed of Jesus in a world that often misunderstands Him.
October 26, 2025 | David Bempong
Shaped by Generosity | 1 Timothy 6:17-19
Join us this Sunday as we continue our series in 1 + 2 Timothy: The Potter's Clay. Paul reminds us that real life isn’t found in what we keep but in the God who gives. We’ll see how the gospel shapes us into people who trust the Giver, share His generosity, and take hold of what is truly life.
October 19, 2025 | David Bempong
Shaped to Care | 1 Timothy 5
Join us this Sunday as Gary Gunther walks us through 1 Timothy 5. where we are encouraged to pursue sound doctrine, the goal of which is love. How do we put this into practice, and how do we transform our faith into action? In 1 Timothy 5, Paul highlights widows as a group of people needing practical loving care. As he describes ways to physically support widows, we find principles we can use to lovingly care for others in need as well.
October 12, 2025 | Gary Gunther
Shaped Through Training| 1 Timothy 4
Baked into our 21st-century American imaginary is a desire for the “new”- whether activities, objects, or ideologies. We are tempted to divert our time scrolling the latest conspiracy theory over being nurtured by the simple truths of God’s Word. In uncertain times and information saturation gnostic ideologies grow like weeds. Join us this Sunday as Joey walks us through 1 Timothy 4, where the apostle Paul challenges Timothy to encourage the believers to be aware of pseudo-christian sound bites and to focus on being formed in godliness through simple truths of good teaching!
October 5, 2025 | Joey Tomassoni
Shaped Into a Household | 1 Timothy 3:14-16
Join us this Sunday as we hear Paul remind us that the church isn’t a building we go to but a family we belong to. We’ll explore the “family song” of the early church and how Jesus’ story gives us a place at God’s table. Come ready to be reminded that because of Jesus, you belong.
September 28, 2025 | David Bempong
Shaped By Prayer - Imitating Intermediaries | 1 Timothy 2:1-6
“I'll pray for you” is a promise that many people make.
But how many of us really pray? When we do pray, what percentage of our prayers are for our own concerns? This sermon looks at the issue of praying for people and examines some reasons why we need to do so.
September 21, 2025 | Anush A. John
Shaped By Grace | 1 Timothy 1:12-17
We’re launching a new series called The Potter’s Clay, where we’ll discover how God shapes our lives and our church through the Gospel. This Sunday, we begin with Paul’s story, where he calls himself “the worst of sinners,” yet he becomes living proof of God’s overflowing mercy. If God’s grace was big enough for Paul, it’s big enough for us. Join us as we explore how the Potter takes our broken clay and reshapes it into something beautiful.
September 14, 2025 | David Bempong