generic decline message
Tragically, the 2,000-year history of the Church is filled with examples of men and women who once held firmly to the truths of Scripture, but over time they began re-interpreting, explaining away, and eventually denying some of the doctrines of Scripture. This drift has drawn many theologians, Bible scholars, and pastors away from creedal Christianity. … Read more
Based on a chapter from a forthcoming book to be published by Cascade, this paper will focus on the essentials and earmarks of sermons that play out in a sacramental (encounter-enabling) manner. In the first half of the paper I outline what I consider to be the essentials of a theology of preaching that can … Read more
Union with Christ is crucial to Paul’s articulation of the gospel, as evidenced by his own writings and the observations of countless interpreters. Richard Gaffin, following John Calvin, boldly yet accurately asserts that “Union is the all-or-nothing reality on which everything depends in the application of salvation.” Constantine Campbell describes union with Christ as the … Read more
William Carey is widely regarded as the “Father of Modern Missions” for his pivotal role in establishing a movement that continues to shape global missions to this day. However, while Carey has garnered significant attention, the contributions of his fellow missionaries on the field have often been overlooked and only more so with the passing … Read more
The purpose of this paper is to examine the catechism’s opening statement from a historical and biblical perspective. Was comfort a critical element of concern for the Reformers and those who preceded them? Why did the author(s) of Heidelberg give such prominence to comfort that the topic precedes the doctrine of God and the authority … Read more
The Nicene Creed is more than a doctrinal statement—it is a declaration of allegiance to Christ’s reign. In a world of shifting beliefs, it anchors Christians in the unchanging reality of God’s kingdom, shaping how we follow Christ, live in His church, and engage the world. Kingdom Discipleship: Living Under Christ’s Rule Christianity is not … Read more
This presentation will argue that Ephesians describes a global perspective of the Church by recognizing the letter’s characterization of the Church, surveying discourse participants to identify the Church, and examining the letter’s portrayal of the Church through two verses as a test case. Ephesians is rife with imagery characterizing the Church. Scholars typically describe the … Read more
My concern it with the arguments from Scripture that led to this widespread and long-lasting agreement with the second version of the Nicene Creed. To my knowledge, the subsequent Christian literature has not presented a comprehensive distillation of the biblical basis on which the Church Fathers persuaded their rivals and formulated the Nicene Creed, so … Read more
This paper examines Paul G. Hiebert’s influential “critical contextualization” framework (notably developed in his 1994 book Anthropological Reflections on Missiological Issues) and proposes the “biblical missions model” as a necessary enhancement for contemporary missiology. While Hiebert’s model has provided valuable guidance for evangelical missionaries navigating cultural complexities, it is time for an updated response to … Read more
Contemporary religious sociology has identified the rise of non-denominational Christianity as one of the major trends in American religion. This trend is coupled with another less documented one: the prevalence of church member transfers, otherwise known as “transfer growth.” The vast majority of these transfers appear to arise when members from small-to-midsize churches transfer to … Read more