The Martyrs Mirror, a monumental work of Anabaptist literature, chronicles the lives and tribulations of faithful Christians throughout history. It is a profound reflection on faith, suffering, and the enduring spirit of those who stood firm in their beliefs. The persecution of Christians was begun by pagan authorities and later continued by the Roman Catholic … Continue reading The Martyrs Mirror: The Testimony of a Faith that would not be Repressed
discipleship
The Great Omission
Yeah, I know; I’m cloning a clever title that others have used. But please bear with me as I attempt to explain what I fear is so often missed when Christians claim to be putting the Great Commission into practice. Here are the last three verses of Matthew’s gospel, which are customarily referred to as … Continue reading The Great Omission
Two or three gathered together doth not a church make
[Another post from 10 years ago] Why do people stop going to church? Could it be because so may churches are not really churches? Matthew 18:20 does not speak about Christians gathering for worship. It is a continuation of the passage beginning at verse 15 and speaks of the testimony of two or three witnesses … Continue reading Two or three gathered together doth not a church make
The Call to Follow – Book Review
Richard Langer and Joanne J. Jung have put their finger on one of the major causes of the ineffectiveness of Christian outreach and Christian organizations: everybody believes they are called to be a leader. They show how this belief is unbiblical and ineffective and urge us to replace it with the desire to be followers … Continue reading The Call to Follow – Book Review
Followership = Discipleship
Followership in the Christian sense is another word for discipleship. Do we need another word? If it helps us take another look at just what discipleship is, then I believe followership is a useful word. Jesus told His disciples, “All authority is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and make … Continue reading Followership = Discipleship
Knit together in love
In Ephesians 4:16 and Colossians 2:19, the apostle Paul describes the church as a body. Christ is the head and nourishment flows through the body from one member to another so that all members are fed. The members are bound together by sinews that enable the body to function in a coordinated way according to … Continue reading Knit together in love
Wimpy evangelism
Forty-five years ago there was a city-wide outreach in our city based on the theme “I found it!” The slogan was purposefully vague so as to engage all churches who called themselves Christian. The purpose of the slogan was to prompt people to ask “What did you find?” To which the answer was “New life … Continue reading Wimpy evangelism
To be a disciple
The Great Commission tells Christians to make disciples from all nations. In practice though, it seems many evangelical efforts have thought it sufficient to get a profession of faith from new believers, to make converts. That’s only a beginning. If I stop at being converted, I am not sufficiently rooted and grounded in the faith … Continue reading To be a disciple
The Principal Errors of Pietism
Pietism, with a capital P, refers to a movement that began within the Lutheran Church around the year 1600. The Pietists emphasized the new birth, the inward spiritual life of the heart and a pure moral life. There were earlier threads of pietism, but this was the beginning of a distinctive and dynamic movement. The … Continue reading The Principal Errors of Pietism
Discipleship
The messengers of Jesus will be hated to the end of time. They will be blamed for all the division which rend cities and homes. Jesus and his disciples will be condemned on all sides for undermining family life, and for leading the nation astray; they will be called crazy fanatics and disturbers of the … Continue reading Discipleship
Flatlander Faith 