In this short address—the latest installment in our new TGC Talks series—Michael Horton explains why there is no such thing, in the new covenant, as a “Christian nation” apart from the worldwide body of Christ. “The problem with Christian nationalism is not that some Christians are taking a biblical idea too seriously,” says Horton, professor of systematic theology and apologetics at Westminster Seminary California, “but that they are confusing America with Israel under the old covenant. From a biblical perspective, it’s actually heretical. It confuses the law with the gospel.”
We Can Reach Conspiracy Theorists for Christ. Here’s How.
We live in a time of social upheaval, and social upheaval is fertile soil for conspiracy theories. Most of them are based on error and misinformation, and some can be downright dangerous. The ones that ensnared me in the turbulent 1960s drew me into racial hatred and political extremism and led to a shootout with police that killed an accomplice and very nearly killed me—all in the name of Christian patriotism.
Is a Solution to Vaccine Hesitancy Found in African Churches that Conquered Ebola?
As our public health authorities today struggle to overcome vaccine hesitancy among certain U.S. populations, especially white evangelicals, we have to ask ourselves: what can we learn from the way previous pandemics were handled that might help us fight COVID-19 and overcome vaccine hesitancy?
10 Reasons to Read the Bible Aloud in Church
Why is the public reading of Scripture part of most worship services? Is it just tradition? Is it part of preparing the congregation for the sermon? Or it is more? I would like to present ten reasons for reading the Bible aloud as part of congregational worship, starting with the commands of Scripture and finishing with the benefits of obedience. I hope that we will view this practice as more than tradition, more than a preparatory step for the sermon, but as a central part of worship.
The problem for Anglicans is not that they do not read Scripture in their services of public worship, but that in some churches they could read more Scripture--an Old Testament Lesson in addition to the Epistle and the Gospel on Communion Sundays--and sing a psalm or canticle bteween the Old Testament Lesson and the Epistle. In other churches they could do a better job of reading Scripture in their public worship services. God called us out of darkness into his marvellous light to declare his excellencies. One way that we proclaim his mighty works is the public reading of Scripture. When we read Scripture aloud, we should use a translation that visitors as well as members of the congregation can understand. We should not use an insider language, one which longtime attendees of our church may understand but guests do not. Using a translation that everyone can understand is an ancient practice. In the synagogues in the time of Jesus' earthly ministry, the Scriptures were first read in Hebrew, the language in which they had been written, and then they were read in Aramaic, the lngauge that the people spoke. In the Jewish Diasphora, they were read in Greek. If the people are to benefit from hearing Scriptures read, they must be read in a language that everyone understands.The Most Pivotal Age to Keep Young Adults in Church
By now, most pastors and church leaders recognize the teenage dropout issue. Two-thirds of churchgoing teens leave their local congregations as young adults, according to Lifeway Research. Many of these never come back. But there is a specific age range in which students begin to fade away from church. If church leaders can step in during those important ages, they can work to keep young adults active in their congregations.
Why You Need to Rethink Your Church’s Website
Most church websites are seldom used and often neglected. Thom Rainer and Kevin Dezell discuss how a church’s website can be used for the Great Commission without much cost.
Creating Video on Demand for Your Church – The “How” and “Why”
This past year churches have become much better at providing live video content. I’ve had the opportunity to coach a number of churches through this journey. We figured out how to set up a ring light, plug in a decent mic and make eye contact with the camera. Well done church! But, when it comes to creating video on demand content, we really haven’t improved our game. Unlike a live streamed experience, Video on Demand (VOD) content is something your congregation and community can access anytime and anywhere. Think Netflix or Hulu. So now that we understand what VOD content is, let’s explore why you should make it and how to go about doing that.
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