Abrahamic Faiths

Is it more important to “be the gospel” to others, or to “preach the gospel”? To our surprise, sixty-nine percent of the Christians we polled sided with the idea of being the gospel. On this broadcast the hosts continue to interact with the results from our recent survey of Christians at a conservative Evangelical convention, […]

On this edition of the program the hosts introduce their new theme for 2011: The Great Commission. In this important mission statement, Jesus does not begin with the imperative, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” Rather, he first tells his disciples that, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to […]

There is a lot of talk these days about “living the gospel” or “being the gospel,” as if we ourselves are the good news. Some even say that the church is an extension of Christ’s incarnation, as if Jesus came to provide the moral example or template for us to complete. There is only one […]

The kingdom of God can only be defined by attending closely to its unfolding in history. The reign of God takes different forms in this history, but its goal is nothing less than God’s dwelling in the midst of his people in righteousness, peace, and justice. But how does the Kingdom of God advance? What […]

Starting with Matthew’s Gospel is like walking into the middle of a movie. We have to go back to the Old Testament in order to see the unfolding plot of which Jesus Christ is the main character. On this program the hosts will explore the themes of exile, exodus and conquest showing how they each […]

The Great Commission is both deep in its intensity (making disciples, not just converts) and wide in its extensiveness (“into all the world”). But even where it was once strongly preached and professed, the Gospel’s light seems today to be a flickering candle. How do we take the message of the gospel into all the […]

According to a recent Pew study, 70% of Americans agreed with the idea that “many religions can lead to eternal life.” What’s more striking is that when this same question was put to self identified evangelical Christians, 57% agreed. So is this view correct, or is faith in Christ the only way to heaven? That’s […]

In the Great Commission, Jesus did not merely tell his followers to “go into all the world,” but he also gave us specific instructions for the mission of the church. He said we are to preach, baptize and make disciples. Sounds pretty simple, but are these elements high on the priority of the average Christian […]

Jesus tells his followers to “make disciples of all nations.” But what does it mean to become a disciple, and what are today’s churches doing to fulfill this mission? Is this something for new converts only, or is it also something that we all participate in and pass on to our children? On this edition […]

Take a visit to your local Christian bookstore and you’re likely to find numerous books on discipleship that encourage spiritual disciplines such as journaling, solitude, silence, or fasting. You’re also likely to find books that focus on discipleship at home, or work, in financial decision making or in the area of personal relationships. But you […]

Paul describes the teaching of the gospel—all that is needed for salvation—as “the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27). Our kids need that counsel, too. Read through Acts with them! Explain the stories. Help them see the goodness, power, and love of the God who made them and sent his Son to die for them.

Following sound doctrine requires our eyes to remain fixed on Jesus. It also requires that our faith rests in him. Faith opens the door to God’s plan and allows us to accomplish his will for our lives. It does so chiefly because it fosters a heart that yields to the counsel and leading of God. In this way, we remain on the road of truth.

The Prophets are not just abstract apocalyptic literature, included in the canon of Scripture because of their audience or subject matter. No, they—like the rest of Scripture—are the divinely inspired word of God. They are included in the unfolding of God’s redemptive plan and written within the covenant context of God and his people for a theological purpose, reflecting a specific historical and geographical context.

The church today finds itself amidst a revived trend of advocating for hearing God speaking to his people apart from his word. While there are new figures in this movement, the content of their message is hardly original. One can think of late medieval mysticism’s emphasis on a mystical encounter with God […]