You’re likely familiar withJohn the Baptist. Apart from Jesus Christ, John the Baptist is probably the most theologically significant figure in the gospels. While his formative years were lived in obscurity in the desert, his public ministry ended nearly four hundred years of prophetic silence. John was the voice crying in the wilderness, preparing the way for the coming Messiah.
Matthew 4:12-17 says, “When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled: Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sit in darkness have seen a great…
John Ryland (1753–1825) published his first book at age 12 — an accomplishment not nearly as impressive as the fact that he had learned to read Hebrew by age 4, had translated the entire Greek New Testament at 8, and was proficient in Latin and French by 11. By any account, his life was astonishingly productive.
Ryland pastored two of the most prominent Baptist churches in England, served as a college president and professor, mobilized Dissenting Christians to the cause of abolition with MP William Wilberforce (1759–1833), and founded two missions societies (the Baptist Missionary Society and the interdenominational London Missionary Society) — all before his fortieth birthday.
Between his missions advocacy, his passion for theological training, his love for the exposition of Scripture, his zeal for church planting and strengthening, and the invitations from…
These A-list celebrities have publicly denounced their faith in Christ.
By Megan Bailey
Like many Americans, numerous celebrities were born and raised in Christian households. Tons of A-list celebrities got their start in church choir, went to Catholic schools, or had religious parents. There are great examples of celebrities who took their Christian upbringing with them to Hollywood. These celebrities love to share Jesus with their fans frequently and are open about their beliefs.
However, there are many celebrities that have decided to go against their Christian beliefs. While they were raised Christian, something changed during their life that caused them to distance themselves greatly from the Christian religion. These celebrities have denounced Jesus Christ as their savior and aren’t afraid to let their fans, the media, and the world know. Though once Christian, these celebrities have left the faith for one reason or another and are now practicing other…
We all know that not everyone who claims to be a born-again Christian is a genuine follower of Christ. A 2017 study by LifeWay Research discovered that 24% of Americans profess to be evangelical. A higher percent claim to be born again. But when pressed, only about 15% of Americans can affirm the most basic evangelical beliefs.
This is not a new problem. Anyone who has been a Christian for long knows someone who professes Christianity but fails to believe what Christians should believe, or believes right doctrine but exhibits little or no fruit. A gap always exists between the number of people whoprofessto be born again and those whopossessthe reality. This is true of every congregation. That is one reason why the constant preaching of the gospel matters. The more the gospel is preached, the…
…it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”1 Peter 1:16
We must continually remind ourselves of the purpose of life. We are not destined to happiness, nor to health, but to holiness. Today we have far too many desires and interests, and our lives are being consumed and wasted by them. Many of them may be right, noble, and good, and may later be fulfilled, but in the meantime God must cause their importance to us to decrease. The only thing that truly matters is whether a person will accept the God who will make him holy. At all costs, a person must have the right relationship with God.
Do I believe I need to be holy? Do I believe that God can come into me and make me holy? If through your preaching you convince me that I am unholy, I then…