Your Sunday service blessed me today! I was especially encouraged by the missionaries who were sent to Japan only to be surprised to discover the underground church?! What is the book source for this story, if you don’t mind sharing it?
I was also encouraged by the pairing of texts, Acts 2 with Acts 8, to compare and contrast the “gathered church” vs the “scattered church.” What’s more, I noticed in a fresh way that in Acts 8:3, it’s Saul who our faith legacy is built upon?! This is good news for us today because God can make good out of chaos?! I’m preaching on one of Paul’s letters this upcoming week, so thank you much for faithfully answering God’s call to bear witness! Through you, and by the power of the Spirit, I now know what I need to do next in my own journey of faith.
Jacob says:
Thanks Phil!!
The book is called, “The Lost History of Christianity: The Thousand Year Golden Age of the Church – and How it Died” by Philip Jenkins.
I’ve been listening to the audio book version. It looks at the church in the east (basically everywhere outside of Europe) from early Christianity through recent times and why Christianity is almost non-existent in places where it once help great numbers. Turns out Europe was not the “center” of Christian scholarship, theology, or numbers until the 1500-1600’s. Our Euro-centric view of history, coupled with the fall of Christianity in the east has created a number of assumptions about the Eastern churches (Assyrian, Coptic, Ethiopian, etc.) that are not all together true. It’s an interesting book, though there are times when the author’s personal opinion detracts from the feeling of historical scholarship.
Yes, the redemption of Saul is a great example of God using the instrument of chaos and working through it for good/blessing. These are certainly times of uncertainty and change, yet we can be confident that God is at work behind the scenes and will not let these events go unused for greater good if we are open to working with God.
I’d be interesting in hearing your sermon when/if it’s available!
Thank you Pastor Jacob and WSMC!
Your Sunday service blessed me today! I was especially encouraged by the missionaries who were sent to Japan only to be surprised to discover the underground church?! What is the book source for this story, if you don’t mind sharing it?
I was also encouraged by the pairing of texts, Acts 2 with Acts 8, to compare and contrast the “gathered church” vs the “scattered church.” What’s more, I noticed in a fresh way that in Acts 8:3, it’s Saul who our faith legacy is built upon?! This is good news for us today because God can make good out of chaos?! I’m preaching on one of Paul’s letters this upcoming week, so thank you much for faithfully answering God’s call to bear witness! Through you, and by the power of the Spirit, I now know what I need to do next in my own journey of faith.
Thanks Phil!!
The book is called, “The Lost History of Christianity: The Thousand Year Golden Age of the Church – and How it Died” by Philip Jenkins.
I’ve been listening to the audio book version. It looks at the church in the east (basically everywhere outside of Europe) from early Christianity through recent times and why Christianity is almost non-existent in places where it once help great numbers. Turns out Europe was not the “center” of Christian scholarship, theology, or numbers until the 1500-1600’s. Our Euro-centric view of history, coupled with the fall of Christianity in the east has created a number of assumptions about the Eastern churches (Assyrian, Coptic, Ethiopian, etc.) that are not all together true. It’s an interesting book, though there are times when the author’s personal opinion detracts from the feeling of historical scholarship.
Yes, the redemption of Saul is a great example of God using the instrument of chaos and working through it for good/blessing. These are certainly times of uncertainty and change, yet we can be confident that God is at work behind the scenes and will not let these events go unused for greater good if we are open to working with God.
I’d be interesting in hearing your sermon when/if it’s available!
Jacob