What do we do when the meaning of something is disputed? “…if the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do? (Psalm 11:3). Our world is currently in the midst of revolution, a drastic and far-reaching change in ways of…
Author: Phillip Ross
Congregationalism
A Brief History of Congregationalism ©1998 Phillip A. Ross Renewal is often the rekindling of a former glory, and the former success of Congregationalism was indeed great. Yet, history does not travel backwards. The majority of contemporary Congregational church members…
What Is A Church
The church is not a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. The IRS does not define a church, God does. The church is the people of God. The church exists in and through Jesus Christ, and so is a distinctive New Testament reality.…
What Is A Christian?
What makes a person Christian? It sounds like a simple question, but it has been complicated by sin and history. Jesus’ first sermon set the standard — “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). Clearly, Christians…
What Is A Christian – Part 2
Part 2 If you have not read Part 1, please do so first. It sounds like a simple question, but it has been complicated by sin and history. The first and most inclusive definition of a Christian is a person…
Statement of Faith
This statement of faith is an effort to summarize and capsulize our understanding of the essential principles that Scripture teaches. So, it is more a function of the biblical narrative than of prooftexting. All such statements at some level will…
Trinitarian Baptism
Sections: Three Baptisms | Water | Spirit | Fire | Dip or Dye | Initiation | Spiritual Reality | Covenantal Responsibility| Baptize Who? | Adults | Infants | Baptismal Renewal | Baptismal Parallels Christian Baptism Is trinitarian. Christian baptism (Covenant…
Calvinism & Arminianism
Calvinism and Arminianism have offered rival biblical and theological interpretations for millennia. Both cannot be faithful to Scripture because they are mutually exclusive. It is our understanding that Calvinism trumps Arminianism in every measure as the more faithful interpretation of…
Agape
The Greek word agape is usually translated as love in the new translations of the Bible, but the old King James version, as well as the Modern King James Version, translates it as charity. Three-fourths of the time that the…
Christianity in China
Official Chinese surveys now show that nearly one in three Chinese describe themselves as religious, an astonishing figure for an officially atheist country, where religion was banned until three decades ago.