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Where the Action Is in Ministry

November 13, 2018 By Gene Veith

As I keep harping on in this blog, the white working class in rural small towns and rust-belt cities has become the largest demographic of the unchurched in America. They also have the lowest marriage rates and the worst problems with drug addiction, including heroin. These folks in what used to be America’s “heartland” used to be the backbone of our churches, but today church growth and evangelism efforts are aimed mostly at high status groups, such as the Millennials,… Read more

Veterans Day, History, & Baptisms

November 12, 2018 By Gene Veith

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Yesterday, November 11, was Veterans Day, which is also being observed today. (Those of you who are veterans–thank you! Lots of businesses are offering you all kinds of free stuff–from haircuts to an abundance of food–to express our nation’s thanks. Go here for a list of what you can get.) Veterans Day also has some interesting conjunctions, especially this year. November 11 was also the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. (That’s not that long ago, really.) The… Read more

Schism among the Orthodox

November 9, 2018 By Gene Veith

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The Orthodox tradition seems to many Christians to be a haven from the woes of contemporary Christianity and a way to experience the unity of the historic church, as it used to be in the early church, before both popes and protestants. An Orthodox friend told me that their church avoids problems by just never changing. That might be debatable, and sometimes churches need to change; that is, to have a Reformation. At any rate, a schism has broken out… Read more

African Christianity & the Bible

November 8, 2018 By Gene Veith

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The Church is growing so rapidly in Africa, Asia, and Latin America that by 2050 the world will have 3 billion Christians, only one-fifth of whom will be non-Hispanic Whites. So says Peter Leithart in a long, fascinating article on Christianity in Africa. Yes, there are problems, as he documents: syncretism with animism, violence, poverty, persecution from Muslims. But he says that African theology is maturing and that it has much to teach the West. For one thing, African Christianity… Read more

A Divided Government for a Divided Nation

November 7, 2018 By Gene Veith

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In the midterm election–which had been turned into a midterm examination for President Trump–Democrats took control of the House of Representatives, but the Republicans increased their hold on the Senate. As of right now, Wednesday morning, with a few races still to be decided, the Democrats have picked up 26 seats in the House ( with a total of 219) over the Republicans (with a total of 195). In the Senate, Republicans picked up 3 seats (now holding 53) over the… Read more

Election Day

November 6, 2018 By Gene Veith

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Today is the midterm election. All members of the House of Representatives, whose term is only two years, are up for election. Also one-third of the Senate. An untold number of state and local officials and referendums will also be voted upon today. And all of these elections, taken as a whole, are being framed as a referendum on President Trump. That’s the way Democrats are presenting them. And that’s the way the President is presenting them. In his campaign… Read more

The Brand Preferences of Liberals vs. Conservatives

November 5, 2018 By Gene Veith

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As we get ready for election day tomorrow–which we will discuss then–we all know that America has become politically polarized. Furthermore, it seems that everything is getting politicized (entertainment, education, technology, religion). It turns out, even our shopping is political. Liberals and conservatives buy products, they prefer different brands. Politico studied brand research and reported its findings in Do You Eat Republican Cheese?: The Two Americas, a Snapshot in Brands. Some of the preferences are obvious. Liberals watch CNN; conservatives… Read more

Most “Nones” (& Lots of Christians) Believe in New Age Religion

November 2, 2018 By Gene Veith

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The growing number of “Nones,” those who profess no religion, makes many observers assume that America is becoming secularized–materialistic people living in a material world, above us only sky. But a Pew Research study shows that, to the extent traditional religions like Christianity are fading, they are being replaced by a more primitive, animistic religion as taught by the New Age Movement. In fact, one reason that traditional religions like Christianity may be fading is that they too are being… Read more

From Confusion to Clarity about Christianity

November 1, 2018 By Gene Veith

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Have you noticed when talking to non-Christians that often what they object to is what you object to yourself? That their objections to the faith are often based on complete misconceptions about what Christianity is and what it teaches? There is so much confusion about Christianity–including on the part of Christians–that the first task for an apologist or teacher is simply to clarify. That is, to clear away the confusions. Once the two of you attain clarity about what… Read more

Reformation Then and Now

October 31, 2018 By Gene Veith

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The Church is discredited: plagued by corruption, including sex scandals. Trusting human leaders whose failures disillusion their followers. The Church is seen as pre-occupied with politics. The Gospel of Christ’s justification of sinners is buried under elaborate schemes of works-righteousness. The Word of God is marginalized and misused. That was the Church of 1517, in sore need of Reformation. Increasingly, this also describes the Church of 2018, which is also in need of Reformation. Today, not just the Catholic church… Read more