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A quiet shift begins when a lifelong member of the Churches of Christ realizes that his faith life, rich in study and careful exegesis, struggles to move from mind to heart. Brandon Marlow's story traces the Restoration Movement's ideals—erase denominational lines, do Bible things in Bible ways, and speak where Scripture speaks. Those guiding slogans shaped a culture suspicious of creeds, titles, instruments, and anything not “authorized.” The result formed disciplined habits, robust Bible study, and close-knit congregations. Yet the same strengths could narrow imagination and flatten mystery. A low view of the Holy Spirit's personal activity and an intellectual approach to faith left little language for awe, beauty, or sacrament. Brandon describes how good intentions produced a protective fence, but often fenced out wonder.His turning came when he stepped into preaching during a pastoral vacancy. Wanting holiness to match responsibility, he searched for time-tested disciplines: daily prayers, fasting rhythms, and a pattern of worship that stretches the soul. He found them in Orthodoxy. Prayer books spoke soberly about judgment and mercy, teaching him to remember ultimate things every day. Memorizing whole psalms, not just proof texts, reoriented his inner life. Icons startled him. Venerating the Ascension icon, his heart rose in praise, not just his mind in assent. He realized devotion is learned by doing—beauty tutors love, and ritual teaches reverence. Where logic said “believe,” the Church taught him to behold, adore, and belong.Scripture did not shrink; it deepened. Listening to Orthodox homilies, he felt less “interpretation” and more unveiling. Texts clicked into place as part of a living Tradition, the same bloodstream that nourished the Fathers he had once mined for citations. C.S. Lewis had cracked the door years earlier, proving that Christian wisdom could move the affections without verse labels in every line. Meeting the Fathers as pastors—Ignatius, Polycarp, and more—showed him a church that loved, bled, and prayed as one body. Their worlds made sense of bones cherished as gold, not as superstition, but as love made tangible in the saints who fed, blessed, and shepherded their flock.The Eucharist became the center of gravity. In his upbringing, communion was precious yet rushed, migrating from homemade bread to sealed cups as the table drifted to the side. Reverence thinned as routine took hold. In Orthodoxy, he discovered preparation before, prayer during, and gratitude after. The chalice, spoon, and altar were holy because the Lord gives himself there—Body and Blood, Presence not symbol. Approaching the chalice for the first time felt like approaching fire. He stepped forward in obedience and love, realizing this is why Christ died: communion. From there, everything else reframed—ascetic practices, feasts and fasts, the calendar that walks believers through the life of Christ, and the solidarity of Holy Week that exhausts, burns, and resurrects a community together.From “people of the book” to people of the Book and the Table, he discovered that truth is not only argued; it is adored, sung, tasted, and shared. The heart learns by worship as much as the mind learns by words, and both find their home when Scripture meets Sacrament in the life of the Church.Questions about Orthodoxy? Please check out our friends at Ghost of Byzantium Discord server: https://discord.gg/JDJDQw6tdhPlease prayerfully consider supporting Cloud of Witnesses Radio: https://www.patreon.com/c/CloudofWitnessesFind Cloud of Witnesses Radio on Instagram, X.com, Facebook, and TikTok.Please leave a comment with your thoughts!
Surrounded by numerous friends and family, Floresville resident Dorothy Dunn celebrated her 100th birthday Dec. 13 at Church of Christ in Floresville. While Dorothy said she's lived a “simple” life, it has been one filled with moments that bring her laughter and joy to this day. Dorothy was born in 1925 in Campbell, Texas, to James McDonald and Bonnie Steen McDonald. She was the third of eight children — five boys and three girls. When Dorothy was in third grade, the McDonalds moved to Mercedes in the Rio Grande Valley, where her father worked at a cotton gin. Some of...Article Link
Send us a text. If you would like a response, please send us an email to bcoc@suddenlinkmail.com.Jim Laws
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Send us a text. If you would like a response, please send us an email to bcoc@suddenlinkmail.com.Jim Laws
Send us a textArnie, Fred and Glenn continue to discuss what Peter said about how important God's word is, noting that within it is contained all things that pertain to life and godliness. We look at Second Peter chapter two verses 2 through 11, noting how many times knowledge is mentioned, and the actions Peter says that if a Christian does, he will never fall. Paul told Timothy that the scriptures are profitable for doctrine and a number of other things that the man of God may be complete. Consequently, we talk about the need for new Christians to study their Bibles and grow in knowledge so they will not stumble and fall, which many denominations teach it is impossible for a Christian to do. We discuss what Paul said to the Christians in Corinth about being vigilant so that they wouldn't fall. We note that Paul used an illustration of one running in a race and the preparation needed and the requirement to follow the rules in order to win the crown. We discuss the race and the crown the Christian seeks and how this relates to Paul's illustration. We find that the Hebrew writer uses the Israelites in the wilderness as examples of those who failed to trust and obey God and the consequences of that. The Hebrew writer then shows that some Christians do the same thing not trusting and obeying God and depart from Him. We talk about how important it is for members of the local church to help one another, encourage one another to live faithfully and how this is lacking in some churches. The Hebrew writer has some very specific words about Christians who fall away and what this means. Later on, the Hebrew writer discusses willful sin and the fact that this leads to one falling away. We have a good discussion about this. Paul writes to the Galatian Christians about them considering returning to the law of Moses and the problem with them doing so. We discuss this and note that numerous denominations today continue some of the practices found in the law of Moses which has been done away. We begin looking at what Peter said about Christians becoming entangled again in the pollutions of the world that they had escaped. However, we ran out of time before finishing it. We will begin that discussion in the next episode. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.
On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (12/18/25), Hank explains that the word Epiphany means to reveal, and is one of the oldest Christmas traditions; highlighting the fact that God in Christ revealed Himself to us.Hank also answers the following questions:What doctrines should we divide over? How do we determine what the essential Christian doctrines are? Nick - Fort Wayne, IN (3:04)My family has been attending a local Church of Christ that is very legalistic. Should we leave, or stay and try to bring change? Donny - St. Louis, MO (7:23)Is the incarnation like Muhammad Ali boxing with one hand behind his back? Chuck - Springville, CA (15:10)I was talking with a Seventh-Day Adventist. Which day should we celebrate the Sabbath, Saturday or Sunday? David - OK (17:38)I have a friend who preaches and really loves Jesus, but he's a Oneness Pentecostal. Is he born again? Gary - St. Louis, MO (20:04)Can you explain 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17? Gary - St. Louis, MO (24:32)
Send us a text. If you would like a response, please send us an email to bcoc@suddenlinkmail.com.Jim Laws
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Send us a text. If you would like a response, please send us an email to bcoc@suddenlinkmail.com.Jim Laws
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Send us a textIn this episode, we continue our discussion about faith and works that James relates to us in Chapter 2. In verse 16 James tells us that the demons believe and tremble. We talk about why this is important for us to know and how that relates to faith and works. James then tells us what makes faith dead. He tells us this important fact a number of times in chapter 2. We note the example he uses of Abraham and what he did in offering his son as a sacrifice that James uses to illustrate faith and works. James also uses Rahab's hiding of the spies and why this is also important for us to know about her faith. We note the conclusion that James draws in verse 24. We close out this study of faith and works by noting the problem that most denominations have with this issue. We move on to talk about whether a Christian can fall away or be lost. Is it true that once an individual is saved, becomes a Christian, he is always saved and cannot be lost? We note that this is a false doctrine that comes from the theology of John Calvin. We look at what sin is and how that relates to being lost. Then, we look at the Bible passages that show that a child of God can indeed live in sin and be lost. We spend some time with what we know as the Beatitudes of Jesus and how important they are to us. We close out this episode by reading 2 Peter 1:2-11 and run out of time to discuss it. We will begin our next episode with a discussion of those passages. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on what we have to say. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.
We believe that the church of Christ is set up the way Christ established it, including with the proper priesthood authority/
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Friends of the Rosary,Today, November 10, the Church of Christ celebrates the feast of Our Lady of Loreto, a title that refers to the Holy House of Loreto.This is the house, in the Holy Land, in which Mary was born, and where the Annunciation took place.Tradition says that angels miraculously transported it first to Tersato, Dalmatia, in 1291, then to Recanati, Italy, in 1294, and finally to Loreto, in Italy, a small town located three hours from Rome, where it has been for over six centuries.Today, the 14th-century Shrine of Loreto is one of the most famous Marian shrines in Europe and a pilgrimage center. Many miracles are attributed to this sanctuary of the Holy House.Popes have always held the in special esteem, and it is under their direct authority and protection.Ave MariaCome, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• December 10, 2025, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET
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Tomorrow I will be in Roanoke, Virginiaparticipating and speaking at a celebration of life service for a dear, dearsaint of God, Nancy Young. I'll tell you more about Nancy's and her life thatwas, “A Life Well Lived”, later in this blog. Matterof fact her life “measured up to the stature of the fullness of Christ”, thatPaul desired for every believer here in Ephesians 4. Today we begin looking atthis next section of the chapter where we learn about the “growth of unity” inthe local church. From verse 11 we are told this growth takes after, “HeHimself gives some apostles, and some prophets, some evangelists, and somepastors and teachers.” He does this for the purpose which we find in verses12-16. Thisis a very special passage of scripture that gives us exactly what the pastorsand leaders of the church should be doing. That is equipping the saints for thework of the ministry and for the spiritual growth and maturity of theindividual members. Overmy 50 plus years as a pastor, if I ever knew someone that was a part of comingto the fullness of unity in Christ, coming to a place of full maturity in thebody of Christ and building up the body of Christ, and doing their part to makesure the church of Christ, the body of Christ, was the kind of church it shouldbe, it was Nancy Young. I've had the privilege of being her pastor for the pastthirty-some years now. As I think about the ministry we had together in thelocal church there at Rainbow Forest Baptist Church, of which she was a faithfulmember for the last 40 years, I watched as the Lord used Nancy in a wonderfulway to touch the lives of so many people. Manyof you probably didn't know that Nancy grew up in Africa with her parents, whowent there in 1945 when she was 3 years old. They were first missionaries inthe Congo, and then in Burundi, where during their ministry, there was aterrible genocide taking place. In her personal eight-page typed testimony thatshe recently wrote for her RFBC Sunday School class, she said from birth shewas taught the Word of God by her parents and had memorized Psalm 23 by thetime she was one year old. How amazing is that!!!! Nancygrew up in Africa up to the time, when as a teenager she went to WheatonCollege back in the states. It was at Wheaton College that she developed apassion to teach children God's word. Not long after college, that she gotinvolved in WRE, (Weekly Religious Education). Now for over 55 plus years,every week you could find her teaching children the Bible in the public schoolsystem, usually meeting in a small trailer across the street from the school,like she did at Colonial Elementary School near where I lived. Ijust am so thankful for her faithful dedication to this ministry because manyof my grandchildren sat under her Bible teaching. Nancy actually taught mydaughters-in-law, Crystal Floyd Grooms when she was a girl. Remember Crystal,(and she won't mind that I say this), today is in her 40s. Yet when she was alittle girl at Colonial Elementary, she sat under Nancy's teaching. Nancyis a wonderful example of someone who loved the Lord, loved her husband, lovedher family, loved ministry, loved teaching God's Word, and had a grasp of the Wordof God in its entirety. She truly was an example of a mature believer who livedin the fullness of Jesus Christ. Oh, what a blessing it has been to be herpastor. We're celebrating her homegoing tomorrow (Tuesday) with her family.We're excited about how God's going to speak to the lives of many even in theservice. Itrust you have been encouraged by her testimony that I have shared in today'schat. I trust that you are being equipped for the work of the ministry likeNancy Young was. May the Lord also use you to affect and influence the lives ofhundreds of others as He blesses and leads you. Godbless!
Send us a text. If you would like a response, please send us an email to bcoc@suddenlinkmail.com.Jim Laws
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Devotional Time - I Timothy 5:3-4Repairing our Understanding - What Your Attendance Says About Your FaithSound Words - A Mother's Influence20/20 Vision - Seeing Romans 3:28 ClearlyHave a Bible Question - Are members of the church of Christ the only ones going to heaven?
The Unstoppable Move Of God IIWe as Christians are sent to shine in dark places, take territories for Christ, turn toxic spaces into worship, and carry His fragrance wherever He sends us.Revival does not happen by playing it safe. If God sends you, GO!History shows God superimposing His Image on culture by reclaiming what were once names for pagan gods.The church of Christ is a locomotive church, and we are called to boldly take what the enemy uses, elevate it for Christ, and advance without fear of consequences.Build, create, influence, and use every platform for the kingdom of God, bringing all things into obedience to Christ.The consecrations that will preserve us to be able to shine as light1. Have a church.Find a good church to belong to (Galatians 6:1-2)2. Learn to protect your priority.As believers, we believe that success must not be at all costs (Matthew 6:33)3. Embrace your supernatural edge.Don't be ashamed to identify as a Christian; it will save you a lot of trouble (Luke 2:49)4. Contend.Seek for God's influence to grow on your account (Jude 1:3)
In the second episode of this Advent series, Tony Watkins talks to Christopher Ash, Writer in Residence at Tyndale House, Cambridge, about the visit of the angel Gabriel to Mary. This four-part series for Advent is exploring Luke chapters 1 and 2, which are the focus of Christopher's book of Advent devotions, Repeat the Sounding Joy (The Good Book Company, 2019). Repeat the Sounding Joy, by Christopher Ash is available from The Good Book Company and other booksellers.Christopher Ash is a preacher, teacher, and writer. After working in telecommunications and as a teacher of maths, Christopher studied theology at Oxford, where he was awarded the Denyer and Johnson prize. He was ordained and served as an Assistant Minister in St. Andrew the Great in Cambridge, before leading a church plant to All Saints, Little Shelford, in 1997. In 2004 he and Carolyn moved to London where Christopher served as Director of the Proclamation Trust's Cornhill Training Course until July 2015.Christopher and his wife Carolyn have been entrusted with three sons and a daughter (all now grown up) and ten grandchildren. They belong to Cambridge Presbyterian church.As Writer-in-Residence, Christopher hopes to encourage younger scholars to grow in faithful loving loyalty to Jesus, and to use their gifts to serve the church of Christ. Christopher's writing mostly focuses on the Psalms. Carolyn serves as Chaplain to the women members of Tyndale House staff.Support the showEdited by Tyndale House Music – Acoustic Happy Background used with a standard license from Adobe Stock.Follow us on: X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube
Send us a text. If you would like a response, please send us an email to bcoc@suddenlinkmail.com.Jim Laws
Send us a text. If you would like a response, please send us an email to bcoc@suddenlinkmail.com.Jim Laws
Send us a text. If you would like a response, please send us an email to bcoc@suddenlinkmail.com.Jim Laws
Send us a text. If you would like a response, please send us an email to bcoc@suddenlinkmail.com.Jim Laws
In this four-part series for Advent, Tony Watkins talks to Christopher Ash, Writer in Residence at Tyndale House, Cambridge, about Luke chapters 1 and 2. These chapters are the focus of Christopher's book of Advent devotions, Repeat the Sounding Joy (pub. Good Book Company). In this first episode, Christopher and Tony discuss the birth of John the Baptist.Repeat the Sounding Joy, by Christopher Ash is available from The Good Book Company and other booksellers.Christopher Ash is a preacher, teacher, and writer. After working in telecommunications and as a teacher of maths, Christopher studied theology at Oxford, where he was awarded the Denyer and Johnson prize. He was ordained and served as an Assistant Minister in St. Andrew the Great in Cambridge, before leading a church plant to All Saints, Little Shelford, in 1997. In 2004 he moved to London where Christopher served as Director of the Proclamation Trust's Cornhill Training Course until July 2015.Christopher and his wife Carolyn have been entrusted with three sons and a daughter (all now grown up) and ten grandchildren. They belong to Cambridge Presbyterian church.As Writer-in-Residence, Christopher hopes to encourage younger scholars to grow in faithful loving loyalty to Jesus, and to use their gifts to serve the church of Christ. Christopher's writing mostly focuses on the Psalms.Support the showEdited by Tyndale House Music – Acoustic Happy Background used with a standard license from Adobe Stock.Follow us on: X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube
Send us a text. If you would like a response, please send us an email to bcoc@suddenlinkmail.com.Jim Laws
Send us a text. If you would like a response, please send us an email to bcoc@suddenlinkmail.com.Jim Laws
Send us a text. If you would like a response, please send us an email to bcoc@suddenlinkmail.com.Jim Laws
Send us a text. If you would like a response, please send us an email to bcoc@suddenlinkmail.com.Jim Laws
Dru brings on his friend Wayne Welsh, a Church of Christ minister, to give an articulate overview of the movement and discuss some of the strengths & weaknesses of this attempt to restore "primitivism" to the body of Christ.Wayne's church: https://hawkridge.church
John discusses talk about the outrage after Congressional Democrats released a video urging members of the administration and the armed forces to refuse any illegal orders from the White House, and of course, Trump called their actions “seditious” and worthy of arrest and death. Then, he interviews Carl O. Sherman who represented the 109th district in the Texas Statehouse, serving Cedar Hill, De Soto, Lancaster and other communities in greater Dallas. A man of strong religious faith, Sherman presently serves in the role of Senior Pastor in the Church of Christ. He was elected in November 2018 to serve as a Member of the Texas House of Representatives. He joins John to talk about his year of recovery from heart surgery, his new book and the state of Texas politics. Then, John welcomes back Richard Chew who has been a part of the WCPT family since 2017, becoming WCPT's morning host in early 2024. Born and raised in Chicago and southwest Michigan, Richard is a 25-plus-year wealth management and insurance veteran, Richard is well-versed in all areas of financial planning, wealth management and insurance plans designed to help clients with their financial future. Richard's primary goal is to help consumers assess what their needs are and find the right plans and programs to protect their wealth.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Friends of the Rosary,Today, November 21, the Church of Christ celebrates the Memorial of the Presentation of Mary.On September 8, we celebrated the Birthday of Our Lady, and on September 12, the Holy Name.With the Presentation of Mary in the Temple, we complete this Marian cycle, which is parallel with the first three feasts of our Lord in the liturgical calendar: the birth of Christ or Christmas (December 25), the Holy Name of Jesus (January 3), and His Presentation in the Temple (February 2).The historical background of the Presentation of Mary is found in the Protoevangel of St. James (ch. 4:1ff).After an angel had revealed her pregnancy, Anna vowed her future child, Mary, to the Lord. At the age of three, Mary was transferred to the temple, and here, she received her nourishment from the hand of an angel.On this feast day, we meditate on the mystery of Mary's temporary dwelling in the sanctuary of the Old Covenant as a preparation for the approaching season of Advent.Ave Maria!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• November 21, 2025, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET
Host Will Rasmussen first talks with Dan Campbell from the Church of Christ and their ham giveaway. Next in are Mike Pearse, Amber Pace and Megan Barton from SSAPCO promoting their pie auction and other events.
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Friends of the Rosary,From the earliest days until the present, the nascent Church of Christ has been targeted by the enemies of the faith.The Church will announce, until the end of time, that the old world is passing away, that a new world of love, nonviolence, and life is emerging.The announcement that the current world is passing away and a new Kingdom of love, peace, and true life, as we read yesterday, infuriates the people of sin even more. They try to “kill the messenger”, reacting with violent and ideological resistance to the establishment of God's kingdom.An example is the twentieth century, the bloodiest on record, and the one with the most martyrs.We detach from this world that is passing away, with our eyes fixed in heaven, the world that will never end.And we proclaim the truth of the Gospel, with the rising of the Lord, knowing we will enjoy “a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute,” as Our Lord has promised to us.Ave Maria!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• November 17, 2025, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET
Send us a text. If you would like a response, please send us an email to bcoc@suddenlinkmail.com.Jim Laws
Send us a text. If you would like a response, please send us an email to bcoc@suddenlinkmail.com.Jim Laws
Send us a text. If you would like a response, please send us an email to bcoc@suddenlinkmail.com.Jim Laws
Send us a text. If you would like a response, please send us an email to bcoc@suddenlinkmail.com.Jim Laws
Nicole and Diana discuss early Love County records. Nicole shares her experience at the Love County Clerk's office, detailing her discoveries in cemetery research at Burneyville and Leon Cemeteries, and her findings in early deeds, including the Sophie Williams – R.E. Frazier Deed. She also provides historical context on Indian Territory land allotments. Nicole then discusses a case of mistaken identity while following a paper trail and shares insights into understanding index organization. She also highlights additional family discoveries, such as the Rice Mortgage Release, and explores town patent books, including the John O. Briscoe Town Patent and a patent granted to the Deacons of the Church of Christ of Leon. Listeners will learn about the process of researching early county records, how to navigate historical land transactions, and the importance of careful analysis in genealogical research. This summary was generated by Google Gemini. Links Early Love County Records: Tracing the Transition from Indian Territory - https://familylocket.com/early-love-county-records-tracing-the-transition-from-indian-territory/ Sponsor – Newspapers.com For listeners of this podcast, Newspapers.com is offering new subscribers 20% off a Publisher Extra subscription so you can start exploring today. Just use the code "FamilyLocket" at checkout. Research Like a Pro Resources Airtable Universe - Nicole's Airtable Templates - https://www.airtable.com/universe/creator/usrsBSDhwHyLNnP4O/nicole-dyer Airtable Research Logs Quick Reference - by Nicole Dyer - https://familylocket.com/product-tag/airtable/ Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist's Guide book by Diana Elder with Nicole Dyer on Amazon.com - https://amzn.to/2x0ku3d 14-Day Research Like a Pro Challenge Workbook - digital - https://familylocket.com/product/14-day-research-like-a-pro-challenge-workbook-digital-only/ and spiral bound - https://familylocket.com/product/14-day-research-like-a-pro-challenge-workbook-spiral-bound/ Research Like a Pro Webinar Series - monthly case study webinars including documentary evidence and many with DNA evidence - https://familylocket.com/product-category/webinars/ Research Like a Pro eCourse - independent study course - https://familylocket.com/product/research-like-a-pro-e-course/ RLP Study Group - upcoming group and email notification list - https://familylocket.com/services/research-like-a-pro-study-group/ Research Like a Pro with DNA Resources Research Like a Pro with DNA: A Genealogist's Guide to Finding and Confirming Ancestors with DNA Evidence book by Diana Elder, Nicole Dyer, and Robin Wirthlin - https://amzn.to/3gn0hKx Research Like a Pro with DNA eCourse - independent study course - https://familylocket.com/product/research-like-a-pro-with-dna-ecourse/ RLP with DNA Study Group - upcoming group and email notification list - https://familylocket.com/services/research-like-a-pro-with-dna-study-group/ Thank you Thanks for listening! We hope that you will share your thoughts about our podcast and help us out by doing the following: Write a review on iTunes or Apple Podcasts. If you leave a review, we will read it on the podcast and answer any questions that you bring up in your review. Thank you! Leave a comment in the comment or question in the comment section below. Share the episode on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest. Subscribe on iTunes or your favorite podcast app. Sign up for our newsletter to receive notifications of new episodes - https://familylocket.com/sign-up/ Check out this list of genealogy podcasts from Feedspot: Best Genealogy Podcasts - https://blog.feedspot.com/genealogy_podcasts/
Send us a text. If you would like a response, please send us an email to bcoc@suddenlinkmail.com.Jim Laws
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It goes without saying that War is Peace, especially when the President of Peace continually threatens war or supports the same indirectly: from Gaza to Venezuela and now Nigeria. The President posted this threat to Nigeria over the Halloween weekend: “If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,' to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities. I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians!” In response, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth responded: “Yes sir… The killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria — and anywhere — must end immediately. The Department of War is preparing for action. Either the Nigerian Government protects Christians, or we will kill the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.”https://edition.cnn.com/2025/11/01/politics/trump-pentagon-nigeria-action According to a 2024 report from “The Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa,” there have been 11,000 incidents of extreme violence from October 2019 through September of 2023. The violence left 55,910 people dead in 9,970 deadly attacks — as well as 21,621 people abducted in 2,705 attacks. The total number includes civilian deaths, terror group deaths, and Nigerian Armed Forces deaths. Of the total deaths, 30,880 were civilians. Of the civilians, at least 16,769 Christians were killed, 6,235 Muslims were killed and 154 adherents of traditional African religions were killed. The religions of 7,722 victims are unknown. The report says further: “The ratio of Christians to Muslims killed rises significantly when the religious composition of the states is taken into consideration. Looking at the overall numbers, the ratio of Christians to Muslims killed was 2.7:1; the ratio of Christians to Muslims abducted was 1.4:1. However, when taking into account the relative sizes of the Christian and Muslim populations within the different states, the ratio of Christians to Muslims killed increases to 6.5:1, and the ratio of Christians to Muslims abducted to 5.1:1.” “Fulani Ethnic Militia are targeting Christian populations, while Muslims also suffer severely at their hands,” the Rev. Gideon Para-Mallam, another analyst for The Observatory of Religious Freedom in Africa, said in a statement. https://ewtn.co.uk/article-56000-killed-in-nigerias-ethnic-and-religious-violence-christians-disproportionately-affected/ https://orfa.africa/wp/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/26082024-ORFA-4-YEARS-REPORT.pdf Sure, Christians are being targeted, but so are Muslims. But in both cases, religion is not the driving factor behind the attacks and killings in Nigeria. Just as many Christians are killed in Nigeria over farmland, Israeli settler have been slaughtering Palestinian farmers, with no mention of their religion made in the news, for over half a century. A recent AP article confirmed with video evidence that Israeli terrorists beat farmers during the recent olive harvest in the West Bank. https://apnews.com/article/israel-settlers-west-bank-attack-annexation-1e9cbd6af6ea502fbfca5d9ffe949b0bFather Bashar Fawadleh, parish priest of the Church of Christ the Redeemer in Taybeh, told ACI MENA: “The town, which the Gospel of John (11:54) refers to as ‘Ephraim' — the place Jesus withdrew to before his passion — is no longer safe for its people today… We do not live in peace but in daily fear and siege.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/amp/news/265035/priest-warns-christian-town-of-taybe-in-holy-land-no-longer-safe-amid-settler-attacksIn July 2025 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country "deeply regrets that a stray ammunition" hit Gaza's only Catholic Church. A few weeks before Israeli forces assaulted Christians in Jerusalem on holy Saturday at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy8ge7vllw9o.amp https://www.newarab.com/news/israeli-forces-assault-christians-jerusalem-holy-saturdayIn 2024, Israel bombed a Catholic Church in Lebanon, Saint George's, destroying the offices of the parish and the residence of the local priest. They even slaughtered the rescue team.https://zenit.org/2024/10/11/israel-bombs-catholic-church-in-lebanon-and-attacks-un-blue-helmets/#google_vignetteIsrael has repeatedly bombarded Christian towns in Lebanon, specifically targeting Christian homes. In 2024 they blew up the historic Shrine of Shimon, or the Shrine of Saint Peter. https://www.newarab.com/news/israeli-forces-blow-shrine-shimon-south-lebanonIsrael has likewise been working to create sectarian divisions while carrying out sabotage operations or assassinations aimed at triggering internal conflicts in Lebanon. https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/gallery/2024/10/15/israel-kills-at-least-21-in-strike-on-christian-town-in-north-lebanonAfter regime change in Syria, a country that allowed religions to coexist relatively peacefully, the new Israel and US backed Islamic radical government began targeting Christians. In June 2025 60 people were injured in the attack at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Prophet Elias, in an eastern Damascus suburb. The violence has gotten so bad that Christians believe they will be the target of genocide in Syria now. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c79q8p8qx1do.ampThe only thing worse than double standards and hypocrisy is a willingness to use oppressed minorities as political fodder. Democrats do this with blacks and gays, Conservatives do this with Jews and Christians. The only thing sicker than that is motivation for a holy war. To ignore the Israeli targeting of Christians, which has only intensified, and instead to focus on what is happening in Nigeria is disingenuous and repulsive.https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20250819-the-zionist-project-a-danger-for-lebanon-and-its-christians/?ampPete Hegseth, tattooed with the Jerusalem cross, has all but made it official policy at the pentagon that his Christian warrior ethos will go to war with Islam wherever it can. It appears one of the first battles of this new holy war is set for Nigeria. Meanwhile, Nick Fuentes has called for a universal Catholic theocracy, not too dissimilar from Curtis Yarvin's, the guy who gives JD Vance his political philosophies, techno-monarchy. https://divinity.uchicago.edu/sightings/articles/when-christ-and-trump-are-kingshttps://www.aiu.edu/blog/the-new-monarchy-the-neo-totalitarian-proposals-of-curtis-yarvin/It's understandable why some cling to extremist religious views when they have otherwise been assaulted with atheistic anti-humanism. The self-correction is also a manual over-compensation. Christians have gone from criticizing the Obama administration's targeting of their identity, claiming First Amendment rights, to calling for the banning of Islam and deportation of all Muslims. That sickness has now grown to include Hinduism too, and even other Christian denominations according to Nick. *The is the FREE archive, which includes advertisements. If you want an ad-free experience, you can subscribe below underneath the show description.https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tst-radio--5328407https://thesecretteachings.info/donate-subscribe/https://x.com/TST___Radio https://www.facebook.com/thesecretteachingshttp://tstradio.info/https://buymeacoffee.com/ryangableBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-secret-teachings--5328407/support.
It goes without saying that War is Peace, especially when the President of Peace continually threatens war or supports the same indirectly: from Gaza to Venezuela and now Nigeria. The President posted this threat to Nigeria over the Halloween weekend: “If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,' to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities. I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians!” In response, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth responded: “Yes sir… The killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria — and anywhere — must end immediately. The Department of War is preparing for action. Either the Nigerian Government protects Christians, or we will kill the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.”https://edition.cnn.com/2025/11/01/politics/trump-pentagon-nigeria-action According to a 2024 report from “The Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa,” there have been 11,000 incidents of extreme violence from October 2019 through September of 2023. The violence left 55,910 people dead in 9,970 deadly attacks — as well as 21,621 people abducted in 2,705 attacks. The total number includes civilian deaths, terror group deaths, and Nigerian Armed Forces deaths. Of the total deaths, 30,880 were civilians. Of the civilians, at least 16,769 Christians were killed, 6,235 Muslims were killed and 154 adherents of traditional African religions were killed. The religions of 7,722 victims are unknown. The report says further: “The ratio of Christians to Muslims killed rises significantly when the religious composition of the states is taken into consideration. Looking at the overall numbers, the ratio of Christians to Muslims killed was 2.7:1; the ratio of Christians to Muslims abducted was 1.4:1. However, when taking into account the relative sizes of the Christian and Muslim populations within the different states, the ratio of Christians to Muslims killed increases to 6.5:1, and the ratio of Christians to Muslims abducted to 5.1:1.” “Fulani Ethnic Militia are targeting Christian populations, while Muslims also suffer severely at their hands,” the Rev. Gideon Para-Mallam, another analyst for The Observatory of Religious Freedom in Africa, said in a statement. https://ewtn.co.uk/article-56000-killed-in-nigerias-ethnic-and-religious-violence-christians-disproportionately-affected/ https://orfa.africa/wp/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/26082024-ORFA-4-YEARS-REPORT.pdf Sure, Christians are being targeted, but so are Muslims. But in both cases, religion is not the driving factor behind the attacks and killings in Nigeria. Just as many Christians are killed in Nigeria over farmland, Israeli settler have been slaughtering Palestinian farmers, with no mention of their religion made in the news, for over half a century. A recent AP article confirmed with video evidence that Israeli terrorists beat farmers during the recent olive harvest in the West Bank. https://apnews.com/article/israel-settlers-west-bank-attack-annexation-1e9cbd6af6ea502fbfca5d9ffe949b0bFather Bashar Fawadleh, parish priest of the Church of Christ the Redeemer in Taybeh, told ACI MENA: “The town, which the Gospel of John (11:54) refers to as ‘Ephraim' — the place Jesus withdrew to before his passion — is no longer safe for its people today… We do not live in peace but in daily fear and siege.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/amp/news/265035/priest-warns-christian-town-of-taybe-in-holy-land-no-longer-safe-amid-settler-attacksIn July 2025 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country "deeply regrets that a stray ammunition" hit Gaza's only Catholic Church. A few weeks before Israeli forces assaulted Christians in Jerusalem on holy Saturday at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy8ge7vllw9o.amp https://www.newarab.com/news/israeli-forces-assault-christians-jerusalem-holy-saturdayIn 2024, Israel bombed a Catholic Church in Lebanon, Saint George's, destroying the offices of the parish and the residence of the local priest. They even slaughtered the rescue team.https://zenit.org/2024/10/11/israel-bombs-catholic-church-in-lebanon-and-attacks-un-blue-helmets/#google_vignetteIsrael has repeatedly bombarded Christian towns in Lebanon, specifically targeting Christian homes. In 2024 they blew up the historic Shrine of Shimon, or the Shrine of Saint Peter. https://www.newarab.com/news/israeli-forces-blow-shrine-shimon-south-lebanonIsrael has likewise been working to create sectarian divisions while carrying out sabotage operations or assassinations aimed at triggering internal conflicts in Lebanon. https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/gallery/2024/10/15/israel-kills-at-least-21-in-strike-on-christian-town-in-north-lebanonAfter regime change in Syria, a country that allowed religions to coexist relatively peacefully, the new Israel and US backed Islamic radical government began targeting Christians. In June 2025 60 people were injured in the attack at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Prophet Elias, in an eastern Damascus suburb. The violence has gotten so bad that Christians believe they will be the target of genocide in Syria now. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c79q8p8qx1do.ampThe only thing worse than double standards and hypocrisy is a willingness to use oppressed minorities as political fodder. Democrats do this with blacks and gays, Conservatives do this with Jews and Christians. The only thing sicker than that is motivation for a holy war. To ignore the Israeli targeting of Christians, which has only intensified, and instead to focus on what is happening in Nigeria is disingenuous and repulsive.https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20250819-the-zionist-project-a-danger-for-lebanon-and-its-christians/?ampPete Hegseth, tattooed with the Jerusalem cross, has all but made it official policy at the pentagon that his Christian warrior ethos will go to war with Islam wherever it can. It appears one of the first battles of this new holy war is set for Nigeria. Meanwhile, Nick Fuentes has called for a universal Catholic theocracy, not too dissimilar from Curtis Yarvin's, the guy who gives JD Vance his political philosophies, techno-monarchy. https://divinity.uchicago.edu/sightings/articles/when-christ-and-trump-are-kingshttps://www.aiu.edu/blog/the-new-monarchy-the-neo-totalitarian-proposals-of-curtis-yarvin/It's understandable why some cling to extremist religious views when they have otherwise been assaulted with atheistic anti-humanism. The self-correction is also a manual over-compensation. Christians have gone from criticizing the Obama administration's targeting of their identity, claiming First Amendment rights, to calling for the banning of Islam and deportation of all Muslims. That sickness has now grown to include Hinduism too, and even other Christian denominations according to Nick. *The is the FREE archive, which includes advertisements. If you want an ad-free experience, you can subscribe below underneath the show description.https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tst-radio--5328407https://thesecretteachings.info/donate-subscribe/https://x.com/TST___Radio https://www.facebook.com/thesecretteachingshttp://tstradio.info/https://buymeacoffee.com/ryangableBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-secret-teachings--5328407/support.
A key figure who accelerated the historical crisis for both the Tanners (who left the group in 1962) and Pauline's church was Wes Walters, a Presbyterian minister from Marissa, Illinois. Walters was asked to write an article on Mormons for Christianity Today. His detailed research focused on testing Joseph Smith's claims against tangible historical records, particularly those surrounding the First Vision. Walters reasoned that while you couldn't prove whether Smith spoke to God, you could prove whether he was standing in a given place on a given day. https://youtu.be/gPDG7CA9n-0 Don't miss our other conversations with Sandra: https://gospeltangents.com/people/sandra-tanner Copyright © 2025 Gospel Tangents All Rights Reserved Walters used his expertise in church history (specifically Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyterian records in the New York area) to investigate Joseph Smith's claim that the First Vision was prompted by an intense local revival where ministers were fighting over converts. Walters' findings: the great revival and the subsequent fighting over converts among the denominations did not happen in 1820. Instead, significant church growth (hundreds of converts) occurred between 1823, 1824, and 1825. This discovery forced a complete recalibration of the chronology, as it meant the First Vision and the subsequent Moroni visits leading up to the plates could not logically fit the existing timeline. Walters' small pamphlet, New Light on Mormon Origins, caused such a disruption that it "threw the Mormon Church into a tizzy," forcing LDS historians to travel back East to conduct their own major studies. Walters is credited by Sandra Tanner as being a key factor in pushing the LDS Church into serious historical scholarship. Magic Connection: A Bridge Too Far While Walters' dating research was shocking, his discovery of the 1826 trial documents cemented the crisis. Pauline's group, following David Whitmer, already accepted the story that Joseph Smith used a "rock" in his "hat" to translate the Book of Mormon, aligning with the "seer stone" narrative. However, the 1826 trial confirmed Joseph Smith's involvement in money digging, associating the seer stone with divination and magic practices—the occult that the Christians in Pauline's group firmly rejected. The group found this connection irreconcilable: They questioned why God would use an instrument associated with magic. They noted that Joseph Smith seemed to bypass the instruments God allegedly supplied (the plates) and continued using the same rock used in divination. The transition from seeking treasure (magic) to seeking revelation (religion) looked too "fishy," suggesting it was merely a "switching of what you're using this stone for". The fact that the same individuals involved in drawing magic circles and searching for treasure were the same first converts to Mormonism was deeply troubling. Pauline Hancock's Church Voted to Disband The Church of Christ (Bible Book of Mormon), founded and led by Pauline Hancock, emerged as a unique splinter group focused on returning to what they believed was "1830 Mormonism"—a faith centered purely on the Bible and the Book of Mormon, devoid of later revelations (like the Doctrine and Covenants past 1830) and "Aaronic, Melchizedek Priesthood ideas". However, this small community, known for meeting in the “Basement church” in Independence, ultimately discovered that even their foundational scripture, the Book of Mormon, could not withstand intense historical scrutiny, leading to its dissolution years after Pauline Hancock's death in 1962. The Vote & Dissolution Faced with this overwhelming historical evidence, the Church of Christ had to make a choice regarding their "litmus test"—the Book of Mormon. In 1972, approximately a decade after Pauline's death (she died in the summer of 1962), the church took a formal vote on whether to retain the Book of Mormon as scriptur...