Podcast appearances and mentions of henrietta mears

In this historic 200th episode of Kidmin Talk, Pastor Karl celebrates the legacy of Henrietta Mears, the trailblazer who transformed children's ministry and Sunday School education. But that's not all! Long-time listeners are in for a treat with a surprise guest appearance from the podcast's early co-host, You-Know-Who!Dive into Henrietta's inspiring story, from her early life of faith and perseverance to her groundbreaking work in Christian education. Pastor Karl unpacks key lessons from her ministry, including valuing every child, pursuing excellence, and trusting in God's strength. Discover how her visionary leadership and passion for equipping volunteers can still transform ministries today.Join us for this special episode filled with wisdom, inspiration, and a touch of nostalgia as we celebrate 200 episodes of equipping and encouraging Kidmin leaders!Thank you for being part of the journey!Share with Kidology.org/kidmintalk200Kidmin Talk is the Podcast of Pastor Karl Bastian, founder of Kidology.org and host of KidminTalk.com. He is a children's pastor, speaker and entertainer. His life mission is to Equip and Encourage those who minister to children.Listen to past editions of this podcast at KidminTalk.comPLEASE SUBSCRIBE and HIT THAT ALERT BUTTON TOO!Follow Karl:Blog: Kidologist.comTwitter: @KidologistInstagram: @KarlBastian or @Kidologyorg

Anne Huffman joined us in studio and delighted us with first hand stories of her time with "Teacher", as Henrietta Mears preferred to be called. Anne attended First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood during her college years and was asked by Teacher to serve as a leader in the college group. The role included greeting visitors at a welcome table where she got their contact info for follow up as well as participating in leaderships meetings. For three years Anne went to Henrietta's home at 7am every Saturday morning where the young leaders gathered to pray on their knees for the growing ministry. Anne shares details of the famous tea parties hosted by Teacher and the way she remained active and involved during the final years of her life.Anne went on to graduate from Fuller Seminary and do missions work in Cambodia and spent time living in Europe. Her husband, John, was the pastor of St. Andrews Presbyterian church for over thirty years where Anne served alongside him. She led Grief Groups and continues to be part of the leadership for the Women's Ministries at the church. Anne shared with us that she had just returned from a weekend Women's Retreat at Forest Home, the Christian Conference Center founded by Henrietta Mears in the 1930's.Documentary:www.mearsmovie.comArticle:Ambitious for God www.christianitytoday.com/history/issues/issue-92/ambitious-for-god.htmlBooks:Mother of American Evangelicalism: The Life and Legacy of Henrietta Mears by Arlin C. MigliazzoWhat the Bible is All About: Bible Handbook

Tim grew up in Hollywood and was part of the early beginnings of contemporary Christian music through a coffee house called “The Salt Company”, that started at the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood. He met Henrietta Mears during her final years and was deeply impacted by the visionary ministries.After graduating from Fuller Theological Seminary and becoming ordained, Tim went on to spend the next 40 years with his wife, Ruth, serving in churches from Seattle to southern California. He now ministers part-time with Shepherds Grove Presbyterian Church in Irvine, with a focus on serving pastors and churches in Syria and Lebanon.Tim is also the Associate Producer, working with Rob Loos, on a documentary film titled: “Mears: How One Woman Changed American Christianity”. For over two years he has gathered people who were connected to and/or impacted by the ministry of Henrietta Mears. Through many hours of interviews and conversations with past and current members of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, Tim has seen a remarkable, true narrative come together for the documentary. As someone who was personally influenced deeply by the ministry of Henrietta Mears, this film has been a labor of love for Tim and the team.Documentary:www.mearsmovie.comArticle:Ambitious for God www.christianitytoday.com/history/issues/issue-92/ambitious-for-god.htmlBooks:Mother of American Evangelicalism: The Life and Legacy of Henrietta Mears by Arlin C. MigliazzoWhat the Bible is All About: Bible Handbook

Billy Graham referred to Henrietta as “One of the greatest Christians I've ever known... after my wife and mother the most influential woman in my life.”Henrietta's compelling and Bible-centered teaching at the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood is sited as the reason why their Sunday School grew from 450 to more than 6,500. Miss Mears founded both Forest Home Christian Conference Center and Gospel Light Publications in the 1930's. Both ministries have had far-reaching impact locally and internationally for nearly a century.Henrietta's influence changed the way many of us understand our faith and share it within our world today. It's estimated that over 450 men and women were launched into various ministries around the world as a result of Henrietta's teaching. One of the many couples impacted by her were Bill and Vonette Bright who founded Campus Crusade for Christ, which is now known as CRU. The international best-selling book, “What the Bible is All About” is a compilation of Henrietta's teachings. It has sold millions of copies and continues to be a valued resource today.Our in-studio guest, Tim McCalmont, shares personal stories of his connection to “Teacher,” as Henrietta was called. Their stories and those of many others have been compiled in a new documentary film titled, “Mears: How One Woman Changed American Christianity.” www.mearsmovie.comDocumentary:www.mearsmovie.comArticle:Ambitious for God www.christianitytoday.com/history/issues/issue-92/ambitious-for-god.htmlBooks:Mother of American Evangelicalism: The Life and Legacy of Henrietta Mears by Arlin C. MigliazzoWhat the Bible is All About: Bible Handbook

Billy Graham referred to Henrietta as “One of the greatest Christians I've ever known... after my wife and mother the most influential woman in my life.”Henrietta's compelling and Bible-centered teaching at the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood is sited as the reason why their Sunday School grew from 450 to more than 6,500. Miss Mears founded both Forest Home Christian Conference Center and Gospel Light Publications in the 1930's. Both ministries have had far-reaching impact locally and internationally for nearly a century.Henrietta's influence changed the way many of us understand our faith and share it within our world today. It's estimated that over 450 men and women were launched into various ministries around the world as a result of Henrietta's teaching. One of the many couples impacted by her were Bill and Vonette Bright who founded Campus Crusade for Christ, which is now known as CRU. The international best-selling book, “What the Bible is All About” is a compilation of Henrietta's teachings. It has sold millions of copies and continues to be a valued resource today.Our in-studio guest, Tim McCalmont, shares personal stories of his connection to “Teacher,” as Henrietta was called. Their stories and those of many others have been compiled in a new documentary film titled, “Mears: How One Woman Changed American Christianity.” www.mearsmovie.com

Instead of going to Summer Camp this week, Pastor Becky Tirabassi shares the famous 10 Commandments of Henrietta Mears, founder of Forest Home Camp, and an original member member of the 1947 Fellowship of the Burning Hearts   Not only will you be inspired by Henrietta Mears's convictions from her book, Dream Big, but you will surely be encouraged to share your faith more, give away more Bibles, and pray more for those you influence!   For daily encouragement to read through the Bible in a year, follow Becky daily @BeckyTirabassi on Instagram or Facebook. To email Becky: Media@beckytirabassi.com

คอลัมน์ “สดแต่เช้า”ปีที่4 (97) ชีวิตเราขาดพระคัมภีร์ไม่ได้! “พระองค์ตรัสตอบว่า “มีพระคัมภีร์เขียนไว้ว่า ‘มนุษย์จะดำรงชีวิตด้วยอาหารเพียงอย่างเดียวไม่ได้ แต่ต้องดำรงชีวิตด้วยพระวจนะทุกคำ ซึ่งออกมาจากพระโอษฐ์ของพระเจ้า' ”” ‭‭ ~มัทธิว‬ ‭4‬:‭4‬ ‭THSV11‬‬ “Jesus answered, “The Scriptures say: ‘No one can live only on food. People need every word that God has spoken.' ”” ‭‭ ~Matthew‬ ‭4‬:‭4‬ ‭CEV‬‬ พระเจ้าบอกไว้ชัดเจนว่า เราจะมีชีวิตอยู่ด้วยกันกินอาหารฝ่ายร่างกายอย่างเดียวคงไม่ได้ แต่เราต้องกินอาหารฝ่ายจิตวิญญาณด้วย และอาหารจิตวิญญาณที่ว่านั้นก็คือ พระวจนะของพระเจ้าหรือที่เราเรียกกันว่า“พระคัมภีร์” นั่นเอง! ดังนั้นเราต้องอ่านพระคัมภีร์ซึ่งเปรียบเหมือนกับการกินอาหาร แต่เราอ่านพระคัมภีร์เพื่ออะไร? James Merritt กล่าวว่า “ วัตถุประสงค์เบื้องต้นของการอ่านพระคัมภีร์ไม่ใช่ เพื่อที่เราจะรู้พระคัมภีร์ แต่เพื่อที่เราจะรู้จักกับพระเจ้า!” (The primary purpose of reading the Bible is not to know the Bible but to know God. ) ใช่ครับเราไม่ได้อ่านพระคัมภีร์เพื่อรู้เรื่องของพระคัมภีร์ แต่เราอ่านพระคัมภีร์เพื่อรู้จักกับพระเจ้าผู้ที่ดลใจให้เขียนพระคัมภีร์นั่นเอง! พระคัมภีร์จึงเป็นของขวัญอันล้ำค่าจากพระเจ้าที่ให้มาเพื่อมนุษย์จะรู้จักกับพระองค์ Abraham Lincoln กล่าวว่า “ผมเชื่อว่าพระคัมภีร์เป็นของเป็นของขวัญที่ดีที่สุดที่พระเจ้าได้เคยให้แก่มวลมนุษยชาติ สรรพสิ่งที่ดีงามจากองค์พระผู้ช่วยรอดของโลกได้ถูกสื่อสารมาถึงเราผ่านทางหนังสือเล่มนี้!“ (I believe the Bible is the best gift God has ever given to men. All the good from the savior of the world is communicated to us through this book.) จึง กล่าวได้ว่า ถ้าไม่มีพระคัมภีร์ เราก็ไม่มีทางรู้จักกับพระเจ้าได้ เพราะพระเจ้าทรงเปิดเผยพระองค์ พระดำริ พระทัย และพระประสงค์ของพระองค์ ผ่านทางพระคัมภีร์ตลอดมา พระเจ้าใช้พระคัมภีร์สอนในวิถีที่เราควรจะเดิน เหมือนที่ Billy Sunday กล่าวว่า “ในการสอนข้าพเจ้าถึงวิถีในการดำเนินชีวิต พระคัมภีร์ได้สอนข้าพเจ้าถึงวิถีที่จะมีชีวิต และ พระคัมภีร์ยังสอนข้าพเจ้าถึงวิธีที่จะตายด้วย!” (In teaching me the way of life, The Bible has taught me the way to live; It taught me how to die.) พระคัมภีร์มีความสำคัญต่อเรามาก ทั้งในการสอน และในการเปลี่ยนแปลง ชีวิตจิตใจและจิตวิญญาณของเรา จนกระทั่ง เราไม่อาจจะดำเนินชีวิตอย่างถูกต้องได้ โดยปราศจากพระคัมภีร์ เหมือนที่ Nate Pickowicz กล่าวว่า “ พระคัมภีร์ทรงพลานุภาพและสามารถเปลี่ยนแปลงชีวิตของเราจากภายในสู่ภายนอก พระเจ้าไม่ได้มอบช่องทางอื่นที่จะทำสำเร็จตามภารกิจนี้ พระวิญญาณ ของพระเจ้าผู้ซึ่งกำลังทำกิจอยู่ภายในหัวใจของคริสเตียน ได้ใช้พระวจนะของพระเจ้าในการเปลี่ยนแปลงพวกเขาให้เป็นคนที่มีลักษณะนิสัยเหมือนอย่างพระเยซูคริสต์!“ (The Bible is powerful and able to change your life from the inside out. No other means is given by God to accomplish such a task. The Spirit of God, who is at work in the hearts of Christians, uses the Word of God to transform them into Christlike people.) Alan Redpath ก็ยืนยันความจริงนี้ ด้วยการกล่าวว่า ”ไม่มีผู้ใดสามารถใช้พระคัมภีร์ของเขาด้วยพลานุภาพ นอกจากว่าเขามีพระลักษณะของพระเยซูคริสต์อยู่ในหัวใจของเขา“ (No man can use his Bible with power unless he has the character of Jesus in his heart.) ดังนั้น ขอให้เราทำอย่างที่ Henrietta Mears แนะนำว่า “จงให้พระคัมภีร์ เติมความทรงจำ ปกครองนำหัวใจ และนำย่างเท้าของเราไป!“ (Let the Bible fill the memory, rule the heart and guide the feet.) ขอให้ทุกการตัดสินใจของเรา จะอยู่ภายใต้การนำทางของพระวจนะพระเจ้า ขอยอมให้ คัมภีร์ได้ทำสิ่งต่อไปนี้ในชีวิตของเรา เหมือนดั่งที่ E Stanley Jones กล่าวไว้ว่า “ พระคัมภีร์นำความตั้งใจของข้าพเจ้าไปทิศทางที่ควรจะไป พระคัมภีร์ชำระอารมณ์ความรู้สึกของข้าพเจ้า พระคัมภีร์ให้ความสว่างกระจ่างแจ้งแก่ความคิดของข้าพเจ้า พระคัมภีร์ทำให้หมดตัวของข้าพเจ้ามีชีวิตชีวาขึ้นมา!“ (The Bible redirects my will, cleanses my emotions, enlightens my mind, and quickens my total being.) และสุดท้าย พระคัมภีร์มีความสำคัญมาก เหมือนดังที่ D.L. Moodyกล่าวว่า “ พระคัมภีร์ จะทำให้คุณห่างไกลจากบาป หรือไม่ก็บาปจะทำให้คุณห่างไกลจากพระคัมภีร์!” (The Bible will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from the Bible.) พี่น้องที่รัก คุณจะให้ชีวิตของคุณออกมาเป็นอย่างไร คุณคงต้องเลือกเอาเองแล้ว …เห็นด้วยไหมครับ? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ธงชัย ประดับชนานุรัตน์ 6กรกฎาคม 2024 #YoutubeCJCONNECT #thongchaibsc #คริสตจักรแห่งความรัก #churchoflove #ShareTheLoveForward #ChurchOfJoy #คริสตจักรแห่งความสุข #NimitmaiChristianChurch #คริสตจักรนิมิตใหม่ #ฮักกัยประเทศไทย #อัลฟ่า #หนึ่งล้านความดี

In this episode Carole Joy Seid is joined by Greta Eskridge, a homeschooling mom of four and author of two books, "Adventuring Together" and "100 Days of Adventure." Greta shares her personal experiences of how spending time in nature has transformed her relationship with her children, her faith, and her family as a whole. They discuss the impact of Christian camping, personal experiences at Forest Home, and the need for genuine connections in a digitally connected world. RESOURCESAdventuring Together and 100 Days of Adventure by Greta EskridgeThe Greta Eskridge PodcastForest Home Christian CampLearn more about Henrietta Mears in Episode 159Get our FREE ebook: 5 Essential Parts of a Great Education.Attend one of our upcoming seminars in 2024!Click HERE for more information about consulting with Carole Joy Seid!CONNECTGreta Eskridge | Website | Instagram | PodcastCarole Joy Seid of Homeschool Made Simple | Website | 2024 Seminars | Instagram | Facebook | PinterestGain fresh vision for homeschooling!Join us for a seminar this year in the Minneapolis, Nashville or Dallas areas. Or join us on our live webinar, June 1, 2024.Sign up HERE on our websiteHelp us share the message of homeschool made simple with others by leaving a rating and review. Thank you for helping us get the word out!Follow along on Instagram here!

In 1947, when the world was recovering from World War II, Henrietta Mears preached a sermon that set a young generation on fire.  Becky Tirabassi, author of The Burning Heart Contract, invites you into a 21 Day in prayer, purity and purpose to set your heart on fire for your generation. Join her in the free 21 Day Adventure and take your friends and family members with you at: https://burningheartsinc.com   For sermons or books by Pastor Becky Tirabassi, visit https://linktr.ee/beckytirabassi.  For daily encouragement to read through the Bible in a year, follow her daily @BeckyTirabassi on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or Twitter, or to contact Becky and receive a copy of her ebook, How to start an Extraordinary Prayer Meeting, write to her at Media@BeckyTirabassi.com

Ken welcomes author, professor, and scholar of religion Isaac Sharp, Ph.D. to talk about his new book,  The Other Evangelicals: Liberal, Black, Progressive, Feminist, and Gay Christians - and the Movement that Pushed them Out. Recently, a raft of scholarship has emerged around the question - who are "The Evangelicals" and how did they manage to wield such social and political power? Dr. Sharp charts out a unique approach - he dials back the clock some fifty years and identifies prominent individuals in each of the five categories who were theologically, biblically, and self-proclaimed "Evangelicals." But their interpretation of Scripture, and their political and social concerns became unacceptable to the self-appointed guardians of what Sharp calls the "capital E" Evangelicals.  In other words, one can better understand the movement by identifying the individuals who were rejected, ejected, or banished by the dominant tribal leaders. In this Part I of a two-part series, Isaac shares how his doctoral dissertation gave birth to this published work. Sharp reveals that many if not most of the individuals in his profiles were heretofore unknown to him - for good reason. Not only are they forgotten in Evangelical history, their work has been "erased." Not for Ken. This book tracks the personal story of the Beached White Male. Many of the men and women who appear in Isaac's book were Ken's professors, authors of books he read, and keynote speakers in conferences and other venues. In this episode, they focus on the early roots of evangelicalism that include some surprising characters - "liberals" like Harry Emerson Fosdick, black (African American) evangelicals like Tom Skinner and Bill Pannell, "progressives" like Jim Wallis and Ron Sider,  and "feminists" like Henrietta Mears, Nancy Hardesty, and Virginia Mollenkott... and more.  SHOW NOTESBecome a Patron - www.patreon.com/beachedwhitemaleSupport the show

Have you ever heard of Henrietta Mears?  Probably not, but you may know the names of the men she influenced and inspired for Christian ministry. Men like Billy Graham, Bill Bright, and Senator Mark Hatfield.  Today we will discover how this single woman was also used by God to keep the evangelical church firmly planted on Biblical truth in a cultural climate much like our own!

This is the second episode in our Women of Valor series! These women have made a huge impact on Carole's life, and she wants to share them with you.Henrietta Mears was a Sunday school teacher and superintendent who influenced many young people who also became influential in their own right. Listen in to meet this amazing woman!Click HERE for the list of resources mentioned in this episode. Click HERE to learn more about upcoming seminars!Support the showHelp us share the message of homeschool made simple with others by leaving a rating and review. Thank you for helping us get the word out!Follow along on Instagram here!Visit our website to sign up to receive an exclusive discount for your first purchase in our online store!

In June of 1947, Henrietta Mears challenged an audience, saying, “God is looking for men and women of total commitment.” This week, Pastor Becky Tirabassi, returns to personally invite you to become one of her 100 Weekly Leaders in 2023. Since THE WEEKLY LEAD podcast began in January 2022, she has been inviting, training, and encouraging men and women to pray, read, and lead. On this week's episode, Becky shares what it will cost for you to become one of her 100 Weekly Leaders—and it isn't money. It will cost you time daily in the Word of God, time weekly hosting a prayer meeting, and personal training from Becky, learning how to lead weekly prayer meeting. Are you called? Apply here!

Dr. Arlin Migliazzo speaks about Henrietta Mears, who was arguably the single most influential woman in the shaping of modern evangelicalism. Key figures in the early modern evangelical movement like Bill Bright, Harold John Ockenga, and Jim Rayburn frequently cited her teachings as a formative part of their ministry. Graham himself stated that Mears was the most important female influence in his life other than his mother or wife. Dr. Migliazzo is the author of Henrietta Mears: Mother of Modern Evangelicalism (Eerdmans, 2020). He is Professor Emeritus of History at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington. His many publications include books, articles, and essays on ethnic studies, the Pacific Northwest, colonial South Carolina, church-related higher education, the history of evangelicalism, and comparative democratic development.

Dr. Arlin Migliazzo speaks about Henrietta Mears, who was arguably the single most influential woman in the shaping of modern evangelicalism. Key figures in the early modern evangelical movement like Bill Bright, Harold John Ockenga, and Jim Rayburn frequently cited her teachings as a formative part of their ministry. Graham himself stated that Mears was […]

Dan dives into a local story near and dear to his own heart and with a connection to PCOM

08/26/2022 - Arlin Migliazzo -Retired professor and author, on highly influential and colorful 20th century Bible teacher Henrietta Mears

03/02/2022 – Arlin Migliazzo –Retired professor and author, on highly influential and colorful 20th century Bible teacher Henrietta Mears

03/01/2022 – Arlin Migliazzo –Retired professor and author, on highly influential and colorful 20th century Bible teacher Henrietta Mears

Winning coaches always inspire! This week on The WEEKLY LEAD Podcast, Becky asks the question, “What might God do if…” ALL leaders would respond to the words of Super Bowl winning coaches like John Madden? She takes the LEAD template--to be Loyal to God's Word, Encouraging to each other, Advocates for the Young Generation, and Devoted to prayer--through Madden's 3-part challenge:  1. Be on time (for your appointment with God) 2. Pay attention (to what God is asking you to do--the small prompts), and 3. Play hard when you asked to play hard (and pray hard when asked to pray hard)! Becky believes the time is NOW to be a leader who is willing to read the Bible daily, change the atmosphere in room by the words you use (or don't use: such as "disappoint"), advocate for the young generation by being a "pen pal", and pray with incredible purpose and power! This week, The WEEKLY LEAD, gives you the Madden mantra, the story of Henrietta Mears (game-changing founder of the original Fellowship of the Burning Hearts), and a VERY practical idea for both encouraging and advocating for the young generation. It simply takes time and intention! Invite all your friends to subscribe to The WEEKLY LEAD and create a "LEAD HOUSE" of their own!

Being "all in" can be overwhelming when you start talking about the men and women of the Bible. Today we learn that the men and women who went all in for Jesus spent time with him. You just need to "start where you are, how you are in serving the Lord." - Henrietta Mears.

 Charles - Part 1Charles Templeton was born October 7th, 1915 in Toronto Canada. With four other siblings in the midst of the depression, the family learned to adapt on meager wages. Everyone in the family had to do their part. Young Charles, picked up drawing and was quite talented at it. So, after failing to pass the 9th and 10th grade, he pursued his knack of drawing sketches, hoping that someone might find value in his work and purchase them. Charles was pleasantly found right - the 17 year old artist was hired onto the Toronto Globe as a sports cartoonist.Overnight, the teenager was making good money and was thoroughly enjoying his job. Charles found himself in the very midst of the sports news world, and everything else associated with it. Notoriety, late night drinking, and fawning women were all bonuses. He would later write about this time in his life, “To a boy in his late teens, it was the best of all possible worlds.”But after four years, the underbelly of his envied job and lifestyle began to show. Returning home one morning at 3:00 a.m. from a party, the young man feeling quite depressed looked into a mirror. He didn't like the reflection. As he walked to his room his mother heard him in the hallway and called out to him. She talked to him about her own faith in Christ.Charles would later write about this event: “As I went down the hall, I was forming a prayer in my head, but as I knelt by my bed in the darkness, my mind was strangely vacant; thoughts and words wouldn't come to focus. After a moment, it was as though a black blanket had been draped over me. A sense of enormous guilt descended and invaded every part of me. I was unclean. Involuntarily, I began to pray, my face upturned, tears streaming. The only words I could find were, "Lord, come down. Come do[wn]. Come down. . . .”______________________________________________________________________________Billy - Part 1At this same time, in the United States near Charolette North Carolina, Billy Graham had just graduated from high school. As he struggled through school being the son of a Dairy Farmer, his graduation was a feat that many questioned. And while the young man had grown up in a godly and Christian environment he had just made a personal commitment to Jesus during a revival two years earlier, under the preaching of Baptist evangelist Mordecai Ham. Like his future friend and preaching partner, Charles Templeton, Billy was also convicted by his sin and his need for forgiveness. That night at the diner table, Billy stopped to inform his family that he had been saved that day.While he first enrolled at Bob Jones College in Cleveland Tennessee, since it was closet to home and less expensive than Wheaton, he quickly felt the school too legalistic and rigid. So, after only one semester, and racking up nearly enough demerits to be kicked out, he transferred to Florida Bible Institute. And it was there in 1937, that Billy would begin to preach.Having become mentored by the academic Dean of the school, John Minder, Billy joined him to attend a Baptist conference in Palatka Florida. When Minder was asked to speak that night to a small church of Baptist preachers, he politely declined saying that Billy would be pleased to preach in his place. So, with no real choice in the matter, the 19 year old awkwardly preached for the first time - it was a mixture of four different sermons he had memorized from Moody Press. He would later remember that the sermon was very “Raw”.  The next few years in Billy's life would be transformational. He was baptized on December 4, 1938 in Silver Lake, Florida, ordained to the ministry in a Southern Baptist church a year later, and graduated from Florida Bible Institute in 1940. And so began his humble and long journey into becoming one of the most influential evangelist in America. But there was another great evangelist being formed in Canada - and the two were soon to meet and unite their passion and calling to preach the truths of the Bible to a world on the brink of another World War.  ______________________________________________________________________________Charles - Part 2By this time, Charles had left the Toronto Globe to enter the ministry and to give himself fully to the preaching of the gospel. He had evangelized all over - Michigan, New York, Indiana, Illinois, and even further south, probably very close to where Billy was himself beginning his career as a preacher. Charles had met his wife in Grand Rapids Michigan and the couple was married 6 weeks later. But soon after in 1941, in the midst of starting a new church with his new wife, Charles read a number of books written by famous secular authors. And for the first time in his short life as a follower of Jesus, his faith in the veracity and miraculous claims of the Bible was challenged. But Charles soon stuffed these troubling questions behind the success of becoming one of North America's top evangelist and so, he continued to do what he knew best.And before long, notable people began to take notice of Charles' ministry. In the Spring of 1945 he was invited by a local pastor named Torrey Johnston to speak at Chicago Stadium to a crowd full of young people. It was a Youth for Christ rally and attendance was steadily growing into the thousands. Backstage, among the noise of a boisterous crowd, Torrey introduced the young Canadian evangelist to the slightly younger Billy Graham and the two preachers become instantaneous friends. On the platform, just before Billy was about to speak, he leaned over to his new friend Charles and said, "Pray for me. I'm scared to death."  Soon after, a Youth for Christ team was selected to take the message of the gospel to a war torn Europe. Torrey Johnston would serve as the president while Billy and Charles would alternate as preachers. The tour went well and over the months Charles' and Billy's friendship grew as did their success and influence. But the questions, that had bothered Charles years before could no longer be ignored. So, at thirty three years of age, and without formal education for the last 15 years, Charles was accepted into the theologically liberal Princeton University to formally seek answers to those doubts “that were [secretly]  eroding his faith.” Charles remembers these three years at Princeton as some of the best in his life. Among his enjoyable courses, Charles would often see Albert Einstein, who lived only three houses away from the Campus Seminary. But although he throughly liked his new environment, Charles couldn't escape the fact that he was experiencing a real crisis of faith about the Bible and the person of Jesus. And his fears of possibly believing and preaching something not empirically, historically or spiritually true, was being shared by his friend Billy as well.______________________________________________________________________________Billy - Part 2It was August of 1949, and Billy was 30 years old in Forest Falls, California in a Christian Camp speaking to a crowd inside Hormel Hall. No one knew it, but having been recently challenged by his friend and fellow evangelist, Billy was now internally questioning the veracity of the Bible and whether he believed it to really be God's spoken word to humanity. It was a shocking blow to Billy's confidence that his friend, fellow pastor and Bible teacher now believed the Scriptures to be flawed, outdated and full of superstitions. The two had discussed their disagreements and had been civil about their opposite conclusions, but if Billy was really honest, he still had lingering doubts.The weight and the enormity of it all bore down on Billy's soul. So in the dark woods of the night at Forest Home Billy placed his bible on a random tree stump and cried out: “O God! There are many things in this book I do not understand. There are many problems with it for which I have no solution. There are many seeming contradictions. There are some areas in it that do not seem to correlate with modern science. I can't answer some of the philosophical and psychological questions Chuck and others are raising.” Falling to his knees, Billy then resolutely confessed “Father, I am going to accept this as Thy Word—by faith! I'm going to allow faith to go beyond my intellectual questions and doubts, and I will believe this to be Your inspired Word!”Billy later recalled in this moment that the Holy Spirit was moving within him and he felt his presence and power in a new and fresh way - one that he hadn't experienced in months. For Billy “A major bridge had been crossed.” On the next day, 400 people made a commitment to Jesus and Henrietta Mears, the woman who invited Billy to speak at the camp noted that he “taught with [more] authority” than she had ever seen before.And while at first, Billy had reluctantly accepted Henrietta's invitation to speak at Forest Home, he now knew why God led him into the forest. Like Jesus being led into the Desert - a test was finished and a decision was made - a decision that would effect the  course of Billy's calling and in turn, the eternity of millions. While Billy was calling people to trust and follow Christ, Christ was calling Billy to trust and follow His word.Billy's heart and mind were now settled. And his friend Charles was settling his. While the two friends remained courteous, they grew apart from each other knowing their views of the Bible and the person of Jesus were diametrically opposed to each other.______________________________________________________________________________Charles - Part 3By the end of Charles' three years at Princeton in 1951, his doubts about the Bible had nearly solidified and his faith was no more. And yet, because of his success and influence, he was still offered positions on numerous platforms. Radio and Television ministries, as well as churches all sought him out. In 1953, Charles found himself living in Manhattan as the Director of Evangelism for the Presbyterian Church USA. But it wasn't long before the weight of leading others into a theological persuasion that he himself no longer thought true, came to a head.Charles would later write: “What right did I have to stand before … thousands of people [that] I had been preaching to nightly for years, using all my persuasive skills to win them to something I was no longer convinced of myself? It was a reprehensible thing to do and I must stop it.”And stop it he did. Charles left the ministry in 1957, publicly declaring that he was an agnostic. At this time, his mother who's faith was real and vibrant was dying from cancer - although Charles was with her when she past, she died assuming her boy was still a believing Christian and in the ministry. On top of this, Charles and his wife Connie were undergoing a divorce after 18 years of marriage. She too was still a Christian and was heavily involved in the church. Charles' conclusion about the Bible came with great cost:“It seemed that all of life was showing me its nether side. My faith was gone, my marriage was dead, my mother was dying. I was cutting myself off from the hundreds of friends I had made during nineteen years in the church. I was abandoning people who looked to me, including thirty-six men and women who were in the ministry or on mission fields because of my work. I felt like a betrayer….But there was no real choice. I could stay in the ministry, paper over my doubts and daily live a lie, or I could make the break.”______________________________________________________________________________ConclusionAs Charles made the physical break from the Church, he was merely following the decision that his heart and mind had made years before. Similarly, as Billy continued in evangelism, he too was naturally following the resolution that he had made in the dark forest years ago. And so, the two friends had chosen their two separate paths and were now far from each other. As the years past the two naturally grew apart. Charles became more involved in television and writing, and had even invented a child resistant medicine cap and a teddy bear that stayed warm throughout the night.Billy continued in evangelism, and as most people know, would become one of the most influential Christian leaders of the 20th Century. Although there are many reasons for Billy's success, none could have been as important than the decision he made at Forest Home. Billy knew this, as did those close to him. And In 1967, a massive rock in honor of how Billy overcame doubt that fateful night 18 years before, was dedicated at the Christian Conference Center, Forest Home. In addition to preaching, Billy would go on to publish many books on the Christian faith.And while not producing as much content as Billy, Charles authored some books as well. In 1996, just 5 years before his death, Charles chronicled his doubts about his faith in his most well known book entitled: Farewell To God - My reasons for rejecting the Christian Faith. “In straightforward language, Templeton deals with such subjects as the Creation fable, racial prejudice in the Bible, the identity of Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus' alienation from his family, the second-class status of women in the church, the mystery of evil, the illusion that prayer works, why there is suffering and death, and the loss of faith in God.”(4)Soon after the book was published, Charles was diagnosed with Alzheimers. But before his passing, Charles was interviewed by a curious journalist and once atheist named Lee Strobel. Upon Charles' resolve in denying Christianity's most foundational claims, he surprisingly confessed with tears in his eyes that he “missed Jesus”. Charles Templeton died soon after on June 7th, 2001 in Toronto Canada.Billy would live for 17 more years. With nine months short of living a century, Billy Graham died on February 21st, 2018. His last words were recorded: “By the time you read this, I will be in heaven, and as I write this I'm looking forward with great anticipation to the day when I will be in God's presence forever.” (3)Two similar men who for a season shared the one Christian faith.  But over time the two decisions they made about the Bible led to two very different faiths, and two different lives with extremely divergent endings. Now that we know what these men thought about the Bible, and the place it served or didn't serve in their lives, what do you believe? And perhaps a better question to ingest is how will that effect you when you step into eternity?_________________________________________________________________________________Video Clips:How to read the Bible? What to expect from reading? - Billy Graham, (Youtube)Charles Templeton interviewed by Pierre Berton at 72 (Beginning of clip - communication), (Youtube)Webster! Full Episode October 27, 1980 (36:00 -50:00), (Youtube)Christopher Hitchens talks about Billy Graham, (Youtube)Richard Dawkins exploding at bullshit in the Bible, (Youtube)Articles:Templeton, Charles,  An Anecdotal MemoirGraham, Billy, Just As I Am, Billy Graham, 1997https://www.fayobserver.com/news/20180221/billy-grahams-last-column-by-time-you-read-this-i-will-be-in-heavenhttps://www.thriftbooks.com/w/farewell-to-god-my-reasons-for-rejecting-the-christian-faith_charles-templeton/287805/item/1711095/?gclid=CjwKCAjw7--KBhAMEiwAxfpkWKxKCBq11cKOHfkUQDe3mo5ao_Xoc5rqmTuCPIceHA0hF5-M6j0OJhoC9sMQAvD_BwE#idiq=1711095&edition=4422278https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justin-taylor/charles-templeton-missing-jesus/______________________________________________________________________________ 

This Sunday we observe All Saints Day, with life lessons from a person who is likely the most influential Christian woman of the 20th century, yet whose name most in the church will not know. If your faith journey included youth ministry, a Christian camp, a college parachurch group, the Four Spiritual Laws, or Billy Graham – chances are you owe a debt of gratitude to Henrietta Mears.

Arlin Migliazzo, author of "Mother of Modern Evangelicalism: The Life and Legacy of Henrietta Mears" has a lot of fascinating stories to share about the woman who jump-started an entire spiritual movement.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Arlin Migliazzo's Mother of Modern Evangelicalism: The Life and Legacy of Henrietta Mears (Eerdmans, 2020) documents the life and ministry of one of the most influential teachers of twentieth-century American evangelicalism. As the leader of one of the largest Sunday school classes in America at First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, California, Mears energized an entire generation of evangelical Christians with her teaching, her publishing endeavors, and her mentorship of figures such as Billy Graham and Bill Bright. Migliazzo's biography illuminates this fascinating figure in American evangelical history and charts a trajectory of conservative American Christianity from repressed fundamentalism to a culturally aware and engaged modern evangelicalism. Lane Davis is a doctoral candidate in the Graduate Program in Religious Studies at Southern Methodist University where he studies American religious history. Find him on Twitter @TheeLaneDavis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arlin Migliazzo’s Mother of Modern Evangelicalism: The Life and Legacy of Henrietta Mears (Eerdmans, 2020) documents the life and ministry of one of the most influential teachers of twentieth-century American evangelicalism. As the leader of one of the largest Sunday school classes in America at First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, California, Mears energized an entire generation of evangelical Christians with her teaching, her publishing endeavors, and her mentorship of figures such as Billy Graham and Bill Bright. Migliazzo’s biography illuminates this fascinating figure in American evangelical history and charts a trajectory of conservative American Christianity from repressed fundamentalism to a culturally aware and engaged modern evangelicalism. Lane Davis is a doctoral candidate in the Graduate Program in Religious Studies at Southern Methodist University where he studies American religious history. Find him on Twitter @TheeLaneDavis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arlin Migliazzo’s Mother of Modern Evangelicalism: The Life and Legacy of Henrietta Mears (Eerdmans, 2020) documents the life and ministry of one of the most influential teachers of twentieth-century American evangelicalism. As the leader of one of the largest Sunday school classes in America at First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, California, Mears energized an entire generation of evangelical Christians with her teaching, her publishing endeavors, and her mentorship of figures such as Billy Graham and Bill Bright. Migliazzo’s biography illuminates this fascinating figure in American evangelical history and charts a trajectory of conservative American Christianity from repressed fundamentalism to a culturally aware and engaged modern evangelicalism. Lane Davis is a doctoral candidate in the Graduate Program in Religious Studies at Southern Methodist University where he studies American religious history. Find him on Twitter @TheeLaneDavis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm

Arlin Migliazzo’s Mother of Modern Evangelicalism: The Life and Legacy of Henrietta Mears (Eerdmans, 2020) documents the life and ministry of one of the most influential teachers of twentieth-century American evangelicalism. As the leader of one of the largest Sunday school classes in America at First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, California, Mears energized an entire generation of evangelical Christians with her teaching, her publishing endeavors, and her mentorship of figures such as Billy Graham and Bill Bright. Migliazzo’s biography illuminates this fascinating figure in American evangelical history and charts a trajectory of conservative American Christianity from repressed fundamentalism to a culturally aware and engaged modern evangelicalism. Lane Davis is a doctoral candidate in the Graduate Program in Religious Studies at Southern Methodist University where he studies American religious history. Find him on Twitter @TheeLaneDavis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arlin Migliazzo’s Mother of Modern Evangelicalism: The Life and Legacy of Henrietta Mears (Eerdmans, 2020) documents the life and ministry of one of the most influential teachers of twentieth-century American evangelicalism. As the leader of one of the largest Sunday school classes in America at First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, California, Mears energized an entire generation of evangelical Christians with her teaching, her publishing endeavors, and her mentorship of figures such as Billy Graham and Bill Bright. Migliazzo’s biography illuminates this fascinating figure in American evangelical history and charts a trajectory of conservative American Christianity from repressed fundamentalism to a culturally aware and engaged modern evangelicalism. Lane Davis is a doctoral candidate in the Graduate Program in Religious Studies at Southern Methodist University where he studies American religious history. Find him on Twitter @TheeLaneDavis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arlin Migliazzo’s Mother of Modern Evangelicalism: The Life and Legacy of Henrietta Mears (Eerdmans, 2020) documents the life and ministry of one of the most influential teachers of twentieth-century American evangelicalism. As the leader of one of the largest Sunday school classes in America at First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, California, Mears energized an entire generation of evangelical Christians with her teaching, her publishing endeavors, and her mentorship of figures such as Billy Graham and Bill Bright. Migliazzo’s biography illuminates this fascinating figure in American evangelical history and charts a trajectory of conservative American Christianity from repressed fundamentalism to a culturally aware and engaged modern evangelicalism. Lane Davis is a doctoral candidate in the Graduate Program in Religious Studies at Southern Methodist University where he studies American religious history. Find him on Twitter @TheeLaneDavis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arlin Migliazzo’s Mother of Modern Evangelicalism: The Life and Legacy of Henrietta Mears (Eerdmans, 2020) documents the life and ministry of one of the most influential teachers of twentieth-century American evangelicalism. As the leader of one of the largest Sunday school classes in America at First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, California, Mears energized an entire generation of evangelical Christians with her teaching, her publishing endeavors, and her mentorship of figures such as Billy Graham and Bill Bright. Migliazzo’s biography illuminates this fascinating figure in American evangelical history and charts a trajectory of conservative American Christianity from repressed fundamentalism to a culturally aware and engaged modern evangelicalism. Lane Davis is a doctoral candidate in the Graduate Program in Religious Studies at Southern Methodist University where he studies American religious history. Find him on Twitter @TheeLaneDavis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arlin Migliazzo’s Mother of Modern Evangelicalism: The Life and Legacy of Henrietta Mears (Eerdmans, 2020) documents the life and ministry of one of the most influential teachers of twentieth-century American evangelicalism. As the leader of one of the largest Sunday school classes in America at First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, California, Mears energized an entire generation of evangelical Christians with her teaching, her publishing endeavors, and her mentorship of figures such as Billy Graham and Bill Bright. Migliazzo’s biography illuminates this fascinating figure in American evangelical history and charts a trajectory of conservative American Christianity from repressed fundamentalism to a culturally aware and engaged modern evangelicalism. Lane Davis is a doctoral candidate in the Graduate Program in Religious Studies at Southern Methodist University where he studies American religious history. Find him on Twitter @TheeLaneDavis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm

Henrietta Mears, an outstanding Christian leader whose life inspired thousands of men and women, used to say that a college student who gave up his faith had not lost his or her faith.  She contended that the person never had any faith to begin with.  Life has a way of challenging the foundation of your faith, whether it is by circumstance or factors over which you have no control, and you cry, "Lord, I just can't handle this!"  When your heart cries out in pain, there are some things you must do to undergo spiritual rehabilitation.

Do you ever struggle with your ability to follow Jesus? My guest today is Judy Douglass. She helps lead the global college ministry Cru along with her husband Steve. They were close friends with the founders Bill and Vonnette Bright, and she shares stories about her friendship with them, Henrietta Mears and gives some very potent spiritual insight on how we can plug into God's power to help us follow Him better. She also talks about what to do if you have a child who has strayed from their faith in God. Life changing conversation you will not soon forget. Pick up Judy's book "When You Love a Prodigal" here: amazon.com/Judy-Douglass/e/B001KMIPXG/. Pick up Matt's book "Truth Plus Love: The Jesus Way to Influence" here: amazon.com/Truth-Plus-Love-Jesus-Influence/dp/0310355249/ For more from Matt Brown, and to receive our free gift “5 Spiritual Keys to Find Fulfillment in God” which will help you get started into the life of fulfillment God has for you, go to: Thinke.org

Let me introduce you to a woman who has had a profound impact on me! You may never have heard of her, but by the end of this episode I hope you will be chomping at the bit to learn more about her. Henrietta Mears became the Director of Christian Education and Teacher of the College Department at The First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood in her late thirties in the early 1900s. She was passionate about the inerrancy of the Word of God and the continuity of curriculum in teaching the Bible, especially in Sunday School. She started Gospel Light which continues to write and distribute curriculum. She influenced many young people who became influential in their own right as well. Listen in to meet this amazing woman!Click HERE to register for one of my upcoming webinars!Click HERE for show notes.If you enjoy this podcast, leave a rating and review to help us share the message of homeschool made simple with others!

EXODUS 1:Yesterday we wrapped up Genesis with Jacob's very prophetic blessings for each of his sons. Then we heard of the conclusion after Jacob was buried, including the account of Joseph’s death and his instruction about what to do with his bones. Exodus is clearly a continuation of the story of Genesis since the first word in the Hebrew text is ‘And’. Tradition holds that Moses is the author. The name Exodus derives from the name that was given by the Septuagint translators— which is the translation of the OT into classical Greek made during the period from three hundred to one hundred and thirty-two years before Christ. Here are two perceptive summary statements about Exodus— quotes by Durham (from Constable’s Notes): “No other biblical book surfaces elsewhere in the OT as frequently as the Book of Exodus does; in the NT only the Books of Psalms and Isaiah are cited more, and that for the fairly obvious reasons of liturgy and messianism.” “The story of the first half of Exodus, in broad summary, is Rescue. The story of the second half, in equally broad summary, is Response, both immediate response and continuing response. And binding together and undergirding both Rescue and Response is Presence— the Presence of Yahweh from whom both Rescue and Response ultimately derive.” Here is a quote by J. Daniel Hays: “The deliverance of Israel out of Egypt by Yahweh in the Old Testament is parallel in importance to the resurrection of Christ in the New Testament. The historicity of these events is a critical foundation for a proper understanding of the rest of the Bible.” And finally, Henrietta Mears in her handbook says this: “Exodus is connected to Genesis in much the same way that the New Testament is connected to the Old Testament. Genesis tells of humanity’s failure under every test and in every condition. Exodus is the thrilling epic of God rushing to the rescue. It tells of the redeeming work of a sovereign God.” JOB 31:No matter how you divide the discourse in the book of Job, today’s reading of chapter 31 is the final one in Job’s long speech. In today’s reading Job makes his final protest that he is innocent. After this, Elihu struts his stuff. 1PETER 5:Peter finished chapter 4 talking about proudly bearing the name of ‘Christ’— which is part of the word ‘Christian’, and being patient under suffering— if that is included in God's will for you.

EXODUS 1:Yesterday we wrapped up Genesis with Jacob's very prophetic blessings for each of his sons. Then we heard of the conclusion after Jacob was buried and finally Joseph died. Exodus is clearly a continuation of the story of Genesis, since the first word in the Hebrew text is ‘And’. Tradition holds that Moses is the author. The name Exodus derives from the name that was given by the Septuagint translators— which is the translation of the OT into classical Greek made three hundred years before Christ. Here are two perceptive summary statements about Exodus— quotes by Durham (from Constable’s Notes): “No other biblical book surfaces elsewhere in the OT as frequently as the Book of Exodus does; in the NT only the Books of Psalms and Isaiah are cited more, and that for the fairly obvious reasons of liturgy and messianism.” “The story of the first half of Exodus, in broad summary, is Rescue. The story of the second half, in equally broad summary, is Response, both immediate response and continuing response. And binding together and undergirding both Rescue and Response is Presence, the Presence of Yahweh from whom both Rescue and Response ultimately derive.” Here is a quote by J. Daniel Hays:“The deliverance of Israel out of Egypt by Yahweh in the Old Testament is parallel in importance to the resurrection of Christ in the New Testament. The historicity of these events is a critical foundation for a proper understanding of the rest of the Bible.” And finally, Henrietta Mears in her handbooks says this:“Exodus is connected to Genesis in much the same way that the New Testament is connected to the Old Testament. Genesis tells of humanity’s failure under every test and in every condition. Exodus is the thrilling epic of God rushing to the rescue. It tells of the redeeming work of a sovereign God.” JOB 31:In the NLT, this is Job's sixth chapter of his long speech, and in the GNT it is his third. No matter how you divide the discourse, it is the final chapter of this long speech, in which he makes his final protest that he is innocent. After this, Elihu struts his stuff.  1PETER 5:Peter finished chapter 4 talking about proudly bearing the name of ‘Christ’— which is part of the word ‘Christian’, and being patient under suffering, if that is included in God's will for you. GNT Translation notes:Gen. 2:11 When Moses had grown up, he went out to visit his people, the Hebrews, and he saw how they were forced to do hard labour. He even saw an Egyptian [strike//beating//attaching//kill] a Hebrew, one of Moses' own people. ====Job 31:12 [Such a sin//It] would be like a destructive, hellish fire,consuming everything I have.====1Ptr. 5:9 Be firm in [fully believing in Christ//your faith] and resist him, because you know that your fellow-believers in all the world are going through the same kind of sufferings. NLT Translation notes:1Ptr. 5:5 In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for [the Scriptures say,] “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”9 Stand firm against him, and be strong in your [fully believing in Christ//faith]. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.

This is a follow up to my post and podcast about the high-profile defections of Christian leaders. This content is the opening chapter of a proposed book called Stunted. I've been around long enough to be considered a veteran pastor, and in this book, I'm dissecting 11 trends I see in the church that are keeping the church stuck in immaturity and vulnerability. Here is the first chapter of Stunted. Trend 1: The Death of Expository Preaching There were giants in the land. Crowds gathered. Hearts opened. The greatest message ever conceived among humankind pushed back the darkness and fueled generations of heaven's ambassadors. Henrietta Mears, Ruben Archer Torrey, William R. Newell, Donald Grey Barnhouse, Harry Ironside, Ray Stedman, D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, A.W. Tozer, Francis Schaeffer, Carl F.H. Henry. A legion more. Forgotten giants. They were nineteenth- and twentieth-century evangelical preachers and teachers of God's invincible Word. They opened the Scriptures and invited audiences to open their Bibles with them. They brought forth treasures. Their listeners' hearts burned within.  They were not known for charisma, humor, or eloquence. They did not promote themselves. They had no social media platforms. No gimmicks in their arsenal. Their clothing and style were conventional to a fault. Nothing hip. Nothing cool. They would describe themselves not as “visionary leaders,” but as expositors of the sacred Scriptures.  What each one had was a deep reservoir of theology coupled with a surgical ability to cut through a messy web of demonic lies, that they might stitch Scripture's truth to the deepest part of their listeners' souls. Crowds did not follow them because they were glib story-tellers. Crowds followed them because they were fire hoses of doctrine, and the people were parched deserts, eager to be saturated with the living water of God.  They were Bible expositors first and foremost. They taught verse-by-verse, and sometimes word-by-word. They did not rush. They did not preach three messages in a row and call it “a series.” They lingered over great texts. D. Martin Lloyd-Jones preached 366 sermons on the book of Romans and 255 on the Gospel of John. His sanctuaries were as packed as his sermons.  They weren't after a practical application that would last a few days and fizzle by Wednesday. They were simple without being simplistic. Nor did they manipulate emotion. They were after a slow, methodical transformation that would last a lifetime. They threw the Bible Bus into low gear, and churned up every inch of biblical pavement, slowly and methodically. Not hype. Not a pep rally. But the patient construction of a theological edifice in the soul that could withstand the storms of life, and uphold a beacon of the gospel in this tempestuous world.  .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_content { background-color: #ededed !important; } .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_container .et_bloom_form_header { background-color: #ffffff !important; } .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_content button { background-color: #a153e0 !important; } .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_content .et_bloom_fields i { color: #a153e0 !important; } .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_content .et_bloom_custom_field_radio i:before { background: #a153e0 !important; } .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_content button { background-color: #a153e0 !important; } .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_container h2, .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_container h2 span, .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_container h2 strong { font-family: "Open Sans", Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif; }.et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_container p, .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_container p span, .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .

This is a follow up to my post and podcast about the high-profile defections of Christian leaders. This content is the opening chapter of a proposed book called Stunted. I've been around long enough to be considered a veteran pastor, and in this book, I'm dissecting 11 trends I see in the church that are keeping the church stuck in immaturity and vulnerability. Here is the first chapter of Stunted. Trend 1: The Death of Expository Preaching There were giants in the land. Crowds gathered. Hearts opened. The greatest message ever conceived among humankind pushed back the darkness and fueled generations of heaven’s ambassadors. Henrietta Mears, Ruben Archer Torrey, William R. Newell, Donald Grey Barnhouse, Harry Ironside, Ray Stedman, D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, A.W. Tozer, Francis Schaeffer, Carl F.H. Henry. A legion more. Forgotten giants. They were nineteenth- and twentieth-century evangelical preachers and teachers of God’s invincible Word. They opened the Scriptures and invited audiences to open their Bibles with them. They brought forth treasures. Their listeners’ hearts burned within.  They were not known for charisma, humor, or eloquence. They did not promote themselves. They had no social media platforms. No gimmicks in their arsenal. Their clothing and style were conventional to a fault. Nothing hip. Nothing cool. They would describe themselves not as “visionary leaders,” but as expositors of the sacred Scriptures.  What each one had was a deep reservoir of theology coupled with a surgical ability to cut through a messy web of demonic lies, that they might stitch Scripture’s truth to the deepest part of their listeners’ souls. Crowds did not follow them because they were glib story-tellers. Crowds followed them because they were fire hoses of doctrine, and the people were parched deserts, eager to be saturated with the living water of God.  They were Bible expositors first and foremost. They taught verse-by-verse, and sometimes word-by-word. They did not rush. They did not preach three messages in a row and call it “a series.” They lingered over great texts. D. Martin Lloyd-Jones preached 366 sermons on the book of Romans and 255 on the Gospel of John. His sanctuaries were as packed as his sermons.  They weren’t after a practical application that would last a few days and fizzle by Wednesday. They were simple without being simplistic. Nor did they manipulate emotion. They were after a slow, methodical transformation that would last a lifetime. They threw the Bible Bus into low gear, and churned up every inch of biblical pavement, slowly and methodically. Not hype. Not a pep rally. But the patient construction of a theological edifice in the soul that could withstand the storms of life, and uphold a beacon of the gospel in this tempestuous world.  .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_content { background-color: #ededed !important; } .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_container .et_bloom_form_header { background-color: #ffffff !important; } .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_content button { background-color: #a153e0 !important; } .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_content .et_bloom_fields i { color: #a153e0 !important; } .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_content .et_bloom_custom_field_radio i:before { background: #a153e0 !important; } .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_content button { background-color: #a153e0 !important; } .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_container h2, .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_container h2 span, .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_container h2 strong { font-family: "Open Sans", Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif; }.et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_container p, .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_container p span, .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_container p strong, .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_container form input, .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .

1KINGS 1:Like 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings and 1 & 2 Chronicles were originally each one book instead of two. The books of Kings and Chronicles have many similarities. One difference is that the books of Kings seem a bit more secular in their outlook, whereas Chronicles seems to have been written by a priest. Henrietta Mears says that both sets have these things in common: 1. They begin with King David and end with the king of Babylon. 2. They open with the building of the Temple and end with the burning of the Temple. 3. They open with David’s first successor to the throne, Solomon, and end with David’s last successor, Jehoiachin, released from captivity by the king of Babylon. Mears also gives these three rather odd meta messages in these books. I think they might be interesting to look for as we go through: God does not show favoritism. Acts 10:34 When our all is on the altar, God never keeps us waiting for the fire. The final captivity was because of disobedience to God. This was clearly prophesied long before. PSALM 119:33-48:God is telling us how important His Word is! A favorite verse from yesterday’s reading is verse 18: “Open my eyes, so that I may see the wonderful truths in your law.” JOHN 4b:When I have opportunities to pray a blessing over people in Indonesia, I often have prayed John 4:14 for them. Jesus said, “those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” And John 7 says: “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” GNT Translation notes:Joh  4:45 [Yet surprisingly,] When he arrived in Galilee, the people there welcomed him, because they had gone to the Passover Festival in Jerusalem and had seen everything that he had done during the festival.50 Jesus said to him, “[You may go.//Go;] your son will live!” The man believed Jesus' words and went. NLT Translation notes:John 4:21 Jesus replied, “Believe me, [0//dear woman], the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem.[I don’t think there is any good equivalent in English for the Greek here. One option runs the risk of sounding terribly rude, and this one runs the risk of misunderstanding the ‘dear’ness of the woman to Jesus.]27 Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked to find him talking to a woman, but none of them had the nerve to ask, “What do you want with her?” or “Why are you talking to [him//her]?”45 Yet [, suprisingly,] the Galileans welcomed him, for they had been in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration and had seen everything he did there.48 Jesus [said//asked], “Will you [people] never believe in me unless you see miraculous signs and wonders?”[It is important to show that the Greek is you-plural here, otherwise Jesus seems overly frustrated with just the one man.]

1KINGS 1:Like 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings and 1 & 2 Chronicles were originally each one book instead of two. The books of Kings and Chronicles have many similarities. One difference is that the books of Kings seem a bit more secular in their outlook, whereas Chronicles seems to have been written by a priest. Henrietta Mears says that both sets have these things in common: 1. They begin with King David and end with the king of Babylon. 2. They open with the building of the Temple and end with the burning of the Temple. 3. They open with David’s first successor to the throne, Solomon, and end with David’s last successor, Jehoiachin, released from captivity by the king of Babylon. Mears also gives these three rather odd meta-messages in these books. I think they might be interesting to look for as we go through: God does not show favoritism. Acts 10:34 When our all is on the altar, God never keeps us waiting for the fire. The final captivity was because of disobedience to God. This was clearly prophesied long before. PSALM 119:33-48:God is telling us how important His Word is! A favorite verse from yesterday’s reading is verse 18: “Open my eyes, so that I may see the wonderful truths in your law.” JOHN 4b:When I have opportunities to pray a blessing over people in Indonesia, I often have prayed John 4:14 for them. Jesus said, “those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” And John 7 says: “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” GNT Translation notes: John  4:45 [Yet surprisingly,] When he arrived in Galilee, the people there welcomed him, because they had gone to the Passover Festival in Jerusalem and had seen everything that he had done during the festival.50 Jesus said to him, “[You may go.//Go;] your son will live!” The man believed Jesus' words and went.

On today’s episode of the Journeywomen podcast, I’m chatting with Dr. Michael Haykin about church history! Dr. Haykin is the chair and professor of Church History at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY and Director of the Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies.   DR.HAYKIN’S RESOURCES The Journal of Esther Edwards Burr, 1754-1757 Fierce Convictions: The Extraordinary Life of Hannah More by Karen Swallow Prior Susie: The Life and Legacy of Susannah Spurgeon by Ray Rhodes Reformation Women: Sixteenth-Century Figures Who Shaped Christianity's Rebirth by Rebecca VanDoodewaard Eight Women of Faith by Dr. Michael Haykin No Other Foundation: The Church Through Twenty Centuries by Jeremy C. Jackson Reformation Heritage Books for Children by Simonetta Carr Empowered: How God Shaped 11 Women's Lives by Catherine Parks   DR.HAYKIN’S SIMPLE JOYS History, libraries, book stores Spending time with his wife Spending time with his adult children     WOMEN TO LEARN ABOUT Esther Edwards Burr (1732-1758) Perpetua (Died 203) Monica mother of Augustine (332-387) Macrina (330-379) Julian of Norwich (1342-1416) Idelette Stordeur de Bure Calvin (1509-1549) Brilliana Harley (1598-1643) Anne Dutton (1692–1765) Anne Steele (1717–1778) Phillis Wheatley (1753-1784) Selina Hastings (1707-1791) Josephine Butler (1828-1906) Amy Carmichael (1867-1951) Elisabeth Elliot (1926-2015) Henrietta Mears (1890-1963)   DISCUSSION QUESTIONS Why is it important to value church history? What is something you learned regarding church history? Identify an area of life where learning about history changed your view of the present? How is your view of the gospel strengthened by history? How has your view of the church been challenged by this episode? What are you going to do or implement as a result of what you’ve learned this week?   SPONSORSHIP DETAILS Marriage After God is led by Aaron and Jennifer Smith who have a new book out called Marriage After God. In their book they transparently share their journey from a marriage in crisis to a marriage built on Christ’s redemptive love. For 15% off your purchase at shop.marriageaftergod.com use the code JOURNEYWOMEN at checkout. Prep Dish is a healthy subscription-based meal planning service. All you need to do is sign up, and you’ll receive an email every week with a grocery list and instructions for prepping meals ahead of time. For a free 2-week trial, go to PrepDish.com/journey. Crossway's new book called Competing Spectacles by Tony Reinke helps us stop and consider what consequences the world's never-ending stream of digital images has on our minds. Reinke is the author of 12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You. Learn more about Competing Spectacles and find other resources at Crossway.org/Journeywomen2.   FOR MORE EPISODES OF JOURNEYWOMEN:   SUBSCRIBE Subscribe on iOS, go to the iTunes page and subscribe to the Journeywomen Podcast. On Android, click this podcast RSS feed link and select your podcast app. You may need to copy the link into your favorite podcast app (like Overcast or Stitcher).   WRITE A REVIEW Writing a review on iTunes will help other women on their journeys to glorify God find and utilize the podcast as a resource.   FOLLOW JOURNEYWOMEN Like/follow Journeywomen on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter for the latest updates.   *Affiliate links used are used where appropriate. Thank you for supporting the products that support Journeywomen!

Women’s History: Henrietta Mears by Museum of the Bible

Timothy George talks with Dale Bruner about Bruner's relationship with Bible-teacher Henrietta Mears, his dissertation on the Holy Spirit, teaching systematic theology through the gospels, and why we need Martin Luther.

Timothy George talks with Dale Bruner about Bruner's relationship with Bible-teacher Henrietta Mears, his dissertation on the Holy Spirit, teaching systematic theology through the gospels, and why we need Martin Luther.