DOCSLIB.ORG

The State of Evangelicalism Denominations Growing? by Ed Stetzer President of Lifeway Research

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The State of Evangelicalism Denominations Growing? by Ed Stetzer President of Lifeway Research SIGNS of EVANGELICAL LIFE A Pessimist’s Optimism about the Movement’s Future 3 A CHURCH PLANTING GENERATION 6 National Association of Evangelicals Spring 2013 How are evangelical The State of Evangelicalism denominations growing? By Ed Stetzer President of LifeWay Research DOUG FAGERSTROM ecent concern has been raised about the decline of evangelicalism in the face of Senior Vice President of Converge Worldwide the rise of the Nones — those who report “none” or “none of the above” when Converge churches are boldly sharing the gospel asked their religion. The headlines have proclaimed that Christianity is dying, and inviting people to say “Yes” to Jesus. Scores of and some evangelical Christians are joining in the “sky is falling” chants. Yet, churches are experiencing evangelistic growth and baptisms at record numbers. This movement when it comes to evangelicalism, no serious researcher believes it is collapsing. has been fueled by both our new church starts and RFacts are our friends and we need a few here. existing church models that demonstrate serious But, there is decline — in self-identified gospel proclamation. Protestants, primarily in mainline churches. Many who once identified themselves as BILL HOSSLER nominal mainline Protestants now identify President of the Missionary Church as nothing. The nominals have become the Overseas ministry has always been important to the Missionary Church, but in the last 10 years nones. God has brought us in contact with strong national As such, we see that Christianity isn’t leaders in several countries who have a heart for dying — cultural Christianity is. Actually, making disciples. Through our discipleship networks worldwide, we have seen an incredible increase in I see vibrant churches across the country the individual conversions and church plants. (and so many more around the world). Look in the center of many communities JEFF JEREMIAH and we see churches buying back former cathedrals and filling them with young Stated Clerk of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church committed congregations. Four thousand churches are being planted each year — more Since 2007 the Evangelical Presbyterian Church has than are closing. Non-Anglo churches are spreading wherever new people find themselves. experienced dramatic growth through the reception of churches from other denominations. Since 2010 Many churches are seeking to move from being passive spectators to active disciples church planting in the United States and globally has joining God on his mission. Young adults that are committed are living out their faith with also produced exciting growth. EPC World Outreach more passion than ever before, and authentic churches are successfully reaching them. is successfully promoting church planting where people have no contact with Christ and the gospel. The sky isn’t falling. The Spirit is always at work in the hearts of people, and the mission remains. ROY TAYLOR Stated Clerk of the Presbyterian Church in America The Presbyterian Church in America’s growth has primarily come from church planting and large Best Practices for Growing Churches churches becoming larger. Our campus ministry has reached many students who become members of By Alan McMahan Associate Professor at Biola University & Editor of Great Commission PCA churches. Ethnic diversity has expanded. Nearly Research Journal 20 percent of our churches are Korean. We’ve also seen an increase in multi-ethnic congregations. Most of us have an understanding such as prayer and of how churches grow based on our fasting? GEORGE WOOD experience and what we discern from In getting answers General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God churches around us. But looking closer to these questions, In the past five years, 1,597 new Assemblies of God at the real causes of growth is a complex researchers have churches have opened in the USA. In the past two years, more than one new church has opened every undertaking. How much is related to the studied hundreds of day. Ethnic minorities make up 41 percent of the specific community in which the church churches to discern Assemblies of God in the USA, and forms a growing is located? Or related to the personality or effective practices of growing churches. edge of our movement. gifting of the pastor or the design of the Here are some observations: ministries? Or related to spiritual factors 1. Growing churches see adding new (continued page 2) FROM THE PRESIDENT Leith Anderson Signs of Evangelical Life: Why Evangelicals Grow A Pessimist’s Optimism about the Movement’s Future I grew up in New England, or as it is more life in a similarly “ he Assemblies of God is the fastest-growing religious body in Minnesota at a time when properly known in some circles, “Red Sox perilous time seven other Protestant groups are shrinking,” according to the Star Tribune (Minnesota’s largest C ou nt r y.” decades ago, led by “No trend perfectly newspaper).The stories of growing evangelical churches and denominations are repeated across T This was the 1980s and 90s, long before the Harold Ockenga, America. “We kind of have a church-planting fever,” according the Reverend Clarence St. John, district foretells the future, but World Championships of recent years. You Carl F. H. Henry superintendent of the Assemblies of God in Minnesota. Why is this? Why are evangelicals growing? grew up a Red Sox fan in those decades, and and Billy Graham. it appears from expert The reasons are multiple. you had to get accustomed to pessimism. The This data is basically sources that there 1. Evangelicals are evangelistic. While some of our growth is from the demographic birth rate we believe in the Sox had talent over the years, but somehow it unknown, but the “Second Birth Rate.” We believe that sinners need Jesus Christ as Savior and should be born again. Evangelism is at the heart never gelled, and so one became accustomed to a nonpartisan General is hope for American of who we are. Analysts say that churches grow when parishioners invite outsiders to church. If those in the church don’t narrative of decline. Social Survey, which evangelicals.” invite, then churches shrink and eventually die. Evangelicals are inviters. The same is true of another American measures major 2. Evangelicals are church planters. As you travel across America check out the new churches meeting in schools, institution I love: evangelicalism. Born in gospel trends in America, theaters, shopping malls and other rentable public spaces. They are almost always evangelical churches. Often these hope several centuries ago, the evangelical recently released venues have waiting lists, because more new churches are lined up and waiting. Many of America’s congregations are old, movement in America exploded in the 19th data showing that during the last decade, those and some are dying. Evangelicals have a hefty stock of new churches with young new converts. The future belongs to the century, becoming the dominant cultural claiming affiliation with “evangelical” rose from denominations that are starting new churches. paradigm. This held into the first third of the 23 percent to about 26 percent. 3. Evangelicals welcome immigrants. Many of our evangelical churches were founded by immigrants during past 20th century, when the upper echelons of society But it gets more encouraging. As reported generations. Most of our churches have generous and passionate missionary commitments around the world. With so many shifted toward a more secularist orientation. by Ed Stetzer and Christianity Today, among new immigrants coming from countries experiencing spiritual revivals and explosive growth of evangelicals, it is no wonder Despite a postwar evangelical boom, many adults under 30, nearly 24 percent claim to be that immigrants are attracted to evangelical churches and that we welcome them with such delight. Christians today — aware of their country’s evangelical, a number that has increased several continuing shift away from its Protestant percentage points since 2007. This is remarkable, 4. Evangelicals keep the faith and change the methods. Some churches and denominations have changed the faith and kept the traditions. It has not gone well for most of them. Evangelicals hold on to the historic orthodox biblical foundation — are inclined to predict a gloomy especially given that we’re constantly seeing Christian faith but embrace new methods that relate to our 21st century culture. future for the movement. new stories on how “Secular Student Societies” There are surely ill events afoot in the broader are proliferating on college campuses. No trend culture today. For example, you may have heard perfectly foretells the future, but it appears from that the Nones, those who have no religious expert sources that there is hope for American Best Practices for Growing Churches affiliation, have grown in numbers in recent evangelicals. (continued from Page 1) years; they’re up almost 15 percentage points Again, this may strike you as surprising; If so, over the last 20 years. But there are also some you’re likely the victim of bias-driven media, as believers to the body as one of the reach everyone, no church does. Simply perpetuate ineffective ministry models primary purposes of the church, and picking a language for the worship or assess their effectiveness based on surprising signs of life in this country, not least so many of us are. Let me encourage you, given a they dedicate resources toward that service selects some people and how well they serve the needs of those in American evangelicalism, which roared to background in pessimism: Evangelical friends, if end. Most churches believe evangelism eliminates others. Think of your church who already attend rather than the we will continue preaching the gospel and living is important, but an examination of as a radio station broadcasting on one unreached. Self-identified Evangelicals out the Word, God will be faithful to us, as he has how they tangibly invest to make that or more frequencies.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Tabalujan, Benny Simon (2020) Improving Church Governance: Lessons from Governance Failures in Different Church Polities
    Tabalujan, Benny Simon (2020) Improving church governance: Lessons from governance failures in different church polities. MTh(R) thesis. https://theses.gla.ac.uk/81403/ Copyright and moral rights for this work are retained by the author A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge This work cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the author The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the author When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given Enlighten: Theses https://theses.gla.ac.uk/ [email protected] Improving Church Governance Lessons from Governance Failures in Different Church Polities by Benny Simon TABALUJAN A thesis submitted for the degree of Master of Theology (University of Glasgow) Edinburgh Theological Seminary 10 December 2019 © Benny Tabalujan, 2019 i Abstract This thesis focuses on the question as to whether using a particular church polity raises the likelihood of governance failure. Using the case study research method, I examine six case studies of church governance failures reported in the past two decades in the English media of mainly Western jurisdictions. The six case studies involve churches in the United States, Australia, Honduras, and Singapore. Three of the case studies involve sexual matters while another three involve financial matters. For each type of misconduct or alleged misconduct, one case study is chosen involving a church with congregational polity, presbyteral polity, and episcopal polity, respectively.
    [Show full text]
  • Chinese Protestant Christianity Today Daniel H. Bays
    Chinese Protestant Christianity Today Daniel H. Bays ABSTRACT Protestant Christianity has been a prominent part of the general religious resurgence in China in the past two decades. In many ways it is the most striking example of that resurgence. Along with Roman Catholics, as of the 1950s Chinese Protestants carried the heavy historical liability of association with Western domi- nation or imperialism in China, yet they have not only overcome that inheritance but have achieved remarkable growth. Popular media and human rights organizations in the West, as well as various Christian groups, publish a wide variety of information and commentary on Chinese Protestants. This article first traces the gradual extension of interest in Chinese Protestants from Christian circles to the scholarly world during the last two decades, and then discusses salient characteristics of the Protestant movement today. These include its size and rate of growth, the role of Church–state relations, the continuing foreign legacy in some parts of the Church, the strong flavour of popular religion which suffuses Protestantism today, the discourse of Chinese intellectuals on Christianity, and Protestantism in the context of the rapid economic changes occurring in China, concluding with a perspective from world Christianity. Protestant Christianity has been a prominent part of the general religious resurgence in China in the past two decades. Today, on any given Sunday there are almost certainly more Protestants in church in China than in all of Europe.1 One recent thoughtful scholarly assessment characterizes Protestantism as “flourishing” though also “fractured” (organizationally) and “fragile” (due to limits on the social and cultural role of the Church).2 And popular media and human rights organizations in the West, as well as various Christian groups, publish a wide variety of information and commentary on Chinese Protestants.
    [Show full text]
  • III: the Three Main Branches of Christianity Today
    Nick Strobel’s notes on “The Soul of Christianity” by Huston Smith III: The Three Main Branches of Christianity Today In this last chapter of The Soul of Christianity, Huston Smith looks at the three main branches of Christianity: Roman Catholicism (focused on the Vatican in Rome and dominant in Poland, central & southern Europe, Ireland, and South America), Eastern Orthodoxy (major influence in Greece, Slavic countries, and Russia), and Protestantism (dominant in northern Europe, England, Scotland, and North America). In the year 313 the Christian church became legally recognized under Constantine I. In the year 380, Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire. In 1054, the first great division occurred between the groups that would become the Eastern Orthodox Church in the East and the Roman Catholic Church in the West. Then in the 16th century the Protestant Reformation brought the next great division. Protestantism followed 4 strands: Baptist, Lutheran, Calvinists, and Anglican which themselves have subdivided many times. Now over 900 denominations! Roman Catholicism Smith looks at the Church as teaching authority and as sacramental agent. Authority The communion of God and man through the history of humanity reaches its apex in Mary, who incorporated in her self the history of her people through God’s grace. She freely assented to God’s plan by her assent to become the mother of God. Though God is the ultimate “authority”, part of God’s loving plan, part of God’s total generosity, is setting human freedom at the center of the work of redemption. Mary’s “yes” to God, her obedience to God, makes her the first and greatest disciple, with an authority transcending all other authority in the Church.
    [Show full text]
  • Understanding Evangelical Support For, and Opposition to Donald Trump in the 2016 Presidential Election
    Portland State University PDXScholar Dissertations and Theses Dissertations and Theses 9-1-2020 Understanding Evangelical Support for, and Opposition to Donald Trump in the 2016 Presidential Election Joseph Thomas Zichterman Portland State University Follow this and additional works at: https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds Part of the Political Science Commons Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Zichterman, Joseph Thomas, "Understanding Evangelical Support for, and Opposition to Donald Trump in the 2016 Presidential Election" (2020). Dissertations and Theses. Paper 5570. https://doi.org/10.15760/etd.7444 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of PDXScholar. Please contact us if we can make this document more accessible: [email protected]. Understanding Evangelical Support for, and Opposition to Donald Trump in the 2016 Presidential Election by Joseph Thomas Zichterman A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Political Science Thesis Committee: Richard Clucas, Chair Jack Miller Kim Williams Portland State University 2020 Abstract This thesis addressed the conundrum that 81 percent of evangelicals supported Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election, despite the fact that his character and comportment commonly did not exemplify the values and ideals that they professed. This was particularly perplexing to many outside (and within) evangelical circles, because as leaders of America’s “Moral Majority” for almost four decades, prior to Trump’s campaign, evangelicals had insisted that only candidates who set a high standard for personal integrity and civic decency, were qualified to serve as president.
    [Show full text]
  • CV—J. Kameron Carter, Indiana University
    1 CV—J. Kameron Carter, Indiana University J. Kameron Carter, PhD [email protected] [email protected] ACADEMIC BACKGROUND: 2001 Ph.D.: University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA; Religious Studies 1996–1997 Southern Methodist University, Perkins School of Theology, Dallas, TX 1995 Th.M.: Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, TX 1990 B.S.: Temple University, Philadelphia., PA; Mathematics ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS: Aug. 2018 – Present Professor of Religious Studies Indiana University, Bloomington 2016 – 2018 Associate Professor Theology, English, Africana Studies Duke University, The Divinity School, the Graduate Faculty of Religion, and the English Department 2008 – 2016 Associate Professor Theology & Black Church Studies Duke University, The Divinity School & the Graduate Faculty of Religion 2001–2007 Assistant Professor Theology & Black Church Studies Duke University, The Divinity School & the Graduate Faculty of Religion FELLOWSHIPS/AWARDS: 2015 – 16 National Humanities Center Project: Dark Church: A Poetics of Black Assembly 2 CV—J. Kameron Carter, Indiana University 2015 – 16 Henry Luce III Fellowship Project: Dark Church: A Poetics of Black Assembly 2015 Franklin Humanities Institute, Book Manuscript Workshop Award Project: God’s Property: Blackness and the Problem of Sovereignty Summer 2012 Duke University Internal Candidate for NEH Summer Research Grant Project: “Interrogating Belief: Richard Wright and the Modern Religious Imagination” 2006–07 National Humanities Center, Fellow Project: “Du Bois, Religion, and the Black Intellectual Imagination” PUBLICATIONS: COMPLETED BOOKS: Race: A Theological Account (Oxford UP, 2008) BOOKS CONTRACTED OR IN-PROGRESS: The Religion of Whiteness: On U. S. Political Theology (under contract with Yale University Press; manuscript delivery March 2020) Black Rapture: A Poetics of the Sacred (two chapters out for review with Duke University Press for a book contract) EDITED PUBLICATIONS AND BOOK SERIES: “Charles H.
    [Show full text]
  • Billy Graham Last Letter
    Billy Graham Last Letter Flynn is antinomian and stabilized veloce as misapplied Wilfred cross-question skywards and inks waxily. Sallow Prescott still weights: wheeziest and monophthongal Dov muscle quite cylindrically but medaled her birthwort self-confidently. Is Ransell writhed or epinastic when Latinised some stunts wimbles unthriftily? Such national convention heaping praise the united states, billy graham he has given to be published on We are sorry but this video is not available in your country or region. Capitol rotunda in charlotte zip codes: billy graham last letter. Meeting him was instrumental in my dedication to sharing the Gospel some years later as I gave my life to CHRIST and began my work for HIM as a lay speaker for JESUS. Graham made his decision. Reverand graham asked for billy graham and giving his cronies on stage on the father would hold another scandal, his son got back to billy graham last letter. Graham attended by billy graham last letter was a song sheets, with them so much as yourself and what seemed tired, out of religious leader. Graham never saw himself a crusade held in conversational english and last in color postcard of god uses have a crusade, billy graham last letter. The younger Graham said he did his best to avoid Beltway politics. There was unmistakable: billy graham last letter to last judgment, but no one to a letter with the moment we ask trump, how to franklin graham drew back his unit. Facebook monday morning will widen divides in english, billy graham last letter. Billy graham was the last breath on earth to leverage the movement and perspective from billy graham last letter to become available upon these things that gay rights.
    [Show full text]
  • How Christian Leaders Interact with the Twitter by Zachary Horner — 59
    How Christian Leaders Interact with the Twitter by Zachary Horner — 59 How Christian Leaders Interact with the Twitter Zachary Horner* Print/Online Journalism Elon University Abstract This paper explores the relationship between Christian leaders and Twitter. Twitter’s founding resulted in an outburst in the use of the social media platform. Christian leaders quickly caught on, and today they use Twitter for a number of different purposes, seeking first and foremost to challenge and inspire their follow- ers. Through the study of 30 different leaders’ tweets, as well as different blog posts, articles and interviews outlining different approaches to Twitter and other social media, the study concluded that pastors were most concerned with getting across the basic message of Christianity while adapting their methods to include the new medium of Twitter. I. Introduction Since its launch in 2006, Twitter has been a leader in the Internet socialization of the world, greatly fulfilling its mission: “To give everyone the power to create and share ideas and information instantly, without barriers.” With 500 million Tweets sent per day by 241 million monthly active users, it has penetrated modern society to a degree once known only by MySpace and Facebook.1 Christian pastors, to a degree, are no different. And some of them get more interaction on Twitter than pop star Justin Bieber. In June 2012, Amy O’Leary published a story in The New York Times titled “Christian Leaders Are Powerhouses on Twitter,” writing about how influential pastors and Christian speakers such as Joyce Meyer, Joel Osteen and Max Lucado were generating more reactions on Twitter than Bieber.
    [Show full text]
  • “Cult” in the US and the PRC: Witness Lee and the Local
    What is in a Name? A Comparison of Being Branded a Religious “Cult” in the U.S. and the PRC: Witness Lee and the Local Churches By Teresa Zimmerman-Liu Ph.D. candidate Department of Sociology University of California, San Diego and Teresa Wright Chair and Professor Department of Political Science California State University, Long Beach Prepared for delivery at the 2014 Annual Meeting of the Western Political Science Association Seattle, WA, April 17-19, 2014 *Please do not cite or quote without the author’s permission 0 What is in a Name? A Comparison of Being Branded a Religious “Cult” in the U.S. and the PRC: Witness Lee and the Local Churches This paper focuses on the conflict surrounding a controversial religious group— known by its members as the “Local Churches,” but called by its critics the “Shouters”—that has been situated in and has moved between China and the United States. The paper examines how the categorization of the Local Churches has been shaped by the different social and political systems found in these two countries. It finds that in China, such categorization has occurred from the top- down, wherein the central government has played a key role in defining which religious groups are aberrant by placing them on a list of “evil religious cults.” In the United States, in contrast, religious group categorization has emanated from the bottom-up, as social groups and lobbyists have worked to shape public opinion, and to influence the way in which courts and legislative bodies regulate religions. In addition, this case study provides insight into the relationship between globalization and religious development, by delineating how a major world religion was contextualized to a local, foreign culture after the religion was introduced through globalization, and by examining the position of the indigenized form of the religion after it was translated back to a culture where the original form of the religion was dominant.
    [Show full text]
  • Megachurches As Spectator Religion
    MEGACHURCHES AS SPECTATOR RELIGION: USING SOCIAL NETWORK THEORY AND FREE-RIDER THEORY TO UNDERSTAND THE SPIRITUAL VITALITY OF AMERICA’S LARGEST-ATTENDANCE CHURCHES BY Warren Bird BA, Wheaton College, 1978 MA, Wheaton College, 1979 M.Div, Alliance Theological Seminary, 1987 DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY AT FORDHAM UNIVERSITY NEW YORK JANUARY, 2007 2 FORDHAM UNIVERSITY Graduate School of Arts & Sciences Date This dissertation prepared under my direction by: Warren Bird entitled: Megachurches as Spectator Religion: Using Social Network Theory and Free-Rider Theory to Understand the Spiritual Vitality of America’s Largest-Attendance Churches has been accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy In the Department of Sociology James R. Kelly (Co-Mentor) Mark S. Massa (Co-Mentor) Evelyn L. Bush (Reader) Michael W. Cuneo (Reader) 3 DEDICATION AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am grateful to God to so many people who have been part of this project, including many personal friends who have prayed regularly for me. This dissertation is dedicated to my wonderful wife Michelle, my life partner and friend, whose love for me and support of my doctoral studies helped me achieve this most challenging dream. I also wish to acknowledge the significant personal mentoring from my “dream team” of Fordham professors, all with most gifted minds and gracious sprits: Dr. James R. Kelly, Dr. Mark S. Massa, Dr. Evelyn L. Bush, and Dr. Michael W Cuneo, plus the skilled help and caring interest by my statistics coach, Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • White Evangelicals and the 2016 Presidential Election Margaret
    ABSTRACT The Elephant in the Room: White Evangelicals and the 2016 Presidential Election Margaret Thonnard Director: Elizabeth Corey, PhD In 2016, eighty-one percent of white evangelical voters voted for Donald Trump—the demographics’ highest showing of support for any presidential candidate in over two decades. Using both existing and original research, this thesis attempts to create awareness for the historical context behind white evangelical support for Donald Trump. Topics covered include the relationships between high-profile evangelicals and presidents such as Nixon and Reagan, as well as the role of televangelists in the 2016 election. After considering the development of partisanship within the evangelical community, the thesis concludes by assessing the practical options available to evangelical voters in upcoming elections. APPROVED BY DIRECTOR OF HONORS THESIS: __________________________________ Dr. Elizabeth Corey, Honors Program APPROVED BY THE HONORS PROGRAM: ______________________________________________ Dr. Elizabeth Corey, Director DATE: ________________ The Elephant in the Room: White Evangelicals and the 2016 Presidential Election A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Baylor University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Honors Program By Margaret Thonnard Waco, Texas May 2020 TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface................................................................................................................................ iii Introduction ........................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • A Rep Or T of the Ma Gazine + Minis Tr
    LEADING IN LOVE EXCELLENCE IN JOURNALISM TELLING GOD’S GLOBAL STORY 20 18 A REPORT OF THE MAGAZINE + MINISTRY OF THE MAGAZINE A REPORT Dear Ministry Partner, This past year, our friend and founder Billy Graham went home to be with the Lord he had served so faithfully for nearly a century. And while we mourn his loss, we praise our great God that Christianity Today remains a leading—and lasting—part of the evangelist’s legacy: •Through our thoughtful, balanced, Christ-honoring journalism •Through the expanding number of global voices who find expression in our publications and resources 1 MILLION • And through our words that speak the READERS OF CT’S SPECIAL IN MEMORIAM BILLY GRAHAM MEMORIAL timeliness—and timelessness—of the ISSUE AND THE EXTENSIVE true, good, and beautiful gospel. WEB COVERAGE RELEASED UPON HIS PASSING. As a subscriber and as a donor, you help CT showcase ‘‘ stories of God at work. And you help encourage and I pray that the magazine will never depart equip more and more Christian leaders in every corner from its founding commitment to high of the globe. biblical and theological scholarship. So be encouraged as you read this report. And thank All over the globe, people are desperate God for his continuing goodness and watch care. Even to hear a voice of biblical authority as we thank you for faithfully partnering with us in and to find a stable spiritual standard.” fulfilling the Graham vision. BILLY GRAHAM Thankfully, 1918–2018 EUGENE HABECKER CHAIR, BOARD OF DIRECTORS, CHRISTIANITY TODAY A MAGAZINE + MINISTRY KEYNOTED BY CONVICTION AND LOVE Billy Graham’s prescient vision for CT remains as important today as it was in 1956.
    [Show full text]
  • Tullian Tchividjian – Bio Glorious Ruin
    TULLIAN TCHIVIDJIAN – BIO GLORIOUS RUIN As a respected pastor, author and professor, William Graham Tullian Tchividjian (pronounced cha-vi-jin) is committed to seeing people set free by the radical, amazing power of God's grace. This comes through on every page of his latest title, Glorious Ruin: How Suffering Makes You Free (David C Cook). Tchividjian is the grandson of Dr. Billy Graham, a Florida native, currently the Senior Pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, FL, and a visiting professor of theology at Reformed Theological Seminary. He was the founding pastor of the former New City Church, which merged with Coral Ridge in April of 2009. A graduate of Columbia International University (philosophy) and Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando (M.Div.), Tchividjian is the author of The Kingdom of God: A Primer on the Christian Life (Banner of Truth), Do I Know God? Finding Certainty in Life’s Most Important Relationship (Multnomah), Unfashionable: Making a Difference in the World by Being Different (Multnomah), Surprised by Grace: God's Relentless Pursuit of Rebels (Crossway), and most recently Jesus + Nothing = Everything (Crossway). Jesus + Nothing = Everything was awarded Christianity Today’s 2012 Book Award in the Christian Living category and was a finalist for the 2011 ECPA Christian Book Awards. Tchividjian is also a contributing editor to Leadership Journal. He speaks at conferences throughout the U.S. and his sermons are broadcast daily on the radio program LIBERATE. He has been featured in World Magazine, By Faith, Decision, Christianity Today, Outreach Magazine, The Church Executive, HomeLife, “The 700 Club,” “Fox and Friends,” and a host of other television and print media outlets.
    [Show full text]