The mainline denominations refer to the major Protestant Christian traditions in the United States that emerged from the Reformation era. These denominations were historically the most prominent and influential group of Protestant churches in America, but have experienced declining membership over the past several decades. The mainline denominations include: United Methodist Church Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Presbyterian Church (USA) Episcopal Church American Baptist Churches USA United Church of Christ Disciples of Christ Some of the key characteristics and beliefs of mainline denominations include: Affirmation of the authority of scripture, but openness to scholarly criticism and new interpretations Belief in…
Author: Nicole Sands
Prayer is a vital part of the Christian life. Through prayer, we communicate with God, bringing our praise, petitions, and thanksgivings before Him. For many believers, having a regular prayer life that includes repeating certain prayers or prayer routines can be very meaningful and helpful for staying focused on God throughout the day. However, there are differing views among Christians regarding repetitive prayer and whether repeating the same prayers over and over is right or wrong according to the Bible. On one hand, Jesus Himself taught us the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13 as an ideal prayer to repeat and…
Jesus’ statement in Matthew 15:24 that He was “sent only to the lost sheep of Israel” has caused some confusion among Bible readers over the years. However, when we examine the context of this statement, as well as the overarching message of the Scriptures, the meaning becomes clear. In Matthew 15, Jesus has an encounter with a Canaanite woman who begs Him to heal her demon-possessed daughter. Initially, Jesus does not respond to her, and the disciples urge Him to send her away. Jesus then makes the statement in question: “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel”…
Hadassah is an important figure in the Bible, most well known for being the birth name of Queen Esther. The story of Esther takes place in the days of King Ahasuerus, likely referring to Xerxes I who reigned over the Persian Empire from 486 to 465 BC. Esther was a Jewish woman living in exile in the Persian province of Susa. Her Hebrew name was Hadassah, meaning “myrtle.” But when she entered the king’s harem, she took the Persian name Esther, meaning “star.” We first read about Hadassah in Esther 2:7 which says, “She had a beautiful figure and was…
The Great Commission refers to the instruction of Jesus Christ to his disciples to spread his teachings to all the nations of the world. It is considered a fundamental mission of Christianity and a key basis for evangelism. The most familiar version of the Great Commission is found in Matthew 28:16-20: Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and…
Rosh Hashanah, which means “head of the year” in Hebrew, is the Jewish New Year festival celebrated in the fall. It is one of the High Holidays in Judaism, marking the beginning of the High Holy Days season which culminates 10 days later on Yom Kippur. Rosh Hashanah commemorates the creation of the world and marks the beginning of the Days of Awe, a 10-day period of introspection and repentance culminating in Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year. The Bible does not explicitly mention Rosh Hashanah by name. However, it refers to a day of shofar blasts…
The book of Ezekiel in the Old Testament contains a striking vision that the prophet Ezekiel saw of God’s glory. In Ezekiel chapter 1, Ezekiel describes seeing four living creatures, each with four faces (of a man, lion, ox, and eagle) and four wings. But the most curious part of the vision are the wheels that Ezekiel sees. Ezekiel 1:15-21 describes the appearance of the wheels in detail: Now as I looked at the living creatures, behold, a wheel was on the earth beside each living creature with its four faces. The appearance of the wheels and their workings was…
Sufism is a mystical form of Islam that emphasizes direct personal experience of God over adherence to Islamic law. Sufis believe that it is possible to become one with God and attain a transcendent state through spiritual practices like meditation, chanting, music, and dhikr (remembrance of God). Though Sufism has roots in the Quran and teachings of Muhammad, it developed into a movement distinct from mainstream Islam over several centuries. The Bible does not directly discuss Sufism, since it developed after the Bible was written. However, there are some biblical themes and passages that relate to Sufi beliefs and practices:…
Doubting Jesus is a common struggle for many Christians. Here are 9000 words exploring what the Bible says about overcoming doubt and deepening faith in Christ. Recognize that doubt is normal Even long-time followers of Jesus struggled with doubt. After Jesus’ death, Thomas doubted that Jesus had risen from the dead, saying “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe” (John 20:25). Peter also doubted Jesus, sinking into the water when he tried walking on it…
The moral argument for God’s existence states that objective moral values and duties exist, and the best explanation for their existence is a supreme, morally perfect, personal God. Here is an explanation of this argument in 9000 words: The moral argument begins with the recognition that there are objective moral values and duties. By objective, it means that some actions are right or wrong independent of human opinion. For example, torturing innocent children for fun is morally wrong, whether anyone thinks so or not. Honesty, kindness, and courage are examples of moral virtues that are objectively good. The objectivity of…
