Among missiologists‚ it’s not uncommon to hear how an individual from an unengaged‚ unreached people group becomes a follower of Jesus through a vision or dream. Assuming the truth of such stories‚ what are we to make of them? How should they affect the way we think about the necessity and urgency of missions? If God can use supernatural encounters to bring the lost to saving faith‚ can missionaries and evangelists simply sit back and let angels do all the work‚ or at least pray for them to do more? While God can communicate the gospel message through whatever means he chooses‚ the Scriptures consistently teach that God loves to advance the gospel through his people. Therefore‚ Christians and local churches are responsible for bearing the name of Jesus to the ends of the earth. The Bible gives no evidence that God uses angels‚ visions‚ or dreams as the principal means of a person’s salvation. Instead‚ if angels or visions have a role in the task of missions‚ it’s ancillary to the responsibility of Christians and churches to herald the gospel to the lost. Romans 10 Principle Romans 10:13–15 is one of Scripture’s programmatic statements for the necessity of missions. Paul teaches that individuals are saved when they express faith in Jesus (v. 13)‚ which occurs when other humans share the gospel with them (vv. 14–15). If we follow his logic backward through the text‚ Paul’s missional method is as follows: an individual is commissioned to herald the gospel‚ and those who hear the gospel believe and call on the Lord for salvation. Paul’s logic points to the normativity of this principle‚ for unless God’s people share the gospel‚ Paul doesn’t expect anyone to hear and believe it. Further‚ Paul has in mind the universal task of missions. In context‚ his question concerns how Jews and Gentiles alike will call on the Lord for salvation. Paul gives no evidence here that he considers angels or visions to be the normal means for gospel advance. Rather‚ the “beautiful feet” that herald the gospel message belong to Paul and those like him (v. 15; cf. Isa. 52:7). Unless God’s people share the gospel‚ Paul doesn’t expect anyone to hear and believe it. In Paul’s apostolic ministry‚ the Romans 10 principle accounts for his laser focus on taking the gospel to the nations. He made it his “ambition to preach the gospel‚ not where Christ has already been named” so the nations would come to know Christ (Rom. 15:20–21; cf. Isa. 52:15). Even though he was a prisoner‚ Paul asked the Colossians to pray “that God may open to [them] a door for the word‚ to declare the mystery of Christ” (Col. 4:3; cf. Eph. 6:19). Even Paul’s imprisonment had advanced the gospel precisely because he’d spoken it boldly to his guards (Phil. 1:12–13). Paul’s lifestyle and missionary efforts assume and apply the Romans 10 principle. Pattern in Acts Likewise‚ the stories in Acts illustratively confirm the programmatic principle in Romans 10. These stories are instructive in this discussion‚ for they depict the relationship between the spread of the gospel and the role of angels and visions. In these accounts‚ angels and visions don’t communicate the gospel message but provide instructions for the spread of that message. Angels often appear in the Acts narrative with instructions and encouragements that God’s people should share the gospel. In Acts 5:20‚ after an angel freed the apostles from prison‚ the angel instructs them to “speak to the people all the words of this Life.” In 8:26‚ an angel instructs Philip to “go south” where Philip was to share the gospel with the Ethiopian eunuch. In 10:3–6‚ an angel in a vision tells Cornelius to send for Peter. Having experienced his own vision‚ Peter then announced the gospel with Cornelius. Finally‚ during the shipwreck narrative of chapter 27‚ Paul tells the people around him of how an angel told him not to fear but to be encouraged since it was necessary for Paul to “stand before Caesar” as a witness to Christ (27:24). Similarly‚ the visions in Acts don’t communicate the gospel but provide directives for its reception. On the Damascus road‚ Jesus appeared in a vision to Saul‚ directing him to Ananias who proclaimed the gospel to him (9:1–19; 22:10–17). In that same vision‚ Jesus commissioned Saul to share the gospel with the Gentiles (26:16–19; cf. 22:21). On Paul’s second missionary journey‚ he experienced two night visions‚ one from a Macedonian man and the other from Jesus (16:9–10; 18:9–11). Both directed him to herald the gospel‚ in the regions of Macedonia and Achaia respectively. The visions in Acts don’t communicate the gospel but provide directives for its reception. These stories are instructive because they illustrate how God loves to advance the gospel through Christian witness. In the patterns of gospel advance in Acts‚ angels and visions play a role‚ but not as heralds of the gospel. The Cornelius story is particularly instructive here‚ for presumably the angel could have told Cornelius the gospel message. Instead‚ the angel instructed him to turn his attention to Peter‚ who will tell him “a message by which [Cornelius] will be saved” (11:14). While angels are active as God’s servants throughout Acts‚ not once do they share the gospel. They often urge Christ’s followers to share the gospel or direct non-Christians to find believers who will communicate the gospel to them. Contemporary Practice According to Scripture’s consistent witness‚ Christians are responsible for sharing the gospel throughout the world. While we should affirm the scriptural role of angels and visions in our missiology‚ we shouldn’t expect them to be the normal means of gospel advance. Nor should we assume that simply having a dream or vision about Jesus automatically makes a person a Christian. In such cases‚ biblical prudence dictates we follow up with that person by clearly articulating the truth of the gospel to him or her. Of course‚ God can communicate the gospel however he chooses—even the rocks could cry out. But the consistent witness of the biblical text instructs us and our local churches to take responsibility for the spread of the gospel to all the peoples of the earth. Since this is the case‚ Scripture instructs us how to pray for world evangelization. God uses people to proclaim the gospel‚ so we should pray that he would send laborers into the harvest (Matt. 9:37–38). There’s no evidence that early Christians prayed for angelic visitations or visions to advance the gospel. Instead‚ they prayed for strength to speak the Word with boldness (Acts 4:29; cf. Eph. 6:19). Similarly‚ as we pray for the task of missions‚ we should align our prayers with God’s revealed means of gospel advance and so join him in the joy of his harvest.

In 1998‚ when my college classmates were dancing on tables‚ puking on the beach‚ and picking up STIs‚ I went to Salt Lake City with my Bible‚ some clothes‚ and no idea what Mormons believe. I was enthusiastic about my missionary task‚ but woefully uninformed. On one hand‚ all we need for evangelism is a thorough understanding of the gospel. However‚ we can shape our explanation of the gospel in helpful ways if we understand who we’re talking to and what they believe. This is what Paul did when he spoke to the Athenians in the Areopagus (Acts 17:22–34). He wasn’t just referencing pop culture; he was connecting their existing belief structures to their need for Christ as Savior. Paul had done his research so he could help bridge the gap between people’s existing beliefs and the gospel. We can shape our explanation of the gospel in helpful ways if we understand who we’re talking to and what they believe. Thankfully‚ when I arrived on my short term mission trip‚ my host invested hours teaching me what I needed to know about Mormonism. He showed how it is different from Christianity and how it leaves its adherents in need of salvation. That knowledge has helped me have meaningful conversations with Mormons over the past decades. It has also helped me to explain to other Christians where the fault lines between the two religions lie. Learning about other religions helps us evangelize and disciple‚ too. In recent years it seems like the number of religions has multiplied. At least‚ I’ve become increasingly aware of religious movements whose core beliefs I know nothing about. As I’ve sifted through internet research‚ I wished there was a resource to help me understand religions like Scientology‚ Jainism‚ and the Nation of Islam. Now there is. Derek Cooper’s book Christianity and New Religious Movements: An Introduction to the World’s Newest Faiths provides an overview of 10 religions that have emerged in the past two centuries. This interview with Cooper‚ managing director of the Thomas Institute‚ provides some of the background of his book. He explained why Christians need to understand these emerging religions‚ why we don’t call them cults‚ and how his book can encourage evangelism. Some of the religions you discuss in your book are small. There are many Christians who have never met an adherent of Baha’i or a practicing Wiccan. What drove you to write a book about these new religious movements? I previously wrote a book with P&;R called Christianity and World Religions: An Introduction to the World’s Major Faiths‚ where I explored the most historic religions of the world from a Christian perspective. These were the kinds of religions most of us have heard about‚ for example‚ Islam‚ Hinduism‚ Buddhism‚ and Judaism. The book was helpful to people‚ so it was natural to write a follow-up that covered the world’s most recent religions‚ like Baha’i‚ Wicca‚ Scientology‚ and Mormonism. In my experience‚ most books written about these newer religions were written either from a secular perspective or from an overly antagonistic one. I wrote from a confessional Christian perspective out of compassion for people of other faiths. I wanted to simultaneously offer an accurate portrayal of the religion and honestly assess it from a Christian viewpoint. Why is the term ‘cult’ unhelpful when interacting with new religious movements? To begin with‚ there’s no single agreed definition. People use the term in vastly different ways. And virtually no group or religious body accepts the term “cult” since it carries a negative connotation. The term has run its course in usefulness‚ carrying too much cultural baggage and representing too many barriers toward understanding what these religions teach and how their members practice them. The term “new religious movement” has become increasingly popular in the 21st century to refer to recent‚ religious‚ and systematized faiths. This term represents a consensus among scholars‚ and it’s concrete in its application and clear in its understanding. By using this term‚ Christians can take away one point of contention as they seek to communicate the gospel clearly. What does the continual religious innovation‚ even in this modern age‚ reveal about the plausibility of religious belief? Are we living in an age of disenchantment? Although many people would have us believe that religion is on the verge of extinction‚ nothing could be further from the truth. Stephen Hunt confirms in his book Religion in Western Society that “the attempt to measure religious decline by so-called hard empirical evidence is a notoriously hazardous enterprise.” Despite the rise and resilience of atheism‚ agnosticism‚ and secularism‚ religion is here to stay. As atheist A. C. Grayling concedes in his book The God Argument‚ “Religion is a pervasive fact of history”—on top of which we may add that it’ll be a pervasive fact of the future. Consequently‚ the atheist author of Religion for Atheists‚ Alain de Botton‚ is correct when he states that “religions merit our attention.” Although many people would have us believe that religion is on the verge of extinction‚ nothing could be further from the truth. Globally speaking‚ religion is on the rise. And this‚ of course‚ includes new religious movements. After all‚ as sociologist Christian Smith has demonstrated in his book Religion‚ it’s only logical to conclude that human societies “will continue to generate new religions” in the future just as much as they have in the past. Some of these new religious movements “will grow in size‚ strength‚ and significance‚ while others will decline.” But the expectation that humans will generate them is inescapable. It’s what we do. And with thousands of new religious movements in existence around the globe‚ it’s clear we’ve been hard at work. How can faithful Christians best engage evangelistically with adherents of these new religious movements? Do we have to know all about their religion before we share the gospel? I believe in the power of the Holy Spirit to transform people’s lives. As such‚ I don’t think there’s one particular way for Christians to engage in evangelism with members of other religions. The Holy Spirit is free to make use of people‚ ideas‚ events‚ circumstances‚ tragedies‚ cultures‚ and practices in different ways. That said‚ I do believe that Christians who are aware of other religions are (1) more likely to engage in a conversation with a person from a different religion‚ (2) able to ask better questions and frame conversations more compellingly‚ and (3) more secure in their faith and can therefore not be afraid to share their faith in Christ with practitioners of other religions.

Gage Goldberg commits to Colorado

Comic Books. Since the days of World War II‚ people have been obsessed with them. From the first Action Comics to blockbuster events such as Infinity Wars and Endgame‚ fanboys and girls across the globe have commented‚ complained‚ and compared superheroes and superhero stories. Everyone is an expert these days. With that in mind and […] The post The 10 Most Obscure Facts about Comic Books appeared first on Listverse.

If you’re of a certain age‚ you grew up playing The Oregon Trail” on primitive computers at school and at home. And if you’re a bit older than that‚ you grew up watching shows about the Old West. In both generations‚ though‚ there was one constant: covered wagons! For decades now‚ Americans have been obsessed […] The post 10 Brutal Facts about Traveling West in a Covered Wagon appeared first on Listverse.

For years‚ especially during the Cold War‚ Hungary looked to America as an example of freedom‚ but now it might be time for the U.S. to take notes from Hungary‚ according to Shea Bradley-Farrell.  Bradley-Farrell‚ president of the Counterpoint Institute for Policy‚ Research and Education‚ recently spent several months in Hungary doing research for her new book. While in the European nation formerly controlled by the then-Soviet Union‚ Bradley-Farrell says she found herself often having a similar conversation with Hungarians.  “Hungarians told me over and over‚ ‘the rhetoric coming out of the United States reminds us of our Soviet era‚’” Bradley-Farrell recalled. “And the more I dug into that‚ the more that I realized that the things that we’re dealing with here and the so-called progressive agenda‚ the woke agenda‚ the Biden administration‚ they’re directly out of the playbook of communism‚” she says.  As a deeply religious and freedom-loving nation‚ Hungary—which came out from under Soviet oppression in 1991—has long looked to America as a “light on a … hill‚” Bradley-Farrell says. But Hungary is not a model for America because “America and our Constitution‚ our founding‚ is the model for the world‚” she says. in 1991—has long looked to America as a “light on a … hill‚” Bradley-Farrell says. But Hungary is not a model for America because “America and our Constitution‚ our founding‚ is the model for the world‚” she says. However‚ “our Hungarian friends‚ the people that care about us‚ are saying‚ ‘Hey‚ your rhetoric is communist. You guys need to wake up‚ because you’re about to lose what we loved about you.’”  In her new book‚ “Last Warning to the West: Hungary’s Triumph Over Communism and the Woke Agenda‚” Bradley-Farrell outlines a road map for how America can change course and learn from our friends in Hungary at this moment in history.  Bradley-Farrell joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss the book and share the stories of the conversations she had in Hungary.  Listen to the podcast below:  The post From Hungary‚ a ‘Last Warning to the West’ appeared first on The Daily Signal.

The remains of two new temples in Doric style have been discovered in the ancient Greek colony of Poseidonia (renamed Paestum by the Romans when they conquered it in 273 B.C.) in southern Italy. Only the base of one dating to the 5th century B.C. remains intact. The remains of the older temple were incorporated into it. The temples were discovered unexpectedly during an excavation campaign on the western side of the city near the ancient walls. The goal was the document the stratigraphy of the area‚ and archaeologists had no inkling there were temple remains to be found. The first traces of the first temple were encountered in June 2019‚ with a thorough investigation beginning in September 2022. That temple dates to the first decades of the 5th century B.C. The parts of it that are preserved today are the foundation of the columns (the stylobate) and the steps (crepidoma). It measures 38 by 25 feet and its peristatis (the four sides of columns surrounding the cella‚ the inner chamber space where the image of the deity was venerated) had six columns on the long sides and four on the short. These dimensions and architectural features are unique for a Doric temple. The excavation is ongoing now‚ and just a few weeks ago‚ archaeologists found the remains of an even older temple. Beneath the peristasis are 14 fragmentary column capitals and other assorted architectural materials that were reused in the construction of the 5th century B.C. temple. They are about the same size as the columns of the small temple would have been‚ but of a different type comparable to the Doric capitals in the Temple of Hera‚ the oldest of Paestum’s temples. That means a temple from the 6th century B.C. precedes the one unearthed in 2022. It was replaced‚ likely after a collapse‚ and its usable pieces recycled into the new sacred structure. This discovery sheds new light on the early timeline of the site and of the city’s layout. The excavation found evidence that the internal walls of the city had collapsed‚ hitting the 5th century temple and damaging part of it. A road was found underneath the collapsed wall‚ indicating that in the 6th century B.C. when the earliest of the two small temples was built‚ the city did not yet have defensive walls. During a period of significant growth of the polis‚ the colonists of Poseidonia built a sanctuary in a strategic location. It protected the urban space and was directly visible from the sea. The importance of this sacred space is confirmed by its complex building phases‚ which saw the construction of two Doric temples. Its uninterrupted use‚ spanning over half a millennium‚ marks a fundamental continuity of worship through the Greco-Lucanian and Roman eras.

Connecticut is just the latest state to provide a more accessible criminal record expungement system designed to “eliminate employment‚ education‚ and housing barriers for those convicted of low-level…

Something good happened this past week in south Florida. After being briefed and educated by activists affiliated with the Middle East Forum (MEF)‚ a group of responsible public officials and business…