It was cool to get to check out the Evangelical Free Church headquarters. We did this interview in their archives facility which has stuff dating back to their time in Sweden and Norway (as represented by the two little flags behind me). It would have been fun to take more time and dig through a bunch of that stuff for myself. Maybe at some point I'll do a video like that with a denominational historian. If you missed the previous video, here's the link: th-cam.com/video/6G4LsZAixtY/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=TheTenMinuteBibleHour If you'd like to support the program, you can do that at www.patreon.com/TMBH
I would love to see a video with a Denominational Historian. Even though I’m a Catholic, I find the evolution of Protestant denominations fascinating. (Not in the common dismissive way of “look how much they splinter,” but instead looking how they each split off to solve real problems).
My dude, I have been watching your channel for months. I have you to thank for introducing me to the Coptic Church (a church I am now happy to call home) and giving me huge boosts to my faith. You’re a blessing for all of us my guy, keep up the great work!
Matt, I know you are humble, so apologies, but your videos are absolutely fantastic. They are informative, balanced and most of all extremely engaging and interesting. To achieve that, whilst talking about a complex spaghetti of beliefs spanned across several centuries of world history, is nothing short of gifted and brilliant. Finally, to interview with the humility, elogence, and depth which you do, and to challenge whilst not being ignorant the views you perhaps had not heard/fully understood previously is a testament to your character, brother you are blessed and so are we for hearing your content. Thank you so much for your efforts and work. Also a big thank you from me as I was recently saved so all the knowledge has been and continues to feed my desire to learn this, and as a Christian from the UK for helping us explore this world from our offices. God bless.
First, thanks for the generous encouragement, but second, and more importantly, congratulations on your new-found faith! I'm elated for you! The Kingdom of God is the truest, realest thing and there's life and simplicity and beauty in it.
Ya know, I bet if Matt contacted Archbishop Foley Beach, the Archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America, he could interview him on the balancing Evangelical Theology and Sacramental Theology and how a tradition can emphasize the local church while also having an episcopacy that still has authority. I bet it could be a really cool interview.
My father attends an Anglican Church, and it was the first church I was baptized into. I’ve actually gotten to meet Archbishop Foley in person at said church. He’s a wonderful man, and I imagine he’d be able to give a satisfying answer to that question.
I came to Christ in a non-denominational church and greatly appreciated the autonomy that it existed within until the elders held a position that was counter to Scripture and I had to withdraw. I next found myself in a Methodist church that, on the face of it operated autonomously until the district raised its ugly head and decided to shuffle things around and abuse a pastor who didn't completely operate by their manufactured rules that ran counter to the Scriptural approach to handling errors of judgment. From there, I joined another non-denominational church that was in the process of becoming a denomination, headed by a pastor that was a great Bible expositor but had no concept of being a shepherd. For the last 8 years, we have been in an Evangelical Free Church and I feel there's a good balance here of autonomy and solid Bible-based teaching and support. What Kevin spoke about is certainly the guiding principle I'm finding in this church.
Matt - I have followed all of your videos - love them. thank you so muich - especially like the ones where you have interviewed the different christian faiths. I especially liked the one on Lutheran Church and the Greek Orthadox ones. Question is - has interviewing all these people associated with various forms of christianity changed your own philosophy of faith in any way?
In 1950 the Swedish Evangelical Free Church merged with the Norwegian-Danish Evangelical Free Church. My Great Grandma was a Dane; my Great Grandpa a Swede. My dad’s grandparents were Norwegian. My parents were married in the Evangelical Free Church on the East side of St. Paul, MN. I grew up in the Free Church. When I was about 12 I went through confirmation. I remember the pastor telling us that in the old country there used to be a tax to sit in the pews (since it was state run) and they were free from that here in America. Also, the state church in the old country was very liturgical and the EFCA put aside liturgy in favor of a more spontaneous and Bible-centered way of worshiping. I also went to Trinity College in the eighties. I think the Free Church was a good church to grow up in. Thanks for doing the interview, Matt!
Subscribed a little bit ago, and I'm enjoying watching all your videos. You're approach, open mindedness, and informative interviews is really great. Keep up the good work, continue to remain humble, and I hope you and your family are doing well.
I'd also be really interested in your thoughts on "Evangelical" vs. "Fundamentalist" and the blurry line between. I found Phil Vischer's recent youtube video on that subject to be really thoughtful in how it was put together, even if I'm not sure about tactics like picking a fight with Ken Ham.
I respect both Vischer and Whittman, however i think they're doing two different things with their series. Whittman is understanding its theological positions and its implications from both an international and Free church point of view, while Vischer is more understanding/challenging the Political/Cultural side of American Evangelicals and how their theological positions caused those shifts. Visher is also targeting Ev christians who felt betrayed by the movement at this time. There is overlap, but Whittman wouldn't touch that side of Evangelical thought in this series.
@@Joshlama That's a good point although having been around the Evangelical movement a while I do think definition of terms is important and the question of whether the Evangelical and Fundamentalist views on theology and practice overlap or not is pretty important - I'd say at least as important as other broad labels like "Reformed" or "Lutheran" or "Baptist"
LOVE Pastor Kevin!! He was the Senior Pastor of my home church in San Jose, CA for 11 years. He is a godly man of Character who teaches the Word of God, loves the Lord and loves people well.
"What does the Bible say" I love that! That's what Christianity is. Following and living by the word of God. The word of God is the ultimate authority 🙏🏾
I know this goes back many years and has nothing to do with this episode but I've been going through your podcasts on the book of Matthew. You took a vacation with your family and that week you taught about Adam knowing Noah! It blew my mind and put so much more into perspective than I ever known! Can you provide any other sources that teach about that? Thanks so much! I learn so much from you every day. Thank you for that!
You should do a pacifism and just war theory episode (if you haven't already). You could lump in some crusade justice in there to. I'm studying it in school right now and think it could lead to some interesting conversations. I've enjoyed so many hours of NDQ and have resently started learning a lot here as well. Keep up the amazing content!
Nice video, Mr. Whitman. Thank you. In a future video, and this may be what you hinted at for the next part in the series, I would like to see a further exploration of the idea you brought up in the previous video where black evangelical Christians in the United States, when broadly described, strongly favor one political party while their white counterparts strongly favor another.
So out of all the various types of Christian groups you've done, this is the one that most closely resembles my day-to-day faith, and I've gotta say you've got it pretty much exactly what my experience has been. I've only recently started to investigate other types of church (your channel has been a great help with this) and when I asked one of the church leaders he said 'reformed charismatic. Though there is a minor difference in that I live in the UK, and EFCA is obviously US-based, I don't think there is a centralised theology at all, though I might just be missing it. The lack of centralised authority never really occurred to me before, but when I read about the early church in Acts, I see almost the same thing there. It's an interesting parallel either way Getting more specific is the NewFrontiers family of churches, which first started off with people meeting in each other's houses, just like Kevin described here. Within that there are the seven spheres, and from my experience they're all theologically very similar, mostly differing in practical things. Someone you might find interesting to talk to is Terry Virgo, who kinda started the whole NewFrontiers thing. I had the fortune to listen to him preach on two occasions, and he's a really chill guy. He's not in charge of anything per se, but he can certainly give the best overview
I am so grateful I found your videos. As a relative newbie to Christianity (three years this August), your topics and how they are conveyed has been a tremendous support when I question and/or feel those niggling doubts. I was raised in an "out-of-practice" Jewish home in which the only precept I was taught was they "we" don't believe Jesus is the son of God. My daughter discipled me and at 61, I was baptized. In particular for me, your casual, genuine, friendly, warm and very engaging energy is magnetic and makes viewing/listening a joy and fun. I also find that your style of imparting educational data is much easier for me to retain. The Church of Christ I joined identifies as Evangelical. I have had a real conflict labeling myself as such. "Evangelist" has always meant "over the top, Bible-thumping, fire and brimstone" preaching to me. In my mind's eye, I see a televangelist and his wife with spider eyelashes playing more to the camera than to the congregants. This follow-up and the previous interview are excellent and so helpful. Finally, I truly appreciated your videos throughout 2020 which worked my spiritual muscles and helped navigate through one tough year. Blessings to you Brother.
Please check out Keith Nester's channel. After 22 years as a pastor, he realized that there's only one church that puts Jesus at the center (not the pastor) and doesn't confuse hyped-up emotions with the Holy Spirit.
I was fascinated by Rev. Kompelien's description of the origins of the EFC. Growing up Lutheran, I was always told something like the following: "Well, we have a lot in common theologically with the EFC, but they are essentially Lutherans who decided to give up on solid sacramental theology." If the originators of the EFC were initially concerned about communing with the unrepentant town drunk, that suggests to me that they took Holy Communion very seriously, i.e., more seriously than if they were eating and drinking a symbolically present Christ. Why then did their efforts lead in a direction that (as I understand it) ultimately rejected faith in the real presence of Christ's body and blood in Communion? I'm not trying to be snarky or confrontational in asking that question; I am genuinely curious and would be interested to hear that topic addressed in a future video.
We do take Communion very seriously, because it is a symbol and a reminder of what Jesus did for us. But we do not believe that the elements are or become the actual body and blood of Christ. Others who have looked into it far more than I have have written and talked about it, and I'm sure you can find some of their work online. I would guess that there is at least some element of which of the Greek words for "is" is used when Jesus says "this is my body, broken for you... this is my blood, shed for you." There is one Greek word for "is" that denotes substance, and if the other "is" was used, that would imply that the bread/wine are NOT, in fact, actually his body and blood. Unfortunately, I am far enough in my Greek studies to know that there ARE two words for "is," but I'm not far enough to be able to know off the top of my head which is which, so I have no idea which was used in those passages. But that's my initial guess of at least one factor involved.
Thanks Matt for your review of so many different views of Christianity. For the most part we have some important common threads, and that's helpful to remember when meeting new people!
Today marks the 1 year anniversary of _A Protestant Talks With a Catholic Theologian._ Do we finally get to see the finale? 🤓 P.S. TH-cam needs this kind of content. The presentation and attitude is best of class. Thanks, seriously.
This might sound cantankerous, but it’s not meant to be. You said the EFCA wouldn’t have any problems with the ancient Creeds, but what about baptismal regeneration as pronounced in the Nicene Creed? “I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.” Really interested to hear your thoughts there
in my old church we sometimes recited the nicene creed. no one interpreted it as baptismal regeneration but as baptism symbolizing the forgiveness of sins.
OK, sorry for posting the link. I’ll say it this way: I didn’t realize it once was Lutheran, but changed to sorta-Baptist. I learned the history of EFCA on the “Ready to Harvest” channel on one of his most recent videos.
I gotta say I always find it very unsatisfying when the question of how to decide on fundamentals is answered by something like "well we look at what the Bible says". Every denomination claims that! A Roman Catholic would say, sure, tradition is important, but it's for interpretation and guidance on Scripture, which is the source of revelation. And a Lutheran perhaps too, and so forth. There has to be something more explicit or concrete that leads to one set of fundamentals rather than another (and I think it's usually church history, really).
Catholics have a higher view on Tradition. Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition come together to form the Magisterium. I agree with you that the different denominations arrive from different interpretations, so it seems like Jesus should have established a church to decide on the fundamentals. Which Catholics and Orthodox agree that he did. Ecumenical councils and Patristics form the basis for Holy Tradition, how is that different from Church history?
Exactly. This is because of relativism that started in the 19th century. It’s bogus and confusing. God would not confuse his children, relativism comes from Satan. All it takes is reading the early church fathers and Protestantism (from Luther all the way to mega church people today) gets blown apart. It’s sinking sand. So glad to be standing on the Rock Jesus set up!
Even the Jehovah's Witnesses claim to form their theology from what the Bible says. And from that they came to a denial of Jesus' divinity and other doctrines most other Christians think are "essential." Sola Scriptura is insufficient for preserving Christ's teachings. A living authority is necessary.
Yes, it's church history. "To be deep in history is to cease to be Protestant" - John Henry Newman Please note that "Roman" (the correct term is actually "Latin") is just one of over 20 rites that are all in communion with each other.
How do you explain the relationship between white Evangelicals in the US with Trumpism? I sense a desire to distance "real Evangelicals" from Evangelical Trumpists, and more power to you, but it does seem like the term Evangelical is now inextricably linked with a form of white nationalism and that the name itself might be beyond rescue. I'd be very interested in your thoughts in future programs.
I would love for you to make a video with the Mormon church. Although I don't agree with them, they seem to have the best character of any large organism. Almost every Mormon I've ever met are remarkably pleasant.
Great questions. As a kid I went to a non-denominational church (originally planted by a baptist church). Dont get me wrong, they are very good christians. When the pastor appointed by the planter retired, many things went wrong with leadership and tensions with a pastor they newly appointed. Eventually the whole congregation had to vote in favour of the pastor or the elders. One of the issues was that the new pastor wanted the church to join a group of churches. The pastor lost and left. Since then, the church has been ruled by the elders, which I take issue with quite honestly. They also take charge of most things at the church and I worry they are also old, many retired from their day jobs years ago. I moved away and joined a CofE church. I think the elders have learnt a bit since then, but I think churches with no central authority need to be vigilent and make sure they do have at least informal connections with other churches and have processes in place for situations. It also makes them more vulnerable: because that church was left with no head leadership, local people were invited to preach who sometimes didnt even preach on the bible at all but on their own theology on angels and souls with no biblical precedence. With such churches, it takes one leadership breakdown to destroy these churches. They also need to invest in their congregations, so there will be people to succeed elders when they retire. These are reasons why I prefer churches with some central authority, but I totally get that central authority can certainly have its own issues. By all means, you don't need to have central authority to be a good believing church, but imo it makes it a lot easier when you are part of a wider community.
Except that you won't find the word Trinity or Theotokos in the bible but the concepts are there. Where is the list of books that make up the bible in the bible? It isn't there. instead, we look to men like Athanasius as authorities for what books comprise the New Testament. It's a great sentiment but it isn't that simple.
As a Swede with a Norwegian father, I'm thrilled to see a Swedish flag and a Norwegian flag in the background. Has it something to do with the Scandinavian roots of the Evangelical Free Church? And that there where many Scandinavians migrating to Minnesota? Or both?
@@MattWhitmanTMBH Love your channel! One more question: Is the Evangelical Free Church in the US in some way connected with it's namesake (Evangeliska Frikyrkan) here in Sweden?
@@svenknutsen8937 Yes, I believe it was. Adherents to the Free Church Sweden helped form the Evangelical Free Church of America when they migrated here in the first half of the 20th century. I don't believe there is any formal connection now though.
@@jamespowell_km_kchs Well, you're kind of right, but not really. Scandinavia was catholic up until the 16th century. Eastern orthodoxy has never been big. Except for Finland and the Baltics there has hardly been any orthodox churches in the Nordic countries until recent years. The protestant reformation played a big part in forming our nation states. The first translation of the Bible, published in 1542, commissioned by the first protestant king Gustav Wasa, played a big role in forming the Swedish language. Even though Sweden today is a very secularised country, our culture and our mindset are heavily influenced by Lutheranism.
Dang I found this 3 years too late. These churches are fantastic I came from Roman Catholicism with some things I wasn’t ready to let go of and a thing or two still stuck with me and they were all “this is fine we’re glad you’re here… amen?” 😅
Could you do something on the Reformed / Calvinist Church? There's a local pastor who I really like, but I'm not sure if I really agree with all their beliefs, but also looking up stuff online I keep getting conflicting info so I'm really confused
Welcome to relativism in Christianity - causing confusion since 1517. See, what you just said is troubling. You like the pastor. So he/she? is a good preacher, a good entertainer. It’s not really about God at that point but rather about ourselves. Orthodoxy and orthopraxy take a back seat and it’s all about how good pastor Joe is and the message he’s preaching, even if it’s heterodox or heretical. Sinking sand. There’s a solution.
@@jamespowell_km_kchs wow. I like him because he's the kindest and most understanding person I've ever met. He used to guest preach at my church when my pastor was at conferences or visiting family, and he was really nice. He was one of the only pastors who wasn't rude to me when I was in charge of the sound system. Like if I'm going to disagree with a pastor, I want it to be him. I grew up with his kids in school, and even though they were homeschooled, I saw them a lot for sports and events, and his son was one of my professors in college. I like him and his family, and I'd like to go to their church sometimes. But I'd also like to go in educated on their beliefs and knowing where I'm going to disagree with them, and also being able to tell where this specific church's beliefs differ from others, if at all.
@@jamespowell_km_kchs Yes it is sinking sand. People realize it, go to a different church, then start sinking again. Only one church is built on solid rock!
I like the term Evangelical. I think of it as something that drew together a fragmenting Protestantism. I think it pointed to the goals of the Reformation - the Bible as the word of God and ultimate authority, the need for personal conversion (even for Christians), the central importance of Jesus' death and resurrection, and the importance for all Christians to be active in the life and work of the church. I think I see it more as a historical term rather than as a way for Christians to categorize or self-identify. And in that sense I see it as a useful term since many of us do have a faith that can trace its influences back to the Reformation and/or preaching of the great awakenings, etc.
I enjoyed this Matt. I suppose that all words in living languages are subject to slippage. It may be that there isn't a stable label for any group of people. One of the main issues is that labels for collectives are used both by people on the inside and people on the outside. It is nearly impossible for them to mean the same thing when using the label. I am old enough to remember when 'fundamentalist' was high praise for anyone devoted to the authority of scripture. Now that is an epithet, both from the inside and the outside of any modern community of faith. The damage done to that label came from the outside and it was an intentional characterization. Eventually, that new definition found its way to the inside. My guess is something similar has happened to 'evangelical'. We would do well do remember Paul's warning about labels: they tend to be carnal even with the best of intentions.
Hey Matt love the videos! I'd like to suggest you visit a Church of Christ church which is the "branch" or whatever you want to call it that I come from. It sounds like Evangelical Free and CoC have a lot in common but I am curious to know more about the one main difference I see being the presence of a president in the Evangelical free tradition. Where did this practice come from? Why is it needed? In CoC each congregation (we still consider ourselves one church) is completely autonomous and just seeks to do as scripture says. We do not put any real emphasis on traditions outside the bible or have any kind of convention or governing body. If you are ever in my neck of the woods (Central Arkansas - I have been told we have some great fly fishing 😉) I invite you to visit my home congregation West Side CoC in Searcy. Keep spreading the Gospel! God Bless!
@Time to Believe John 10:16 I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd.
The question that all of us should be asking is...what is the Truth and by what means did God establish to reveal it to us? One Truth One Church. Heaven will not be segregated by denominations so why would we believe that our world should be?
Can you do one with Living Stream Ministries, also known as the Lord's Recovery? This group came out from Witness Lee and Watchman Nee from China. They have a corporate office in Anaheim, CA, and are scattered throughout cities all over the world. They are also known as the "house church." In China, the underground Church meets as the Lord's Recovery.
Evangelism and evangelicalism are two different things. If someone shares the gospel of Jesus, he is an evangelist. Not necessarily evangelical. He might well be evangelical, but as this video and the last one point out, there is more to an evangelical than just evangelism.
I would love to see an interview with John Stumbo, the president of the Christian and Missionary Alliance denomination. It almost sits between AG and EF in theology and functionality.
I still think you would benefit from visiting a congregational UCC church! Much like your free churches, each one is autonomous and runs its own affairs with no one head. However, the United Church of Christ (UCC) label means they get UCC pastors and may lean into UCC social issues as part of ministry. This social ministry is something very different to other churches you have reviewed- it leans theologically open/progressive. Would be fun to see you chatting with a UCC pastor.
I suppose that if denominations were colours, Evangelicalism would be a shade. Bright purple, bright red, bright blue. Or maybe not, you give me a lot to think about! "Do it with a winsome spirit". I like that one.
At my old church we a "board" that was very vague and would make important decisions for the Church. It felt like an old boys club of yes men. It was mysterious and weird.
It always astounds me that these people never question what spirit, as inevitably one does, inspires and moves them... division abounds and is of the devil.
idk... It's not so much decentralized when there is an organization with a statement of faith that is expected to be followed by local ministries? To quote Rick & Morty, sounds like high church with extra steps
If a Pastor is not serving the least among them, and working like a teacher in 2 Timothy 4:3-4, how can he see Jesus or show the way to Jesus Christ, when the way to Him is too narrow.
Yeah but I could see Matt getting an interview with a big-cheese US Catholic bishop. Maybe someone fr the bishops conference, or go after a Cardinal. That's do-able.
What do *Evangelicals* mean by the concept of Evangelicalism ? It is the Evangelicals who call themselves Evangelicals - they are the folk who should know what they mean by the words and concepts they use.
Why are their denominations? The Bible is clear on all foundational issues of Christianity. (Just study some of the Greek and Hebrew!) I don't understand reformist either, what is there to reform? Just follow the Bible... why is it that hard? You either follow Jesus, or you don't. Christianity doesn't need a reformation, peoples hearts do.
Institutionalized Churches are orchards some have a better ground than others, but any of them can bring a huge tree, and also outside an orchard can a huge tree grow. And how will you know a tree that is great in the eyes of God? Well the fruits of the Spirit will be abundant. So, trees is where it's at, orchards are secondary.
What is the difference between directing people to get politically involved regarding Evangelical beliefs and directing people as members of the Evangelical church to influence, to vote for and to legislate Evangelical beliefs? You are looking for the same outcomes while washing your hands of the political involvement. And the reason for that is to not jeopardize your tax exempt status. It is one thing to have your followers live a Christian life. It is another when they try to influence the beliefs of others by pushing the Evangelical beliefs as a political to pressure others or to impose your beliefs on those of differing faiths. It is self-centered and even disrespectful of other Christians who do not share your agenda.
"The New Testament is concealed in the Old, and the Old Testament is revealed in the New" - Saint Augustine. Jews just don't realize this. Mormons are another story. They deny the Trinity.
I think the political class want to classify all christians as evangelicals in a kind of deragatory way, which I don't think most Christians think. I always thought of it two ways - one was kind of a Billy Graham definition of evangalizing to others to bring them to Christ. The other was that I always lumped evangelicals in with Pentacostals. I don't think most Methodists / Baptists etc., think of themselves as evangelicals. Could be wrong - but that's what I think. I am liking the church I go to, which is interdenominational and is a "bible church". Instead of a general sermon like I was used to growing up, it is more like a bible study each week deep diving into scripture verses and how it applies to our everyday lives.
What about addressing the heresy that is the New Apostolic Reformation & conversely the glut of false “Prophets” & how biblical illiteracy feeds into both of them
Interesting to hear his perspective. Great proclamation to live your faith. He does seem to throw the early church fathers under the bus. Polycarp, Justin Martyr and Ignatius of Antioch would not recognize his church.
It is unfortunate that when Jesus was on Earth that he ascended before giving his followers leaders by whom his teachings and authority could be carried forward. Little wonder how we have so many different and divergent groups identifying themselves as authentic Christian churches.
Looking at the EFCA website, you could argue there is something which create friction with the creeds. The bit on "The Church" denies baptismal regeneration (the idea that baptism saves you). The current version of the Nicene creed (there have been updates) can at least be interpreted as endorsing baptismal regeneration. I wouldn't say the bible verses the line is based on endorse baptismal regeneration, but when you consider where and when the Nicene Creed was updated, it's quite likely those updating it thought that. This doesn't really bother me, as to me the function of the creeds is affirming your own faith, so you can reinterpret them as needed; but it is a point worth acknowledging. On the word "evangelical": it really depends a lot on whether you live in the states or not. A lot of the social/political connotations of the word "evangelical" don't really exist outside the states.
Yeah I'm in Australia and saying you're evangelical has nothing to do with politics, it's about Biblical authority as the basis of your faith and practice.
@@MusicalRaichu Yep. For reference, I'm English. Honestly when people here are referring to social/political connotations of "evangelicalism" they usually say "American Evangelicalism". Although this isn't massively fair to American evangelicals like Matt that want don't subscribe to the political/social grouping.
I respect all religions. Some religions would never attempt to convert others. On the other hand, nothing turns me off more than being preached to or being the subject of attempted conversion. It is an affront to my belief that my beliefs are personal and need not be assailed by some low church people who act with arrogance and, yes, even aggression. They assume that you know nothing about their religion. Heaven forbid you should ask difficult questions of some of them. Others try conversion when they don't know enough about their own denomination and definitely nothing about others. i would never try to convert people to my beliefs. I feel it would be rude and not respectful.
E-Z faith, one without someone telling you what to do, a self-authorized version of the NT Church. where the individual assumes the title of Apostle, Prophet, Pastor, Teacher, Exorcist and Vicar of Christ along with being the infallible interpreter of the Holy Scriptures with a direct line to heaven guided by the Holy Spirit. He took the bait and now he's hooked on a "non denomination church" as he calls it. It has no name. He was told that he needs a relationship, not a religion
It was cool to get to check out the Evangelical Free Church headquarters. We did this interview in their archives facility which has stuff dating back to their time in Sweden and Norway (as represented by the two little flags behind me). It would have been fun to take more time and dig through a bunch of that stuff for myself. Maybe at some point I'll do a video like that with a denominational historian.
If you missed the previous video, here's the link: th-cam.com/video/6G4LsZAixtY/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=TheTenMinuteBibleHour
If you'd like to support the program, you can do that at www.patreon.com/TMBH
I would love to see a video with a Denominational Historian. Even though I’m a Catholic, I find the evolution of Protestant denominations fascinating. (Not in the common dismissive way of “look how much they splinter,” but instead looking how they each split off to solve real problems).
Hey Matt,,, Did you upgrade your video? very professional!
I have a question and also an idea for next video. Does the Bible and the Christian Church instruct the faithfuls to become nationalist Christians?
My dude, I have been watching your channel for months. I have you to thank for introducing me to the Coptic Church (a church I am now happy to call home) and giving me huge boosts to my faith. You’re a blessing for all of us my guy, keep up the great work!
Right on friend!
By far one of my favourite channels on TH-cam, and the one that I will always watch immediately when a new video is posted. Great work, Matt!
Matt, I know you are humble, so apologies, but your videos are absolutely fantastic. They are informative, balanced and most of all extremely engaging and interesting.
To achieve that, whilst talking about a complex spaghetti of beliefs spanned across several centuries of world history, is nothing short of gifted and brilliant.
Finally, to interview with the humility, elogence, and depth which you do, and to challenge whilst not being ignorant the views you perhaps had not heard/fully understood previously is a testament to your character, brother you are blessed and so are we for hearing your content.
Thank you so much for your efforts and work. Also a big thank you from me as I was recently saved so all the knowledge has been and continues to feed my desire to learn this, and as a Christian from the UK for helping us explore this world from our offices.
God bless.
First, thanks for the generous encouragement, but second, and more importantly, congratulations on your new-found faith! I'm elated for you! The Kingdom of God is the truest, realest thing and there's life and simplicity and beauty in it.
@@MattWhitmanTMBH thank you also for the encouragement in every video and in this comment, so very true brother. God is so good. Amen.
Ya know, I bet if Matt contacted Archbishop Foley Beach, the Archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America, he could interview him on the balancing Evangelical Theology and Sacramental Theology and how a tradition can emphasize the local church while also having an episcopacy that still has authority. I bet it could be a really cool interview.
Anglicans are generally very cool people in general. I could see that being an awesome interview.
My father attends an Anglican Church, and it was the first church I was baptized into. I’ve actually gotten to meet Archbishop Foley in person at said church. He’s a wonderful man, and I imagine he’d be able to give a satisfying answer to that question.
We need this ^^
Ick.
@@jterrellielli7058 ick?
I came to Christ in a non-denominational church and greatly appreciated the autonomy that it existed within until the elders held a position that was counter to Scripture and I had to withdraw. I next found myself in a Methodist church that, on the face of it operated autonomously until the district raised its ugly head and decided to shuffle things around and abuse a pastor who didn't completely operate by their manufactured rules that ran counter to the Scriptural approach to handling errors of judgment. From there, I joined another non-denominational church that was in the process of becoming a denomination, headed by a pastor that was a great Bible expositor but had no concept of being a shepherd. For the last 8 years, we have been in an Evangelical Free Church and I feel there's a good balance here of autonomy and solid Bible-based teaching and support. What Kevin spoke about is certainly the guiding principle I'm finding in this church.
Matt - I have followed all of your videos - love them. thank you so muich - especially like the ones where you have interviewed the different christian faiths. I especially liked the one on Lutheran Church and the Greek Orthadox ones. Question is - has interviewing all these people associated with various forms of christianity changed your own philosophy of faith in any way?
New idea for a series! Talk to all of the world church leaders. For the next video you just gotta fly to the Vatican-- Easy!
I'm Catholic, I'll text Francis real quick and let ya know what time/date Matt can be there
@@jrbcnchz ah, thanks man. This is the kind of Ecumanism I can get behind
😂😂😂😂😂
In 1950 the Swedish Evangelical Free Church merged with the Norwegian-Danish Evangelical Free Church. My Great Grandma was a Dane; my Great Grandpa a Swede. My dad’s grandparents were Norwegian. My parents were married in the Evangelical Free Church on the East side of St. Paul, MN. I grew up in the Free Church.
When I was about 12 I went through confirmation. I remember the pastor telling us that in the old country there used to be a tax to sit in the pews (since it was state run) and they were free from that here in America. Also, the state church in the old country was very liturgical and the EFCA put aside liturgy in favor of a more spontaneous and Bible-centered way of worshiping.
I also went to Trinity College in the eighties. I think the Free Church was a good church to grow up in.
Thanks for doing the interview, Matt!
Subscribed a little bit ago, and I'm enjoying watching all your videos. You're approach, open mindedness, and informative interviews is really great. Keep up the good work, continue to remain humble, and I hope you and your family are doing well.
I'd also be really interested in your thoughts on "Evangelical" vs. "Fundamentalist" and the blurry line between. I found Phil Vischer's recent youtube video on that subject to be really thoughtful in how it was put together, even if I'm not sure about tactics like picking a fight with Ken Ham.
Its needed
I respect both Vischer and Whittman, however i think they're doing two different things with their series. Whittman is understanding its theological positions and its implications from both an international and Free church point of view, while Vischer is more understanding/challenging the Political/Cultural side of American Evangelicals and how their theological positions caused those shifts. Visher is also targeting Ev christians who felt betrayed by the movement at this time. There is overlap, but Whittman wouldn't touch that side of Evangelical thought in this series.
@@Joshlama That's a good point although having been around the Evangelical movement a while I do think definition of terms is important and the question of whether the Evangelical and Fundamentalist views on theology and practice overlap or not is pretty important - I'd say at least as important as other broad labels like "Reformed" or "Lutheran" or "Baptist"
It is so awesome that Rev. Kompelien was willing to sit down with you!
Agreed, and he was great!
LOVE Pastor Kevin!! He was the Senior Pastor of my home church in San Jose, CA for 11 years. He is a godly man of Character who teaches the Word of God, loves the Lord and loves people well.
"What does the Bible say" I love that! That's what Christianity is. Following and living by the word of God. The word of God is the ultimate authority 🙏🏾
I know this goes back many years and has nothing to do with this episode but I've been going through your podcasts on the book of Matthew. You took a vacation with your family and that week you taught about Adam knowing Noah! It blew my mind and put so much more into perspective than I ever known! Can you provide any other sources that teach about that?
Thanks so much! I learn so much from you every day. Thank you for that!
You should do a pacifism and just war theory episode (if you haven't already). You could lump in some crusade justice in there to. I'm studying it in school right now and think it could lead to some interesting conversations. I've enjoyed so many hours of NDQ and have resently started learning a lot here as well. Keep up the amazing content!
Nice video, Mr. Whitman. Thank you.
In a future video, and this may be what you hinted at for the next part in the series, I would like to see a further exploration of the idea you brought up in the previous video where black evangelical Christians in the United States, when broadly described, strongly favor one political party while their white counterparts strongly favor another.
So out of all the various types of Christian groups you've done, this is the one that most closely resembles my day-to-day faith, and I've gotta say you've got it pretty much exactly what my experience has been.
I've only recently started to investigate other types of church (your channel has been a great help with this) and when I asked one of the church leaders he said 'reformed charismatic. Though there is a minor difference in that I live in the UK, and EFCA is obviously US-based, I don't think there is a centralised theology at all, though I might just be missing it.
The lack of centralised authority never really occurred to me before, but when I read about the early church in Acts, I see almost the same thing there. It's an interesting parallel either way
Getting more specific is the NewFrontiers family of churches, which first started off with people meeting in each other's houses, just like Kevin described here. Within that there are the seven spheres, and from my experience they're all theologically very similar, mostly differing in practical things.
Someone you might find interesting to talk to is Terry Virgo, who kinda started the whole NewFrontiers thing. I had the fortune to listen to him preach on two occasions, and he's a really chill guy. He's not in charge of anything per se, but he can certainly give the best overview
Fantastic channel. Thank you, again! I learn a lot from the content you share with us.
I am so grateful I found your videos. As a relative newbie to Christianity (three years this August), your topics and how they are conveyed has been a tremendous support when I question and/or feel those niggling doubts. I was raised in an "out-of-practice" Jewish home in which the only precept I was taught was they "we" don't believe Jesus is the son of God. My daughter discipled me and at 61, I was baptized. In particular for me, your casual, genuine, friendly, warm and very engaging energy is magnetic and makes viewing/listening a joy and fun. I also find that your style of imparting educational data is much easier for me to retain. The Church of Christ I joined identifies as Evangelical. I have had a real conflict labeling myself as such. "Evangelist" has always meant "over the top, Bible-thumping, fire and brimstone" preaching to me. In my mind's eye, I see a televangelist and his wife with spider eyelashes playing more to the camera than to the congregants. This follow-up and the previous interview are excellent and so helpful. Finally, I truly appreciated your videos throughout 2020 which worked my spiritual muscles and helped navigate through one tough year. Blessings to you Brother.
Please check out Keith Nester's channel. After 22 years as a pastor, he realized that there's only one church that puts Jesus at the center (not the pastor) and doesn't confuse hyped-up emotions with the Holy Spirit.
@@julieelizabeth4856 I will! Thankyou so much!
I was fascinated by Rev. Kompelien's description of the origins of the EFC. Growing up Lutheran, I was always told something like the following: "Well, we have a lot in common theologically with the EFC, but they are essentially Lutherans who decided to give up on solid sacramental theology." If the originators of the EFC were initially concerned about communing with the unrepentant town drunk, that suggests to me that they took Holy Communion very seriously, i.e., more seriously than if they were eating and drinking a symbolically present Christ. Why then did their efforts lead in a direction that (as I understand it) ultimately rejected faith in the real presence of Christ's body and blood in Communion? I'm not trying to be snarky or confrontational in asking that question; I am genuinely curious and would be interested to hear that topic addressed in a future video.
We do take Communion very seriously, because it is a symbol and a reminder of what Jesus did for us. But we do not believe that the elements are or become the actual body and blood of Christ. Others who have looked into it far more than I have have written and talked about it, and I'm sure you can find some of their work online.
I would guess that there is at least some element of which of the Greek words for "is" is used when Jesus says "this is my body, broken for you... this is my blood, shed for you." There is one Greek word for "is" that denotes substance, and if the other "is" was used, that would imply that the bread/wine are NOT, in fact, actually his body and blood. Unfortunately, I am far enough in my Greek studies to know that there ARE two words for "is," but I'm not far enough to be able to know off the top of my head which is which, so I have no idea which was used in those passages. But that's my initial guess of at least one factor involved.
You just touched on something that I recently started exploring, but wasn't quite sure where to start. Thank you!
Thanks Matt for your review of so many different views of Christianity. For the most part we have some important common threads, and that's helpful to remember when meeting new people!
Today marks the 1 year anniversary of _A Protestant Talks With a Catholic Theologian._ Do we finally get to see the finale? 🤓
P.S. TH-cam needs this kind of content. The presentation and attitude is best of class. Thanks, seriously.
The Vatican is dark..its happening
Mat is also part of the Evangelical Free Church, so this has to be a huge moment for him!
pretty sure Matt is a Calvinist :)
@@jonnygray43 Calvinists are welcome in the EFCA, and so are Arminians. It is one of our unique distinctives.
@@littlemas2 interesting, thank you for sharing. I’m Catholic so not 100% clued up on what Protestant denominations do 😅. Much respect and God bless
This might sound cantankerous, but it’s not meant to be. You said the EFCA wouldn’t have any problems with the ancient Creeds, but what about baptismal regeneration as pronounced in the Nicene Creed? “I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.”
Really interested to hear your thoughts there
in my old church we sometimes recited the nicene creed. no one interpreted it as baptismal regeneration but as baptism symbolizing the forgiveness of sins.
EFCA doesn’t know what they believe. They kinda don’t care about doctrine.
OK, sorry for posting the link. I’ll say it this way: I didn’t realize it once was Lutheran, but changed to sorta-Baptist. I learned the history of EFCA on the “Ready to Harvest” channel on one of his most recent videos.
I gotta say I always find it very unsatisfying when the question of how to decide on fundamentals is answered by something like "well we look at what the Bible says". Every denomination claims that! A Roman Catholic would say, sure, tradition is important, but it's for interpretation and guidance on Scripture, which is the source of revelation. And a Lutheran perhaps too, and so forth. There has to be something more explicit or concrete that leads to one set of fundamentals rather than another (and I think it's usually church history, really).
Catholics have a higher view on Tradition. Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition come together to form the Magisterium. I agree with you that the different denominations arrive from different interpretations, so it seems like Jesus should have established a church to decide on the fundamentals. Which Catholics and Orthodox agree that he did. Ecumenical councils and Patristics form the basis for Holy Tradition, how is that different from Church history?
The difference is that catholics do it the right way and everybody else is wrong.
:-)
Exactly. This is because of relativism that started in the 19th century. It’s bogus and confusing. God would not confuse his children, relativism comes from Satan. All it takes is reading the early church fathers and Protestantism (from Luther all the way to mega church people today) gets blown apart. It’s sinking sand. So glad to be standing on the Rock Jesus set up!
Even the Jehovah's Witnesses claim to form their theology from what the Bible says. And from that they came to a denial of Jesus' divinity and other doctrines most other Christians think are "essential." Sola Scriptura is insufficient for preserving Christ's teachings. A living authority is necessary.
Yes, it's church history. "To be deep in history is to cease to be Protestant" - John Henry Newman
Please note that "Roman" (the correct term is actually "Latin") is just one of over 20 rites that are all in communion with each other.
How do you explain the relationship between white Evangelicals in the US with Trumpism? I sense a desire to distance "real Evangelicals" from Evangelical Trumpists, and more power to you, but it does seem like the term Evangelical is now inextricably linked with a form of white nationalism and that the name itself might be beyond rescue. I'd be very interested in your thoughts in future programs.
Any news or updates on the youtube channel history nugget?
As a pastor in the EFCA, I’m glad for Kevin’s leadership.
I would love for you to make a video with the Mormon church. Although I don't agree with them, they seem to have the best character of any large organism. Almost every Mormon I've ever met are remarkably pleasant.
Great questions. As a kid I went to a non-denominational church (originally planted by a baptist church). Dont get me wrong, they are very good christians. When the pastor appointed by the planter retired, many things went wrong with leadership and tensions with a pastor they newly appointed. Eventually the whole congregation had to vote in favour of the pastor or the elders. One of the issues was that the new pastor wanted the church to join a group of churches. The pastor lost and left. Since then, the church has been ruled by the elders, which I take issue with quite honestly. They also take charge of most things at the church and I worry they are also old, many retired from their day jobs years ago. I moved away and joined a CofE church. I think the elders have learnt a bit since then, but I think churches with no central authority need to be vigilent and make sure they do have at least informal connections with other churches and have processes in place for situations. It also makes them more vulnerable: because that church was left with no head leadership, local people were invited to preach who sometimes didnt even preach on the bible at all but on their own theology on angels and souls with no biblical precedence. With such churches, it takes one leadership breakdown to destroy these churches. They also need to invest in their congregations, so there will be people to succeed elders when they retire. These are reasons why I prefer churches with some central authority, but I totally get that central authority can certainly have its own issues. By all means, you don't need to have central authority to be a good believing church, but imo it makes it a lot easier when you are part of a wider community.
What got me was when he said "where does it say that on the bible". To be that word driven is a breath of fresh air.
Except that you won't find the word Trinity or Theotokos in the bible but the concepts are there. Where is the list of books that make up the bible in the bible? It isn't there. instead, we look to men like Athanasius as authorities for what books comprise the New Testament. It's a great sentiment but it isn't that simple.
@@Dewisant80 Rosary too.
I like that guy! One time at a church potluck he helped me pour my punch because my hands were full of plates of food
As a Swede with a Norwegian father, I'm thrilled to see a Swedish flag and a Norwegian flag in the background. Has it something to do with the Scandinavian roots of the Evangelical Free Church? And that there where many Scandinavians migrating to Minnesota? Or both?
Correct on all points.
@@MattWhitmanTMBH Love your channel! One more question: Is the Evangelical Free Church in the US in some way connected with it's namesake (Evangeliska Frikyrkan) here in Sweden?
@@svenknutsen8937 Yes, I believe it was. Adherents to the Free Church Sweden helped form the Evangelical Free Church of America when they migrated here in the first half of the 20th century. I don't believe there is any formal connection now though.
Scandinavia’s real Christian roots are Catholicism and Eastern Orthodox. Not this.
@@jamespowell_km_kchs Well, you're kind of right, but not really. Scandinavia was catholic up until the 16th century. Eastern orthodoxy has never been big. Except for Finland and the Baltics there has hardly been any orthodox churches in the Nordic countries until recent years.
The protestant reformation played a big part in forming our nation states. The first translation of the Bible, published in 1542, commissioned by the first protestant king Gustav Wasa, played a big role in forming the Swedish language. Even though Sweden today is a very secularised country, our culture and our mindset are heavily influenced by Lutheranism.
Dang I found this 3 years too late. These churches are fantastic I came from Roman Catholicism with some things I wasn’t ready to let go of and a thing or two still stuck with me and they were all “this is fine we’re glad you’re here… amen?” 😅
Boy, am I dumb.
It took me twice as long to watch 10 minutes of this episode.
Could you do something on the Reformed / Calvinist Church? There's a local pastor who I really like, but I'm not sure if I really agree with all their beliefs, but also looking up stuff online I keep getting conflicting info so I'm really confused
Rerformed Christianity is right around the corner!
@@MattWhitmanTMBH I was just going to ask about this also!! Thank you, Matt!
Welcome to relativism in Christianity - causing confusion since 1517. See, what you just said is troubling. You like the pastor. So he/she? is a good preacher, a good entertainer. It’s not really about God at that point but rather about ourselves. Orthodoxy and orthopraxy take a back seat and it’s all about how good pastor Joe is and the message he’s preaching, even if it’s heterodox or heretical. Sinking sand. There’s a solution.
@@jamespowell_km_kchs wow. I like him because he's the kindest and most understanding person I've ever met. He used to guest preach at my church when my pastor was at conferences or visiting family, and he was really nice. He was one of the only pastors who wasn't rude to me when I was in charge of the sound system. Like if I'm going to disagree with a pastor, I want it to be him. I grew up with his kids in school, and even though they were homeschooled, I saw them a lot for sports and events, and his son was one of my professors in college. I like him and his family, and I'd like to go to their church sometimes. But I'd also like to go in educated on their beliefs and knowing where I'm going to disagree with them, and also being able to tell where this specific church's beliefs differ from others, if at all.
@@jamespowell_km_kchs Yes it is sinking sand. People realize it, go to a different church, then start sinking again. Only one church is built on solid rock!
I like the term Evangelical. I think of it as something that drew together a fragmenting Protestantism. I think it pointed to the goals of the Reformation - the Bible as the word of God and ultimate authority, the need for personal conversion (even for Christians), the central importance of Jesus' death and resurrection, and the importance for all Christians to be active in the life and work of the church. I think I see it more as a historical term rather than as a way for Christians to categorize or self-identify. And in that sense I see it as a useful term since many of us do have a faith that can trace its influences back to the Reformation and/or preaching of the great awakenings, etc.
I enjoyed this Matt. I suppose that all words in living languages are subject to slippage. It may be that there isn't a stable label for any group of people. One of the main issues is that labels for collectives are used both by people on the inside and people on the outside. It is nearly impossible for them to mean the same thing when using the label. I am old enough to remember when 'fundamentalist' was high praise for anyone devoted to the authority of scripture. Now that is an epithet, both from the inside and the outside of any modern community of faith. The damage done to that label came from the outside and it was an intentional characterization. Eventually, that new definition found its way to the inside. My guess is something similar has happened to 'evangelical'. We would do well do remember Paul's warning about labels: they tend to be carnal even with the best of intentions.
Hey Matt love the videos!
I'd like to suggest you visit a Church of Christ church which is the "branch" or whatever you want to call it that I come from. It sounds like Evangelical Free and CoC have a lot in common but I am curious to know more about the one main difference I see being the presence of a president in the Evangelical free tradition. Where did this practice come from? Why is it needed? In CoC each congregation (we still consider ourselves one church) is completely autonomous and just seeks to do as scripture says. We do not put any real emphasis on traditions outside the bible or have any kind of convention or governing body.
If you are ever in my neck of the woods (Central Arkansas - I have been told we have some great fly fishing 😉) I invite you to visit my home congregation West Side CoC in Searcy.
Keep spreading the Gospel!
God Bless!
What specific type of Church are you currently a member of?
We are all Descendants of the Catholic faith.
@Time to Believe
Then you're not a Christian.
@Time to Believe
John 10:16
I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd.
Love these!
The question that all of us should be asking is...what is the Truth and by what means did God establish to reveal it to us? One Truth One Church. Heaven will not be segregated by denominations so why would we believe that our world should be?
Right. God is not a relativist.
Can you do one with Living Stream Ministries, also known as the Lord's Recovery? This group came out from Witness Lee and Watchman Nee from China. They have a corporate office in Anaheim, CA, and are scattered throughout cities all over the world. They are also known as the "house church." In China, the underground Church meets as the Lord's Recovery.
I use evangelism as "Sharing the gospel/ the good news" , so for me if someone shares the gospel of Jesus he is Evangelical .
Evangelism and evangelicalism are two different things. If someone shares the gospel of Jesus, he is an evangelist. Not necessarily evangelical. He might well be evangelical, but as this video and the last one point out, there is more to an evangelical than just evangelism.
@@katherinec2759 Yes I learnt it , but thanks for pointing it out .
I would love to see an interview with John Stumbo, the president of the Christian and Missionary Alliance denomination. It almost sits between AG and EF in theology and functionality.
I still think you would benefit from visiting a congregational UCC church!
Much like your free churches, each one is autonomous and runs its own affairs with no one head. However, the United Church of Christ (UCC) label means they get UCC pastors and may lean into UCC social issues as part of ministry. This social ministry is something very different to other churches you have reviewed- it leans theologically open/progressive. Would be fun to see you chatting with a UCC pastor.
I suppose that if denominations were colours, Evangelicalism would be a shade. Bright purple, bright red, bright blue. Or maybe not, you give me a lot to think about!
"Do it with a winsome spirit". I like that one.
At my old church we a "board" that
was very vague and would make important decisions for the Church. It felt like an old boys club of yes men. It was mysterious and weird.
Thanx, Matt🌹🌹🌹
It always astounds me that these people never question what spirit, as inevitably one does, inspires and moves them... division abounds and is of the devil.
Wish we had an EFCA church around here.
idk... It's not so much decentralized when there is an organization with a statement of faith that is expected to be followed by local ministries? To quote Rick & Morty, sounds like high church with extra steps
If a Pastor is not serving the least among them, and working like a teacher in 2 Timothy 4:3-4, how can he see Jesus or show the way to Jesus Christ, when the way to Him is too narrow.
Oh, hey, my old priest had previously been in the Evangelical Free Church before becoming Eastern Orthodox!
Two videos of talking to the main guys of various churches. Be interesting to try and get a video with the Pope.
😳
That's a very big destination lol. But then again with Francis everything is possible
Yeah but I could see Matt getting an interview with a big-cheese US Catholic bishop. Maybe someone fr the bishops conference, or go after a Cardinal. That's do-able.
@@adambrickley9088 I think Matt would have a decent chance at interviewing +Barron.
It's why we do so much talking about orthodoxy and the gospel and devotional practices... even "Christian" as a term is asked to do too much.
What do *Evangelicals* mean by the concept of Evangelicalism ? It is the Evangelicals who call themselves Evangelicals - they are the folk who should know what they mean by the words and concepts they use.
I got this notification late 😂
Why are their denominations? The Bible is clear on all foundational issues of Christianity. (Just study some of the Greek and Hebrew!) I don't understand reformist either, what is there to reform? Just follow the Bible... why is it that hard? You either follow Jesus, or you don't. Christianity doesn't need a reformation, peoples hearts do.
Institutionalized Churches are orchards some have a better ground than others, but any of them can bring a huge tree, and also outside an orchard can a huge tree grow.
And how will you know a tree that is great in the eyes of God?
Well the fruits of the Spirit will be abundant.
So, trees is where it's at, orchards are secondary.
What is the difference between directing people to get politically involved regarding Evangelical beliefs and directing people as members of the Evangelical church to influence, to vote for and to legislate Evangelical beliefs? You are looking for the same outcomes while washing your hands of the political involvement. And the reason for that is to not jeopardize your tax exempt status. It is one thing to have your followers live a Christian life. It is another when they try to influence the beliefs of others by pushing the Evangelical beliefs as a political to pressure others or to impose your beliefs on those of differing faiths. It is self-centered and even disrespectful of other Christians who do not share your agenda.
You should do LDS As well as Jewish sects. I know that Judaism isn't Christianity but it would still be interesting.
"The New Testament is concealed in the Old, and the Old Testament is revealed in the New" - Saint Augustine. Jews just don't realize this. Mormons are another story. They deny the Trinity.
this is enlightening
Wish he was my Pastor !
It's A massive political movement is all I know.
That's the whole point of the video. Evangelical (in the original sense, and in the minds of many, many Christians) has nothing to do with politics.
I think the political class want to classify all christians as evangelicals in a kind of deragatory way, which I don't think most Christians think. I always thought of it two ways - one was kind of a Billy Graham definition of evangalizing to others to bring them to Christ. The other was that I always lumped evangelicals in with Pentacostals. I don't think most Methodists / Baptists etc., think of themselves as evangelicals. Could be wrong - but that's what I think. I am liking the church I go to, which is interdenominational and is a "bible church". Instead of a general sermon like I was used to growing up, it is more like a bible study each week deep diving into scripture verses and how it applies to our everyday lives.
really good!
You're asking if the denomination should "re-brand" due to the negative political association. 🙄
Consciousness = existence
Consciousness is memory
Some animals cannot recognize themselves in the mirror
What about addressing the heresy that is the New Apostolic Reformation & conversely the glut of false “Prophets” & how biblical illiteracy feeds into both of them
Interesting to hear his perspective. Great proclamation to live your faith. He does seem to throw the early church fathers under the bus. Polycarp, Justin Martyr and Ignatius of Antioch would not recognize his church.
Why is that?
It is unfortunate that when Jesus was on Earth that he ascended before giving his followers leaders by whom his teachings and authority could be carried forward. Little wonder how we have so many different and divergent groups identifying themselves as authentic Christian churches.
Can u try to attend a Orthodox Church
Sounds a lot like Calvary Chapel.
lets put it this way evangelical is catholism in every certain term.....
Please talk to the leader of these new “freedom” church’s. I’d love to hear some reasoning why gun rights are so important.
Wish we had an EFCA church where I live.
Where do you live Todd? I know all the EFCA regional church planters. I think we would love to help start one near you!
@@littlemas2 I’m in Monroe, Louisiana.
I would love to visit one of those churches but I live in South Florida and I don’t think there’s nothing like that down here
You're a reformed protestant right?
All Evangelicals are not calvinists : they are only a part of Evangelicals!
Do you consider Messianic Jews Christians ? Since I understand that they accept Jesus as the Messiah ?
I can't think of much to say so here is +1 for engagement.
I appreciate that.
Looking at the EFCA website, you could argue there is something which create friction with the creeds.
The bit on "The Church" denies baptismal regeneration (the idea that baptism saves you).
The current version of the Nicene creed (there have been updates) can at least be interpreted as endorsing baptismal regeneration.
I wouldn't say the bible verses the line is based on endorse baptismal regeneration, but when you consider where and when the Nicene Creed was updated, it's quite likely those updating it thought that.
This doesn't really bother me, as to me the function of the creeds is affirming your own faith, so you can reinterpret them as needed; but it is a point worth acknowledging.
On the word "evangelical": it really depends a lot on whether you live in the states or not.
A lot of the social/political connotations of the word "evangelical" don't really exist outside the states.
Yeah I'm in Australia and saying you're evangelical has nothing to do with politics, it's about Biblical authority as the basis of your faith and practice.
@@MusicalRaichu
Yep.
For reference, I'm English.
Honestly when people here are referring to social/political connotations of "evangelicalism" they usually say "American Evangelicalism".
Although this isn't massively fair to American evangelicals like Matt that want don't subscribe to the political/social grouping.
I respect all religions. Some religions would never attempt to convert others. On the other hand, nothing turns me off more than being preached to or being the subject of attempted conversion. It is an affront to my belief that my beliefs are personal and need not be assailed by some low church people who act with arrogance and, yes, even aggression. They assume that you know nothing about their religion. Heaven forbid you should ask difficult questions of some of them. Others try conversion when they don't know enough about their own denomination and definitely nothing about others. i would never try to convert people to my beliefs. I feel it would be rude and not respectful.
💖
There is a EVFC near my house that is quite political that not my brand of Christ
I think thats probably more so down to the leadership team there as opposed to the denomination.
Video just uploaded 5 mins ago. Cool
their*
Acts 16:30-31
The word Envangelical is being overworked and underpaid. It is tired, hungry and needs a rest ;D
E-Z faith, one without someone telling you what to do, a self-authorized version of the NT Church. where the individual assumes the title of Apostle, Prophet, Pastor, Teacher, Exorcist and Vicar of Christ along with being the infallible interpreter of the Holy Scriptures with a direct line to heaven guided by the Holy Spirit. He took the bait and now he's hooked on a "non denomination church" as he calls it. It has no name. He was told that he needs a relationship, not a religion
Weed
weed
@@analyticallysound2716 I don't smoke but weed