The prosperity gospel is syncretistic; it borrows from categories from outside of Christianity and presents them as if they are authentic parts of the Christian faith. When we look closer at the prosperity gospel, we find that it is neither rooted in Scripture nor does it share in any sense a historical Christian background. What … Continue reading Examining the Prosperity Gospel #2: The Origins and History of the Prosperity Gospel
Author: Matthew Mangum
Examining the Prosperity Gospel #1: Why Address the Prosperity Gospel?
What do Joel Osteen, Kenneth Copeland, Paula White, or Benny Hinn all have in common with each other? Different as they may all be in their approaches, they are all promoters of the prosperity gospel. Over the next several weeks, I will be presenting a series of posts examining the errors of the prosperity gospel … Continue reading Examining the Prosperity Gospel #1: Why Address the Prosperity Gospel?
Some Glimpses of Early Christian Worship
Have you ever wondered what early Christian worship looked like? What did the early believers do when they met together? Today I would like to give a little glimpse at what it may have looked like in the first and second centuries. New Testament descriptions of the form of Christian worship are rather sparse. We … Continue reading Some Glimpses of Early Christian Worship
An Ancient Christian Creed: A Look at 1 Corinthians 15:3-8
In light of the approach of Easter, I wanted to take some time to consider the resurrection of Jesus, specifically looking at the significance of 1 Corinthians 15:3-8. It is widely believed that this passage contains an early Christian creed that dates to within a few years of the crucifixion of Jesus. To frame our … Continue reading An Ancient Christian Creed: A Look at 1 Corinthians 15:3-8
Dealing With False Teaching
A matter that has been on my mind for some time now is the issue of false teachers and how to approach them and their teaching. That false teachers will exist is essentially a given in the pages of Scripture; simply see 1 John 4:1 (“for many false prophets have gone out into the world”) … Continue reading Dealing With False Teaching
Early Christian Witnesses to the Deity of Christ
It is sometimes suggested that the deity of Christ was a doctrine that was thrust upon the Church by Constantine at the Council of Nicaea in 325, but is this really the case? Is this doctrine of the deity of Christ that the church universal holds so dear a much later invention? While it is … Continue reading Early Christian Witnesses to the Deity of Christ
Speaking in Angelic Tongues? A Look at 1 Corinthians 13:1
1 Corinthians 13:1 is sometimes used to promote the teaching that Christians may acquire the gift to speak in the tongues of angels, but does Paul actually teach that believers may speak in an angelic tongue or a heavenly language in this passage? We’ll dig into that question a little bit closer. In order to … Continue reading Speaking in Angelic Tongues? A Look at 1 Corinthians 13:1
Where Did the Names of the Gospels Come From?
Have you ever wondered why we speak of the Gospel according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John? If you have paid attention, you will have noticed that they are all anonymous works; the first three never identify an author, while the fourth only hints at the author as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (see John … Continue reading Where Did the Names of the Gospels Come From?
Equip the Saints 