The events surrounding the death of Jesus on Good Friday are truly tragic. As Christians remember it, was it completely out of control? Was Jesus just in the wrong place at the wrong time? What difference would it make if there was some divine plan behind it? In this podcast we interview David McKinley, Senior Minister at Central Schwenkfelder Church about this topic.

#deathofJesus  #sovereigntyofGodcrucifixion  #prophecyMessiahdeath  #crucifixionJesus  #GoodFriday #PassionofJesus #centralschwenkfelderchurch

Centrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

How did the church globally make some of its decisions?  One of the most important decisions took place in AD 325 in modern day Turkey at the Council of Nicaea. Representatives from all over the Roman Empire came to this council. Eventually, decisions made there led to the Nicene Creed, which many say before taking communion (the Eucharist). 

On the 1700th anniversary of this important date in church history, we ask Dr. Donald Fairbairn about this council. He is the Robert E. Cooley Professor of Early Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, as well as Professor of Historical and Systematic Theology at Union School of Theology (Wales). He has authored or co-authored twelve books. Some of the questions discussed include: Who organized this council? Who came? Why was a man named Arius such a problem?  What were the results of the Council?

#councilofnicaea  #AD325  #firstecumenicalcouncil  #ecumenicalcouncils  #nicenecreed  #donaldfairbairn

Centrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

How do we connect with youth today? What are the characteristics of what some people call Generation Z? Dr. Dave Coryell has been answering this question through Christian Endeavor for over 18 years.  In the past 8 years, he has been the Director of Pennsylvania Christian Endeavor (website: https://www.ceworks.faith/) and also serves with Christian Endeavor World (https://www.christianendeavor.com/). He is also an adjunct youth ministry professor at Lancaster Bible College. He and his wife Jen have four children.

Recently, he has authored a book about the youth of today and the church. It is called Less Like Hippos . . . More Like Honeybees: Reject Consumerism. Embrace Maturity. Change how the World Does Youth Ministry. He will speak about this book on this podcast.

#reachingGenZ  #PennsylvaniaChristian Endeavor  #Lesslikehippos  #morelikehoneybees #youthinAmerica  #Christianyouth  #GenerationZ

Centrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

During the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, American news was running many stories about the news. In recent months, however, the mainstream news is sharing much less. In this podcast, we interview Ken Sears, missionary from European Christian Mission North America Inc. (website: https://www.ecmna.org/).  

He shares the latest news from the city of Zaporizhzhya, which is just 20 miles (32 kilometers) from the front line. His news includes what takes place during air attacks and their frequency. It also includes the importance of peace in this region in the near future.

#Zaporizhzhya   #Zaporozhye  #RussianinvasioneastUkraine  #eastUkraine

Centrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

How can we have a more spiritual Christmas? While many are focused on gift giving and parties, Christmas is so much more than this. It has spiritual origins. People like Mary and Joseph had distinct spiritual practices. How can we recover these? In this podcast, we interview Rev. Dr. David McKinley, Senior Minister at Central Schwenkfelder Church, about spiritual experiences that will lead to a faith filled Christmas and keep Christ in Christmas.

#spiritualityChristmas   #spiritualpracticesMary  #spiritualpracticesJoseph  #keepingChristinChristmas  

Centrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

Prayer is an indispensable part of Christian experience. As the world has modernized, deeper and richer spiritual experiences have dissipated. Some Christian communities have been known for their devotion to prayer. One of these is the Schwenkfelder Church. In this podcast, Rev. Dr. David McKinley, Senior Minister of Central Schwenkfelder Church, interviews Rev. Dr. Drake Williams, Minister of Mission and Theology at the church. The interview contains discussion about Caspar Schwenckfeld's writing about prayer, the catechism of the first American pastor in America, the 1762 hymnal of the Schwenkfelders, a comparison with the Pietists, and the practice of Schwenkfelders taking the Eucharist in the early 1900's. It also considers some suggestions for modern application.

#Schwenkfeldersprayer  #Schwenkfelderhymnal  #CasparSchwenckfeld  #Schwenkfeldpietists #PietistsSchwenckfeld

Centrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

Why are some conversions to Christianity so dramatic while others seem more ordinary? Rev. Dr. Luminița Nichols knows both types well from her experience growing up in Romania and facing persecution during Communist times, and then serving as a minister in Lancaster, PA in the United States. Her book recounts her conversion experience and her journey. It is entitled, From Pain to Purpose: A Young Woman's Journey from a Communist Prison to an American Pulpit is published by Wipf & Stock in 2022: https://wipfandstock.com/9781666748604/from-pain-to-purpose/
Besides these experiences, Luminița is also a family person, being married to Eric and then having two daughters. 

#conversion #persecutionconversion  #Romanianrevolution  #Christianconversion
 

Centrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

The small Schwenkfelder denomination began in Silesia, Germany during the Reformation. It was particularly born out of the controversies about the Eucharist. In this podcast, we ask author Rev. Dr. Martha Kriebel about her thesis entitled Schwenkfelders and the Sacraments that she wrote in 1965 for her Master of Sacred Theology Degree that she did at Lutheran Seminary. The thesis was published in 1968. Now after over 65 years of ordained ministry experience, she provides this reflection on her book and about the sacraments in general.

#sacramentsSchwenkfelders  #EucharistSchwenkfelders   #PalmSchwenkfelder #Stillstand  #Schwenckfeld

Centrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) is a viewpoint promoted by American universities that has had substantial influence. This perspective encourages greater access to university resources for those who have been restricted. It is also used for increasing social justice in society. 

It is becoming increasingly criticized, however. In this podcast, we ask Dr. Patrick Casey about DEI and its future. Dr. Casey is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Holy Family University in Philadelphia, PA.  He has written an article entitled "The reeducation of DEI" for the online publication Inside Higher Education.  That article can be read here:  https://www.insidehighered.com/opinion/views/2024/05/07/reeducation-dei-opinion

#DEI  #reformingDEI  #improvingDEI  #changingDEI 

Centrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

Christianity and Islam are two of the major religions in our world. How do Muslims practice their faith? How do Christians practice the faith? Are they alike? How are they different? In this podcast we ask Dr. Andrew Brunson about his time that he spent living in Turkey and then when he was imprisoned and living with Muslims. Dr. Brunson is also the author of God's Hostage: A Story of Persecution, Imprisonment, and Perseverance.

#islamchristianity  #Islamspirituality  #Islamdevotion  #Christianspirituality  #comparativereligions  

Centrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org