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This is part 2 of the Why Christianity class.

It’s so easy to universalize our own local context.  For example, I (Sean) live in a secular, post-Catholic part of New York state.  It would be easy for me to think that most of the state or country or world is just like my area.  However, this ethnocentric perspective will not do justice to the data we have about Christians in the world today.  Sociologists have long held to the “secularization thesis”–the idea that world religions die out as societies improved education, technology, and health-care.  Is this what we see happening globally?  Join me in this episode as we explore the data from a number of sources to get a lay of the land.  How popular is Christianity today?

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Objective: to understand the local and global religious landscapes in light of Christianity’s popularity and its claims about Christ’s universal supremacy.

Secularization Thesis

“The seminal social thinkers of the nineteenth century—Auguste Comte, Herbert Spencer, Émile Durkheim, Max Weber, Karl Marx, and Sigmund Freud—all believed that religion would gradually fade in importance and cease to be significant with the advent of industrial society.” -Pippa Norris and Ronald Inglehart, Sacred and Secular, p. 3.

Future Projections

Religion, especially Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism, is expected to either keep pace with population growth or surpass it while non-religious ideologies are predicted to fall 3% by 2050.

Universal Claims about Christ

Scriptures that make big claims about Christ’s cosmic importance:

Christianity’s geographic distribution testifies to its transnational, transracial, transcultural appeal.

What do you do when everything is stripped away?  You find out who you really are. In this sermon you'll see what happened in ancient Judah when the Babylonians besieged Jerusalem, ultimately resulting in utter destruction, humiliating shame, and forcible deportation. Although our times today can't really compare to the level of suffering these people went through, their experience has much to teach us about hope in dark times. I pray that as you consider this traumatic episode in biblical history that you too would learn to say when you go through suffering, "God is enough."

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Jehoiachin

- reigned 3 months- did evil before God- surrendered to Neb. after siege- thousands deported

2Ki 24.13-14 13 He carried out from there all the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD, just as the LORD had said. 14 Then he led away into exile all Jerusalem and all the captains and all the mighty men of valor, ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and the smiths. None remained except the poorest people of the land.

Zedekiah

- reigned 11 years- did evil before God- rebelled against Babylon- city besieged again- as Babylonians swept through countryside on way to Jerusalem, - lodging would become difficult- surround city w/ army

2Ki 25.1 Now in the ninth year of his reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, camped against it and built a siege wall all around it.

- Jerusalem was fortunate- fuel to cook food- disease

Lam 5.9-10 9 We get our bread at the risk of our lives Because of the sword in the wilderness. 10 Our skin has become as hot as an oven, Because of the burning heat of famine.

- food

Lam 1.11 All her people groan seeking bread; They have given their precious things for food To restore their lives themselves. "See, O LORD, and look, For I am despised."

Lam 2.11-12 11 My eyes fail because of tears, My spirit is greatly troubled; My heart is poured out on the earth Because of the destruction of the daughter of my people, When little ones and infants faint In the streets of the city. 12 They say to their mothers, "Where is grain and wine?" As they faint like a wounded man In the streets of the city, As their life is poured out On their mothers' bosom.

- corpses- 18 months!

2Ki 25.1-3 1 Now in the ninth year of his reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, camped against it and built a siege wall all around it. 2 So the city was under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. 3 On the ninth day of the fourth month the famine was so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land.

Lam 4.8-10 8 Their appearance is blacker than soot, They are not recognized in the streets; Their skin is shriveled on their bones, It is withered, it has become like wood. 9 Better are those slain with the sword Than t

This is part three of our Biblical Giving Series.

In this third and final interview with Will Barlow, we'll spend some focused time looking at Malachi 3 to understand what this passage meant in it's original context and how it relates to us today.  Next we'll take a look at three myths about Christian giving:

1. Christians are in debt to God. 2. Christians must pay for God’s protection. 3. The gifts of God can be purchased with money.

Lastly, Barlow will share four keys to Christian giving:

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This is part two of our Biblical Giving Series.

Today Will Barlow continues to lay out a comprehensive biblical theology of giving. First he looks at three areas of continuity between the Old and New Testaments:

Next, Barlow explains three ways in which the New Testament diverges from the Old Testament:

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This is part one of our Biblical Giving Series.

Having grown up with a prosperity theology, Will Barlow begins by sharing about his background regarding tithing before tackling five myths about giving:

1. The tithe was monetary and applied to all Israelites.
2. The tithe was the first fruits of the harvest
3. The tithe was always 10%.
4. The poor Israelites tithed to God.
5. Abraham's tithing makes it applicable for all time.

Now, I realize that finances, tithing, and giving are sensitive subjects within Christianity. Even so, I think you'll benefit a great deal from what Barlow has to share in this series. Today we'll mostly focus on the Old Testament tithe and next time we'll get into what the New Testament says about this important topic.

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• Find out more about Will Barlow on his ministry website: Study Driven Faith
• Check out these other episodes and posts about giving, especially A Biblical Theology of Finance (Craig Blomberg)
• Here is the Myth Busters Series that Barlow mentioned
• If you’d like to support Restitutio, you can donate here.
• Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments
• Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library

Growing up in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Timypaul Lupe came face to face with poverty, hunger, and even war. However, his relationship with God provided him with stability and strength through the hardest of times. In this interview, you'll hear about what life was like in Africa, how Timypaul came to America as a student, and how he eventually came to find his role as a passionate evangelist and caretaker for the elderly.

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Have you ever attended an online bible study? Would you like to start one, but don't know how? In our episode today, John Paola Ely share about their own journey of faith and how they have come to appreciate the interactive bible study model of fellowship. Not only does this type of meeting help attendees engage with the text of scripture, but it also fosters genuine community in an age where we are all increasingly isolated.

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• For more information, email the Elys at [email protected] or visit the Salt & Light Study Night facebook group.
• Check out Jerry Wierwille's episodes, especially Paul and Covenantal Nomism
• On the topic of baptism, listen to Ken LaPrade's Baptism Journey
• If you’d like to support Restitutio, you can donate here.
• Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments
• Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library

This is part 7 and the final episode in our holy spirit series.

Are you on a journey with God or have you arrived? Are you still willing to learn and grow and try new things or have you erected boundaries around your current understanding and practice? Today my guest is Kevin Guigou, a full-time minister at Christian Family Fellowship in Tipp City, Ohio. Although he came from a background that stressed rigidity when manifesting the holy spirit, he's come to enjoy a greater freedom as he has continued to grow and learnx. Not only does Guigou encourage us to remain open to God's leading, but he also shares how we shouldn't let fear of doing something wrong stop us from stepping out in faith.

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• Find out more about Kevin Guigou at Christian Family Fellowship's website and YouTube channel
• Check out a few of Guigou's audio teachings here
• See the previous podcasts in this series on the holy spirit
• If you’d like to support Restitutio, you can donate here.
• Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments
• Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library

This is part 6 of our holy spirit series.

Today we hear a new perspective on the manifestations of the spirit from Carlos Jiménez who stakes out what he calls an "evidentialist" position. He is neither a cessationist nor a continuationist, but someone who retains a certain level of skepticism towards reports of spiritual activity. His concern is to test the spirits to make sure they are biblically valid.

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• See more of Carlos Jimenez at Focus on the Kingdom website and YouTube channel
• For the paper referenced in this episode, see "A Brief History of Spiritual Gifts"
• See the previous podcasts in this series on the holy spirit
• If you’d like to support Restitutio, you can donate here.
• Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments
• Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library