Ever since the period known as the Enlightenment, many groups that self-identify as Christian have abandoned the notion of doctrine, creeds, or specific beliefs altogether. In their place, they have elevated "deeds" and certain acts of piety. But can behavior really be separated from belief that easily? For the early church, creeds were central to worship, unity, public profession, and it shaped their life as a community. Evidence of early creeds are even present throughout the Bible itself.

The Gospel of John is celebrated for its accessibility and often used as an entryway for new Christians to the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. In comparison to the other Gospels, it refers less to the kingdom of God/heaven and more to eternal life. It has a remarkably high and easily recognizable divine identity of Jesus. It also contains several unique literary and theological elements based on the Jewish perfect number seven-seven signs and seven "I AM" sayings. In today's Seven Minute Semi

The church's earliest and simplest creed was, "Jesus is Lord." Against the backdrop of the Roman empire, this had immense political implications, not least because one of Caesars' title was lord as well. But is this what the gospels and Paul are getting at when they make bold claims about Jesus and the kingdom of God?

The parable of the Good Samaritan continues to be one of the most well-known stories of Scripture. There remain, however, treasures to be gleaned by reading it with fresh eyes and from insights of different people groups. In this Seven Minute Seminary video, Dr. Mark Allen Powell shows the surprising results of simply empathizing with an unsuspecting character in the story.

In 1 Timothy 2:11, Paul writes Timothy, "A woman must learn in quietness and submission." Paul also instructs women on how to dress and what to avoid. Is this just another expression of ancient, patriarchal culture that sought to suppress women? What might this cryptic text mean, and how does it relate to the historical situation of the people he was writing? In today's Seven Minute Seminary, Dr. Gary Hoag explains how ancient context illuminates this passage of Scripture for us, and the result

Most Christians in North American imagine that missions work is the church in the West bringing the gospel to the undeveloped world. In this Seven Minute Seminary video, Dr. Stanley John dispels this myth by highlighting important statistics about global Christianity, and shares stories about how the global church is reaching a globalized world.