What have Baptist Christians historically believed since they began as a distinct sect of Christianity? Today, you’ll get many diverse and competing answers to this question. Yet, found among the annals of history, there are a few documents written by Baptists that have long served as the landmark ones to define what most Baptists have believed throughout the centuries. These “confessions of faith,” from the beginning of their use, have guided Baptist Christians in their understanding of Scripture, and have stood as a witnesses to non-Baptists of what it means to rightly and reverently understand and apply Scripture to Christian living. In spite of many believers’ ignorance and lack of interest in these confessions, they are excellent resources for our study, understanding, and application of Scripture today. They show us what our Christian forefathers believed, preached, taught, and lived to defend, even to the death.

The first widespread and popularized Baptist confession of faith is the 1644 London Baptist Confession. It was published to distinguish Calvinistic Baptists from the Anabaptists, since these congregations were wrongly associated with them, risking their ostracization and criticism as political troublemakers and insurrectionists. In order to counter these concerns the Calvinistic Baptist churches of London decided to agree upon their major doctrines, compile them into a coherent document, and publish it to the English world. Two years later, they slightly revised it in the 1646 London Baptist Confession.

Arguably, this is the most comprehensive, concise, clear, and biblical historical Baptist confession of faith. So in this episode, Casey and Chris do a survey of its highlights, and how it can be applied in our Christian lives today. We trust it will encourage, challenge, and instruct you in studying, understanding, and applying God’s Word, to the glory of the Lord Jesus.

Here's a free version of the confession for your reading and study:

1646 London Baptist Confession of Faith | The Reformed Reader

Do you know who arguably were the most influential group in English and American history for the popularization and legislation of religious freedom? The answer is the Baptists. Surprisingly, they were one of the most persecuted religious groups in 17th century England and America, and did the most to advocate and call for religious liberty through their suffering at the hands of fellow Protestants. Further, the Baptists were the first Protestants to make major efforts to fund, equip, and send missionaries to non-European lands, beginning with the Baptist Missionary Society and the preacher William Carey in the late 1700s. Today, Baptists make up the largest official Protestant group in the U.S., and are make up a large percentage of global Christians.

But how did the Baptist sect begin? They didn’t come directly out of the Reformation, like Lutherans, Presbyterians, and Anglicans. Rather, they were set on their course of more consistent Christianity through the influence of the Dutch Anabaptists, and began in the early 1600s, while the Puritan revival of England was going on. Throughout this century, they suffered cruel persecution, zealously preached the Gospel of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, and grew to become one of most influential Protestant sects in England by the end of the century. Among them, godly and courageous leaders promoted and defended their cause, such as Thomas Helwys, John Spilsbury, William Kiffin, Hanserd Knollys, and Benjamin Coxe. In this episode, you’ll learn how the Baptists went from a small sect returning from exile, to a major Christian group in England that helped to lead the way to bring freedom of conscience to Great Britain, and to the American colonies. The story of the first Baptists is one that should encourage you to seek the greatest understanding of, and faithfulness to, the teachings of the New Testament, and to live them out with love and courage.

The major source used on this topic was:

The Early Baptists: A Comparative Study of the Anabaptist and English Baptist Movements by Dan Nelson

Competing for second place among the best-selling books of history is The Imitation of Christ by Thomas À Kempis. Since its publishing in the 1400s, it has grown to be a classic on Christian devotion and personal holiness. Although written from a monastic Roman Catholic perspective, Protestants from the Reformation onward (including Luther) have found its insights to be profound, powerful, and practical. It has tons of good counsel and teaching about humility, reverence, responding to temptation, self-abasement, prayer, the teaching and example of Jesus, learning and knowledge, and much more. HOWEVER, it must be read with diligent biblical discernment, since there is much error contained among its truths. Some of the main errors include the Roman Catholic sacramental scheme of salvation, dualism, asceticism, introspecticism, transubstantiation, venerating saints, and living in a state of uncertainty regarding one’s final standing with God.

In this discussion, Chris and Casey give you a thorough overview of this book, pointing out its various strengths and weaknesses. If you ever want to read it, or want to know how to interact with Roman Catholic or monastic books from long ago, this episode will help you to think critically, biblically, and charitably about your reading and learning. Above all, we hope you’ll be encouraged and instructed from this about how awesome God is, and how wonderful it is to serve the Lord Jesus by imitating His humility.

Do you know who the real saint Patrick was? Far from an imaginary legend, he was the first influential Christian missionary to Ireland. The Lord Jesus used him to convert thousands of the savage, barbarous, Irish peoples to the worship of Jesus Christ as God and Savior. We thankfully possess Patrick's own autobiography of his life, written shortly before his death in the mid-400s AD. In this account, Patrick describes his prideful youth, his enslavement by so-called "pirates," his captivity in Ireland as a farmer, his time back in Scotland suffering opposition from his community, and finally his journey and ministry in Ireland. Throughout his account, he describes in detail several prophecies he received, and miraculous answers to prayer that enabled him to become the spiritual father of the Irish. If you want to obey Jesus, this reading of his story will encourage and challenge you with his humility, boldness, zeal, and love for people.

Here's a link to his Confession and a brief explanation of his holiday:

Work info: Confession of St. Patrick - Christian Classics Ethereal Library

Who was Saint Patrick and why do we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? | GotQuestions.org

Were there any preceding Christian movements within western Christianity that held to Protestant, evangelical, or Reformed beliefs? Surely there were. One such example are the Waldensians, the spiritual children of the preacher and teacher Waldo of Lyons. He started a gospel-preaching, New Testament-practicing, movement in the late 1100s that lasted as a distinct group up until the early 1500s, with the explosion of the Protestant Reformation. Throughout that time, this group of stalwart and zealous believers suffered some of the severest persecution from the Roman Catholic Church and its servants imaginable. Although they were hunted down and seemed to be on the path to extinction, the Waldensians steadfastly survived, flourished, and grew. Eventually, they reached the Reformation, and joined the Reformed denominations, becoming one such church today.

A few of the greatest lessons we can learn from them include:

1. Faithfulness to the apostles’ teaching in the New Testament

2. Perseverance in the face of fierce opposition

3. A organic and loving structure of community living and leadership

This traits make the Waldensians a shining example for us to study, learn from, and emulate today. Chris and Casey give you a discussion of these admirable believers who held fast to God’s Word, and shined their lights in a dark world throughout the Middle Ages, Renaissance, and Reformation periods. Listen in and learn!

CORRECTION: What Chris meant by "bi-weekly" is that we will for the near future only be publishing an episode every TWO weeks, or every other week, due to Casey's schedule.

Please like, subscribe, and share if you appreciate this content. And keep looking for the King’s hand in everything and proclaim His glorious deeds!

In the 6th century before Christ, one of the most powerful empires the world has ever seen dominated the Middle East, from the border of modern-day Iran, to the Mediterranean Sea and Egypt. It’s spectacular capital was located in the Tigris and Euphrates river valley of modern-day Iraq, and was famously called Babylon, named after the primeval city of Babel. It’s ruler was a powerful man named Nebuchadnezzar, who reigned for over 40 years, and lived to the age of 60. He is featured prominently in the Bible, specifically in the accounts of Daniel, and was famously driven mad by the hand of God, to the point of living like an animal for 7 years, and then returning to sanity, when he acknowledged the triune God as the true Creator and Ruler of all things.

In this episode, Chris and Casey discuss this fascinating man, examining key historical data that tells us what he was like, what he accomplished, and what his purposes were in the story of the King’s hand. We give a basic overview of the main events of his empire’s rise, his own reign, and his interactions with Daniel and his friends in Babylon. You’ll find out most of the historical accounts about him, including key archaeological evidence that supports the main things told of him in the Bible. We also show you the overwhelming evidence from Scripture that he not only had a wake up call, but actually humbled himself before the Most High God, and became a willing servant and worshiper of Him. If you appreciate our content, please consider liking, subscribing, and sharing our episodes.

Keep looking for the King’s hand in everything, and proclaim His glorious deeds!

How did the Christian population in China go from a small minority to being one of the largest sub-sections of Chinese society today, and numbering in the tens of thousands? A huge part of the answer lies in the life and ministry of a man called Watchman Nee. He’s one of the most influential Chinese Christian leaders of the early to mid 1900s, and was used by the Lord to launch one of the largest house church movements in modern history. It’s largely due to his work and influence that the biblical Christian house church community is thriving and growing in the China of 2025.

The story of Christianity in China is a long and complex history, starting from the 2nd century AD, and containing key events during the middle ages, and then flowering in the mid-1800s with the concentrated efforts of English missionaries in the coastal regions of the country. It was during this time that Watchman Nee’s Christian roots were laid with his grandfather’s conversion and ministry in the late 1800s. In this discussion, Chris and Casey survey this background, as well as the Christian influences in China up until the Communist takeover in 1949. Then, we delve into the life and ministry of Nee, from his childhood in the 1910s, to his imprisonment and death in the 1970s. You’ll learn the major events of his life, including how he planted hundreds of house churches, and led them to become one of the largest house church movements in modern history, growing to hundreds of thousands of members and 20% of the Protestant population by 1949. You’ll also learn his major teachings, like his purist and anti-denominationalism, as well as his dangerous and unbiblical teachings like “the normal Christian life,” “locality,” baptismal regeneration, and absolute elder authority in churches.

Please consider liking, subscribing, and sharing this podcast so we can reach more people with accounts of the King’s hand in history!

If you’re on Facebook, please consider joining The King’s Hand in History Students group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/14bbyvnRox/

Please consider checking out Chris’s book, The New Testament Revival of Western Christianity, available on Amazon (https://a.co/d/6H3ZZFS) and at bearingchrist.blog.

What and who were the roots of Christianity in England and Scotland? How did a group of violent, power-hungry, and nature-worshiping pagans come to embrace the Lord Jesus as God and Savior? Although it wasn’t accomplished perfectly, a divided group of warring factions under various lords and kings eventually came to mostly submit to the preaching of God’s Word, and the reception of the sacraments of baptism and communion, through the century-long courageous, loving, and painstaking efforts of missionary monks and priests.

After the disintegration of the Roman Empire in the mid-400s, the lands of England that were once occupied by Roman forces and governors were left to be invaded by pagan hordes of the Anglo-Saxons. While the Romans were there, Christianity had been adopted by many of the inhabitants, but once they were assaulted by the Germanic hordes, they either fled to the west in Wales and Ireland, or remained with little influence over the newly reigning kingdoms. England and Scotland were now dominated by Norse religion and mythology, and incessant fighting amongst the various kingdoms. However, Ireland was still largely dominated by Christianity. Enter Columba, an Irish monk, who in the late 500s entered Scotland to preach the gospel. His efforts began the new conquest of Britain by Christian preachers.

In this episode, Chris and Casey will discuss this mission, along with several others, including that of Augustine of Kent, Cuthbert, Theodore of Tarsus, Boniface, and Bede. We look at how, from the late 500s to the late 800s, Christianity spread through Britain, culminating in the united Anglo-Saxon kingdom ruled by the Christian King Alfred. This period of history laid the foundation for the English Christianity and culture that would form the basis for all the rest of English history. Plus, we’ll be encouraged to use our anti-Christian moment in western history to boldly preach the gospel, and live it out in the midst of a pagan society.

Please consider liking, subscribing, and sharing this podcast.

Also, please consider checking out Chris’s new book, The New Testament Revival of Western Christianity, available here:

https://a.co/d/gMVmyCa

If you're on Facebook, please consider joining The King's Hand in History Students group here:

https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1HAnDREfhJ/

Look for the King's hand in everything and proclaim His glorious deeds!

Which names of famous hymn writers can you think of? And how many stories of those composers do you actually know? Many of you can probably think of Isaac Watts, Charles Wesley, Fannie Crosby, and John Newton. But few of you have probably heard of Philip Bliss, one of the most influential and prolific hymn-writers of recent Christian history, and certainly of the 1800s. Along with him, how many books about prayer have you read? If you’ve done any extensive reading on that topic, most likely you’ve come across the name of E.M. Bounds, a contemporary of Bliss. But you’ve probably never learned his story either.

In this episode, Chris and Casey discuss the lives and lessons of these two men of God that had a major impact on American Christianity in their day, and have been up until today. One a Northerner, the other a Southerner; one an itinerant music evangelist, the other an ordained clergyman and official magazine editor and author; one an extensive traveler, the other confined to a relatively small area; one who died young, the other living to old age; but both of them used by the Lord to teach us about music, prayer, evangelism, preaching, and writing. Throughout the discussion, you’ll learn how Bliss’s music was used to reach thousands with the gospel, and to build up believers, and how Bounds’ preaching, writing, and praying were used likewise, and encourage and instruct us to delight in and devote ourselves more to seeking the Lord in prayer.

If you’d like to contact us, you can reach out to [email protected].

Please consider checking out Chris’s new book,

The New Testament Revival of Western Christianity: How to Restore the Love, Leadership, and Learning that the Apostles Taught,

now available in print and Kindle here:

https://a.co/d/60AGCXw

Also, if you appreciate this content, please consider liking, subscribing, and sharing.

Keep looking for the King's hand in everything, and proclaim His glorious deeds!

Resources extensively used for this episode:

What’s all the hype about Augustine of Hippo? Why are his writings and life important for today’s Christians and westerners in general? This 4th-5th century philosopher, theologian, author, preacher, and pastor has made major contributions to Christian views on God’s nature, man’s nature, sin, salvation, government, and society. The first prominent leaders of the Reformation – Luther and Calvin – were both heavily influenced by Augustine’s thought, and many theologians, philosophers, and authors today have had their beliefs shaped by this giant of Christian history.

In this discussion, Chris and Casey discuss the impact, life events, writings, and beliefs of Augustine. You’ll learn about his upbringing, his youth, his education, his philosophy career, conversion, impact on his contemporary Christianity, and his service as a premier theologian, apologist, and Bible teacher of his day. Among his important works we discuss are his Confessions and The City of God. Finally, we think about how we can emulate his love of learning, devotion to Scripture, and deep humility and kindness in the present day.

For a downloadable PDF outline of Augustine's life, visit this page on Chris's blog: