Do you know what Santa Claus did before he moved to the North Pole, hired all those elves, and started making toys to deliver to all the little children of the world on Christmas Eve? He was a minister. That’s true! Here’s the story. Once upon a time, around 280 A.D., on […]
3100) Santa’s First Job Read More »
Above: The cover of an early edition of Martin Luther’s Small Catechism ————— In his 39 years as a pastor and reformer, Martin Luther (1483-1546) published an incredible number of books, treatises, sermons, and other writings. Page after page poured forth, as Luther powerfully proclaimed the Gospel. There are 120 volumes in the German
3072) Martin Luther’s Small Catechism Read More »
Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) ruled France for ten years, and in that time, conquered almost all of Europe. Then, after being forced out of power, Napoleon spent the last six years of his life exiled to the remote island of St. Helena. Accompanying him was his long-time, trusted aide, General Henri Bertrand. Bertrand kept an extensive
3054) Napoleon and Jesus Read More »
Image above: Chaos and death in the streets of Rome during the plague. ******************* Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you
3029) Something Strange? (2/2) Read More »
Above painting: St. Peter’s Crucifixion, by Caravaggio (1571-1610), Rome, Italy ******************************** The New Testament book of I Peter was written to encourage Christians in the early church who were suffering severe persecution. I Peter 4:12 says: “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange
3028) Something Strange? (1/2) Read More »
Billy Graham preached the Gospel face-to-face to more people than any other individual in history. In sixty-eight years of large stadium evangelistic campaigns, he preached to over 200 million people. With today’s internet media opportunities, these types of large stadium revival meetings are seldom done anymore. Thus, no one individual will ever again
3014) America’s Pastor Read More »
Image above: Flathead delegation in Washington, D.C. with interpreter, 1884 (men from the same tribe, but many years after the story told here). ************************** From: The Clergy of America: Anecdotes, 1869, pp. 69-71. The following narrative was given by a gentleman of the United States, when on a visit to England, and was published in
2971) Looking for the Great Spirit Read More »
From the Journal of Lancaster County Historical Society (edited), 1902, by Hiram Erb Steinmetz. ******************************* Peter Miller (1709-1796) was a minister in the German Reformed Church in his early life. He was born Germany and came to America as a minister of this church in 1730. He served as pastor of Bethany Reformed
2945) Pardon Who? Why? Read More »
(…continued) One of the main goals in the formation of the Nicene Creed was to come to some agreement on the understanding of the exact nature of this ‘God and man’ Jesus Christ. Can a person be saved without understanding all this? Of course. If we had to understand everything about God in
2941) The Nicene Creed (b) Read More »
This summer marks the anniversary of an important event in the history of the Christian Church. 1,700 years ago, right now, in the summer of 325 A.D., Christian leaders from all over, were meeting in the ancient city of Nicaea (in what is now Turkey), to settle some differences in theology. They put
2940) The Nicene Creed (a) Read More »
