Evident Church

Baptism Christian baptism is one of two ordinances that Jesus instituted for the church. Just before His  ascension , Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” ( Matthew 28:19–20 ). These instructions specify that the church is responsible to teach Jesus’ word, make disciples, and baptize those disciples. These things are to be done everywhere (“all nations”) until “the very end of the age.” So, if for no other reason, baptism has importance because Jesus commanded it. Baptism was practiced before the founding of the church. The Jews of ancient times would baptize proselytes to signify the converts’ “cleansed” nature. John the Baptist used baptism to prepare the way of the Lord, requiring  everyone , not just Gentiles, to be baptized because  everyone  needs repentance. How

Are You Living Out a Prosperity Gospel? 5 Questions to Ask Yourself Emily Massey False teaching distorts the pure gospel and your view about God. It has been a problem for centuries, even in the early Church. But God has always raised up leaders and Bible teachers to shine a light upon the truth that sets people free from deception and the bonds of sin. In 2018, the Church is in desperate need for such leadership. There is a false gospel that has been gaining momentum and causing great deception across the world for decades that was birthed right here in America – the “prosperity gospel.” The prosperity gospel is a far cry from the gospel of Jesus because its roots are not grounded in the message of the Cross that gives new us new life in Christ. It originates from New Thought philosophy, which focuses on using your thoughts, declaration of specific words, and visualizations to attract what you want to happen in your life. The prosperity theology distorts the messa

Coming Up for Air: How to Be "In the World but Not of the World" Rick Sorensen It’s fair to say that it’s almost impossible to be a Christian for any length of time without hearing the expression that Christians are to be, “In the World but Not of the World.” While we as Christians may nod our heads in agreement to this declaration that seems to have an emphasis on separating ourselves from the world’s unrighteousness (2 Corinthians 6:14-17), it may be just as easy for us to shake our heads in confusion as we try to understand how it’s possible to not be of a world that we are born into. What can help us make sense of it all is to take a look at the context of the verse where this expression originated, and, funny as it may sound, to pay a visit to your local aquarium to learn about a very special animal. This expression, “In the World but Not of the World” is a paraphrase taken from a prayer of none other than Jesus himself in John 17:13-19: “I am coming