Truce - History of the Christian Church

Author Michelle DeRusha (Katrina and Martin Luther, True You) gave up media for six weeks. She did it for Lent, the time of year right before Easter when some Christians give something up in order to draw closer to God. In this episode of the Truce Podcast we hear from her about her experience, and from you, our listeners about your experience with the Truce Podcast Media Time Out. If you would like access to the PDF version of the Media Time Out, subscribe to our email update list (I won't sell your data, and emails are few and far between). The link will be emailed to you for free. If you like the Truce Podcast, please leave us a rating on your favorite podcasting app.Topics Covered:What is a media fast?Who is Michelle DeRusha?What are people's personal stories about fasting?What is media bias?How do we decode bias in our media?Is NPR bias?Is cable news bias?Is Fox News bias?In our next episode we'll hear from Andrew Schwab of Project 86 and the Pioneers Podcast about the difficulties of being famous in the Christian world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're surrounded by media. All the time. On our phones, the television, radio... even music at the supermarket. When was the last time you enjoyed the silence?This week on the Truce Podcast, we're going to take a break from media. No TV, radio, music, social media, movies... none of it. We're doing it for a few different reasons:*To demonstrate to ourselves that we don't need our phones as much as we think we do.*To refocus our attention on God.*To see how our media is shaping us. We're going to study the bias and marketing that comes at us through our media.*Our series on the influencer economy will make a lot more sense if you are aware of the messaging that targets you every day.You can call this a media fast. But the Bible has a lot of specific requirements for fasting. So, let's just call this a “time out”. If you'd like to join along, sign up for our email updates list and you'll be emailed a link to our free PDF version of the curriculum. Feel free to make as many copies as you like! Why do a media fast?Because denying ourselves of something can illustrate to us our own reliance on it.It gives us a great opportunity to talk with our friends about our convictions.Unlike a traditional fast, you should be talking with your friends and family about this challenge. Hopefully, together, you can come up with solutions to better deal with all of the messaging coming at you. Once you're done with the media time out, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. And record a voice memo on your smart phone about your experience and email it to us. We may use it on the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New episodes of the Truce Podcast are coming soon! Our special guests will include Andrew Schwab of Project 86 and The Pioneers Podcast, author Michelle DeRusha, and Robert Fitzpatrick from Pyramid Scheme Alert. We're exploring how Christians are marketed to and how sometimes makes us fall into some pretty dark traps.Subscribe on Apple Podcast, Google Play, or Spotify. www.trucepodcast.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In World War II the world was in chaos. Men shooting other men. The old world of horses and bayonets collided with machine guns and tanks. In the midst of the madness, thousands of men left their trenches on Christmas and met their neighbors. It was a spontaneous gathering of brothers. We in the Christian church can learn a lot from them.Truce is a listener supported show. Click here to help.Our Bible readings were performed by Jasen Banks from the Word x the World podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The events of Daniel 11 helped to disprove Mormonism. In this episode, we take a look at the Rosetta Stone, the Book of Abraham, and Joseph Smith.Truce is a listener-supported podcast. Help by donating via Patreon and GoFundMe. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. http://www.trucepodcast.comMerry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Living And Effective is the newest podcast from Christianity Today and the Christian Standard Bible. Chris sat down with Richard Clark (@TheRichardClark) to discuss media ethics and the nature of Christian broadcasting. Is it okay to talk about infidelity when discussing Dr. Martin Luther King? Is a discussion of Christianity in the 1970's complete without a conversation about where the Jesus People are today? Is Christian media required to stay positive?Subscribe to Living and Effective on any podcasting app or listen at http://www.livingandeffective.com.Truce is a listener supported podcast. Support the show at http://www.patreon.com. Our Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram handle is @trucepodcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We need your help! Truce is taking a break this week so we can do some marketing. In the meantime, please:1) Leave a review on Apple Podcasts, or where ever you listen2) Tell two friends about the show3) Pray for Truce! God willing, we'll see you next week. Until then, check us out on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're still here, despite the fact that dozens of predictions have told us that the world would have ended by now. John Hagee, Jack Van Impe, Joseph Smith, Jehovah's Witnesses, John Wesley, Harold Camping and so many others have made bogus predictions. What should we think about this? How do people of faith look when we are clearly wrong in such public ways? In this episode of the Truce podcast, we examine some of the reasons behind these predictions and discuss a better way forward.Truce is the Christian podcast that uses journalistic tools to look inside the Christian church. We press pause on the culture wars to explore how we got here and how we can do better. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It took a long time for women to get the right to vote. And it took a lot of different opinions about how to go about fighting for that right. Frances Willard, the second president of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, used marches and speeches. Her fellow WCTU member, Carrie Nation, preferred... a hatchet. On this episode, the second in a series, we look at a few of the women who were involved in this important movement. Frances Willard, Carrie Nation, and more. Truce is a listener-supported podcast. We're about a thousand dollars in the hole after two seasons of the show. Consider donating a few dollars to keep this thing going. Guests: Jenna DeWitt @Jenna_DeWitt Jim Vorel from Paste Magazine @JimVorel Claire White from the Mob Museum in Las Vegas @TheMobMuseum Sarah Ward from the Woman's Christian Temperance Union https://www.wctu.org/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The 1800's were a drunken mess. The median adult in the US drank 1.7 bottles of 80 proof alcohol each week. Each week! The 1800's were also a time when women didn't have many rights: they couldn't vote, were expected to stay home, and were somewhat invisible in the public sphere. Until they'd had enough. Thanks to the efforts of organizations like the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, women fought for their rights. On this episode of the Truce Podcast, we begin our series on this historic battle. Guests: Jenna DeWitt @Jenna_DeWitt Jim Vorel from Paste Magazine @JimVorel Claire White from the Mob Museum in Las Vegas @TheMobMuseum Sarah Ward from the Woman's Christian Temperance Union https://www.wctu.org/ And remember to check out The Word in the World podcast: https://www.thewordxtheworld.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is Jesus eternal? There is a key word in the gospels and the Nicaean Creed: begotten. We don't use it much today, but some people take it to mean that Jesus hasn't been around since the beginning of time. Jehovah's Witnesses use it as proof that Christ was created by God. But does it mean that? No. Our special guest for this episode is Professor Gerald Bray. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How did we decide on the day we celebrate Easter? Believe it or not, it was decided 1700 years ago at the Council of Nicaea, which was called by the Roman emperor Constantine. There was some confusion as to whether or not it should be tied to the Jewish celebration of Passover. This is the third part in our series on Constantine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Modern Christians believe that Jesus is God, eternal. But some people in the early church didn't think so. So early leaders decided to call the Council of Nicaea. Today people like Dan Brown (the DaVinci Code) might see this as when Constantine decided to make Jesus divine. Is that true? Our guests are Professor Gerald Bray and Professor David Potter. This is the second of four episodes on the legacy of the Roman emperor Constantine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Who was the first political leader to use Christianity to his benefit? We see it all the time today, but when did it begin? This is the first part in a series looking at the impact of the Roman Emperor Constantine on history. We're still dealing with this guy 1700 years later. He was a warrior, a murderer, and a pagan priest. He also may have saved Christianity. Our guests are Professor Gerald Bray and Professor David Potter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In part one we examined the history and economics of this maligned art form. Now let's understand the heart behind Christian filmmaking. If we're going to share the hope we have in Christ, then we need tools like this. We're joined by filmmakers Rich Christiano (Time Changer, Unidentified, Play the Flute) and Wes and Amanda Llewellyn (The Moment After I & II). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Christians have many tools at their disposal -- Bible studies, tracts, sermons. But the punching bag of ministry tools has got to be the humble Christian film. We think of this as an upstart medium, but it's not. It's as old as filmmaking itself. In this two-part series, we examine the economics, the history, and the heart behind this much-maligned art form. We're joined by filmmakers Rich Christiano (Time Changer, Unidentified, Play the Flute) and Wes and Amanda Llewellyn (The Moment After I & II). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Southern Baptist Convention meets again next week. So, as a follow up to our curse of Ham story, we talked to Pastor Dwight McKissic Jr (@pastordmack) about his efforts to address racial issues within the SBC. A new resolution is on the table that would officially apologize for misusing the Bible to justify slavery and oppression. That resolution specifically calls out the so-called "curse of Ham". Genesis 9 tells the story of Noah and his sons after the ark. At first glance, it seems as though this is just a weird story. But it has dramatic ramifications for world history. You see, Noah places a curse on one of his descendants. His kids will be the servants of all the others. I.e. slaves. For years, organizations like the SBC taught that the curse was on Ham, whose offspring became the African people. The text tells a different story. It clearly states that Canaan, Noah's grandson, is cursed. The Canaanites settled in what would become Israel and were given the boot in the book of Joshua. But this lie has stuck around. Pastor McKissic and others will see that it is officially dealt with.Truce is a listener supported podcast. Donate at www.trucepodcast.com and connect with us on social media at @trucepodcast.Special thanks to Andy Huff for our beautiful logo. Be praying for the SBC and their meeting! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In April of 2018 @NPREmbedded produced a podcast episode about Scott Pruitt, the current head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the Trump Administration. It covered, among other things, his record on the environment, and... his Christian faith. In this, the first episode of season 2, we take a look at Genesis 1 and ask what it can (and can't) tell us about our role in the environment.Special thanks to @NPREmbedded for their help. You can find our guests at @joewertz and @TomDreisbach. Our logo is by Andy Huff. This program is listener supported. If you'd like to donate, visit us at www.trucepodcast.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Girolamo Savonarola was an inspiration to Martin Luther and an early martyr for the Protestant Reformation. He's also a controversial figure – more Old Testament prophet than humble friar. Our guest Samantha Morris (https://theborgiabull.com) discusses her book Girolamo Savonarola: The Renaissance Preacher and the history of the “mad preacher of Florence”. Think you could end a movement? Destroy some of the best art ever made? Nearly topple the Italian Renaissance? Of course not, but that's what one man tried to do at the end of the 1400's. He was a righteous man who fought against the evil of Pope Alexander the VI. But he we went too far—trying to make the world behave in a godly fashion instead of changing the hearts of Florence. In a time before the Bible was readily available in people's own languages, Girolamo Savonarola was put to death by the very superstition he tried to defeat. Truce is a listener-supported podcast. Leave us a comment on iTunes and be sure to visit us at www.trucepodcast.com. You can follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/trucepodcast) and Twitter (@trucepodcast). Our host is Chris Staron, author of Cradle Robber and writer/ director of the films Bringing up Bobby and Between the Walls. Artwork by @andrewjohnhuff. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When churches face evil or unrepentant behavior we have to make a tough call. What does church discipline look like? It turns out that it involves several steps from talking to the person one-on-one to expelling them from the congregation. There isn't a one-size-fits-all approach. Jonathan Leeman from www.9marks.org joins us to talk about his book on church discipline. Our main text is from Matthew 18 where Jesus lays out a clear plan for disciplining a brother or sister in Christ. Though the process seems easy, it is not without disagreement. Some people argue that discipline is tied to church membership. If someone sins, take away their membership to the congregation. The only problem is that membership is not in the Bible. It is an invention of man. But so are many other cherished parts of the church-going experience: youth group, Sunday school, crosses as decoration, even holidays like Christmas and Easter are not specifically outlined in the Bible. Truce is a listener-supported podcast. Leave us a comment on iTunes and be sure to visit us at www.trucepodcast.com. You can follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/trucepodcast) and Twitter (@trucepodcast). Our host is Chris Staron, author of Cradle Robber and writer/ director of the films Bringing up Bobby and Between the Walls. Artwork by @andrewjohnhuff. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this podcast extra we're taking a look at how ethnicity sometimes trumps our commitment to God. How can we, as believers, move forward in a Church that seems divided by race and ethnicity? Skot Welch is is the founder of Global Bridgebuilders, an organization that works with companies and churches to encourage diversity. He and his friend Rick Wilson wrote the upcoming book Plantation Jesus: Race, Faith, and a New Way Forward. Truce is a listener-supported podcast. Leave us a comment on iTunes and be sure to visit us at www.trucepodcast.com. You can follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/trucepodcast) and Twitter (@trucepodcast). Our host is Chris Staron, author of Cradle Robber and writer/ director of the films Bringing up Bobby and Between the Walls. Artwork by @andrewjohnhuff. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Curse of Ham. It sounds like something from Game of Thrones, but it is actually a mis-reading of an Old Testament scripture that has been used for hundreds of years to justify racism and slavery. This week we take a look inside the Southern Baptist Convention's controversial 2017 meeting and interview pastor Charles Hedman from Capitol Hills Baptist Church (http://www.capitolhillbaptist.org). The “curse” comes from Genesis 9. Noah (yes, the guy from the flood) is back on dry land. He gets drunk and his boys cover him up out of shame. Enraged by their behavior, Noah places a curse on one of his family members: his descendants will be in service to the others. Trouble is, despite the Bible saying that Canaan is cursed, many people pretend that Ham is in order to oppress his descendants: those of African descent. This obvious fallacy has been used for decades to justify terrible acts-- and all because we refuse to see what's so clearly there. Truce is a listener-supported podcast. Leave us a comment on iTunes and be sure to visit us at www.trucepodcast.com. You can follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/trucepodcast) and Twitter (@trucepodcast). Our host is Chris Staron, author of Cradle Robber and writer/ director of the films Bringing up Bobby and Between the Walls. Artwork by @andrewjohnhuff. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We all know a little something about President Donald Trump, how he bankrolled his family fortune into celebrity. But what do we know about his religious history? Our guest for this episode is author, speaker, podcaster Stephen Mansfield. Stephen is the New York Times bestselling author of Choosing Donald Trump. The charismatic preacher and author of The Power of Positive Thinking, Norman Vincent Peele, preached before the Trump family when Donald was just a boy. Principles of that ministry can still be seen in the president today: thinking of oneself as blessed, denying negativity, seeing oneself as deserving of God's blessing. The president was also heavily influenced by Paula White, a pentecostal preacher and a member of his Faith Advisory Council. Though Donald Trump may offend many Christians, he lays claim to our faith. What do we do with that information? As a note, this episode was recorded before the passing of Billy Graham so there is one reference to him as if he is still alive. Truce is a listener-supported podcast. Leave us a comment on iTunes and be sure to visit us at www.trucepodcast.com. You can follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/trucepodcast) and Twitter (@trucepodcast). Our host is Chris Staron, author of Cradle Robber and writer/ director of the films Bringing up Bobby and Between the Walls. Artwork by @andrewjohnhuff. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When were Christians first tied to Donald Trump? It seems to have started when Dr. James Dobson of FamilyTalk said on tape that Donald Trump is a Christian. He is not the only person making that claim. Paula White, Michelle Bachmann, Kenneth Copeland, and many other sing the same song. But it doesn't look like we're buying their rhetoric. American Christians don't really believe that Trump is one of us. So what do Christian leaders stand to gain by pretending he is? They want to repeal the Johnson Amendment, which prohibits pastors and churches from making specific kinds of political speech. Americans love free speech... when it works to their advantage. The trouble is, Republican lawmakers want to repeal the amendment for more nefarious reasons. Truce is a listener-supported podcast. Leave us a comment on iTunes and be sure to visit us at www.trucepodcast.com. You can follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/trucepodcast) and Twitter (@trucepodcast). Our host is Chris Staron, author of Cradle Robber and writer/ director of the films Bringing up Bobby and Between the Walls. Artwork by @andrewjohnhuff. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Truce is a show about the Church. What makes evangelical Christians tick? How do we impact the culture, and how does the culture shape us? Using journalistic tools we will journey together into one of the most powerful forces in world history: the gospel. Truce is a new podcast from the creator of the film "Bringing up Bobby" and the novel "Cradle Robber". Visit www.trucepodcast.com for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices