Dr Eckman leads discussion of the growth & influence of the Church at Antioch, under the guidance of Barnabas & Saul.

Few have noticed what I believe to be one of the more momentous developments of 2018—the growing Russian footprint in the Middle East. Vladimir Putin has a major naval base in Syria, at least two airbases and a diplomatic clout with many Middle Eastern governments not seen since the days of the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

Acts 10:30-11:15

Ed Stetzer, who holds the Billy Graham Distinguished Chair of Church, Mission, and Evangelism at Wheaton College and is executive director of the Billy Graham Center, asks this poignant question: “How can we spiritually lead our people struggling to respond in a culture charged by political polarization and fed a diet of cable news and social media?

Peter is further enabled for ministry through the resurrection of Tabitha, and his vision at Joppa, which helped him to see that when the Holy Spirit comes, the old Jewish laws are set aside & the New Order of Jesus has begun.

Jill Kay Melchior of the Wall Street Journal poignantly ask these questions: “If your teenage daughter suddenly declares herself transgender, should you assume she’s mature enough to make decisions that will affect her health, fertility and future? Or could she be influenced by societal and peer pressure?”

Continued discussion of Saul’s conversion from a Jewish leader who persecuted Christians, to a believer proclaim Jesus as the Messiah.

Last year (2017) we celebrated the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther nailing his 95 Theses to the Castle Church door in Wittenberg, Germany, thereby beginning the Protestant Reformation. Most historians agree that one of the contributing causes of both the appeal and the subsequent spread of Protestantism was a crisis of confidence within the Catholic Church: corruption, immorality, nepotism, simony and other factors which describe a decadent church out of touch with its people. In many ways, a similar crisis of confidence is brewing within the Roman Catholic Church today.

For most of human history the decision to have children was a given. Unless there were infertility problems, it was natural and expected that a couple would have children. But with the emergence of birth control options (e.g., pharmaceutical products and devices, as well as abortion) the choice to not have children is a viable one.

Phillip’s actions at Samaria show how everyone is equal at the cross; Simon seeks the Holy Spirit for ungenuine purposes; Phillip preaches on the Gaza Road.