In the week and a half since Election Day, I have seen a variety of reactions in the media and in person. Some are happy; others are sad. (Personally, I am sad and a bit mystified that my fellow Austin voters have freely chosen to raise our taxes yet again.) Regardless of one’s feelings about specific races and outcomes, all agree that we live in unstable times, and it’s hard not to be affected by the instability and uncertainty.
At all times, but especially in times like these, there is great joy in being a citizen of God’s kingdom. Christ reigns, and this is good news. It means that the results of this or that election, important as they may be here and now, are an insignificant thing in comparison to the glory of eternal salvation. The stability that this single truth provides in an unstable world is incalculable, enabling us to smile at whatever adversity comes our way.
The stability provided by our faith in Christ is a gift that we have received by grace and must pass on to others. I venture to say that even Christians in churches need to become more fully grounded in this faith.
This is where the Center for Christian Studies steps in, to address the great need for such instruction and to equip leaders and teachers in churches. We continue to expand our resources and our reach, evident in some of the highlights over the past five months.
We continue to add to our collection of video resources, releasing three more series: “Transforming Encounters” (John Mark Hicks), “Intentional Worship” (Keith Stanglin), and “The Story of God: From Creation to New Creation” (John Mark Hicks). Subscribe to the CCS video collection to make this premium content available 24/7 to your church. As always, you can view excerpts from these videos on our YouTube channel. See pricing here, and if you want your church leaders to preview the videos, subscriptions come with a free 7-day trial.
In August, we published the newest entry in our adult education curriculum: Walking with Wisdom: A Study of Proverbs, by Lance Hawley, associate professor of Old Testament at Harding School of Theology. Like our other books, it is ideal for use in Bible classes, small groups, or for individual study.
The Journal of Christian Studies 3/3, on the theology of suffering, was also published and mailed out to subscribers in September. If you missed it, this and other back issues can be ordered from our website. But be sure to subscribe to the journal so you won’t miss the excellent issues coming in 2025.
Our live events and instruction continue to thrive. In September, we had about 200 people attend the CCS – First Things Lecture in downtown Austin with Wilfred McClay, who spoke on “Baptism of the Imagination.” In the last few months, I have also consulted with and conducted seminars at churches on “Leading through Cultural Change,” engaged in congregational teacher training over Zoom, and spoken at the Harding Inspire Lectureship on Integrative Adult Education in churches.
We have also expanded our own donations of CCS resources to Christian friends here and around the world.
Finally, all of these resources—intended for the sake of biblical literacy and theological understanding—are made possible through so many selfless donors who have caught the vision for equipping the people of God in their knowledge of the faith and in works of service.
We have been blessed, but this is only the beginning. We want to increase our number of partners and supporters in this ministry. In order to continue this growth and produce the best resources for thoughtful Christians, we humbly ask for your support for this ministry to churches here and around the world. Please keep us in your prayers and consider giving—or continuing and expanding your gift—to the Center for Christian Studies.
Have you included the Center for Christian Studies in your estate planning?
Contact us at info@christian-studies.org.
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