...And We're Back!

**The Millerites and Seventh-day Adventists | Denomination Series** What happens when thousands of Christians become convinced they know when Jesus is returning, only to discover they're wrong? In this episode of Bad Fruit, we explore William Miller, the Baptist preacher whose predictions sparked a nationwide religious movement and culminated in the Great Disappointment of October 22, 1844. But the story didn't end there. Out of the failed predictions emerged the Seventh-day Adventist Church, a denomination built around Saturday Sabbath observance, a controversial interpretation of biblical prophecy, and the visions of a woman who claimed to speak for God: Ellen G. White. How did a movement with anti-Trinitarian founders become a worldwide denomination of more than 24 million members? Was Ellen White a genuine prophetess? What is the investigative judgment? And are Seventh-day Adventists a cult? We'll trace the history, examine their beliefs, and challenge their theology from a confessional Lutheran perspective. Finally, we'll tackle the Sabbath itself: Are Christians still bound to Saturday, or has Christ fulfilled what the Sabbath pointed toward? If you would like to read the SDA Fundamentals of Faith here is a link: https://szu.adventist.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/28_Beliefs.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com Questions? Comments? Just want to say hello? email us at [email protected] If you would like to support the podcast you can do so at https://buymeacoffee.com/badfruitpodcast 

In the final episode of our series on the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement, we turn from its history to a theological examination of its central claims. Can Christians really escape theological traditions by rejecting historic creeds? Does returning to the New Testament mean recreating the practices and structure of the first-century Church? And did the Restorationists actually recover ancient Christianity? We examine the slogan "No creed but Christ," Barton Stone's rejection of Nicene Trinitarianism, the problems with biblicism, and the Restorationist approach to Baptism, Communion, and church fellowship. We also look at the writings of the early Church Fathers to see how the earliest Christians understood the Sacraments, ministry, and confessions of faith. Finally, we offer a confessional Lutheran response, exploring the distinction between Law and Gospel, Christian freedom, the means of grace, and what truly makes the Church the Church. The Restoration Movement sought to restore Christianity by returning to the apostolic Church. But what if Christ never stopped preserving His Church in the first place? email us at [email protected] with any questions, comments, concerns, or if you just want to say hello.

The Restoration Movement began with a dream of restoring New Testament Christianity and bringing an end to denominational divisions. But as the movement grew, its followers found themselves divided over what that restoration should actually look like. In Part 2, we follow the Stone-Campbell Movement through the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, exploring the controversies that eventually produced three distinct traditions: the Churches of Christ, the Independent Christian Churches, and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Along the way, we'll look at the debates over missionary societies, instrumental music in worship, biblical authority, Baptism, and the rise of theological liberalism. We'll meet influential figures like David Lipscomb and Daniel Sommer, examine why the Churches of Christ reject the denominational label, and trace how the Disciples of Christ eventually became a mainline Protestant denomination. email me at [email protected] Also as I said in the episode if you would like to read the book I mentioned you can grab it HERE. Keith W. Schweitzer: Various Doctrinal Positions of the Campbellite Church of Christ and a Lutheran Response to Those Positions

Pastor Cam, AKA The Blessed Bald Eagle, joins me for a third time! To talk about his new book coming out October 31st (Reformation Day) titled Reflections on the Small Catechism. Below are links to his book and a couple others mentioned in the episode. Reflections on the Small Catechism by Cameron Duecker  Lutheran Confessor: Hermann Sasse on the Essentials of the Faith by John Pless No One Lives in Alva Anymore by Tori Newton Also if you are interested in learning more about Pastor Cam's ministry Confessing Christ Lutheran Ministries (CCLM) check them out HERE. And as always please feel free to email me about anything, would love to hear from you at [email protected] 

What if the divisions of Christianity could be overcome by abandoning denominational traditions, rejecting human creeds, and simply returning to the Bible? In Part 1 of our three-part series on the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement, we travel back to the religious landscape of early nineteenth-century America to explore the origins of one of the most influential movements in American Protestant history. We'll examine the lives and teachings of Barton W. Stone, Thomas Campbell, and Alexander Campbell, their growing dissatisfaction with denominational divisions, and their conviction that Christians could recover the faith and practice of the New Testament Church. We'll also explore the historic union of their movements in 1832, along with the distinctive teachings concerning Baptism, Communion, church government, and salvation that began shaping their religious identity. What began as a call for Christian unity would eventually give rise to the Churches of Christ, Independent Christian Churches, and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). But could Christianity really be restored by setting aside centuries of theological tradition? And would a return to Scripture alone actually resolve the disagreements dividing Christians? Join us as we explore the history, theology, and ambitions of the Restoration Movement from a confessional Lutheran perspective. Questions? Comments? email us at [email protected]

An overview of the Reformation up to the early 1800s to help set the stage for the Restoration Movements and all the different new denominational splits of the 1800s. This primer helps set the stage for the rest of the series. Questions or comments email us at [email protected]

What happened after the Jesus Movement went mainstream? In this episode of the denomination series, we look at the rise of the modern evangelical church: seeker-sensitive ministry, megachurches, church planting networks, multisite churches, Vineyard, Hillsong, Bethel, the Emerging Church, and the house church movement. Along the way, we trace how churches that often rejected traditional denominational structures built new networks, brands, leadership systems, worship ministries, and institutions of their own. If you would like to email us please do so at [email protected] we'd love to hear from you

Conversation with Cody Hurd, who is an author and runs the Pilgrims Post Facebook page. We talked about the differences between Reformed/Calvinism and Lutheranism. Covenant Theology. Biblical Masculinity. And about the many books he has authored.

Continuing the denomination series this week we talk about Calvary Chapel. While it doesn't claim to be a "denomination" it functions very much like one. In this episode I talk about their history, theology, key figures and a brief mention of the personal connection I have to the movement. If you have questions or comments please email me at [email protected] 

Over the summer Brad from Rooted in Logos invited me to be a guest on his podcast. It was a fun conversation about music. We talk worship, CCM, and secular music. This is a re-release of that episode.