Evangelism

Lord’s Prayer More Recognizable than ‘Star Wars,’ UK Survey Shows

A recent international poll shows more people in the United Kingdom recognize a line from the Lord’s Prayer than from Star Wars, Shakespeare, Dickens or Churchill.

In May, research firm Savanta asked over 2,000 UK adults to match seven famous lines from literature, history and pop culture to their sources from a multiple-choice list.

Over 80% of respondents correctly attributed, “Give us this day our daily bread,” to the Lord’s Prayer found in Matthew 6. The second-most-recognized line, “May the force be with you,” was matched by 79.9% of participants to the Star Wars film series.

The five other lines and their correct match rates include:

  • “To be or not to be.” – Hamlet by William Shakespeare (73%)
  • “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” – A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens (39%)
  • “Happy and glorious / Long to reign over us.” – UK National Anthem, “God Save The King” (63%)
  • “You’ll never walk alone.” – Gerry and the Pacemakers, Anthem of Liverpool FC (58%)
  • “Never in the field of human conflict, was so much owed by so many to so few.” – Winston Churchill (61%)

Participants were also asked which line from the Lord’s Prayer was most meaningful to them. Matthew 6:12, “And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us,” scored highest – resonating with 43% of respondents, 56% of those identifying as Christians.

Additionally, 89% of participants reported they had previously heard the Lord’s Prayer. Among those who did not affiliate with religion, 88% were familiar with the prayer.

When asked about their prayer habits, 89% answered they had said the Lord’s Prayer before, with 58% reciting it daily.

“These results reflect what we’ve been hearing across the North of England through our Faith in the North initiative, which invites people to explore the Lord’s Prayer,” said Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York. He continued:

Though ancient, its words continue to resonate with people of all faiths and none.

In a world of shifting cultures and changing circumstances, the Lord’s Prayer remains a steady guide — perhaps never more so than now.

Lines like “Give us this day our daily bread” speak powerfully to today’s challenges, reminding us to seek sufficiency, not excess, and to consider what “enough” truly means.

The Church of England also provides a Daily Prayer podcast and app, which has been downloaded more than 12 million times since its launch during the pandemic.

Reports like this remind us the Lord’s Prayer – first delivered by our Lord, Jesus Christ – is still alive and needed in our chaotic world. Let us be encouraged that so many are familiar with the words God has given us to speak when our own fall short.

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Why the Ascension of Christ Matters

Today is Ascension Day, the day set aside in the church calendar to remember when Christ returned to the Father’s right hand in glory 40 days after His Resurrection. Ascension Day is still a public holiday in several European nations and marks the end of the Easter season. Most American Christians think of Easter as only a day and of Ascension Day as barely a blip on the calendar. 

However, in different times and places, Christians put a high priority on the Ascension. In the first few centuries of the Church, it was celebrated, along with Pentecost, as part of the Easter season. By the late fourth century, some believers observed it on its own with celebrations that included prayer and processions, as well as visual representations and reenactments. 

More importantly, Ascension Day is a pivotal event in the biblical story, foretold throughout Scripture. At the Ascension, Christ completed His work begun at the Incarnation, and promised long before to Adam, Abraham, David and Isaiah. The Ascension wasn’t merely Jesus leaving the Earth, but the God-man sitting in authority and power on His eternal throne. The Ascension is the coronation of Christ as King of heaven and earth. 

The Ascension also fulfilled prophecy, including  Psalm 2 and Psalm 110,  where the Anointed One of God, David’s Greater Son, puts His enemies under His feet. In the Apostle Peter’s Pentecost sermon, recorded in Acts 2, the Ascension is ultimate proof of Christ’s superiority. In Ephesians 4, the Apostle Paul described the Ascension as when Jesus equipped His people for their work. 

All of this makes the Ascension critical to the biblical narrative of how God redeems the world He created. The focus of Genesis 1-11 is the Creation, Fall, flood, and division of this world. Genesis 12 turns the attention of Scripture to one nation through whom redemption comes. Jesus Christ is sent to that nation, and His ministry offers glimpses of His redemption going outside of Israel, for example to the Syrophonecian woman, the Samaritans and the Roman Centurion. Just before He ascended to heaven, Jesus turned the attention of the Apostles and the biblical narrative back to the whole world when He said, “you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” The books of Acts follows that outline. In his Pentecost sermon, recorded in Acts 2, Peter describes the Ascension as proof of Christ’s reign and the source of His blessing. 

Ascension Day is a wonderful time to remember essential aspects of Christ’s work that are too often neglected. Yes, Jesus came to save people from their sin, and we should never allow the reality of that gift to be lost in our church teaching and practice. We should also remember that Christ’s work is cosmic in scope, with public implications that extend beyond the personal and private. The Christian life is not some kind of extended waiting room for the real action of the End Times. As theologian NT Wright has described: 

The mission of the Church is not about preparing for Jesus to become king. It is implementing the fact that he has become king, even if that new kingship doesn’t look like the sort of thing people had been expecting. … This is why the disciples, faced with Jesus going away, are not sorrowful, but joyful. Jesus is now lord of the world! He is now in charge! That’s the good news! The one whose resurrection has launched the new creation, following his defeat of evil on the cross, is now ruling the world! 

Whatever specifics the End Times entail, there is an already-ness to Jesus’ rule, even as we wait for what is yet-to-come. We’re not waiting for His kingdom to begin. It has begun. He is the King; His rule is in place; and He is making all things new. That’s why the Ascension matters. 

The Significance and Incredible Legacy of Nicaea

This month, 1,700 years ago, was one of the most significant and consequential events in all of Church history. Across the Bosporus Straight from Constantinople, in Nicaea, a Council met to settle a question plaguing the Church: Who, precisely, is Jesus? Their work shaped the future of Christian theology. 

In the first few centuries after Christ’s resurrection, Jesus was understood in a variety of ways. Only the Gnostics doubted His humanity, arguing that Jesus was a purely spiritual being who only seemed human.  

Others suggested that Jesus was an angel or archangel, or specifically the Angel of the Lord mentioned in the Old Testament. By the third century, the church accepted the deity of Christ while seeing him as subordinate in some way to the Father.  

In 318 or 319 A.D., the nature of that subordination was the source of controversy between Arius, a priest in Alexandria, and Alexander I, the patriarch of Alexandria. Alexander argued that Christ was eternally begotten of the Father’s substance and thus equal to the Father and without a beginning. Arius countered, “If the Father begat the Son, then he who was begotten had a beginning in existence, and from this it follows there was a time when the Son was not.”  

According to Arius, the Son was not eternally begotten of the Father. Rather, He was made from nothing and thus not equal to the Father. Jesus, Arius taught, was the first created being through whom everything else was made. 

The quarrel between Arius and Alexander became a heated controversy across the Church, with incredible implications for theology and worship. In Rome, the task of mediating religious conflicts fell to the emperor. To settle this weighty matter, Emperor Constantine I called the bishops to Nicaea in 325.  

The Council sided with the position that reflected the longstanding understanding of the Church and Holy Scripture. Alexander’s position aligned with passages such as John 1:1, “the Word was God,” as well as Jesus’ claims in John 10, that “I and the Father are one,” and John 14:9, that “whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” 

The Council chose the word homoousios to describe who Jesus is in relationship with the Father and to emphasize His deity. Though they are of the same substance, the Council clarified that, as begotten of the Father, Jesus is not the same as the Father. The creed produced by the Council, which is recited in churches around the world to this day, described Christ as “begotten, not made, of one being (or of one substance) with the Father.”  

The Nicaean Creed is among the most consequential documents in Church history. It remains the articulation of orthodox Christology, though Arianism did not die out until the sixth century. The Council’s decisions also made significant contributions to theological clarity about the Trinity, another perplexity the Church had to define. Later councils would reflect on and refine the statements out of Nicaea. The First Council of Constantinople strengthened its statements on the Holy Spirit, and the Council of Chalcedon further worked out the relationship of the human and divine natures of Christ, united in a single person.  

While the doctrines articulated by these Councils are complex and nuanced, they have played the essential role of affirming and clarifying the many biblical claims about God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This clarity is just as important today because of the various groups and individuals who claim to be Christians but hold unorthodox and heretical views about Jesus. The Jehovah’s Witnesses embrace a form of Arianism, claiming Christ is the Archangel Michael and the first created being. Mormons reject the eternal generation of the Son and see Christ as one of many children of the Father, including Satan.  

In fact, Arianism remains alive and well among evangelicals. In 2022, a survey conducted by Ligonier Ministries and Lifeway Research found that 73% of evangelicals agreed with the statement, “Jesus is the first and greatest being created by God.” This widespread ignorance (and even outright rejection) of Church history and the Creeds among many Christians, and the lack of interest in theological seriousness and formation among many churches, has consequences. 

Thank God for Nicaea and for the courage and insight He gave those leaders to clarify the nature and work of Christ. What was accomplished by the Council continues to be of great importance for the Church. May we be as committed to knowing and teaching good theology in our churches today as they were then. 

Live Like Phil Robertson: Be as Bold as the Bible

Condolences and tributes have been pouring in since the death of Duck Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson was announced on Saturday night.

In a statement released on social media, Phil’s son Willie and daughter-in-law Korie wrote on behalf of the entire family:

“We celebrate today that our father, husband, and grandfather, Phil Robertson, is now with the Lord. We are grateful for his life on earth and will continue the legacy of love for God and love for others until we see him again.”

Nearly 12,000 friends of Focus on the Family commented on the ministry’s post from President Jim Daly lauding the founder of Duck Commander, the hunting supplier. 

“We mourn his passing but celebrate his liberation from this world and all its challenges, including his Alzheimer’s disease,” Daly wrote. “Phil helped build a sporting empire and ‘dynasty’ that seemed to focus on duck calls and other hunting products. In reality, Phil was more interested in calling all of us sinners to forge a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He saw the family of faith in the Lord as the one true dynasty that would never falter or fail.”

Fans and friends have reacted with sadness and reflection, but in a recently unearthed video clip, Phil Robertson made clear he didn’t want or expect tears over his passing.

“When I die, don’t cry. Dance, sing — but don’t cry when I die. When I die, you say, ‘He made it, because I watched him as he walked through the years’ — don’t cry.”

The affection and outpouring for Phil was driven by a variety of factors, including his steadfast faith and unapologetic profession of the Gospel, along with his willingness to speak truth in a woefully confused culture. 

Back in 2013, Phil was “suspended” by the A&E Network for remarks he made in an interview with GQ magazine. 

“What, in your mind, is sinful?” asked the reporter. Robertson replied:

“Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there. Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men. Don’t be deceived. Neither the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers—they won’t inherit the kingdom of God. Don’t deceive yourself. It’s not right.”

Of course, Phil was simply quoting the apostle Paul’s admonition to believers in Corinth.

A&E’s decision to shelve the reality television star was entirely symbolic. All of the show’s episodes for the season had already been filmed. It was the equivalent of suspending a Major League Baseball player for the month of December. Two weeks later, the network lifted the ceremonial ban after getting inundated with complaints and after Phil Robertson said what every Christian already knew.

“I don’t worry too much about people hating or insulting me,” he later said. “I’m a sinful man, and I’ve made a lot of mistakes. People have reason to hate me. All I did was quote a passage of Scripture from antiquity. They’re mad at me, but I’m really just quoting what God said, so He’s the one they have a problem with.”

Phil’s sustained popularity can be attributed to his willingness to speak up and not back down in the face of criticism. He didn’t care what other people thought of him, so long as he was living in a manner that pleased and brought honor and glory to God.

The weak and wobbly of culture put a lot of stock in what other people think of them. Some might even believe the Lord needs better public relations and so they set out to soften what they believe are His sharp edges. It’s unnecessary and a fool’s errand.

Phil Robertson’s bluntness and courage will be missed, but his witness can still teach long after his departure. Phil’s life demonstrated that change is possible. Addicted, unfaithful, and miserable, the founder of Duck Commander turned his life over to the Lord in his late 20s. Because he was willing to change, everything began changing for him.

The arc of Phil’s 79-year life also reminds us that Christians can be as bold as the Bible and as a courageous as Christ.

Joe Rogan: ‘Jesus Makes More Sense’

As the top-ranked and most listened to podcast in America, each episode of the “Joe Rogan Experience” reaches more than 11 million people.

The podcaster, comedian, actor and former UFC commentator appeals largely to young men. A recent demographic breakdown of his audience found a near-even range of political affiliation, too. Of those listening, 35% consider themselves independent, 32% are Republicans, and 27% are Democrats.

In short, in an otherwise-bifurcated world, Joe Rogan enjoys a tremendous influence in today’s culture – for good and bad.

Rogan, who regularly uses salty language and has previously declined to align or publicly subscribe to or proclaim any public faith, has recently lent his platform to a Christian apologist and has suggested that he believes in Jesus.

Earlier this month, Rogan was talking with TikTok personality Cody Tucker, and the conversation turned toward the origins of the earth and human life.

“People will be incredulous about the resurrection of Jesus Christ, but yet they’re convinced that the entire universe was smaller than the head of a pin, and for no reason that anybody’s ever adequately explained to me… instantaneously became everything?” Rogan shared.

He then added, “I’m sticking with Jesus on that one. Jesus makes more sense.”

Rogan went on to question with incredulity the likelihood of the “Big Bang” – wondering how so much beauty and order could possibly come from such chaos and randomness.

Earlier this year, Wesley Huff, a 33-year-old Canadian Christian apologist and New Testament scholar, joined Rogan.

“The Bible is written for you, but it wasn’t written to you,” Huff told Rogan. “It had a completely different original audience. But you should do your best at figuring out who it was written to, and how that made a difference to them, because then the application is going to come out even clearer for you.”

Interviewing Robert James Ritchie, aka “Kid Rock,” Rogan confessed, “I think the concept of Jesus is absolutely amazing, and if Jesus came here and wanted to visit me, I would be psyched.”

The explosion of new media has provided a massive megaphone to evangelists like Wesley Huff – and a forum for the candid and honest faith exploration we’re seeing in people like Joe Rogan. In many ways, he seems to be publicly exploring and unashamedly wrestling with the profound truths that frame the foundation of the Christian faith.

Scripture highlights several high-profile conversions that led to countless other people coming to faith. Tops among them is the dramatic turn of Saul who would later become Paul. A feared pharisee and persecutor who imprisoned Christians and even participated in the killing of the first martyr, Stephen, Saul famously encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-19).

The scales fell from Saul’s eyes. Once blinded, he could suddenly see – both physically and spiritually. Could something similar happen with high-profile podcasters, Christian antagonists, and even the otherwise distracted who are tuning in to Joe Rogan?

Of course.

As Christians, we have an obligation and grand opportunity to share God’s truth whatever our sphere of influence. Headlines seem to suggest the world is getting darker – but the ease and access to evangelistic platforms is growing brighter.

According to Google’s AI, “Joe Rogan’s religious views are complex and evolving. He doesn’t currently identify as a Christian but is open to exploring different spiritual and religious perspectives.”

Let’s keep praying for the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ – and for Joe Rogan who seems to be curious and hungry.