The Lord promised to build his church. He declared, “On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hades shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). “Church” is from the Greek word ekklesia and means “assembly.”

In the early 1800s, some Methodist missionaries went into northeast Alabama to evangelize Indian clans. They came upon some English-speaking Indians and gave them a Bible to read, promising to return the next year.

We need preachers who will call sin “sin”. Men with the courage to address the pressing moral issues of our day like abortion and homosexuality; and the ignored sins in society like divorce, foul language, and immodest apparel. Men who will be truth-tellers rather than ear-ticklers.

It is important that we know “what” we believe and “why” we believe it. Yet sadly, many Christians could not give a detailed explanation from scripture about their beliefs.