Centrally Speaking

The week leading up to Easter is one of the most important weeks in the church calendar each year. A special service during this week is a Tenebrae Service, a service of shadows that commemorates Jesus' passion. Central Schwenkfelder has conducted this service for many years on the Thursday before Easter. In this podcast, we ask Rev Dr. David McKinley about the origin of this service and about its importance for Christian devotion so that one can get the most out of this important week of the year.#Tenebrae  #TenebraeService  #HolyWeek  #serviceofshadowsCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

Caspar Schwenckfeld was a Radical Reformer who emphasized the importance of the inner life. As part of his Christian service, he composed a number of pieces of devotional literature. One of those pieces was The Heavenly Balm and the Divine Physician. Rev. Nick Pence from Palm Schwenkfelder Church in Palm, PA has been working on a contemporary translation of this work. In this podcast, we ask him about the contents of the book and about Schwenckfeld's devotional writing.#CasparSchwenckfeld  #Reformationdevotionalliterature  #balmJesus #JesusphysicianCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

Many think of the church as being a first century phenomenon. After all, Jesus and the disciples like Peter led the church then and the books of the Bible were written during that time. In comparison, few understand the great significance of the second century for the understanding of the church. In this podcast, Dr. Shawn Wilhite answers questions about the importance of the second century. He is the Associate Professor of New Testament at California Baptist University in Riverside, California and an Affiliate Professor at Golden Gate Seminary in Ontario, California. He is a co-editor of the Apostolic Fathers with Cascade Publishers and series editor for Studies of Patristic Theology and Spirituality with Baylor University Press.#secondcenturyChristianity  #ApostolicFathers  #Christianpersecution  #Didachecommentary  #Canondecisions  #biblicalcanon  #IgnatiusofAntiochcommentaryCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

News coming out of Iran is limited. On January 8, 2026, the Iranian regime initiated a near total internet blackout. Many digital rights and internet monitoring groups have assessed the current shutdown to be the most sophisticated and most severe in Iran's history. At the same time, nationwide protests are taking place that started on December 30, 2025. On January 30, 2026, we spoke with an Iranian Christian living in the neighboring country of Armenia about the situation in Iran and the Iranian Christian church. In this podcast, he comments on the extent of the protests, reasons for them, the numbers of dead and wounded, the place of the Iranian church in them, and how to pray for Iran.#Iranianprotests  #churchiran  #casualtiesIranprotests  #prayforIran  #prayerIran #christiansiran  #IranProtests #IranUnrest #undergroundchurchCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

As part of our Day of Remembrance service each year, we tell the story of the Schwenkfelder migration from Silesia, Germany to Philadelphia. On September 21, 2025, H. Drake Williams, Jr. relayed the story to the General Conference of Schwenkfelder Churches at the denomination's Day of Remembrance Service that was held at Palm Schwenkfelder Church.#Schwenkfeldermigration  #emigrationfromSilesia  #SchwenkfelderdayofremembranceCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

In December, many celebrate Christmas or the Christmas season. Many who are not a part of the church are unfamiliar with the season of Advent. In this podcast, we speak with Rev. Dr. David McKinley, senior minister of Central Schwenkfelder Church about the Advent season. During the podcast, he also will speak about the Advent Wreath, which is a symbol that is used in the church service.#advent  #adventwreath  #Germanadventwreath  #adventcelebration  #adventworshipCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

At Christmas time, many will recognize that the church speaks about the birth of Jesus. As part of the celebration, Christians also sing Christmas carols. These used to be prominent in western society, but they are heard much less frequently outside of the church. In this podcast, we interview Sally House, the Director of Music at the Central Schwenkfelder Church and someone who has instructed about music for over 30 years in the school system nearby. We ask her questions about great carols such as "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," "Joy to the World," and "Silent Night."  Then, she discusses lesser known carols like "Of the Father's Love Begotten" and "Lo, how a Rose E'er Blooming." At the end of the podcast, she compares carols like these with what is heard in offices and department stores today.#Christmascarols  #SilentNight  #Christmasmusic2025 #Schwenkfelderchoir  #UnitedSchwenkfelderchoirCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

Many are recognizing that religious persecution is a problem. While this knowledge is increasing, the understanding has not led to persecution decreasing. In this podcast, we interview Prof. dr. Janet Epp Buckingham about these problems. As someone who is serving as the Director of the World Evangelical Alliance Geneva Office since September 2024 and previously as WEA Director of Global Advocacy, she is repeatedly raising awareness of this issue. In these roles, Janet advocates at the United Nations with national evangelical alliances.In this podcast, Prof. Buckingham provides statistics about religious persecution, gives reasons for why Christians are persecuted more than other religions, shares about certain countries where religious persecution is most intense, and suggests several ways for Christians to be involved in assisting those who are being persecuted.#religiouspersecution #christianpersecution #supportforthosepersecuted #internationaldayofprayerpersecutedchurchCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

Migration is one of the largest issues of our time. More than ever before nations and faiths are encountering each other in unexpected ways. This is taking place in Marseille, the oldest city in France. In this southern city, many from North Africa have settled bringing a different worldview. Marseille now has many Muslims who intermingle with those who are Catholic or atheist. Craig Young has been observing this trend for over 35 years. As a missionary, he has befriended those from both North African and French backgrounds. He and his wife Katie lead the church Chapelle de Fuveau (https://www.chapelledefuveau.fr/) which straddles two neighborhoods in France of different backgrounds. #migrationFrance  #IslamChristianityMarseille  #CatholicFranceMuslim  #CatholicIslamFrance  #atheistMuslimFranceCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

Abuse happens in many places throughout our society. Does God have a word for those who are feeling manipulated? In her upcoming book, That God is For Me: A Study of God’s Heart Through the Stories of Women in Scripture, Lisa Radcliff points to several stories in the Bible that display his heart for those who have been misused. Lisa Radcliff is an award-winning author, speaker, and advocate for survivors of sexual abuse. (website: https://lisajradcliff.com/). Lisa and her husband, Doug, have been married for over 40 years, raising three sons and enjoying their nine grandchildren. She and her husband grew up at the Central Schwenkfelder Church.#gettingbeyondabuse  #churchabuse  #Godisforme  #God'sheartforwomen  #womenintheBible  #womenBibleCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

How were the ancient writings that compose our Bible translated into our current English Bibles? In this podcast, we ask Dr. Scott Hafemann who was a part of the translation committee for the New International Version translation of the Bible about this process. In his answers, he speaks about the earliest English translations, the King James Version, and the New International Version. His answers also share about his experience serving on a translation committee. Scott Hafemann was formerly a reader of New Testament at Saint Andrews University in Scotland, the Gerald Hawthorne Professor of New Testament at Wheaton College, and the Mary Rockefeller Professor of New Testament at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary. #bibletranslation  #Bibletranslationcommittee  #NIVtranslation  #ESVtranslationCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

The events surrounding the death of Jesus on Good Friday are truly tragic. As Christians remember it, was it completely out of control? Was Jesus just in the wrong place at the wrong time? What difference would it make if there was some divine plan behind it? In this podcast we interview David McKinley, Senior Minister at Central Schwenkfelder Church about this topic.#deathofJesus  #sovereigntyofGodcrucifixion  #prophecyMessiahdeath  #crucifixionJesus  #GoodFriday #PassionofJesus #centralschwenkfelderchurchCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

How did the church globally make some of its decisions?  One of the most important decisions took place in AD 325 in modern day Turkey at the Council of Nicaea. Representatives from all over the Roman Empire came to this council. Eventually, decisions made there led to the Nicene Creed, which many say before taking communion (the Eucharist). On the 1700th anniversary of this important date in church history, we ask Dr. Donald Fairbairn about this council. He is the Robert E. Cooley Professor of Early Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, as well as Professor of Historical and Systematic Theology at Union School of Theology (Wales). He has authored or co-authored twelve books. Some of the questions discussed include: Who organized this council? Who came? Why was a man named Arius such a problem?  What were the results of the Council?#councilofnicaea  #AD325  #firstecumenicalcouncil  #ecumenicalcouncils  #nicenecreed  #donaldfairbairnCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

How do we connect with youth today? What are the characteristics of what some people call Generation Z? Dr. Dave Coryell has been answering this question through Christian Endeavor for over 18 years.  In the past 8 years, he has been the Director of Pennsylvania Christian Endeavor (website: https://www.ceworks.faith/) and also serves with Christian Endeavor World (https://www.christianendeavor.com/). He is also an adjunct youth ministry professor at Lancaster Bible College. He and his wife Jen have four children.Recently, he has authored a book about the youth of today and the church. It is called Less Like Hippos . . . More Like Honeybees: Reject Consumerism. Embrace Maturity. Change how the World Does Youth Ministry. He will speak about this book on this podcast.#reachingGenZ  #PennsylvaniaChristian Endeavor  #Lesslikehippos  #morelikehoneybees #youthinAmerica  #Christianyouth  #GenerationZCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

During the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, American news was running many stories about the news. In recent months, however, the mainstream news is sharing much less. In this podcast, we interview Ken Sears, missionary from European Christian Mission North America Inc. (website: https://www.ecmna.org/).  He shares the latest news from the city of Zaporizhzhya, which is just 20 miles (32 kilometers) from the front line. His news includes what takes place during air attacks and their frequency. It also includes the importance of peace in this region in the near future.#Zaporizhzhya   #Zaporozhye  #RussianinvasioneastUkraine  #eastUkraineCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

How can we have a more spiritual Christmas? While many are focused on gift giving and parties, Christmas is so much more than this. It has spiritual origins. People like Mary and Joseph had distinct spiritual practices. How can we recover these? In this podcast, we interview Rev. Dr. David McKinley, Senior Minister at Central Schwenkfelder Church, about spiritual experiences that will lead to a faith filled Christmas and keep Christ in Christmas.#spiritualityChristmas   #spiritualpracticesMary  #spiritualpracticesJoseph  #keepingChristinChristmas  Centrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

Prayer is an indispensable part of Christian experience. As the world has modernized, deeper and richer spiritual experiences have dissipated. Some Christian communities have been known for their devotion to prayer. One of these is the Schwenkfelder Church. In this podcast, Rev. Dr. David McKinley, Senior Minister of Central Schwenkfelder Church, interviews Rev. Dr. Drake Williams, Minister of Mission and Theology at the church. The interview contains discussion about Caspar Schwenckfeld's writing about prayer, the catechism of the first American pastor in America, the 1762 hymnal of the Schwenkfelders, a comparison with the Pietists, and the practice of Schwenkfelders taking the Eucharist in the early 1900's. It also considers some suggestions for modern application.#Schwenkfeldersprayer  #Schwenkfelderhymnal  #CasparSchwenckfeld  #Schwenkfeldpietists #PietistsSchwenckfeldCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

Why are some conversions to Christianity so dramatic while others seem more ordinary? Rev. Dr. Luminița Nichols knows both types well from her experience growing up in Romania and facing persecution during Communist times, and then serving as a minister in Lancaster, PA in the United States. Her book recounts her conversion experience and her journey. It is entitled, From Pain to Purpose: A Young Woman's Journey from a Communist Prison to an American Pulpit is published by Wipf & Stock in 2022: https://wipfandstock.com/9781666748604/from-pain-to-purpose/Besides these experiences, Luminița is also a family person, being married to Eric and then having two daughters.  #conversion #persecutionconversion  #Romanianrevolution  #Christianconversion  Centrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

The small Schwenkfelder denomination began in Silesia, Germany during the Reformation. It was particularly born out of the controversies about the Eucharist. In this podcast, we ask author Rev. Dr. Martha Kriebel about her thesis entitled Schwenkfelders and the Sacraments that she wrote in 1965 for her Master of Sacred Theology Degree that she did at Lutheran Seminary. The thesis was published in 1968. Now after over 65 years of ordained ministry experience, she provides this reflection on her book and about the sacraments in general.#sacramentsSchwenkfelders  #EucharistSchwenkfelders   #PalmSchwenkfelder #Stillstand  #SchwenckfeldCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) is a viewpoint promoted by American universities that has had substantial influence. This perspective encourages greater access to university resources for those who have been restricted. It is also used for increasing social justice in society.  It is becoming increasingly criticized, however. In this podcast, we ask Dr. Patrick Casey about DEI and its future. Dr. Casey is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Holy Family University in Philadelphia, PA.  He has written an article entitled "The reeducation of DEI" for the online publication Inside Higher Education.  That article can be read here:  https://www.insidehighered.com/opinion/views/2024/05/07/reeducation-dei-opinion#DEI  #reformingDEI  #improvingDEI  #changingDEI Centrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

Christianity and Islam are two of the major religions in our world. How do Muslims practice their faith? How do Christians practice the faith? Are they alike? How are they different? In this podcast we ask Dr. Andrew Brunson about his time that he spent living in Turkey and then when he was imprisoned and living with Muslims. Dr. Brunson is also the author of God's Hostage: A Story of Persecution, Imprisonment, and Perseverance.#islamchristianity  #Islamspirituality  #Islamdevotion  #Christianspirituality  #comparativereligions  Centrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

Central Schwenkfelder Church has been a noted edifice in the Lansdale/Worcester, Pennsylvania community since 1951. It was originally formed by merging two smaller meeting houses in the area - Towamencin and Worcester. The building in 1951 presented a particular expression of the Christian faith and was attractive to many in the community. Now for over a year, the building has been renovated, presenting a fresh means for the church to present its vision of the Christian faith and to interact with the surrounding community. The dedication weekend for the renovated building is on Friday, May 3- Sunday, May 5, 2024. All who are able to join the church for this celebration are welcome.In this podcast, we discuss with Senior Minister, Rev. Dr. David McKinley, about Central Schwenkfelder's past and also its future. More information about the church's renovation project can be found here: https://www.centralschwenkfelderr4renovation.org/ #centralschwenkfelderchurch  #centralschwenkfelderchurchrenovations  #schwenkfelderchurches   #schwenkfeldermeetinghouses  #Towamencinmeetinghouse  #Worcestermeetinghouse  #churchbuildingsoceityCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

What should a Christian do during this time period to get the most out of it? Many Christians have an opinion on this, especially since the time has been in the Christian calendar since the fourth century. We caught up with Rev. Dr. David McKinley the Senior Minister at Central Schwenkfelder Church to ask his opinion about the matter.#LentSchwenkfelder  #CentralSchwenkfelder  #ProtestantsLentCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

Christian communities frequently produce art that represent their common life and values. The Schwenkfelders as well as other German based Christian groups created a distinct piece of artwork called fraktur. These paintings reveal valuable themes that  were important. In this podcast we speak with Candace Perry, the curator of collections at the Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center about this important artwork. She has served at the Library and Heritage Center for over 25 years, has written a catalog of fraktur for the Pennsylvania German Society, and has made many presentations about this subject.#fraktur  #colonialGermanart  #Christianfraktur  #Schwenkfelderart #colonialPennsylvaniaart  #GermanfolkartCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

In the 21st-century in the West, identity is everything. It seems that it has never been more important to know who you are and be true to yourself.  In this podcast, author and scholar Dr. Brian Rosner shares why looking inside is not the right answer. Instead, he suggests that looking outside of oneself to relationships, life stories, and upward to God is much more profitable. He shares from his own personal experience and his studies. Dr. Brian Rosner is the Principal of Ridley College in Melbourne, Australia, a scholar of international reputation, and a family man.#howtofindyourself  #lookinginside  #findidentity  #findyourself  #findidentityCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

Antisemitism has risen to a top news story following the October 7, 2024 Hamas-led attack on Israel which killed 1200 people and led to 240 hostages. Since then, accusations of antisemitism have been circulating in the media, demonstrations in support of Hamas have taken place in cities and on university campuses, and hearings with university presidents have taken place before Congress. In this podcast, we ask H Randall Morgan, Jr. who has lived in Afghan villages, visited Israel and is the current Chairman for the Maryland-Israel Sister State Committee to speak to this situation. We ask him to define what antisemitism is, explain its origins, and clarify why it is so dangerous. We also ask him how one can show genuine sympathy to innocent Palestinians who are caught in this current conflict and not be seen as antisemitic. The interview concludes with his guidance on how to prevent antisemitism at the workplace, school, or in the community .#antisemitism  #dangerantisemitism  #antisemitismuniversity  #preventantisemitismCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

Christmas is a greatly anticipated holiday in America each year, but now some cannot think about it unless there are extravagant gifts.  In this podcast, we interview Rev. Dr. David McKinley, Senior Minister of Central Schwenkfelder Church, about the origins of the Christmas holiday, the excesses of the holiday, how some wanted to ban it, and then some of its best aspects. We then ask him how we might be able to have a more family and Christ centered Christmas this year. #familyChristmas  #ChristcenteredChristmas  #originsofChristmas  #historyChristmasCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

What is taking place in Ukraine from the perspective of Christian workers who are working in the region? Much of the world's attention has been on the conflict between Israel and Hamas on the Gaza strip. With much of mainstream news focused on the Middle East and elsewhere, we interviewed Dirk Smith, the Vice-President of Eastern European Mission. He provides some of the latest testimonies of what is taking place in Ukraine in this podcast.#ukraineconflict  #ukrainemission  #russiaukraineconflict  #missiontestimonyukraineCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

On October 7, 2023, Hamas initiated a deadly surprise attack on Israel. Thousands of armed Hamas men tore down the fence at the border between Gaza and the Israeli border and then killed and captured many. Simultaneously, Hamas fired thousands of rockets at Israel. While Israel has received small scale attacks, this one was like no other. Now, the world is watching what will happen next. In this podcast, we interview Roger Wambold, Director of Hebrew Christian Fellowship and someone who has traveled regularly to this region of the world. We ask him to make sense of this current conflict between Israel and Hamas.#guideIsraelHamas  #basicinformationIsraelHamas  #guideHamasIsrael  #basicinformationHamasIsraelCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

Does God send angels to protect us and guide us? What might they look like? Does the Bible say anything about this? Should someone pray to a guardian angel? These are all popular questions in society but there are many opinions. In this podcast, we interview Rev. Roger Wambold, who is the Director of Hebrew Christian Fellowship and has been a pastor for 17 years.  He has been thinking about this issue for much of his life. He is currently one of the teachers of the Potpourri Sunday School at Central Schwenkfelder Church.#guardianangels  #prayertoangels  #angelsJesus  Centrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

The historic Peter Wentz Farmstead is known to represent colonial life from the 18th century in the Philadelphia area. While first settled by Peter and Rosanna Wentz in 1744, the farm was purchased by Melchior Schultz, a Schwenkfelder Minister, in 1794. Generations of the Schultz family continued to live and farm here until 1969, when Montgomery County purchased the property.  While the Farmstead represents early Pennsylvania German practices that were typical to this region, aspects of the Christian faith can be seen, too. In this podcast, we interview LeAnne Sykes, a historian and guide,  to discuss some of the history at the Farmstead and also to consider the faith that is on display.The Peter Wentz Farmstead is located next to the Central Schwenkfelder Church in Montgomery County, PA (https://www.montgomerycountypa.gov/929/Peter-Wentz-Farmstead). It is famous for a visit from George Washington before and after the Battle of Germantown in October of 1777.#PeterWentz  #PeterWentzSchwenkfelder  #Schwenkfelderheritage  #faithearlyAmericanhistory  #earlyamericanchristianity #MelchiorSchultzCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

Until recently, Christianity has been associated with peace. In the wake of the January 6 riot at the Capitol and past incidents like the Crusades, some are wondering if the connection between Christianity and peace is accurate. In this podcast we interviewDr. Rob Arner. He has been most recently Associate Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid and Assistant Professor of Theology and Culture at Reformed Episcopal Seminary. He is the author of Consistently Pro-Life: The Ethics of Bloodshed in Ancient Christianity (Pickwick Press, 2010), and served on the board of directors for the Consistent Life Network (https://www.consistentlifenetwork.org/) for a decade. #Christianitypeace  #peaceChristianity  #consistentlyprolife  #rebuildingpeaceCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

Many westerners take interest in world health, particularly in Africa.  Diseases such as malaria, Ebolavirus, yellow fever, HIV, typhoid, are prevalent in Africa and being addressed by western organizations. Other health conditions such as hydrocephalus and spina bifida are also problematic. In this episode of Centrally Speaking, we interview Tim Erickson, the Executive Director of Cure Children's Hospital of Uganda (https://cure.org/hospitals/uganda/) and Fred Wangwa, the Spiritual Director at the Hospital about health in Africa. From their perspective as administrators of a leading hospital in Uganda dealing with hydrocephalus, spina bifida, and other neurological conditions, they provide a helpful perspective on African healthcare and western aid. They also comment on how Christian spirituality can be of help for healing in Africa.#cureinternationaluganda  #africanhealth  #hydrocephalusuganda  #spinabifidauganda  #christianspiritualityafricanhealthCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

The cross is likely the most identifiable symbol of Christianity. What does it mean? Certainly, it represents the death of Jesus which was a gruesome one. When the cross is represented in wars and riots, is it a symbol of violence? In this podcast, we interview Rev. Dr. David McKinley about the meaning of the cross, its relation to violence, and the significance of it.#cross  #crossofJesus #crossviolence  #ChristianviolenceCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

The pictures coming out of East Ukraine have been horrific. What is the perspective of a Christian leader who is living  just over 25 miles (40 km) from the front lines? In this podcast, Volodya Degtyaryov tells recent stories of the war, refugees, and the church's humanitarian work from February 2023. Volodya and his late wife Irina became Christians during the Soviet era.  He has been the President of the Zaporizhzhya Bible Seminary and a minister among the Ukrainian Baptists.Volodya will be telling more stories about the war in Ukraine on Sunday March 19 when he will be bringing the message at Central Schwenkfelder Church's 9:00 service. He will be making a presentation and taking questions at a dessert evening on Friday March 17 at 7:00 pm at the church.  #zaporizhzhya   #ukrainewar  #fightingukraine  #zaporozhye  #refugeesukraine  #internallydisplacedpeopleukraineCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

How are the youth of today seeing our world? Generation Z (born from 1996-2012) has values that are distinct from other age groups. In this podcast, we interview Jonny Radcliff, a youth worker working to share the Christian message with this generation. Jonny is the National Coordinator of Resource Development  National Network of Youth Ministries. He grew up in Souderton and lives in Harleysville. He has been involved with youth ministry for 15 years. He has also started work at Central Schwenkfelder Church in the middle of January. The group meets at 6:30 on Monday evenings.#generationZ #youthministrygenerationZ  #youthcentralschwenkfelderchurch  #strengthsgenZ  #strengthsgenerationZ  #weaknessgenZ  #weaknessgenerationZCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

The Contemporary Worship Service will be presenting a Christmas Concert on Friday, December 30 at 7:00 pm.  The Christmas program involves contemporary songs, carols, and readings. There is also a dessert afterwards. In this podcast, we discuss with Wayne Wurtz, our Worship Team Coordinator what will be taking place during this program.#CentralSchwenkfelderChurch  #contemporaryChristmas  #contemporaryChristmasmusicCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

How do you find some joy at Christmas after you have lost someone very special in your life? You are not alone if you are feeling this way. In this podcast, Rev. Dr. David McKinley, Senior Minister at Central Schwenkfelder Church, shares from his extensive experience with grief. He speaks about loss when our society is so focused on romance and gift giving during the holiday season. The discussion includes the poinsettia tradition at Central Schwenkfelder Church which for decades has helped honor the memory of a loved one. Finally, he speaks about the importance of Jesus for finding true joy even in the midst of loss.#blueChristmas  #sadChristmas  #lonelyChristmas  #lossChristmas  #centralschwenkfelderchurch Centrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

Christmas Carols are some of the favorite aspects of the Christmas season for many.  In this podcast, Sally House, the director of the United Choir, shares about the upcoming United Choir Concert, a Christmas and Advent Carol Concert. This concert will take place on December 4 at 2:30 pm at the Central Schwenkfelder Church on Valley Forge Road in Lansdale. The choir is in its 95th year of existence. (website: https://www.unitedchoir.org/)#unitedchoirconcert2022  #schwenkfelderchoir #adventcarol #christmascarolCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

"While I breathe, I hope" is a famous expression from the time of the Greeks and Romans. In modern societies that are weary, hope is especially valuable.  Our guest for this podcast is someone who has studied hope for years as part of a multi-disciplinary project called The Hope Project (https://www.thehopeproject.nl/en/the-hope-project/ ). Dr. Steven van den Heuvel is the Director of the Institute of Leadership and Social Ethics (https://www.etf-ilse.org/) and Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at Evangelische Theologische Faculteit in Leuven, Belgium (www.etf.edu/en). He has been leading the investigation on hope which is funded by the Goldschmeding Foundation for People, Work, and and the Economy based in the Netherlands. Dr. van den Heuvel is also the editor of two books that concern hope, one of which is Historical and Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Hope (2020)#hope  #thehopeproject #ILSE #hopeweary  #secularhope #ChristianhopeCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

Why do people not understand the Bible as well anymore? Recent surveys show a decline of biblical literacy in the west. How can this happen when there are so many copies of the Bible available in English? Also, how can the trend be reversed? In this podcast, we ask Dr. Scott Hafemann about these trends and the ramifications for church and society. Dr. Hafemann is Honorary Reader in New Testament at St. Andrews University (Scotland) and former professor at Wheaton College and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. #biblicalliteracy  #decreasingbiblicalliteracy  #increasingunderstandingbible  #bibleandsociety  #bibleandchurchCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

The Schwenkfelders have the longest standing continuous thanksgiving service in the United States. It started first in September of 1734 and still continues to this day. How did this come about? Why is it special? What happens at this service? We asked two Schwenkfelder pastors Rev. Leslie Mamas from Olivet Schwenkfelder United Church of Christ and Rev. Nick Pence from Palm Schwenkfelder Church to answer this question and give their impressions about thanksgiving, remembrance, and this important service.#Thanksgivingservices #DayofRemembrance #SchwenkfelderservicesCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

Many westerners do not know what it is like to be in a war, the difficult choices about leaving home, and then being a refugee. In this podcast, we interview Vova and Marina Gorbenko about their flight from Zaporozhye, Ukraine in March 2022. They give their perspective on the invasion and the difficulties of leaving one's home and country.#refugeesukraine  #zaporozhyeukraine #ukraineinvasion  #zaporizhzhiarefugee #zaporizhzhiaukraineCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

One of the worst mass killings in the 20th century took place in Cambodia. Between the years, 1975-1979 during their brutal regime in Cambodia let by the Marxist leader Pol Pot, 2 million people lost their lives. Many fled the country.In this podcast, we interview Lat Thoumma who was 10 years old when she and her family left Cambodia. They were sponsored by the Central Schwenkfelder Church and then settled in Lansdale, PA. Lat would go on to graduate from high school, Gwynedd Mercy University, and then Shorter University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. She now works in a Fortune 500 company.This podcast is the story of her family as they were refugees in the 1970's.#refugeekhmerrouge #refugeecambodia  #cambodaiPolPot #refugeeschwenkfelderCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

The world’s attention has been drawn to refugees this year. The withdrawal from Afghanistan in August of 2021 and the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 have put refugees in the focus of world news. As of this recording the number is well over 84 million.In this podcast, Rev. Dr. David McKinley, Senior Minister at Central Schwenkfelder Church speaks about the world's refugee crisis, his own experience working with refugees, how Jesus was a refugee, and how the Easter story shows how Jesus understands refugees and those who are lost. #refugees  #Jesusrefugee #Schwenkfelderrefugee  #MyGodwhyhaveyouforsakenme  #eloieloilamasabachthaniCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

The invasion of Ukraine has now taken place for over a month. In just over a month,  over 3.3 million people are refugees and 6.5 million are internally displaced people, making this one of the worst refugee crises in recent history. What does this mean for the country of Ukraine? How are the humanitarian needs being addressed? What does this mean for the church? In this interview, we speak with Ken Sears, an American who has lived in the Eastern Ukraine city of Zaporizhzhia for 27 years. This interview was taped on Monday March 21, 2022. Ken is part of European Christian Mission NA, Inc.; P.O. Box 1006, Pt Roberts, WA 98281;  Website: https://www.ecmna.org/ #zaporozhyeukraine  #zaporizhzhiaukraine   #ukraineconflict  #humanitariancrisisUkraine #helpingUkraineCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

How did the current conflict between Ukraine and Russia come about? In this interview, we speak with Ken Sears, an American who has lived io the Eastern Ukraine city of Zaporozhye for 27 years. Ken provides an overview regarding the origin of the war and reasons for the resolve of the Ukrainian people. This interview was taped on Friday March 4, 2022. Ken is part of European Christian Mission NA, Inc. Website: https://www.ecmna.org/ #zaporozhyeukraine  #zaporizhzhiaukraine  #ukrainewar  #ukraineconflict  #originUkrainewar  #originUkraineconflictCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

In the last years, 340 million Christians were living in places where they experience high levels of persecution. Over 4,500 Christians were killed for their faith, and over 4,000 Christians were detained without trial, arrested, sentenced, or imprisoned. One of the most well-known persecuted Christians was Romanian pastor Richard Wurmbrand, who later became the founder of the group Voice of the Martyrs (www.persecution.com). His story and that of Sabina Wurmbrand is frequently not heard, although a film has been released recently (www.sabinamovie.com).In this interview, we ask Rev. Dr. Octavian Baban about Richard Wurmbrand. Like the Wurmbrands, Octavian Baban lived for 30 years under Communist oppression in Romania. He has read and interacted with them. He is also Associate Professor of New Testament at University of București, Romania and Institutul Teolgic Baptist București. He serves as a pastor at Baserică Baptistă Sfânta Treime, also in București, România.#richardwurmbrand  #sabinawurmbrand #persecutionRomania  #persecutedChristiansRomania  #persecutionCeaușescuCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

The number of refugees continues to rise in the world. Currently, the United Nations  estimates that over 82.4 million people were displaced in 2020. With so many displaced people, how should we respond? In this podcast, we speak with Dr. Phil Gottschalk from Eastern Mennonite Missions. He has worked with refugees in the Former Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War, the Netherlands, and the USA. Most recently, he served refugees on the island of Lesvos in Greece. Phil Gottschalk has a doctorate in philosophy from KU-Leuven in Belgium. Phil and Linda have been career missionaries for over 38 years. He has just written a book entitled: Entertaining Angels Unaware: Welcoming the Immigrant Other (Eugene, OR: Cascade, 2021).We welcome you to a dessert evening at Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA (website: www.cscfamily.org) on February 11 from 7:00-9:00 pm where you can hear Dr. Gottschalk share with us. The program will be offered in person and by Zoom. Call the church office at (610) 584-4480 for the Zoom link.#refugees #LesvosGreece  #Entertainingangels #Kosovowar #BosnianWarCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

Church attendance has been decreasing in the west. Particularly concerning is the fewer number of young people in church. Our guest, Prof. Dr. Jos de Kock, is well aware of this trend and is providing suggestions to churches as they tell the Christian story to youth. Prof. de Kock is Professor and Department Chair of Practical Ministry at Evangelische Theologische Faculteit in Leuven, Belgium. He is also the Rector at the university.#Christianyouth  #youthChristianity  #teachingChristianyouthCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA  USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org