White Horse Inn Blog

In Acts chapter 5 we read that the apostles were arrested and imprisoned for speaking about Jesus, and that an angel set them free and spoke to them about their mission. So what was it that the angel said? Did he mention anything about working for social justice? Was there anything about “being the gospel.” No, the angel simply told the apostles to go and “speak to the people all the words of this life.” And so they went back to teaching and preaching. On this edition of White Horse Inn, the hosts continue their series through the book of Acts as they unpack the implications of the Great Commission.

What was the basic message of the world’s earliest Christian missionaries? Did they focus on psychological or emotional wellness, having your best life now, or moral or political agendas? Is the essence of Christianity living life Jesus’ way? On this program the hosts continue to unpack the radical message of the Great Commission as it’s unpacked throughout the book of Acts. Focusing on chapters 3 and 4, they discuss the early emphasis on Christ’s death and resurrection, and the fact that there is “no other name under heaven…by which we must be saved.”

Our friends at The Gospel Coalition have invited us to record a live taping of the White Horse Inn in the Skyline Ballroom at the McCormick Place in Chicago on Tuesday, April 12th at 5:30 p.m. All four hosts will be in Chicago to discuss the important relationship between the Great Commission and the Great Commandment:

The Great Commission (making disciples through the gospel) and the Great Commandment (serving our neighbors through loving works) can neither be separated or confused. What is the relationship between the church’s divine mission and the Christian’s high calling? What is the relationship between our worship and our vocations? The hosts of the White Horse Inn want to equip Christians to know what they believe and why they believe it!

If you were at the Desiring God conference last September, you got to see first hand how much fun a live recording is. We’re very grateful to the folks at The Gospel Coalition for this opportunity. We have one or two other live tapings planned at other national conferences this year and next. We’ll post more information on that as plans are finalized.

We’ll be recording during the dinner break, but you’ll have time to grab something to eat before or after the recording.

Many Christians today are preoccupied with the extraordinary over the ordinary. They see God at work only in the big events such as revival meetings or stadium sized worship events. But in the second chapter of Acts we find the apostles engaged in the proclamation of the Word and the administration of the Sacraments. Is this merely “church-ianity” or is this the apostolic fulfillment of the Great Commission? That’s our topic for this week as the hosts continue their study of Acts chapter 2.

In the second chapter of Acts we find the apostles gathered together at the Feast of Pentecost, receiving the promised gift of the Holy Spirit. But what did the Spirit enable them to do? What was the result of this supernatural outpouring? The result was a sermon. Peter, a man who had recently denied even knowing Jesus, began to proclaim Christ as the fulfillment of the Old Testament with boldness and conviction. The hosts are continuing their series through the Book of Acts on this edition of White Horse Inn.

Are heaven and hell subjective states of mind or real objective places? That’s the focus of this special BONUS edition of the White Horse Inn as the hosts talk with Kevin DeYoung, author of The Good News We Almost Forgot, and What is the Mission of the Church? The interview primarily centers on Kevin’s recent review of the controversial new release, Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived by Rob Bell.

UPDATE: Given the renewed controversy over heaven and hell, Zondervan has given us permission to give away “The Last Battle and Life Everlasting” (chapter 29 from Michael Horton’s new book, The Christian Faith: A Systematic Theology for Pilgrims on the Way). Feel free to download this PDF and forward! For more information about this new release visit Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com.

In the Great Commission, Jesus told his followers to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” But what did this commission look like on the ground? What kinds of things did the apostles actually do in order make disciples of all nations? That’s what’s on tap this week on White Horse Inn as the hosts begin a new mini-series through the Book of Acts.

Take a visit to your local Christian bookstore and you’ll likely find numerous books on discipleship that encourage spiritual disciplines such as journaling, solitude, silence, or fasting. You’re also likely to find books that focus on discipleship at home, or work, in financial decision making, or in the area of personal relationships. But you will probably be hard-pressed to find books on becoming a disciple through learning the Christian faith in all of its dramatic and doctrinal splendor. What are the keys of effective disciple making? That’s the focus of this edition of White Horse Inn.

Jesus tells his followers to “make disciples of all nations.” But what does it mean to become a disciple, and what are today’s churches doing to fulfill this mission? Is this something for new converts only, or is it something we all participate in and pass on to our children? On this edition of White Horse Inn, the hosts will interact with these question and more as they discuss “The Lost Tools of discipleship.”

In the Great Commission, Jesus did not merely tell his followers to “go into all the world,” he also gave us specific instructions for the mission of the church. He said we are to preach, baptize, and make disciples. Sounds pretty simple, but are these elements high on the priority of the average Christian church? How about in your own Christian life? White Horse Inn: know what you believe and why you believe it!