Gary Neal Hansen

Theology. It's good for you.

  • About
    • Speaking
    • Contact
    • Home
  • Books
    • Love Your Bible
    • Christmas Play
    • Kneeling with Giants
    • Review Crew
  • Library
    • Join
    • Login
  • Blog
  • Lectio Divina Class Log In
    • Advent Lectio Divina Class Info!
    • Class Info: Your First Sermon
      • Your 1st Sermon — Course Login
    • Lenten Prayer Class Info
      • Lenten Prayer Class log in
    • “Pray Like a Reformer” Class Info
      • Pray Like a Reformer Login
  • Christmas Play
  • Love Your Bible
  • Kneeling with Giants
You are here: Home / Archives for Church

Keeping Our True Orientation to Communion (Heidelberg Catechism, Q55)

July 28, 2015 by Gary Neal Hansen 8 Comments

Last week I posted that the church is most the church when it is in worship, on Sunday morning, receiving the Lord’s Supper. My friend and colleague Chris James left a thoughtful reply disagreeing with me. I see his point. Isn’t this actually the problem in mainstream Christianity? We neglect the mission of God in the world because we are […]

Filed Under: Community, Heidelberg Catechism, Theology, Worship Tagged With: Church, Communion, Eucharist, Lord's Supper

Is Pentecost “The Birthday of the Church”? (Heidelberg Catechism, Q54)

June 13, 2014 by Gary Neal Hansen Leave a Comment

Here’s a question for you: How many of you have heard or preached a Pentecost sermon proclaiming it “the birthday of the Church”? That seems to be the understanding today among Christians. What really happened in Acts chapter 2? Was it “the first Pentecost”? No. Jews from around the world were gathered in Jerusalem to […]

Filed Under: Heidelberg Catechism, Theology, Vocabulary Tagged With: Birthday of the Church, Church, Feast of Weeks, Pentecost

AWESOME children’s sermons? Absolutely! Here’s how.

I'd love to send you my free Children's Sermon Cheat Sheet! You'll learn eight solid strategies to engage with kids on the Gospel.

Subscribe and I'll send it to you -- plus all my new children's sermons will come to you in my almost-weekly newsletter.

Theology. It’s good for you.

I'm a Church historian by trade. My writing, speaking, and teaching explores the Christian past to equip today's disciples. Join me here for regular posts on the best of theology, spirituality, community, and ministry. read more…

Recent Posts

  • A Children’s Sermon on Luke 20:27-38
  • A Children’s Sermon on Luke 19:1-10 — Zacchaeus
  • A Children’s Sermon on Luke 7:1-10
  • A Children’s Sermon on Matthew 14:13-21 — The Feeding of the 5000
  • A Children’s Sermon on Luke 17:11-19

Search the site

Need a new way to engage with the Bible?

Subscribe to my newsletter and I'll send you a free ebook copy of Love Your Bible: Finding Your Way to the Presence of God with a 12th Century Monk. It's a modern introduction to a classic spiritual discipline that brings prayer and Bible study together.

It's manageable. It's fun. And it's free, along with my (almost)weekly newsletter that brings you every new article and announcement.

Archives

Let’s connect on social media…

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

Search the site

  • Community for Mission
  • Letters to a Young Pastor
  • Christianity as a Second Language
  • Role Models for Discipleship

© 2025 garynealhansen.com · Rainmaker Platform