What is Grace – namely, God’s Grace?
The Grace of God is His unmerited favor, love, and kindness which is extended freely to undeserving people, offering forgiveness, salvation, and blessings that cannot be earned.
There are an estimated 4,000 religions worldwide, according to the most frequently cited figures in academic and reference sources. This number includes roughly five major “world” religions, along with countless denominations, sects, and indigenous, folk, and traditional belief systems. However, when people use the term religion informally, they are usually referring to Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, or Judaism.
With so many belief systems, a natural question arises: Who is right? Who is wrong? And does it really matter in the end?
In short, I believe it does matter.
For me, truth is found in the Holy Bible, which provides the standard for what is right and wrong, good and evil. I believe that Jesus Christ is “the way, the truth, and the life,” and that we are saved by grace alone, not by works.
Whether you agree or disagree with what is shared here, our prayer is that you will find something meaningful and helpful for your own journey.
A few quick facts...
Under Christianity, there are 3(4) main branches:
1. Catholic Church – about 1.3 billion members unified worldwide under the Pope. Includes the Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Catholic Churches
2. Eastern Orthodox Church – about 220–300 million members. Includes Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Serbian Orthodox, etc. Organized as self-governing national churches.
3. Protestantism – about 800–900 million members (incl. Baptist). Originated in the 16th-century Reformation Major Protestant families. Within Protestantism alone, there are many families: Methodists, Lutherans, Anglicans, Presbyterians, Pentecostals, and non-denominational / independent churches.
4. Baptist – While some “academia” will argue otherwise, most Baptist do NOT consider themselves to be Protestant, but rather directly descended from the first church of Christ (See “The Trial of Blood“) . There are ~75–105 million Baptists globally making Baptists one of the largest Protestant families in the world, if included above. In the United States there are ~ 30–35 million Baptists with the largest Baptist body the Southern Baptist Convention (about 13–14 million members). Other major U.S. Baptist groups include, National Baptist Convention USA, American Baptist Churches USA, and National Baptist Convention of America. There are also various flavors of Baptist under the “independent Baptist” banner (i.e., not associated with a convention); namely, Fundamental, Reformed, Landmark, Missionary, Sovereign Grace, and Free Will or a combination thereof to name a few.
Despite the large numbers and diverse groups, most Christians share a basic belief in Jesus the Christ, the Bible, and the Trinity but often differ across ten systematic theologies. What do YOU believe? Be careful of False Religions.
My "go to" resources ...
Also check out these churches. I have two brothers pastoring churches.
Let's Get Into a Few Topics...
A brief disclaimer: I am not a theologian, preacher, elder, or historian. My only qualifications are that I am a believer and have spent more than 40 years studying these topics. I continue to learn through seminars, the guidance of godly mentors, and the use of trusted sources whenever I encounter questions or challenges.
Over the years, I have developed a number of PowerPoint presentations covering a variety of subjects that may be helpful to others. I have also gathered related documents and writings that I believe are worth sharing. Please note, however, that these materials are not static—they continue to evolve as I learn, grow, and deepen my understanding.
Angelology
Biblical Theology – History & Translations
Eschatology/End Times
Here are a few other presentations...
