Our Church Speaks

“Christ is with us until the world’s end. Let His little flock be bold.” - William Tyndale (1494-1536), Priest, Translator of the Bible & Martyr

William Tyndale was an English Priest and early admirer of Martin Luther’s teaching. Tyndale had a deep desire to see every man, woman, and child in England have the ability to read Scripture in their native language. Tyndale translated the New Testament and much of the Old Testament, in opposition to the restrictions of the Roman Catholic Church and the restrictions of King Henry VIII’s newly-independent Church of England. Tyndale further solidified Henry VIII’s wrath when he openly criticized the King’s desire to annul his marriage to Catherine. Tyndale argued that Henry VIII’s annulment and remarriage were in rebellion to God’s Word. Tyndale fled to Europe, Henry VIII ordered Tyndale’s arrest, and agents of the King betrayed Tyndale into the hands of rulers in the Holy Roman Empire. Tyndale was tried and condemned for heresy. Before being burned at the stake, Tyndale’s last words were, “Lord! Open the King of England’s eyes!” Within four years, multiple English language Bibles were officially approved for distribution by Henry VIII, all based on Tyndale’s work. Tyndale’s translation was heavily influential in nearly all subsequent English Bible translations. The Geneva Bible, the Douay-Rheims Bible, the King James Version, English Standard Version, and many others all demonstrate Tyndale’s monumental influence.

O God, our heavenly Father, you raised up your faithful servant William Tyndale to be a pastor in your Church and to feed your flock: Give abundantly to all pastors the gifts of your Holy Spirit, that they may minister in your household as true servants of Christ and stewards of your divine mysteries; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Art & bio by Ben Lansing

PREORDER the book and get the 2025 WALL CALENDAR and prints at www.ourchurchspeaks.com

“Where there is love and wisdom, there is neither fear nor ignorance. Where there is patience and humility there is neither anger nor vexation.” - Francis of Assisi (1182-1226), Friar and Deacon, Reformer of the Church

Francis of Assisi was deeply troubled by the opulence, power, and pride that defined so much of the church of his day. He founded a monastic order devoted to simplicity and poverty that imitated the life of Jesus. Members of the Franciscan order gave up personal possessions and traveled throughout the world, preaching the good news of the Gospel of Peace. Francis proclaimed hope not only to all people, but also animals. He believed all of creation reflected God’s glory and was made good, but groaned because of human sin and eagerly awaited Christ’s return. Francis was said to preach to animals - proclaiming the good news of the New Creation in Christ. Francis ministered to the sick, the outcasts, and enemies. During the 5th Crusade, he traveled with a small company of unarmed brothers and preached the Gospel to the Egyptian Sultan al-Kamil. Because of Francis’ charity and grace, Islamic rulers gave concessions to the Franciscans. The Franciscans were allowed to serve as the sole representatives of Roman Catholicism in the Holy Land, after the Crusades. Today, members of Franciscan orders can be found around the world, in Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran traditions.

O God, your blessed Son became poor for our sake, and chose the Cross over the kingdoms of this world: Deliver us from an inordinate love of worldly things, that we, inspired by the devotion of your servant Francis of Assisi, may seek you with singleness of heart, behold your glory by faith, and attain to the riches of your everlasting kingdom, where we shall be united with our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Art & bio by Ben Lansing // PREORDER THE BOOK 📚, 2025 WALL CALENDARS and prints available at www.ourchurchspeaks.com //

“To despair of being able to do anything, or to refuse to do anything, is to be guilty of infidelity.” - George Bell (1883-1958), Advocate for the Confessing Church, Bishop & Ecumenist

George Bell became Bishop of Chichester in 1929 and soon used this position to speak out against the growing N**i threat. He was among the earliest British Christians to express deep concern about the N**i persecution of Jews and the many ways that N**ism co-opted Christianity and drove the true faith underground. Bell allied with Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Confessing Church in Germany and in 1934 signed the Barmen Declaration, which proclaimed that Christianity and National Socialism were fundamentally incompatible. Yet, after Britain and N**i Germany went to war, Bell’s conscience would not allow him to conform to popular opinion. He criticized Britain’s inability to distinguish the German civilians from the N**i regime and publicly condemned the Allied practice of area bombing in Dresden and other German cities. This criticism was immensely unpopular in World War II Britain and Bell received disdain from the press, military leaders, and Prime Minister Winston Churchhill. It is likely that Bell would have become Archbishop of Canterbury had he not voiced this unpopular opinion. Today, Bell is remembered as a courageous voice during World War II, willing to speak unpopular convictions at the cost of his own reputation, for the sake of truth and the care of others.

O God, our heavenly Father, you raised up your faithful servant George Bell to be a Bishop and pastor in your Church and to feed your flock: Give abundantly to all pastors the gifts of your Holy Spirit, that they may minister in your household as true servants of Christ and stewards of your divine mysteries; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Art & bio by Ben Lansing

PREORDER THE BOOK 📚 , 2025 WALL CALENDAR & prints available www.ourchurchspeaks.com

Recorded the week of July 4, this episode focuses on Absalom Jones, an American revolutionary-war era minister and one of the first African Americans ordained in the United States. Ben and Dan discuss the historical context of the American revolutionary war and how it created the world in which Absalom Jones served as a minister. The conversation meditates on the purpose of freedom and the responsibility that comes with it.

———— Listen at https://www.ourchurchspeaks.com/podcasts/our-church-speaks

“From now on, worship what you once burned and burn what you once worshipped.” - Remigius (437-533), Bishop of Reims & Missionary to the Franks

By the late 400’s, the city of Rome had fallen to Germanic warlords, the last Western Roman Emperor had been dethroned, and most European ‘barbarians’ had embraced the heresy of Arianism (the belief that Jesus was a created, divine hero, instead of the Trinitarian belief that Jesus was co-eternal with the Father). This reality made it all the more significant that Trinitarian Bishop Remigius established a friendship with the pagan king, Clovis I, the King of the Franks. Due to the influence of Remigius and Clovis’ Christian wife, Clotilde, Clovis was baptized by Remigius in 496. With Clovis’ baptism, over 3,000 of his subjects were also baptized, embracing the faith of their king. The Franks became one of the most powerful military forces in Western Europe, and a significant center of Trinitarianism outside the borders of the rapidly shrinking Roman Empire. Clovis is now considered the first king of a united France.

Almighty and everlasting God, you called your servant Remigius to preach the Gospel to the Franks: Raise up in this and every land evangelists and heralds of your kingdom, that your Church may proclaim the unsearchable riches of our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Art & bio by Ben Lansing

PREORDER THE BOOK, 2025 WALL CALENDAR, downloads and prints, and more available at ourchurchspeaks.com

“The Scriptures are shallow enough for a babe to come and drink without fear of drowning and deep enough for a theologian to swim in without ever touching the bottom.” - Jerome (347-420), Translator of the Scripture and Teacher of the Faith

Jerome was a pastor and scholar with a vision to create a new translation of Scripture, with the Old Testament translated from the Hebrew, instead of the Greek. For many centuries, Hebrew studies had fallen out of vogue among Christian scholars, and Jerome sought to change that. He journeyed to Jerusalem to study Hebrew with Jewish scholars and created a new Latin translation, in the language of the common people of his day. This translation became known as the “Vulgate,” and remained the most influential Bible translation in Western Christianity for over 1,000 years.

O God, your blessed Son became poor for our sake, and chose the Cross over the kingdoms of this world: Deliver us from an inordinate love of worldly things, that we, inspired by the devotion of your servant Jerome, may seek you with singleness of heart, behold your glory by faith, and attain to the riches of your everlasting kingdom, where we shall be united with our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. //

Art & bio by Ben Lansing

PREORDER THE BOOK 📚 , 2025 WALL CALENDAR 🗓️ and Prints 🖼️ available www.ourchurchspeaks.com

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“Who is like God?” - Michael & All Archangels

According to Scripture, Michael (whose name translates to “Who is like God?”) is the chief archangel and guardian prince of God’s people. Jude 9-10 recounts that Michael contended with Satan over the body of Moses. According to a traditional interpretation of this passage, Satan slanderously implied that Moses was too great a sinner, unable to receive God’s eternal grace. Michael would not stand for this slander against God and his prophet and swiftly countered the enemy, saying simply, “The Lord rebuke you.” He then gave the body of Moses an honored buriel (Deut. 34:6). In Daniel (10:13), Michael battled with the demonic “Prince of Persia.” In Revelation (12:7-12), Michael battles Satan and casts him out of heaven so that he can no longer accuse God’s people. September 29, also known as “Michaelmas,” commemorates this angelic warrior along with all archangels. Traditionally, Roman Catholics observe three archangels (Michael and Gabriel and Raphael from the deuterocanonical book of Tobit). Because the traditional Protestant Apocrypha contains more books than the Roman Catholic Deuterocanon, many high church Protestants also observe a fourth archangel on this day (Uriel, from the apocryphal book of 2 Esdras). Eastern Orthodox observe seven or more archangels in their commemorations. Whatever the number of angels observed, Michaelmas is a great festivity, rejoicing in God for his faithful protection through his angelic servants who carry out His purposes for His people.

Everlasting God, you have ordained and constituted in a wonderful order the ministries of angels and mortals: Mercifully grant that, as your holy angels always serve and worship you in heaven, so by your appointment they may help and defend us here on earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

“Love towards the race of man is the bond of perfectness, and the imitation of [God].” - Anthony Ashley-Cooper (1801-1885), Earl of Shaftesbury & Social Reformer

Anthony Ashley-Cooper, the 7th Earl of Shaftesbury, was a leader in the evangelical movement in the Church of England. He was so driven by his concern for the poor and the powerless that he earned the moniker “The Poor Man’s Earl.” He campaigned for legal reforms for protecting the rights of the disabled, for restoring rights to English Roman Catholics, for the abolition of the o***m trade, for restricting child labor, and for improving industrial England’s overall working conditions. He was an early supporter of the YMCA and advocated for the restoration of the Jewish people to the Holy Land.

Almighty and everlasting God, you kindled the flame of your love in the heart of your servant Anthony Ashley-Cooper to manifest your compassion and mercy to the poor and the persecuted: Grant to us, your humble servants, a like faith and power of love, that we who give thanks for his righteous zeal may profit by her example; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Art & bio by Ben Lansing

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“I met the Risen Lord. He touched my heart, and at His touch all the old desires passed away, and in their place came the one desire to serve Him and the [people] He loved.” - Wilson Carlile (1847-1942), Founder of the Church Army

For many years, Wilson Carlile was a successful and wealthy businessman who very decidedly rejected Christianity. When he lost his fortune in the 1873 stock market crash, he was driven to despair. Carlile looked for answers in modernist philosophers like Kant and Nietzsche, but none could provide hope. He then had a profound and sudden conversion to Christianity. Carlile worked with Dwight L. Moody and became an evangelist and later was ordained an Anglican priest. Carlile dedicated his life to serving the poor, and established an outreach organization called “Church Army,” that deployed evangelists to minister to the outcasts in the slums of London. He became known for his unusual street evangelism techniques, including playing trombone as an accompaniment to his preaching. The Church Army has since become a widespread outreach, headed by such figures as Desmond Tutu and Rowan Williams.

Almighty and everlasting God, you called your servant Wilson Carlile to preach the Gospel: Raise up in this and every land evangelists and heralds of your kingdom, that your Church may proclaim the unsearchable riches of our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Art & bio by Ben Lansing //

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Exciting day! Advance copies of the Our Church Speaks devotional just arrived. Guys, I love collecting beautiful books and I have to say - this book is stunning. Hardback, beautiful paper, design, and colors. IVP did an amazing job on this book’s production. Congrats to and my coauthor, .j._marotta on producing such excellent work. If you appreciate the Our Church Speaks project, I think you’re going to love this book! PREORDER a copy or two today at ourchurchspeaks.com. Book release is Oct. 29!

“Take away, O Lord, the veil of my heart, as I read the Scriptures.” - Lancelot Andrewes (1555-1626), Bishop of Wi******er & Teacher of the Faith

Lancelot Andrewes lived in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I and King James I, a momentous era that shaped English society, culture, and language. Like his contemporary, Shakespeare, Andrewes is considered a master of the English language. He served as the chief translator of the first edition of the King James Bible (1611), a translation with unparalleled influence, considered the most important book published in English and a driving force in the shaping of the English-speaking world. Andrewes’ book of Private Devotions reveals his sincere love for Jesus Christ and his deep desire to see the Anglican Church bolstered as the English expression of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church.

O God, our heavenly Father, you raised up your faithful servant Lancelot Andrewes to be a Bishop and pastor in your Church and to feed your flock: Give abundantly to all pastors the gifts of your Holy Spirit, that they may minister in your household as true servants of Christ and stewards of your divine mysteries; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Art & bio by Ben Lansing

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#1611

“If you want to serve God, prepare your heart - not for food, not for drink, not for rest, not for ease, but for suffering, so that you may endure all temptations, trouble, and sorrow.” - Sergius of Radonezh (1314-1392), Monk & Reformer of the Church in Russia

Sergius was a monk in Russia during the devastating invasions of the Tartars (a nation of fierce, nomadic warriors). He founded over 40 monasteries, including the great monastery of the Holy Trinity, near Moscow. Sergius lived a dedicated life of prayer and humility and was instrumental in promoting peace among warring Russian rulers.

O God, your blessed Son became poor for our sake, and chose the Cross over the kingdoms of this world: Deliver us from an inordinate love of worldly things, that we, inspired by the devotion of your servant Sergius, may seek you with singleness of heart, behold your glory by faith, and attain to the riches of your everlasting kingdom, where we shall be united with our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Art & bio by Ben Lansing

PREORDER the book 📚 , get the 2025 WALL CALENDAR 🗓️, get prints & downloads 🖼️ , support on Patreon ❤️ , and more at ourchurchspeaks.com NOW AVAILABLE // www.ourchurchspeaks.com //

“All of Creation is a song of praise to God.” - Hildegarde (1098-1179), Abbess of Bingen

Hildegarde von Bingen was a prolific figure, active throughout her long life as an influential church leader, a profound theologian, a mystic, a visionary, a poet, a composer, and a scientist. She wrote extensively on medicine, botany, music, and theology. Her monophonic chant is considered one of the origins of Western classical music. She is also considered the founder of scientific natural history. Her knowledge of medicine was widely respected and many journeyed to seek her healing skills in using plants and herbs. She believed that because all of Creation was made by God, all plants and animals had unique purposes and uses for mankind and that scientific study was a critical component of the church’s holistic life. Her reputation as a wise mystic and monastic visionary made her a prominent leader in Medieval Germany and she was called upon to resolve disputes among clergy. Hildegarde is among a short list of historical theologians officially bestowed with the title ‘Doctor of the Church.’

God of all times and seasons: Give us grace that we, after the example of your servant Hildegard, may both know and make known the joy and jubilation of being part of your creation, and show forth your glory in the world; through Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Art & bio by Ben Lansing // PREORDER the book 📚 , 2025 WALL CALENDARS NOW AVAILABLE 🗓️ , prints & downloads 🖼️, listen to the podcast mic 🎙️, and more at www.ourchurchspeaks.com

NEW podcast episode out now - Ben and Dan talk about the profound faith of the African saint, Josephine Bakhita, and the hope and trust that she placed in Jesus Christ after a life of heartbreak and trauma. They reflect on what Jesus means when he calls someone blessed and how our lives are defined, not by our circumstances, but by what Jesus says about us.

Listen at https://www.ourchurchspeaks.com/podcasts/our-church-speaks/episodes/2148863864

“[Jesus] said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice.” - Matthew (?-c.68), Apostle & Evangelist

Matthew was one of the 12 apostles and one of the 4 gospel writers. In his gospel, Matthew explains that he was once a tax collector, working in the fishing town of Capernaum. Jesus approached Matthew at his tax booth and called him to leave everything and follow him. Ancient church writers of the second century record that after Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension, Matthew continued preaching the gospel in Judea and then journeyed into distant lands. Among these lands was Ethiopia, where, according to church tradition, Matthew converted the daughter of King Egippus, who then committed herself to service of the church. When a suceeding king sought to force the princess to marry him, Matthew defended the princess and rebuked the king. Enraged, the king ordered Matthew executed. In Christian art, each of the four evangelists is associated with one of the four living creatures of Revelation 4:7. Matthew is associated with the image of the winged man, and is usually depicted taking inspiration from this angelic figure as the figure delivers the heavenly inspiration for Matthew’s gospel.

Lord Jesus, you called Matthew from collecting taxes to become your apostle and evangelist: Grant us the grace to forsake all covetous desires and inordinate love of riches, that we may follow you as he did and proclaim to the world around us the good news of your salvation; for with the Father and the Holy Spirit you live and reign, one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

Art & bio by Ben Lansing (c) 2024

PREORDER the book and listen to the podcast www.ourchurchspeaks.com

“I am on the whole hopeful, though sometimes faint hearted.” - John Coleridge Patteson (1827-1871), Bishop of Melanesia & Martyr

John Coleridge Patteson was a British linguist and missionary, sent as the first Anglican Bishop of Melanesia, an 1,800 mile region of the Pacific that contained hundreds of scattered islands and over 1,000 languages. Patteson learned 23 of these languages and traveled extensively, arriving alone on the Pacific islands and serving the indigenous people with humility and deference. He taught children and preached the Gospel with gentleness and respect and became highly esteemed by those he served. Patteson also fought against the presence of illegal British slave traders, who frequently kidnapped the Pacific Islanders. In 1871, one group of Pacific Islanders mistook Patteson for a slave trader and killed him, when he landed alone on their beach. Realizing their mistake, they gave Patteson an honorary funeral. Patteson’s body was found ceremonially floating in canoe, blanketed in palm leaves. // Almighty God, you gave your servants John Coleridge Patteson and his companions boldness to confess the Name of our Savior Jesus Christ before the rulers of this world, and courage to die for this faith: Grant that we may always be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in us, and to suffer gladly for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. /

Art by Ben Lansing (c) 2024

PREORDER the book 📚 & listen to the podcast mic 🎙️ www.ourchurchspeaks.com //

“With the Lord, mercy is immeasurable… so judge mercifully, for no man is blameless.” - Theodore of Tarsus (602-690), Archbishop of Canterbury

Theodore of Tarsus is distinguished by ministry that spanned across Eastern, Roman, and Anglican traditions. Like the Apostle Paul, Theodore was born in Tarsus, in southern Turkey. He studied in Antioch in the final years of Christian rule in the Middle East, before Islamic invasion. Theodore witnessed his Christian homeland invaded and conquered by Persians and, later, Muslims. He fled to Constantinople where he received advanced education in theology, philosophy, and astronomy. He later journeyed to Rome and devoted himself to monastic life. In 669, Theodore was sent to England by the Pope, to bring the English churches into greater conformity with practices of the wider, global church. Theodore became the Archbishop of Canterbury and did much to introduce Roman, Greek, and Middle Eastern Christian traditions and scholarship to Anglican worship. Theodore established a school in Canterbury that resulted in a golden age of Anglo-Saxon scholarship.

O God, our heavenly Father, you raised up your faithful servant Theodore of Tarsus to be a Bishop and pastor in your Church and to feed your flock: Give abundantly to all pastors the gifts of your Holy Spirit, that they may minister in your household as true servants of Christ and stewards of your divine mysteries; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Art & bio by Ben Lansing (c) 2024

PREORDER the book 📚 www.ourchurchspeaks.com

Ben and Dan talk about the introduction of Christianity in Japan in the 16th century. They specifically focus on the life of the evangelist Paul Miki, a Japanese Christian who lived and died for Christ in Japan and preached his final sermon from his own cross before an audience of his fellow Japanese citizens.

https://www.ourchurchspeaks.com/podcasts/our-church-speaks/episodes/2148853571

“God’s chief gift to those who seek Him is Himself.” - Edward Bouverie Pusey (1800-1882), Priest & Teacher of the Faith

Edward Pusey was an Anglican Priest and Professor of Hebrew at Oxford University. As a member of the Oxford movement, Pusey believed that it was critical to restore ancient practices of the early church to the Church of England. He translated and promoted many of the writings of early church theologians and wrote influential tracts, articulating the necessity of identity with the one holy catholic and apostolic church.

O God, our heavenly Father, you raised up your faithful servant Edward Bouverie Pusey to be a pastor in your Church and to feed your flock: Give abundantly to all pastors the gifts of your Holy Spirit, that they may minister in your household as true servants of Christ and stewards of your divine mysteries; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Art & bio by Ben Lansing

PREORDER the book 📚 www.ourchurchspeaks.com

“[I] studied Heavenly Wisdom with a devoted mind in a cave of horrible darkness.” - Ninian (?-432), Bishop of Galloway & Missionary

Ninian was a Briton who studied theology in Rome and returned with the ambitious missionary goal of evangelizing the Picts, of Scotland. The Picts were a formidable society of warriors, unconquered by even the Roman Empire. Centuries before Ninian, the Romans had built the Wall of Hadrian as a buffer against the Picts, along the English / Scottish border. Ninian had confidence that where the Roman Empire was stopped, the Gospel of peace would conquer. Ninian crossed into Pict territory, evangelized the Picts, and built a stone church, demonstrating the permanence of the Gospel in Scotland.

Almighty and everlasting God, you called your servant Ninian to preach the Gospel to the Picts: Raise up in this and every land evangelists and heralds of your kingdom, that your Church may proclaim the unsearchable riches of our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. // Note: No authentic quotes or writings by Ninian have survived. This quotation, which accurately describes the life of Ninian, is taken from the book “Stars in a Dark World.”

Art & bio by Ben Lansing PREORDER the book 📚 , listen to the podcast 🎙️ , get prints and downloads 🖼️ , and more at www.ourchurchspeaks.com