Essays and Research Papers

• Underground Church in History
• Studies in Ecclesiology
• Apologetics
• Book Reviews
• Other Subjects

These studies have been important in the development of some aspect of Xenos' philosophy of ministry or our understanding of the church and its mission. Feel free to browse them section by section, or download them.

The Underground Church in History

House churches and informally led movements have played an important role in the history of the church, sometimes bringing in exceptional vigor, zeal and creativeness to an otherwise dormant body of Christ. (Unfortunately, they have also brought in false doctrine and extremism at times.) God may sometimes break out of existing wineskins to move out in less structured spontaneous "underground" movements. At Xenos, we are conscious of our indebtedness to other movements similar to our own. Xenos leaders have taken an interest in house-church movements both for the sake of imitating the good, and avoiding the mistakes. The following papers cover periods in church history when God was able to use "underground" movements to reach millions.

• The Waldensian Movement from Waldo to the Reformation
  This movement suffered bitter persecution at the hands of the established church mainly for the "sin" of translating the Bible into the vernacular and presuming to use their gifts and ministries. (Non-Frames Version)
• Watchman Nee and the House Church Movement in China
  Nee is little known in the west, mainly because his "interpreters," such as Witness Lee and the Little Flock church in New York City have put their own slant on his teachings. Meanwhile, house churches in China have reached millions in the past fifty years at a time when the church in the West has been stagnant or declining. (Non-Frames Version)
• Philip Jacob Spener's Contribution to Protestant Ecclesiology
  Spener was an ordained minister and professor in the Lutheran church when he founded the movement that came to be called Pietism. Spener encouraged the formation of house groups (called collegia pietatis) where serious Christians could pursue fellowship and in-depth discipleship. His followers not only included the movement based at Halle University (which began the first organized Protestant missions outreach) but the so-called "radical pietists" who, along with Anabaptists, took the teachings of Spener to their logical extreme. Today, historians are aware of a direct line from the pietist movement to the Wesleyan movement. (Non-Frames Version)

Studies in Ecclesiology

These research papers and essays involve issues with which we have struggled and which have affected our thinking about the church.

• The Objectification of Religion: Universal Themes
  This paper covers current theories about why people nearly always "objectify" religion. Objectification refers to the practice of reducing abstract principles and ethics to rituals, trinkets, buildings, and festivals. Formalism is a synonym for objectification--a fixation of the outward forms of religion, rather than on inward spiritual reality.
• Cultivating a Tender Heart
  When working with people in the church, leaders regularly experience disappointment, betrayal, and failure. Many find it difficult to avoid toughening their hearts in a way that protects them from hurt. The result is inability to deeply care about people and to love them deeply. This paper discusses how to keep a tender heart toward God and others.
• Strange Details in Stephen's Defense
  Have you ever wondered why Stephen seems to have problems staying on the subject during his defense to the Sanhedrin in Acts 7? This paper answers the questions raised by one of the more puzzling but vital passages in the book of Acts. The solution relates to the issue of formalism and the true nature of the church.
• How to View Change in the Church
  When the church loses its ability to change, it loses its ability to follow God. Lead pastor, Dennis McCallum answers objections to change in the church with this essay.
• Understanding Ministry
  A study guide we use when teaching ecclesiology. It explains a lot about our view of the church.
• Melchizedek and the Priesthood of Christ
  Why must the church decisively reject both legalism and Old Testament-style ritualism? One of the clearest passages explaining why is Hebrews 5 and 7.
• The Russian Factory and the Evangelical Church
  Contemplates some of the disturbing parallels between a typical socialist factory and many evangelical churches. The lack of creativity, failure to change, lack of motivation and poor workmanship in Russian factories is the direct result of the lack of incentive to be otherwise. How can we avoid falling trap in the church?
• Roman Catholicism
  A study originally intended for training students in a class on ecclesiology, but has recently been revisited and updated because of calls to join in the Catholic-Protestant accord and the release of the new Catholic catechism. Based on the newest and most authoritative sources, what does Catholicism teach today?
• Against the Traditional Fundamentalist View on the Role of Women in the Church
  Traditionally, fundamentalism has often held that women are not permitted to teach men, or to hold offices of authority over men in the church. This point of view is based on some of Paul's comments on women, which are being misunderstood, as we shall see in this informal essay by Dennis McCallum. 

Apologetics

• The Existence of God: Argument From Design
• The Existence and Nature of God: Presuppositional Argument
• Historical Evidence for the Resurrection of Christ
• An Approach to Christian Apologetics
• Philosophical Influences on Cosmology
• The Problem of Evil
• "Christian" Sects, or Cults
• A Brief History of Literary Theory
• Christ and Scripture
• The Extent and Nature of Biblical Inspiration
• How We Got the Canon of Scripture
• Testing Basic Beliefs
• Postmodernism: The 'Spirit of the Age'
• Understanding World Views
• Understanding Today's Postmodern University
• Christian Witness in a Pluralistic Age
• Engineering Life: Defining "Humanity" In A Postmodern Age
• The "Ban"
  God's command to exterminate 7 tribes living in the land of Canaan
• No Need For Apologetics?: Postmodernism’s affect on Christian Apologetics
  With the rise of postmodern thought in culture, there is a noticeable shift in the way people see truth. Although this shift, has affected many areas of life in our culture, it has had a particularly potent affect on believers in Christ. One such area is related to the growing disinterest towards learning and applying apologetics. This article will explore the reasons for this growing trend and examine some of its unforeseen consequences.

Book Reviews

• The Role of Women in the Church: New Material Leads to a New View
  Dennis McCallum reviews two books: Good News for Women by Rebecca Groothuis and I Suffer Not a Woman by Richard Clark Kroeger and Catherine Clark Kroeger.
• Toxic Faith, by Stephen Arterburn and Jack Felton: A Critical Evaluation
  During 1992  a number of Xenos members and counselors had  read Toxic Faith, and were identifying aspects in the book that they thought fit Xenos. The implications were serious. Was Xenos a Toxic church? Lead elder, Dennis McCallum, read the book as well and found what he believed were some serious flaws in the reasoning and theology of the book. The following is an assessment he wrote for discussion at a colloquium held for the staff and leadership on this question.
• Lesslie Newbigin, The Gospel in a Pluralist Society and the "Emergent Church" movement
  The emergent church movement is sweeping younger groups in America. One of their key textbooks is Lesslie Newbigin's book, The Gospel In A Pluralist Society. Dennis McCallum offers this critical review of the book, detailing why evengelicals should reject his line of argument.
• Deconstructing The Da Vinci Code: "Everybody loves a conspiracy" by Chris Lang
• Da Vinci DE-CODED by Jim Fidelibus (PDF)
• The Language of God by Francis S. Collins
  Dennis McCallum reviews this popular book by one of the world's most prestigious scientists.

Other Subjects

• Men, Women, and Gender Roles in Marriage
  McCallum and DeLashmutt tackle this controversial issue in this essay adapted from their book on marriage, The Myth of Romance.
• The Mystery Hidden for Aeons Past
  Why are Old Testament predictions of the first coming so often ambiguous? Why would Satan cooperate in Jesus' crucifixion? These and many other intriguing quesions are answered when we understand what Paul calls "the mystery."
• As in Adam, So in Christ
  McCallum explains why position in Christ is the key to real, rather than superficial change in the Christian life. This essay is adapted from his book, Walking in Victory.
• An Approach to Christian Ethics
  How we form our ethics from Scripture determines the moral climate in the church. Xenos elder Dennis McCallum explains his understanding in this controversial paper.
• The Extent and Nature of Inspiration
  Our response to recent challenges to the doctrine of biblical inspiration.
• Christ and Scriptural Inspiration
  Jesus' teaching on the nature of inspiration ranks as our most important source for understanding this crucial question.
• Philosophical Influences on Cosmology
  Larry House, a mathematician and research scientist discusses how cosmology has changed in recent years.
• A Brief History of Literary Theory
  Xenos department head, Chris Lang covers traditional, modernist, and postmodern approaches to literature.
• The Case for Christ's Resurrection
  Chris Lang summarizes recent arguments supporting the historicity of the resurrection.
• Engineering Life: Defining "Humanity" In A Postmodern Age
  Jim Leffel discusses the dangers inherent in arbitrarily defining humanity.
• Understanding Today's Postmodern University
  Jim Leffel ponders the question: How will Christians become effective in reaching postmodern students at today's universities?
• Christian Witness in a Pluralistic Age
  The rules for communication are changing, and only those who understand the postmodern shift will be able to reach pluralistic culture today. Jim Leffel assess John Hick's pluralism and draws lessons for Christians intent on witness.
• Sejanus and The Chronology of Christ
  Gary DeLashmutt shows how the life and death of Lucas Sejanus provides valuable insight into the dating of Christ's death.
• An Approach to Christian Ethics
  Describes a principles based Christian ethical system.
• Early German Lutheran Pietism's Understanding of Justification
  Gary DeLashmutt examines the views of justification of three early German pietists -Johann Arndt, Philip Jacob Spener and August Hermann Francke.
• Paul's Usage of ta stoicheia tou kosmou
  This paper examines the meaning of the phrase ta stoicheia tou kosmou ("the elementary principles of the world") as it is used by Paul in Gal. 4:3,9 and Col. 2:8,20.
• Baptism at Xenos
  Lead Pastor Gary DeLashmutt answers the questions of what is the Biblical purpose of baptisms and why Christians should be baptized, and briefly describes how baptisms are performed at Xenos.
• What is Worship?
  Lee Campbell, PhD. helps us to understand what biblical worship is in the New Testament with an excellent study of the greek.
• Homosexuality
  How should we view this important issue of our day?
• The Background of Islam
• The Ethics of Divorce and Remarriage
  Dennis McCallum gives a concise, thoughtful treatment of this complex issue faced by anyone trying to minister in today's culture.
• Evolution and the Bible
  Is evolution compatible with the Bible? Jeff Gordon and Doug Rudy examine this controversial topic and provide three common errors in relating science and scripture.
• For Whom Did Jesus Die?
  Did Jesus die for everyone or only for those who believe in him? Xenos leader Conrad Hilario examines the historical Calvinist doctrine of limited atonement.
• The Christian Doctrine of Substitutionary Atonement
  The Atonement has become the subject of discussion arising from the Emerging Church movement. Conrad Hilario examines the historical doctrine along with some of the challenges being raised by Emergent writers.