Ekklesia Explained: How Evangelicalism Lost Its Backbone and How to Recover It

About this sermon

I’m sitting inside Christ Church near Jaffa Gate in Jerusalem, and I’m opening a conversation that has been building in me for years: ecclesiology—what it means to be the ekklesia, the gathered people of God, and how the Church is meant to be structured and governed on the earth. Two moments marked me deeply—one involving a megachurch pastor who didn’t know the word “ecclesiology,” and another where a Jewish friend looked at me and said, “It’s like you evangelicals… you’re not a people.” That comment didn’t offend me—it confronted me. In this episode, I’m honest about my gratitude for American evangelicalism (it’s how I came to know Jesus), but I’m also sounding an alarm: every movement can carry the seeds of its own breakdown if it refuses maturity. When “I felt led” becomes the highest authority without any shared framework, we end up with fracture, confusion, and a Church that struggles to act like one body. The Holy Spirit absolutely leads us—but He also cooperates with the government of God expressed through the Body of Christ. Then we gather an incredible table of voices—different traditions, different backgrounds, one shared love for the Church—to wrestle with real questions: What does structure protect? What does authority serve? How did the ancient Church (rooted in Judaism) understand the need for formation? If you’ve ever felt tension between “just me and Jesus” and the reality of the Church as His Body, I made this for you. Subscribe, and join me in this journey as we pursue clarity, unity, and a more faithful understanding of what it means to be the people of God. Chapters: 03:27 — The Moment That Exposed a Leadership Blind Spot 05:18 — A Jewish Friend’s Challenge: “You’re Not Mobilizing” 06:39 — The Government of God vs. “Doing Whatever I Feel” 09:26 — When the Church Looks Like a Business: Cause for Concern 10:05 — Welcome & Why This Conversation Matters 11:39 — Dr. Gary Kellner: Church History, Ukraine, and Unity 14:16 — Father Christos: Orthodox Perspective & Ecumenical Dialogue 17:23 — Bishop Tommy Reid’s Journey: From Evangelist to Global Influence 21:42 — The Role of Leadership and Connection in Global Ministry Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robertrstearns/ Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robertrstearns/ Don't forget to PUSH THE BELL to get NOTIFICATIONS of new and upcoming videos.

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• Suffering & Trials