Step back into seventeenth-century England, where the Baptist movement first took shape. Discover how John Smyth, Thomas Helwys, and others challenged tradition, defended liberty of conscience, and introduced believer’s baptism by immersion. Learn how their courage shaped both church life and the wider pursuit of religious freedom. Read: https://ready4eternity.com/why-so-many-churches-origins-of-the-baptists-part-12/ https://x.com/Ready4Eternity https://www.facebook.com/ready4eternity The presence of any advertisements in connection with this content is determined solely by the hosting platform. I have no control over whether ads appear or not. I appreciate your understanding.

In this episode, we explore the rise of Calvinism and its lasting influence on the Reformed tradition. From Zwingli’s early reforms in Switzerland to Calvin’s vision in Geneva and Knox’s fiery work in Scotland, discover how Calvinism shaped Presbyterianism and spread worldwide. Read: https://ready4eternity.com/why-so-many-churches-calvinism-and-the-rise-of-presbyterianism-part-11/ https://x.com/Ready4Eternity https://www.facebook.com/ready4eternity The presence of any advertisements in connection with this content is determined solely by the hosting platform. I have no control over whether ads appear or not. I appreciate your understanding.

In this episode, we explore how King Henry VIII’s personal ambitions reshaped England’s faith. From his desperate quest for a male heir to the dramatic break with Rome, discover how the Church of England was born and how Elizabeth I later solidified its identity. Join us for a story of power, faith, and a nation’s transformation. Read: https://ready4eternity.com/why-so-many-churches-the-birth-of-the-church-of-england-part-10/ https://x.com/Ready4Eternity https://www.facebook.com/ready4eternity The presence of any advertisements in connection with this content is determined solely by the hosting platform. I have no control over whether ads appear or not. I appreciate your understanding.

In 1525, a small group of believers in Zurich sparked a movement by rejecting infant baptism and demanding radical obedience to Christ. Their defiance brought brutal persecution—burnings, drownings, and torture. In Münster, some took a violent turn, leading to steel cages that still hang today. Discover how these “rebaptizers,” hated by both Catholics and Protestants, shaped religious freedom, church-state separation, and baptismal practice for generations to come. Read: https://ready4eternity.com/why-so-many-churches-anabaptists-in-steel-cages-part-9/ https://x.com/Ready4Eternity https://www.facebook.com/ready4eternity The presence of any advertisements in connection with this content is determined solely by the hosting platform. I have no control over whether ads appear or not. I appreciate your understanding.

Martin Luther never intended to start a new denomination—he simply wanted the Catholic Church to stop selling salvation through indulgences. But when the Augustinian monk posted his 95 Theses on October 31, 1517, he accidentally ignited a theological revolution that would split Christianity forever. From his breakthrough understanding of salvation by faith alone to his defiant stand at the Diet of Worms, Luther's reforms ultimately forced his followers to organize separate Lutheran congregations when reconciliation with Rome proved impossible. This episode explores how a reluctant reformer's theological insights created one of Protestantism's largest denominations. Read: https://ready4eternity.com/why-so-many-churches-rise-of-the-lutheran-church-part-8/ https://x.com/Ready4Eternity https://www.facebook.com/ready4eternity The presence of any advertisements in connection with this content is determined solely by the hosting platform. I have no control over whether ads appear or not. I appreciate your understanding.

Long before Martin Luther, two men dared to challenge the corrupt medieval Catholic Church. John Wycliffe translated the Bible into English so ordinary people could read it themselves. John Huss proclaimed that Scripture, not the pope, held ultimate authority. One died a martyr, the other a natural death—but both faced fierce persecution, but their ideas lit the fuse for the Protestant Reformation. This is the untold story of the reformers before the Reformation. Read: https://ready4eternity.com/why-so-many-churches-reformers-before-the-reformation-part-7/ https://x.com/Ready4Eternity https://www.facebook.com/ready4eternity The presence of any advertisements in connection with this content is determined solely by the hosting platform. I have no control over whether ads appear or not. I appreciate your understanding.

By the late Middle Ages, the Roman Catholic Church held unmatched power across Europe—but that power came at a cost. In this episode, we examine the growing corruption that crept into church offices, morals, and leadership. From simony and nepotism to indulgences and political intrigue, we trace how spiritual authority gave way to worldly ambition—and how these cracks in the foundation set the stage for the coming Reformation. Read: https://ready4eternity.com/why-so-many-churches-corruption-in-the-medieval-church-part-6/ https://x.com/Ready4Eternity https://www.facebook.com/ready4eternity The presence of any advertisements in connection with this content is determined solely by the hosting platform. I have no control over whether ads appear or not. I appreciate your understanding.

What would a first-century disciple think if he stepped into a church in the year 1050 A.D.? In this episode, we explore the sweeping changes that reshaped Christianity over its first thousand years—shifts in doctrine, worship, and leadership that left the original pattern nearly unrecognizable. From the rise of clerical hierarchy and celibacy to the invention of purgatory and indulgences, discover how the church drifted from the simple, Spirit-led model of the New Testament—and why it matters today. Read: https://ready4eternity.com/why-so-many-churches-1000-years-of-doctrinal-drift-part-5/ https://x.com/Ready4Eternity https://www.facebook.com/ready4eternity The presence of any advertisements in connection with this content is determined solely by the hosting platform. I have no control over whether ads appear or not. I appreciate your understanding.

What happens when the church gains political power? In this episode, we explore how Constantine's conversion changed Christianity—from underground movement to imperial religion. We trace the benefits, the compromises, and the lasting impact on church authority, worship, and unity. The seeds of today’s divisions were planted here. Read: https://ready4eternity.com/why-so-many-churches-how-constantine-compromised-the-church-part-3/ https://x.com/Ready4Eternity https://www.facebook.com/ready4eternity The presence of any advertisements in connection with this content is determined solely by the hosting platform. I have no control over whether ads appear or not. I appreciate your understanding.

False teaching didn’t wait. From the start, the early church battled heresies that threatened the gospel itself. In this episode, we examine how movements like Gnosticism, Marcionism, and Montanism distorted truth—and how the church responded. We’ll explore the formation of the canon, the rise of creeds, and the struggle to preserve apostolic teaching. These early battles still shape today’s church, and understanding them helps us discern truth, pursue unity, and stand firm in the gospel. Read: https://ready4eternity.com/why-so-many-churches-truth-comes-under-attack-part-2/ https://x.com/Ready4Eternity https://www.facebook.com/ready4eternity The presence of any advertisements in connection with this content is determined solely by the hosting platform. I have no control over whether ads appear or not. I appreciate your understanding.

Before denominations, councils, or creeds, there was the simple, Spirit-filled community of Acts 2. In this first episode, we explore how the early church lived out its faith—with shared meals, apostolic teaching, and sacrificial love. We also look at how false teaching quickly challenged that model and forced the church to define truth, a struggle that still shapes Christianity today. Read: https://ready4eternity.com/why-so-many-churches-the-unity-jesus-prayed-for-part-1/ https://x.com/Ready4Eternity https://www.facebook.com/ready4eternity The presence of any advertisements in connection with this content is determined solely by the hosting platform. I have no control over whether ads appear or not. I appreciate your understanding.