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Have you ever wished that the book of Acts had a Part Two, so you would know how the gospel of Jesus Christ was proclaimed and protected from falsehood after the apostles died? This article introduces you to some key figures in the two generations following the church’s founding fathers. These men played crucial roles in defending the Christian faith and helping to solidify the New Testament Canon—often at great personal cost. Learn why you can follow their examples and defend Christian beliefs today with unwavering assurance.


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Except for the resounding, magnificent doxology with which it ends, the "postcard" book of Jude is a little-known piece of New Testament literature. Those few who attempt to read and understand it often feel it is bewildering, even mysterious. Admittedly, its language is strange and its word pictures curiously foreign to our ears. If the truth were known, however, its first reading probably struck like a hammer blow on hearts, with remarkable relevance. When properly interpreted and applied, it still does so today. It is, hands down, the single most dogmatic exposé and denunciation of apostasy in all the Bible.

As a Bible-believing Christian, do you know what happened to the church after the apostle John lifted his pen from the last word of Revelation? Church history may be interesting to a few and boring to most, but is it really relevant in today’s postmodern world? After all, if we have the inerrant Word of God at our fingertips, is there any reason why we need to know the history of the church? Yes!

Heroes and Heretics: Solving the Modern Mystery of the Ancient Church is a straightforward resource that offers you a crash course in the most crucial years of the church—those of its formation. Read through the uncomplicated pages of this simple, concise guide and discover what every believer should know about the early church . . . and why. Don’t let novelists and unbelieving scholars take advantage of your unawareness. Together, let’s solve the "modern mystery" of the ancient church and fill the gap that critics hope to muddle.

Convictions. They lead people to do the unthinkable, to promote what’s unpopular, and to make most everyone else uncomfortable. Without convictions, grown men never would have donned costumes just to toss a few barrels of tea into a harbor. Without convictions, a rail-splitting lawyer-elected-president never could have preserved a union of such disunited people. Without convictions, a shy, petite Alabama woman never would have kept her seat in the front of the bus because she was too weary of injustice to move ten rows back.

But one of the greatest examples of true conviction comes from a monk who lived in Germany more than 500 years ago. Placed on trial for opposing corruption in the church, Martin Luther stared death in the face and replied, "Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise." Five centuries later, God still looks for everyday spiritual and moral heroes who stand tall for Jesus Christ in front of their kids, their church, and their community. Does someone need to see you standing for Christ? Then be inspired, encouraged, and motivated by this series to hold fast to your convictions and to be counted for Christ. 

Taking a stand for truth is no easy task, especially in the face of ill winds that threaten to blow us into the flow of a culture unmoored from traditional and biblical virtues. But in this series of messages, Chuck Swindoll challenges us to do just that. He encourages us to start a reformation in our personal leadership, our biblical knowledge, our marital commitment, our home and family, our patriotism, and our worship. The truths contained in these messages will serve as a sure anchor and will steel your resolve to take a stand.