Centrally Speaking

08/24/2026

Western society is being increasingly confronted with religions that are not from the Judeo-Christian perspective. Many do not understand what these religions believe and fewer understand how Christians can remain faithful and converse with them profitably. In this podcast we ask Dr. Rob Arner a Professor at St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia, PA and a board member of the Congregational Institute at the Central Schwenkfelder Church (www.congregationalinstitute.com) about what Christians should know about Hinduism and how to interact with it. The picture attached to this podcast is of the second largest Hindu temple in the world, which happens to be in Robbinsville, NJ.
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1046041/episodes/19680884

Western society is being increasingly confronted with religions that are not from the Judeo-Christian perspective. Many do not understand what these religions believe and fewer understand how Christians can remain faithful and converse with them p...

08/17/2026

We are looking forward to releasing a podcast shortly on "Living with Hinduism." We will be interviewing Dr. Rob Arner who is on the Board of Directors with the Congregational Institute at Central Schwenkfelder Church. He also has taught World Religions at Temple University and Chestnut Hill College.

08/04/2026

Some of the latest news in places of conflict come from faithful servants who live through the difficulties and try and improve the quality of life. In this podcast, we hear from Andriy Konovalchuk who serving as the President of Zaporizhzhia Bible Seminary. Andriy and his family have lived and ministered in Zaporizhzhia from well before the start of the current Ukraine and Russian war. They are only 16 miles from the front lines.

What is some of the latest news in Eastern Ukraine? In February 2022, Russia launched a massive attack against Ukraine. At first the western media paid great attention to the conflict but in recent months is not paying attention to it. In this pod...

07/29/2026

While much of the news cycle has forgotten about the war in Ukraine, it is still going on with intensity. In a few days, we will release a podcast with Andriy Konovalchuk, the President of Zaporizhzhia Bible Seminary. It will share some of the latest news about the conflict that is taking place and also about God's blessing despite the war.

07/16/2026

The persecution of religious groups is taking place globally. It has a history though that goes back many years. The Schwenkfelders are a group that experienced persecution due to their viewpoints on the sacraments. This is one witness to their persecution at the Viehweg in Harpersdorf. You can listen to this brief presentation on their persecution here.

The Schwenkfelders are a persecuted group from the time of the Reformation. They originated from Harpersdorf in Silesia during the 1500's. Because of their viewpoints on the sacraments, they were ostracized by the Jesuits and the Lutherans. One ex...

07/16/2026

In the coming weeks, we will be having a series of podcasts on Living with World Religions. Stay tuned for several coming in the late summer and fall. These came from our summer week long class with the Congregational Institute.

Join us at the Congregational Institute, classes to supplement education of pastors and lay people with master level Christian Education. Classes are held in Lansdale, PA

06/05/2026

How did we get the New Testament in English? The person responsible for the translation of the Bible into English was William Tyndale. His New Testament was first published in 1526, five hundred years ago. In this podcast, we ask Dr. Tony Watkins about Tyndale's role in translating the Bible into English. Dr. Watkins is the Fellow for Public Engagement at Tyndale House in Cambridge, United Kingdom. Within this interview, he shares Tyndale's motivation for translating out of Greek into English and the ways that this translation has changed our understanding of the Bible and the English language.

For more on William Tyndale, see the following podcasts from Tyndale House in Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Episode 1: The Long Road to the English Bible. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raYxCn5LE8U

Episode 2: A Turning Point in English History. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVPjnnV84CE

Episode 3: Open the Eyes of the King of England. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ymGJYWbI2g

Episode 4: An Enduring Legacy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebzecQlSIZQ

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1046041/episodes/19248377

How did we get the New Testament in English? The person responsible for the translation of the Bible into English was William Tyndale.  His New Testament was first published in 1526, five hundred years ago. In this podcast, we ask Dr. Tony Wa...

06/04/2026

Join us at Central Schwenkfelder Church on Wednesday, June 10 from 6:30-9:00 pm to hear Dr. Andrew Brunson speak about being prepared to stand against persecution. He was imprisoned for 2 years in a Turkish prison for the faith. Light refreshments will be served following the presentation. A free will offering will be taken.

Persecution of Christians is increasing around the world—could it one day become a reality in America? And if so, how can a Christian be prepared?

Join us for a powerful and timely evening with Dr. Andrew Brunson as he shares his firsthand testimony of spending two years imprisoned in Turkey.

Drawing from his personal experience, Dr. Brunson will speak about signs of growing persecution and spiritual dangers facing Christians in America. This evening will focus especially on cultivating a heart that is rooted deeply in Christ no matter the circumstances.

This event is open to everyone, and we encourage you to invite friends, family, and members of the community to join us for this meaningful conversation.

〰️ Light refreshments will be provided
〰️ A free will offering will be taken
〰️ The event will also be livestreamed on our website, YouTube, and Facebook

To help us prepare, please notify the church office at (610) 584-4480 or email [email protected] if you plan to attend.

05/29/2026

It is 500 years since the Bible has been translated from Greek into English. We look forward to releasing a podcast shortly on William Tyndale's role in this. We welcome Dr. Tony Watkins, Fellow of Public Engagement, from Tyndale House in Cambridge, UK to speak about Tyndale's pivotal role in bringing the Bible into English.

05/20/2026

The church has always been encouraged to share the message of Jesus Christ far and wide. This has led missionaries to go to some of the most remote places on earth. What does that practically look like? In this podcast, we ask Steve Biggerstaff of JAARS (Jungle Aviation and Radio Services) about presenting the message of Jesus Christ in some of the most remote places of earth.

Mission work has always been associated with the church. Some mission work takes place in remote corners of the world where telecommunication, airplanes, and even roads do not exist. What does it take to get the message of Jesus Christ to these re...