Christ over all things to the church.
Ephesians 1:22
When the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus, he prayed she would know “what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe” (1:19). What kind of power was this specifically? The power that “raised [Christ] from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority” (1:20). To a first century church surrounded by ideas and institutions set in opposition to Christ, this is what she needed to hear: Christ is over all. The church in our day faces the same temptation of the Ephesian Christians: to forget that Christ is Lord.
In light of this challenge, Christ Over All is a ministry that aspires to edify the church with evergreen content that will help the church think in biblical categories and apply Christ’s preeminence to all areas of life.
If it has to do with Christ, we will write on it. If it is under his feet, we will speak to it. From Bible and theology to the church and culture, Christ Over All will help the church apply all the Scriptures to all of life.
In an age where the internet is often hyper-reactive and hostile, Christ Over All takes a different path. Instead of chasing down every theological trend and cultural controversy, we organize our material around monthly themes with longform essays, shorter articles, and various podcasts that commend the timeless beauty of Christ and the goodness of Christian truth. Specifically, we publish two longform pieces each month (posted in print online and also read aloud in a podcast) and we discuss each longform with other Christian leaders through two additional podcasts . This core content is then surrounded by a number of concise essays on our monthly theme. These essays will come from our team (see below), but also from many others who share our Reformed and evangelical convictions.
As we stand on the confessional heritage passed down to us, so we write with a sense of Christian stewardship and a firm belief that Christ reigns over all. Accordingly, we engage modern discussions by bringing forward the best of Christian thought to help Christ’s bride live in a manner worthy of the gospel. For more on our vision and approach, you can read our founding essays.
As Orthodox Protestants, we affirm the theological heritage of the following creeds and historic commitments: the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Definition of Chalcedon, the Five Solas of the Protestant Reformation.
As Reformed Baptists, we broadly affirm the Second London Baptist Confession (1689). As an editorial team, we are persuaded that progressive covenantalism provides a more exact reading of Scripture than any other system of interpretation. That said, as beneficiaries of many Reformed and Protestant traditions, we will publish authors whose articles do not directly contradict our Reformed Baptist and Progressive Covenantal convictions.
As Bible-believing evangelicals, we maintain the doctrinal and ethical commitments of the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy (1978), the Danvers Statement on Biblical Complementarity (1987), the Nashville Statement on Biblical Sexuality (2017), and the Augustine School Statement on Social Theory (2022).
As apologists for seeing Christ over all things in creation, we believe making disciples is the central mission of the church. While we long to see culture infused with the light of Christ, Christ Over All is committed to proclaiming the gospel and equipping the church to obey her Lord.
Christ in all of Scripture: Interpreting and applying the whole counsel of God through the new covenant work of Jesus Christ.
Christ over the church: Bringing forward the best of Christian history and contemporary scholarship to build up Christ’s bride so that she might display his glory in this age and the next.
Christ over all things: Honoring Christ as Lord in our pursuit of ethics, sound doctrine, and public theology and strengthening the church for a vital witness for Christ among the nations.
Editor-in-Chief: David Schrock • Theological Editors: Stephen Wellum, Ardel Caneday, Brad Green • Pastoral Editor: Trent Hunter • Managing Editor: Kevin McClure • Editorial Email: Christisoverall@gmail.com
We’re looking for like-minded partners to help resource this endeavor.
We are assembling a band of warrior-poets to beautify Christ’s church with truth. We would love to tell you more.
“If Christianity is really true, then it involves the whole man … Christianity is not just ‘dogmatically’ true or ‘doctrinally’ true. Rather, it is true to what is there, true in the whole area of the whole man in all of life.”
Francis Schaeffer
Applying All the Scriptures to All of Life
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Editor-in-Chief: David Schrock • Theological Editors: Stephen Wellum, Ardel Caneday, Brad Green • Pastoral Editor: Trent Hunter • Managing Editor: Kevin McClure • Assistant Editor: Luke Uhl
Editorial Email: Christisoverall@gmail.com
Jared Bridges is pastor of family ministry at Occoquan Bible Church in Woodbridge, Virginia. A graduate of the University of Tennessee and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, he is currently a vice president for Family Research Council, where he serves as editor-in-chief of its news and commentary outlet, The Washington Stand.
Ardel Caneday continues as an adjunct faculty member at University of Northwestern after recently retiring from his role as Professor of New Testament & Greek. Ardel completed the MDiv and ThM at Grace Theological Seminary and the PhD in New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He is a founding elder of Christ Bible Church. He co-edited with Matthew Barrett Four Views on the Historical Adam, co-authored with Thomas R. Schreiner The Race Set Before Us, and has published many articles in Christian magazines, journals, books, and online.
Rod Fillinger is a bi-vocational pastor for biblical counseling and benevolence at Occoquan Bible Church in Woodbridge, VA, where he has served since 2002. He is a lawyer by training and currently serves as the Inspector General for the Denali Commission in Anchorage, AK.
Jason Glas is Executive Vice President and Director of Real Estate Capital Markets at Ameris Bank (Atlanta, GA). He holds a B.A. in History, an M. Div. in Biblical and Theological Studies, and is a graduate of the of The Graduate Banking School at LSU. Jason is passionate about local churches magnifying Christ’s worth, and he serves as an elder at Covenant Baptist Church(Valdosta, GA), a board member of the Institute of Public Theology, and the board chair of Reaching & Teaching International Ministries.
Bradley G. Green is Professor of Theological Studies at Union University (Jackson, TN), and is Professor of Philosophy and Theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Louisville, KY) . He is the author of several articles and books, including The Gospel and the Mind: Recovering and Shaping the Intellectual Life (Crossway); Covenant and Commandment: Works, Obedience, and Faithfulness in the Christian Life (New Studies in Biblical Theology, IVP); Augustine: His Life and Impact (Christian Focus). Brad is a member of First Baptist Church (Jackson, TN), where he works with college students.
Trent Hunter is the pastor for preaching and teaching at Heritage Bible Church in Greer, South Carolina. Trent is a graduate of Moody Bible Institute and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is the author of Graphical Greek, an electronic reference guide for biblical Greek, Joshua in Crossway's Knowing the Bible series, and is co-author of Christ from Beginning to End: How the Full Story of Scripture Reveals the Full Glory of Christ. Trent is an Instructor for the Charles Simeon Trust Workshops on Biblical Exposition.
Kevin McClure is a PhD candidate in New Testament at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (SBTS) in Louisville, Kentucky. He previously served as an Associate Pastor in Indianapolis, where he chaired the elder board and oversaw pastoral training and discipleship. Kevin was an adjunct professor and board secretary for Indianapolis Theological Seminary, and founded the church planting organization Plant Indy. He is a member of Hunsinger Lane Baptist Church where he serves as a small group leader.
David Schrock is the pastor for preaching and theology at Occoquan Bible Church in Woodbridge, Virginia. David is a two-time graduate of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is a founding faculty member and professor of theology at Indianapolis Theology Seminary. And he is the author of Royal Priesthood and Glory of God along with many journal articles and online essays.
Stephen Wellum is professor of Christian theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He received his MDiv and PhD from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He is the author of numerous essays, articles, and books. He is also the co-author with Peter Gentry of Kingdom through Covenant, 2nd edition (Crossway, 2012, 2018) and the author of God the Son Incarnate: The Doctrine of the Person of Christ (Crossway, 2016).