Podcast Episode 28
Founding of the Church of God
with Dr. David Roebuck & host Nick Walters
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This episode of This Week in Christian History features an in-depth Deep Dive with Dr. David Roebuck, a leading historian of the Church of God in Cleveland, Tennessee, and Director of the Dixon Pentecostal Research Center at Lee University. Dr. Roebuck is widely recognized for his scholarship on the holiness movement, the rise of early Pentecostalism, and the distinctive Appalachian setting that shaped the formation of the Church of God. His expertise provides valuable background for anyone interested in how evangelical and Pentecostal traditions developed in the American South, how revival movements spread across rural communities, and how small gatherings built on prayer and Scripture eventually grew into international Christian denominations. This section focuses solely on Dr. Roebuck’s significance as a scholar and historian, without describing the content of the interview.
The episode also reflects on two major events from this week in Christian history that deepen our understanding of how Christian faith has shaped the world. One of these moments came in late August of 1901, when the American Standard Version of the Bible was published. It was the first major non-denominational English Bible produced since the Authorized King James Version of 1611, representing a significant shift in how Christians approached translation, scholarship, and access to Scripture. Building on the work of the English Revised Version of 1881, the ASV—printed by Thomas Nelson—became one of the foundational translations of the twentieth century and influenced many modern versions used in churches and personal study today.
Another event remembered this week is the birth of Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu on August 27, 1910, in what is now North Macedonia. The world would later know her as Mother Teresa. She joined an Irish convent at a young age, taking the name Teresa, and eventually moved to India, where she devoted her life to serving the poor, the dying, the orphaned, and the sick. Her compassion, her commitment to Christian service, and her work establishing homes and hospices across India made her one of the most recognized Christian figures of the modern era. Her life continues to inspire believers around the world to live out the teachings of Jesus through mercy, sacrifice, and love for those most in need.
