The Ancient Tool That’s Helping Churches Lead with Confidence in 2025

In today’s episode, we’re pulling wisdom from the past to solve one of the most pressing challenges of today: how to lead a church in a culture that’s spiritually curious—but deeply skeptical. You’ll discover why the Nicene Creed—yes, that ancient statement of faith—might be the most relevant discipleship tool for this cultural moment. We’ll unpack how to use it to build trust, foster spiritual resilience, and guide your church with clarity and confidence in a time of confusion.

We welcome Glenn Packiam, lead pastor of Rock Harbor Church in Costa Mesa, CA, to explore the question at the heart of his new book, What is a Christian Anyway? The conversation dives deep into the confusion and corruption that have shaped the perception of Christianity today, the power of the Nicene Creed to anchor believers, and how churches can effectively disciple in an age of skepticism.

Key Themes & Quotes

1. The Big Question: What is a Christian Anyway?

  • Glenn describes how many people walking away from Christianity are actually rejecting a distorted version of it rather than the true faith.
  • “If I have the chance to talk to someone deconstructing, I’ll ask: Tell me about the faith you’re leaving, because sometimes it’s not Christianity at all.”
  • The modern church faces two strong cultural forces:
    • Corruption – Christianity being co-opted for political and social agendas.
    • Confusion – The overwhelming number of voices shaping what people believe.

2. How the Nicene Creed Serves as a Lifeline

  • Glenn argues that the Nicene Creed is an anchor in the midst of confusion.
  • “The Creed is like a rope in a blizzard—it keeps us tethered to something solid when everything around us is swirling.”
  • Many people build their faith around a church leader, a trend, or a movement—but the Creed re-centers Christianity on Christ Himself.
  • The Creed both unifies and purifies:
    • Unifies: It connects believers across denominations and history.
    • Purifies: It prioritizes core Christian beliefs over secondary issues.
  • “The Creed acts like a bumper lane for theology—it keeps us from going off course.”

3. Why Churches Drift from the Core

  • Many churches overemphasize secondary issues instead of keeping the main thing the main thing.
  • Glenn shares: “People will always attach themselves to something—if it’s not the core of Christianity, it will be something less sturdy.”
  • Instead of rooting people in ancient truth, many churches are shaped more by cultural movements than by historic Christianity.

4. Reaching People in a Post-Trust Culture

  • Glenn references Barna research revealing only 34% of Americans see pastors as trustworthy on spiritual matters (and only 45% of churchgoers do!).
  • People today are spiritually open but deeply skeptical of institutions.
  • “We’ve shifted from militant atheism to indifferent agnosticism to now, a kind of curious skepticism.”
  • The biggest shift? People trust relationships over institutions.

5. How Churches Can Engage the Skeptical & Spiritually Curious

  • People reach people—not policies or position statements.
  • Practical ways to foster engagement:
    • Leverage conversations over cold doctrinal statements.
    • Acknowledge skepticism and ask questions first.
    • Teach theology, but show how it applies to daily life.
      • Glenn: “The Creed isn’t just something to memorize—it shapes how we actually live our faith.”
    • Create space for real objections. Rock Harbor Church’s Objections series allowed people to submit live questions about faith.

Practical Takeaways for Ministry Leaders

For Pastors & Church Leaders

✅ Use the Nicene Creed as a discipleship tool – Teach people how it frames belief and refocuses faith on Jesus.

✅ Reframe doctrine for daily living – Don’t just teach truth; show how it shapes life (e.g., What does “God from God, Light from Light” mean for how I work, rest, and love others?).

✅ Anticipate skepticism and address it upfront – Instead of assuming trust, acknowledge objections and respond with humility.

✅ Offer real engagement opportunities – Rock Harbor’s Objections series let people ask their toughest questions in a safe environment.

For Every Christian

💡 Learn and reflect on the Creed – It’s a trusted summary of core Christian beliefs that can strengthen your faith.

💡 Be ready to engage skeptical friends – Instead of debating, ask about their spiritual journey and listen well.

💡 Live your faith in tangible ways – The best apologetic isn’t just better arguments—it’s a transformed life.

💡 Remember: The church is not an event—it’s a community of people living differently.

Resources & Next Steps

📚 Glenn’s book: What is a Christian Anyway?

🔗 Free Ministry Resource: Glenn is offering 30 pages of sermon notes, discussion guides, and teaching videos on the Nicene Creed.

🔥 Final Encouragement: “It’s not enough to just believe the Creed—we have to live it. Christianity isn’t just about knowing the right things. It’s about being formed by them.” – Glenn Packiam