missions
The Hidden Cost of Avoiding Theology
By Jacob Percy at The Gospel Coalition
· June 27, 2026
· 6 min read
The early church didn’t develop doctrine because Christians enjoyed abstraction. It did so because silence proved costly. As the early church grew and spread, the baptismal confession that Jesus is Lord raised unavoidable questions: Who is he? How does he save? What does faith require? When the chur
Key takeaway It did so because silence proved costly.
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Category: missions ·
Published: June 27, 2026 ·
Source: The Gospel Coalition ·
Reading time: 6 min
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Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? The early church didn’t develop doctrine because Christians enjoyed abstraction. It did so because silence proved costly. As the early church grew and spread, the baptismal confession that Jesus is Lord raised unavoidable questions: Who is he? How does he save? What does faith require? When the chur
When was this published? This article was first published on June 27, 2026 by The Gospel Coalition and curated for Christgiving readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Jacob Percy at The Gospel Coalition. To learn more about how Christgiving selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more missions coverage from Christgiving, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .