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MP3 Available Here
Monday, May 31, 2010
Friday, May 28, 2010
Dr. David Murray: Old Covenant Salvation: By Grace Alone Through Faith Alone?
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MP3 Available Here
Dr. David Murray, former pastor at Lochcarron Free Church of Scotland and at Stornoway Free Church of Scotland (Continuing), and currently Professor of Old Testament and Practical Theology, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, MI (see http://www.puritanseminary.org/), will address the theme: "Old Covenant Salvation: By Grace Alone Through Faith Alone?"
Many today not only believe that "the God of the Old Covenant" was less gracious, loving and merciful than "the God of the New Covenant" (giving the impression that God is now "the New and Improved God"), but also that sinners under the Old Covenant were saved, or made right with God, in a different manner than sinners in the New Covenant. These folks will often claim their understanding of what the Scriptures teach is that sinners had to earn their salvation through obedience to the Law under the Old Covenant, and that today, in the New Covenant, sinners are saved in a new, more gracious, loving and merciful way: by grace alone through faith alone. But is this contrast between salvation in the Old Covenant and the New Covenant accurate? If not, why are we taught that Christians are in a "new and better covenant"?
Tonight Dr. David Murray will seek to bring clarity on this important issue in a world of theological confusion.
MP3 Available Here
Dr. David Murray, former pastor at Lochcarron Free Church of Scotland and at Stornoway Free Church of Scotland (Continuing), and currently Professor of Old Testament and Practical Theology, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, MI (see http://www.puritanseminary.org/), will address the theme: "Old Covenant Salvation: By Grace Alone Through Faith Alone?"Many today not only believe that "the God of the Old Covenant" was less gracious, loving and merciful than "the God of the New Covenant" (giving the impression that God is now "the New and Improved God"), but also that sinners under the Old Covenant were saved, or made right with God, in a different manner than sinners in the New Covenant. These folks will often claim their understanding of what the Scriptures teach is that sinners had to earn their salvation through obedience to the Law under the Old Covenant, and that today, in the New Covenant, sinners are saved in a new, more gracious, loving and merciful way: by grace alone through faith alone. But is this contrast between salvation in the Old Covenant and the New Covenant accurate? If not, why are we taught that Christians are in a "new and better covenant"?
Tonight Dr. David Murray will seek to bring clarity on this important issue in a world of theological confusion.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Gregory Reynolds: The Word is Worth a Thousand Pictures: Preaching in the Electronic Age
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MP3 Available Here
Gregory Reynolds, pastor of Amoskeag Presbyterian Church (OPC) in Manchester, NH (see http://www.amoskeagchurch.org/) will address the theme of his book: "The Word is Worth a Thousand Pictures: Preaching in the Electronic Age".
The Word is Worth a Thousand Pictures: Preaching in the Electronic Age seeks to integrate media ecology with historic Christianity in developing a homiletical theory which will enable pastors to be more effective communicators. In the process Reynolds assesses the work of theorists such as McLuhan, Ellul, Ong, and second generation such as Postman and
Meyrowitz. He argues that a Judeo-Christian view of texts and rhetoric explains the profundity of the insights of all of the founders just mentioned. He seeks to make this "hidden ground" explicit and challenge Christian thinkers to develop a theory of communication and suggests the contours of this theoretical foundation.
Dr. Reynolds has been a minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church since 1980. He is also Headmaster of the Granite State School of Theology & Missions. He has the M.Div. from Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, PA, and the D.Min. from Westminster Theological Seminary in California.
You can read an article Dr. Reynolds wrote on "Seeing & Hearing" for "Ordained Servant" here: http://www.opc.org/os.html?article_id=27.
MP3 Available Here
Gregory Reynolds, pastor of Amoskeag Presbyterian Church (OPC) in Manchester, NH (see http://www.amoskeagchurch.org/) will address the theme of his book: "The Word is Worth a Thousand Pictures: Preaching in the Electronic Age".The Word is Worth a Thousand Pictures: Preaching in the Electronic Age seeks to integrate media ecology with historic Christianity in developing a homiletical theory which will enable pastors to be more effective communicators. In the process Reynolds assesses the work of theorists such as McLuhan, Ellul, Ong, and second generation such as Postman and
Meyrowitz. He argues that a Judeo-Christian view of texts and rhetoric explains the profundity of the insights of all of the founders just mentioned. He seeks to make this "hidden ground" explicit and challenge Christian thinkers to develop a theory of communication and suggests the contours of this theoretical foundation.
Dr. Reynolds has been a minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church since 1980. He is also Headmaster of the Granite State School of Theology & Missions. He has the M.Div. from Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, PA, and the D.Min. from Westminster Theological Seminary in California.
You can read an article Dr. Reynolds wrote on "Seeing & Hearing" for "Ordained Servant" here: http://www.opc.org/os.html?article_id=27.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
D.A. Carson: The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God
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MP3 Available Here
D.A. Carson, research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois since 1978, will address the theme of his book: "The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God".
As the publishers describe Dr. Carson's book:
A noted evangelical scholar presents a serious treatment of the doctrine of the love of God and an honest, biblically sound handling of its difficulties and problematic passages. He critiques sentimental ideas such as "God hates the sin, but loves the sinner" and provides interesting perspective on how God loves us. This discussion is blended with consideration of God's sovereignty and His wrath, both of which are important elements of His love, and does away with trivialities and cliches to get to the heart of the matter.
Dr. Carson received the Bachelor of Science in chemistry from McGill University, the Master of Divinity from Central Baptist Seminary in Toronto, and the Doctor of Philosophy in New Testament from Cambridge University.
Dr. Carson's areas of expertise include biblical theology, the historical Jesus, postmodernism, pluralism, Greek grammar, Johannine theology, Pauline theology, and questions of suffering and evil. He is a member of the Tyndale Fellowship for Biblical Research, the Society of Biblical Literature, the Evangelical Theological Society, the Canadian Society of Biblical Studies, and the Institute for Biblical Research.
Dr. Carson has written or edited more than fifty books, including The Sermon on the Mount (Baker 1978), Exegetical Fallacies (Baker 1984), Matthew (Zondervan 1984), From Triumphalism to Maturity (Baker 1984), Showing the Spirit (Baker 1987), How Long, O Lord? Reflections on Suffering and Evil (Baker 1990), The Gospel According to John (Eerdmans 1991), A Call to Spiritual Reformation (Baker 1992), New Testament Commentary Survey, 6th ed. (Baker 2006) and Becoming Conversant with the Emerging Church (Zondervan, 2005). His book, The Gagging of God: Christianity Confronts Pluralism (Zondervan 1996), won the 1997 Evangelical Christian Publishers Association Gold Medallion Award in the category "theology and doctrine." He coauthored An Introduction to the New Testament (Zondervan 1991) and other works. His edited works include It Is Written: Scripture Citing Scripture (Cambridge University Press 1988) and Biblical Greek Language and Linguistics (Sheffield Academic Press 1993). Dr. Carson occasionally writes and edits with faculty colleague John Woodbridge; together they wrote the novel Letters Along the Way (Crossway 1993) and edited Scripture and Truth (Baker 1992) and God and Culture (Eerdmans 1993) (see http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_sc_0_6?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=d.+a+carson&sprefix=D.+ A.+).
Dr. Carson was founding chair of the GRAMCORD Institute, a research and educational institution designed to develop and promote computer-related tools for research into the Bible, focusing especially on the original languages. Dr. Carson is an active guest lecturer in academic and church settings around the world.
MP3 Available Here
D.A. Carson, research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois since 1978, will address the theme of his book: "The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God".As the publishers describe Dr. Carson's book:
A noted evangelical scholar presents a serious treatment of the doctrine of the love of God and an honest, biblically sound handling of its difficulties and problematic passages. He critiques sentimental ideas such as "God hates the sin, but loves the sinner" and provides interesting perspective on how God loves us. This discussion is blended with consideration of God's sovereignty and His wrath, both of which are important elements of His love, and does away with trivialities and cliches to get to the heart of the matter.
Dr. Carson received the Bachelor of Science in chemistry from McGill University, the Master of Divinity from Central Baptist Seminary in Toronto, and the Doctor of Philosophy in New Testament from Cambridge University.
Dr. Carson's areas of expertise include biblical theology, the historical Jesus, postmodernism, pluralism, Greek grammar, Johannine theology, Pauline theology, and questions of suffering and evil. He is a member of the Tyndale Fellowship for Biblical Research, the Society of Biblical Literature, the Evangelical Theological Society, the Canadian Society of Biblical Studies, and the Institute for Biblical Research.
Dr. Carson has written or edited more than fifty books, including The Sermon on the Mount (Baker 1978), Exegetical Fallacies (Baker 1984), Matthew (Zondervan 1984), From Triumphalism to Maturity (Baker 1984), Showing the Spirit (Baker 1987), How Long, O Lord? Reflections on Suffering and Evil (Baker 1990), The Gospel According to John (Eerdmans 1991), A Call to Spiritual Reformation (Baker 1992), New Testament Commentary Survey, 6th ed. (Baker 2006) and Becoming Conversant with the Emerging Church (Zondervan, 2005). His book, The Gagging of God: Christianity Confronts Pluralism (Zondervan 1996), won the 1997 Evangelical Christian Publishers Association Gold Medallion Award in the category "theology and doctrine." He coauthored An Introduction to the New Testament (Zondervan 1991) and other works. His edited works include It Is Written: Scripture Citing Scripture (Cambridge University Press 1988) and Biblical Greek Language and Linguistics (Sheffield Academic Press 1993). Dr. Carson occasionally writes and edits with faculty colleague John Woodbridge; together they wrote the novel Letters Along the Way (Crossway 1993) and edited Scripture and Truth (Baker 1992) and God and Culture (Eerdmans 1993) (see http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_sc_0_6?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=d.+a+carson&sprefix=D.+ A.+).
Dr. Carson was founding chair of the GRAMCORD Institute, a research and educational institution designed to develop and promote computer-related tools for research into the Bible, focusing especially on the original languages. Dr. Carson is an active guest lecturer in academic and church settings around the world.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Stephanie O. Hubach: Those with Disabilities Help to Make Us Whole
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mp3 available here
Stephanie O. Hubach, Director of Special Needs Ministries for the Mission to North America (MNA), an agency of the Presbyterian Church in America (see www.pca-mna.org/specialneeds ), will address the theme: "Those with Disabilities Help to Make Us Whole."
In 1992, Timmy Hubach, the youngest son of our guest Stephanie and
her husband Fred, was born with Down Syndrome. Tonight's theme comes from the title of an article written by Stephanie for By Faith magazine, which eventually lead to the book Stephanie wrote, released by P & R Publishing in 2006, titled Same Lake, Different Boat: Coming Alongside People Touched By Disability (see http://www.prpbooks.com/inventory.html?target=indiv_title&id=1011).
Cohosting tonight's broadcast are two pastors, Doug Totter of Grace Reformed Baptist Church of Long Island in Merrick, NY (www.GraceReformedBaptistChurch.com), and Jim Capo of the Massapequa Church of God in Massapequa, NY (see http://www.merchantcircle.com/business/Massapequa.Church.of.Gad.516-799-2421), who both have children with disabilities.
Some of the subject matter in this interview will also be drawn from the book Too Wise To Be Mistaken, Too Good To Be Unkind: Christian Parents Contend with Autism, by Cathy Steere (see http://www.graceandtruthbooks.com/product/too-wise-to-be-mistaken-too-good-to-be-unkind).
You can read an interview with By Faith magazine and Stephanie here:
http://www.pca-mna.org/specialneeds/Resources/ByFaithInterview07.pdf.
mp3 available here
Stephanie O. Hubach, Director of Special Needs Ministries for the Mission to North America (MNA), an agency of the Presbyterian Church in America (see www.pca-mna.org/specialneeds ), will address the theme: "Those with Disabilities Help to Make Us Whole."In 1992, Timmy Hubach, the youngest son of our guest Stephanie and
her husband Fred, was born with Down Syndrome. Tonight's theme comes from the title of an article written by Stephanie for By Faith magazine, which eventually lead to the book Stephanie wrote, released by P & R Publishing in 2006, titled Same Lake, Different Boat: Coming Alongside People Touched By Disability (see http://www.prpbooks.com/inventory.html?target=indiv_title&id=1011).
Cohosting tonight's broadcast are two pastors, Doug Totter of Grace Reformed Baptist Church of Long Island in Merrick, NY (www.GraceReformedBaptistChurch.com), and Jim Capo of the Massapequa Church of God in Massapequa, NY (see http://www.merchantcircle.com/business/Massapequa.Church.of.Gad.516-799-2421), who both have children with disabilities.
Some of the subject matter in this interview will also be drawn from the book Too Wise To Be Mistaken, Too Good To Be Unkind: Christian Parents Contend with Autism, by Cathy Steere (see http://www.graceandtruthbooks.com/product/too-wise-to-be-mistaken-too-good-to-be-unkind).
You can read an interview with By Faith magazine and Stephanie here:
http://www.pca-mna.org/specialneeds/Resources/ByFaithInterview07.pdf.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
R.C. Sproul: Tough Questions Christians Face
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MP3 Available Here
Dr. Sproul will discuss: "Tough Questions Christians Face" (the theme of Ligonier Ministries' 2010 National Conference. We also will be announcing the new College at Ligonier Academy of Biblical and Theological Studies!
PART 2 (6:30-7pm EDT):
Ken Jones, former senior pastor of Greater Union Baptist Church in Compton, CA (1990-2010), the new senior pastor of Glendale Missionary Baptist Church in Miami, FL (see www.GlendaleMBChurch.org), and regular panel member on Michael Horton's theologically Reformed, nationally syndicated talk radio broadcast "The White Horse Inn," will address the theme: "Ligonier Ministries' Impact on My Faith". Pastor Ken also contributed to "Glory Road: The Journeys of 10 African-Americans into Reformed Christianity".
MP3 Available Here
Dr. Sproul will discuss: "Tough Questions Christians Face" (the theme of Ligonier Ministries' 2010 National Conference. We also will be announcing the new College at Ligonier Academy of Biblical and Theological Studies!PART 2 (6:30-7pm EDT):
Ken Jones, former senior pastor of Greater Union Baptist Church in Compton, CA (1990-2010), the new senior pastor of Glendale Missionary Baptist Church in Miami, FL (see www.GlendaleMBChurch.org), and regular panel member on Michael Horton's theologically Reformed, nationally syndicated talk radio broadcast "The White Horse Inn," will address the theme: "Ligonier Ministries' Impact on My Faith". Pastor Ken also contributed to "Glory Road: The Journeys of 10 African-Americans into Reformed Christianity".
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
William Norman Grigg: Arizona's Immigration Law (SB1070): A Christian Libertarian's & Constitutionalist's Response
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MP3 Available Here
William Norman Grigg, award-winning investigative journalist, former Mormon High Priest who converted to Evangelical Christianity, former Senior Editor of The New American magazine and the author of America's Engineered Decline, Global Gun Grab, Freedom on the Altar: The UN's Crusade Against God and Family and The Gospel of Revolt: Feminism vs. the Family (see http://www.willgrigg.com/), will address the theme: "Arizona's Immigration Law (SB1070): A Christian Libertarian's & Constitutionalist's Response".
On Friday, April 23, the Arizona legislature passed SB1070, the toughest measure against illegal immigration in the United States (see http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/49leg/2r/bills/sb1070h.pdf). According to SB1070, local police are now authorized to stop and check the immigration status of anyone they suspect of being in the country illegally. According to a new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey, 70% of likely voters in Arizona approve of the legislation, while just 23% oppose it.
Although many conservatives, rightly concerned with the dangers Americans face due to rampant illegal alien-related crime, applaud the passing of SB1070, other patriotic Americans believe it is dangerously unconstitutional, and fear this statute has been enacted to further propel our nation into a Police State. This latter group also fears the provisions of the law cannot be executed without violating personal liberty, and questions whether or not it is consistent with well-established, constitutional principles of individual freedom, limited government and federalism. Tonight William Norman Grigg will give one Christian Libertarian's & Constitutionalist's insights regarding this controversy, made even more relevant due to his own Mexican ethnicity.
MP3 Available Here
William Norman Grigg, award-winning investigative journalist, former Mormon High Priest who converted to Evangelical Christianity, former Senior Editor of The New American magazine and the author of America's Engineered Decline, Global Gun Grab, Freedom on the Altar: The UN's Crusade Against God and Family and The Gospel of Revolt: Feminism vs. the Family (see http://www.willgrigg.com/), will address the theme: "Arizona's Immigration Law (SB1070): A Christian Libertarian's & Constitutionalist's Response".On Friday, April 23, the Arizona legislature passed SB1070, the toughest measure against illegal immigration in the United States (see http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/49leg/2r/bills/sb1070h.pdf). According to SB1070, local police are now authorized to stop and check the immigration status of anyone they suspect of being in the country illegally. According to a new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey, 70% of likely voters in Arizona approve of the legislation, while just 23% oppose it.
Although many conservatives, rightly concerned with the dangers Americans face due to rampant illegal alien-related crime, applaud the passing of SB1070, other patriotic Americans believe it is dangerously unconstitutional, and fear this statute has been enacted to further propel our nation into a Police State. This latter group also fears the provisions of the law cannot be executed without violating personal liberty, and questions whether or not it is consistent with well-established, constitutional principles of individual freedom, limited government and federalism. Tonight William Norman Grigg will give one Christian Libertarian's & Constitutionalist's insights regarding this controversy, made even more relevant due to his own Mexican ethnicity.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Rod Gragg: Forged in Faith: How Faith Shaped the Birth of the Nation (1607-1776)
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MP3 Available Here
Rod Gragg, former journalist, award-winning historian and author, and Director of the Center for Military and Veterans Studies at Coastal Carolina University in South Carolina (see http://www.coastal.edu/), will address the theme of his new book: "Forged in Faith: How Faith Shaped the Birth of the Nation (1607-1776)".
As the publishers describe Mr. Gragg's new book:
This fascinating history, based on meticulous research into the correspondence and documentation of the founding fathers leading up to and encompassing the crafting of the Declaration of Independence, sheds light on how the Judeo-Christian worldview motivated America's founding fathers, influenced national independence, inspired our foundational documents, and established the American nation. Written with the pacing and drama of an enticing drama, Forged in Faith is crafted for popular appeal with a compelling mix of dramatized story and action-driven narrative, yet with the authenticity and academic verity of historian Rod Gragg.
Rod Gragg is the author of many books, including Confederate Goliath: The Battle of Fort Fisher, which won the New York City Civil War Round Table's Fletcher Pratt Award as the best Civil War book of the year. He is also the author of The Illustrated Confederate Reader, which earned the Douglas Southall Freeman Award for History, The Civil War Quiz and Fact Book, The Old West Quiz and Fact Book, and other works of history. His works have also earned the James I. Robertson Award and other honors, and have been selected for the Book-of-the-Month Club, the History Book Club and the Military History Book Club. He and his family live in Conway, South Carolina. You can see a list of Mr. Gragg's books here: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_7?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=rod+gragg&sprefix=Rod+Gra
MP3 Available Here
Rod Gragg, former journalist, award-winning historian and author, and Director of the Center for Military and Veterans Studies at Coastal Carolina University in South Carolina (see http://www.coastal.edu/), will address the theme of his new book: "Forged in Faith: How Faith Shaped the Birth of the Nation (1607-1776)".
As the publishers describe Mr. Gragg's new book:
This fascinating history, based on meticulous research into the correspondence and documentation of the founding fathers leading up to and encompassing the crafting of the Declaration of Independence, sheds light on how the Judeo-Christian worldview motivated America's founding fathers, influenced national independence, inspired our foundational documents, and established the American nation. Written with the pacing and drama of an enticing drama, Forged in Faith is crafted for popular appeal with a compelling mix of dramatized story and action-driven narrative, yet with the authenticity and academic verity of historian Rod Gragg.
Rod Gragg is the author of many books, including Confederate Goliath: The Battle of Fort Fisher, which won the New York City Civil War Round Table's Fletcher Pratt Award as the best Civil War book of the year. He is also the author of The Illustrated Confederate Reader, which earned the Douglas Southall Freeman Award for History, The Civil War Quiz and Fact Book, The Old West Quiz and Fact Book, and other works of history. His works have also earned the James I. Robertson Award and other honors, and have been selected for the Book-of-the-Month Club, the History Book Club and the Military History Book Club. He and his family live in Conway, South Carolina. You can see a list of Mr. Gragg's books here: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_7?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=rod+gragg&sprefix=Rod+Gra
Friday, May 14, 2010
"Saturday or Sunday: Which Day is the Christian Sabbath?" A Debate Between Baptists (Part 4)
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MP3 Available Here
Rod Henry: "Saturday is the Christian Sabbath!"
Rod Henry is pastor of Next Step Christian Church (Seventh Day Baptist) in Thornton, Colorado. Rod's first calling was to be a missionary to the Philippines, where he did evangelism, church planting and developed a program for training Filipino pastors. He is author of The Filipino Spirit World: A Challenge to the Church . Rod received his Master of Theology (ThM) degree in the field of Missions from Fuller Seminary. For 14 years he served as Director of Extension, Director of Pastoral Services, and Interim Executive Secretary of the Seventh Day Baptist General Conference. He developed the Training In Ministry by Extension (TIME) program to train pastors in the US and around the world. He also wrote the book, The Sabbath: God’s Creation for our Benefit, which has been translated into over 10 languages.
MP3 Available Here
Rod Henry: "Saturday is the Christian Sabbath!"Rod Henry is pastor of Next Step Christian Church (Seventh Day Baptist) in Thornton, Colorado. Rod's first calling was to be a missionary to the Philippines, where he did evangelism, church planting and developed a program for training Filipino pastors. He is author of The Filipino Spirit World: A Challenge to the Church . Rod received his Master of Theology (ThM) degree in the field of Missions from Fuller Seminary. For 14 years he served as Director of Extension, Director of Pastoral Services, and Interim Executive Secretary of the Seventh Day Baptist General Conference. He developed the Training In Ministry by Extension (TIME) program to train pastors in the US and around the world. He also wrote the book, The Sabbath: God’s Creation for our Benefit, which has been translated into over 10 languages.
Sam Waldron: "Sunday is the Christian Sabbath!"
Sam Waldron is pastor of Heritage Baptist Church of Owensboro, Kentucky. He is also the academic dean and the Professor of Systematic Theology at the Midwest Center for Theological Studies. Sam received a B.A. from Cornerstone University, an M.Div. from Trinity Ministerial Academy, a Th.M. from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Before pastoring in Owensboro, Sam was a pastor of the Reformed Baptist Church of Grand Rapids, MI (1977-2001 ). He is the author of numerous books including To Be Continued: Are the Miraculous Gifts For Today?, 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith: A Modern Exposition, The End Times Made Simple, and A Reformed Baptist Manifesto: The New Covenant Constitution of the Church, and is a contributor to the four views book on church government (see http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=sam+waldron&x=16&y=18).
DEBATE SCHEDULE:
TUESDAY, MAY 11th: Rod Henry (alone) presents his case for the Saturday Sabbath (listeners may call in @ 631-482-8300).
WEDNESDAY, MAY 12th: Sam Waldron (alone) presents his case for the Sunday Sabbath (listeners may call in @ 631-482-8300).
THURSDAY, MAY 13th: Sam Waldron cross examines Rod Henry (first half-hour), then Rod Henry cross examines Sam Waldron (second half-hour): NO calls from listeners.
FRIDAY, MAY 14th: Rod Henry cross examines Sam Waldron (first half-hour), then Sam Waldron cross examines Rod Henry (second half-hour): NO calls from listeners.
We are arranging another 4-day debate on "Iron Sharpens Iron" in July, God willing, between John Reisinger of Sound of Grace Ministries (a non-Sabbatarian Baptist) & Sam Waldron on the theme: "Is the Decalogue for the New Covenant Church?"
Thursday, May 13, 2010
"Saturday or Sunday: Which Day is the Christian Sabbath?" A Debate Between Baptists (Part 3)
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MP3 Available Here
Rod Henry: "Saturday is the Christian Sabbath!"
Rod Henry is pastor of Next Step Christian Church (Seventh Day Baptist) in Thornton, Colorado. Rod's first calling was to be a missionary to the Philippines, where he did evangelism, church planting and developed a program for training Filipino pastors. He is author of The Filipino Spirit World: A Challenge to the Church . Rod received his Master of Theology (ThM) degree in the field of Missions from Fuller Seminary. For 14 years he served as Director of Extension, Director of Pastoral Services, and Interim Executive Secretary of the Seventh Day Baptist General Conference. He developed the Training In Ministry by Extension (TIME) program to train pastors in the US and around the world. He also wrote the book, The Sabbath: God’s Creation for our Benefit, which has been translated into over 10 languages.
MP3 Available Here
Rod Henry: "Saturday is the Christian Sabbath!"Rod Henry is pastor of Next Step Christian Church (Seventh Day Baptist) in Thornton, Colorado. Rod's first calling was to be a missionary to the Philippines, where he did evangelism, church planting and developed a program for training Filipino pastors. He is author of The Filipino Spirit World: A Challenge to the Church . Rod received his Master of Theology (ThM) degree in the field of Missions from Fuller Seminary. For 14 years he served as Director of Extension, Director of Pastoral Services, and Interim Executive Secretary of the Seventh Day Baptist General Conference. He developed the Training In Ministry by Extension (TIME) program to train pastors in the US and around the world. He also wrote the book, The Sabbath: God’s Creation for our Benefit, which has been translated into over 10 languages.
Sam Waldron: "Sunday is the Christian Sabbath!"
Sam Waldron is pastor of Heritage Baptist Church of Owensboro, Kentucky. He is also the academic dean and the Professor of Systematic Theology at the Midwest Center for Theological Studies. Sam received a B.A. from Cornerstone University, an M.Div. from Trinity Ministerial Academy, a Th.M. from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Before pastoring in Owensboro, Sam was a pastor of the Reformed Baptist Church of Grand Rapids, MI (1977-2001 ). He is the author of numerous books including To Be Continued: Are the Miraculous Gifts For Today?, 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith: A Modern Exposition, The End Times Made Simple, and A Reformed Baptist Manifesto: The New Covenant Constitution of the Church, and is a contributor to the four views book on church government (see http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=sam+waldron&x=16&y=18).
DEBATE SCHEDULE:
TUESDAY, MAY 11th: Rod Henry (alone) presents his case for the Saturday Sabbath (listeners may call in @ 631-482-8300).
WEDNESDAY, MAY 12th: Sam Waldron (alone) presents his case for the Sunday Sabbath (listeners may call in @ 631-482-8300).
THURSDAY, MAY 13th: Sam Waldron cross examines Rod Henry (first half-hour), then Rod Henry cross examines Sam Waldron (second half-hour): NO calls from listeners.
FRIDAY, MAY 14th: Rod Henry cross examines Sam Waldron (first half-hour), then Sam Waldron cross examines Rod Henry (second half-hour): NO calls from listeners.
We are arranging another 4-day debate on "Iron Sharpens Iron" in July, God willing, between John Reisinger of Sound of Grace Ministries (a non-Sabbatarian Baptist) & Sam Waldron on the theme: "Is the Decalogue for the New Covenant Church?"
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
"Saturday or Sunday: Which Day is the Christian Sabbath?" A Debate Between Baptists (Part 2)
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MP3 Available Here
Rod Henry: "Saturday is the Christian Sabbath!"
Rod Henry is pastor of Next Step Christian Church (Seventh Day Baptist) in Thornton, Colorado. Rod's first calling was to be a missionary to the Philippines, where he did evangelism, church planting and developed a program for training Filipino pastors. He is author of The Filipino Spirit World: A Challenge to the Church . Rod received his Master of Theology (ThM) degree in the field of Missions from Fuller Seminary. For 14 years he served as Director of Extension, Director of Pastoral Services, and Interim Executive Secretary of the Seventh Day Baptist General Conference. He developed the Training In Ministry by Extension (TIME) program to train pastors in the US and around the world. He also wrote the book, The Sabbath: God’s Creation for our Benefit, which has been translated into over 10 languages.
MP3 Available Here
Rod Henry: "Saturday is the Christian Sabbath!"Rod Henry is pastor of Next Step Christian Church (Seventh Day Baptist) in Thornton, Colorado. Rod's first calling was to be a missionary to the Philippines, where he did evangelism, church planting and developed a program for training Filipino pastors. He is author of The Filipino Spirit World: A Challenge to the Church . Rod received his Master of Theology (ThM) degree in the field of Missions from Fuller Seminary. For 14 years he served as Director of Extension, Director of Pastoral Services, and Interim Executive Secretary of the Seventh Day Baptist General Conference. He developed the Training In Ministry by Extension (TIME) program to train pastors in the US and around the world. He also wrote the book, The Sabbath: God’s Creation for our Benefit, which has been translated into over 10 languages.
Sam Waldron: "Sunday is the Christian Sabbath!"
Sam Waldron is pastor of Heritage Baptist Church of Owensboro, Kentucky. He is also the academic dean and the Professor of Systematic Theology at the Midwest Center for Theological Studies. Sam received a B.A. from Cornerstone University, an M.Div. from Trinity Ministerial Academy, a Th.M. from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Before pastoring in Owensboro, Sam was a pastor of the Reformed Baptist Church of Grand Rapids, MI (1977-2001 ). He is the author of numerous books including To Be Continued: Are the Miraculous Gifts For Today?, 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith: A Modern Exposition, The End Times Made Simple, and A Reformed Baptist Manifesto: The New Covenant Constitution of the Church, and is a contributor to the four views book on church government (see http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=sam+waldron&x=16&y=18).
DEBATE SCHEDULE:
TUESDAY, MAY 11th: Rod Henry (alone) presents his case for the Saturday Sabbath (listeners may call in @ 631-482-8300).
WEDNESDAY, MAY 12th: Sam Waldron (alone) presents his case for the Sunday Sabbath (listeners may call in @ 631-482-8300).
THURSDAY, MAY 13th: Sam Waldron cross examines Rod Henry (first half-hour), then Rod Henry cross examines Sam Waldron (second half-hour): NO calls from listeners.
FRIDAY, MAY 14th: Rod Henry cross examines Sam Waldron (first half-hour), then Sam Waldron cross examines Rod Henry (second half-hour): NO calls from listeners.
We are arranging another 4-day debate on "Iron Sharpens Iron" in July, God willing, between John Reisinger of Sound of Grace Ministries (a non-Sabbatarian Baptist) & Sam Waldron on the theme: "Is the Decalogue for the New Covenant Church?"
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
"Saturday or Sunday: Which Day is the Christian Sabbath?" A Debate Between Baptists (Part 1)
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MP3 Available Here
Rod Henry: "Saturday is the Christian Sabbath!"
Rod Henry is pastor of Next Step Christian Church (Seventh Day Baptist) in Thornton, Colorado. Rod's first calling was to be a missionary to the Philippines, where he did evangelism, church planting and developed a program for training Filipino pastors. He is author of The Filipino Spirit World: A Challenge to the Church . Rod received his Master of Theology (ThM) degree in the field of Missions from Fuller Seminary. For 14 years he served as Director of Extension, Director of Pastoral Services, and Interim Executive Secretary of the Seventh Day Baptist General Conference. He developed the Training In Ministry by Extension (TIME) program to train pastors in the US and around the world. He also wrote the book, The Sabbath: God’s Creation for our Benefit, which has been translated into over 10 languages.
MP3 Available Here
Rod Henry: "Saturday is the Christian Sabbath!"Rod Henry is pastor of Next Step Christian Church (Seventh Day Baptist) in Thornton, Colorado. Rod's first calling was to be a missionary to the Philippines, where he did evangelism, church planting and developed a program for training Filipino pastors. He is author of The Filipino Spirit World: A Challenge to the Church . Rod received his Master of Theology (ThM) degree in the field of Missions from Fuller Seminary. For 14 years he served as Director of Extension, Director of Pastoral Services, and Interim Executive Secretary of the Seventh Day Baptist General Conference. He developed the Training In Ministry by Extension (TIME) program to train pastors in the US and around the world. He also wrote the book, The Sabbath: God’s Creation for our Benefit, which has been translated into over 10 languages.
Sam Waldron: "Sunday is the Christian Sabbath!"
Sam Waldron is pastor of Heritage Baptist Church of Owensboro, Kentucky. He is also the academic dean and the Professor of Systematic Theology at the Midwest Center for Theological Studies. Sam received a B.A. from Cornerstone University, an M.Div. from Trinity Ministerial Academy, a Th.M. from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Before pastoring in Owensboro, Sam was a pastor of the Reformed Baptist Church of Grand Rapids, MI (1977-2001 ). He is the author of numerous books including To Be Continued: Are the Miraculous Gifts For Today?, 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith: A Modern Exposition, The End Times Made Simple, and A Reformed Baptist Manifesto: The New Covenant Constitution of the Church, and is a contributor to the four views book on church government (see http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=sam+waldron&x=16&y=18).
DEBATE SCHEDULE:
TUESDAY, MAY 11th: Rod Henry (alone) presents his case for the Saturday Sabbath (listeners may call in @ 631-482-8300).
WEDNESDAY, MAY 12th: Sam Waldron (alone) presents his case for the Sunday Sabbath (listeners may call in @ 631-482-8300).
THURSDAY, MAY 13th: Sam Waldron cross examines Rod Henry (first half-hour), then Rod Henry cross examines Sam Waldron (second half-hour): NO calls from listeners.
FRIDAY, MAY 14th: Rod Henry cross examines Sam Waldron (first half-hour), then Sam Waldron cross examines Rod Henry (second half-hour): NO calls from listeners.
We are arranging another 4-day debate on "Iron Sharpens Iron" in July, God willing, between John Reisinger of Sound of Grace Ministries (a non-Sabbatarian Baptist) & Sam Waldron on the theme: "Is the Decalogue for the New Covenant Church?"
Monday, May 10, 2010
Richard Belcher: A Layman's Guide to the Sabbath Question
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MP3 Available Here
Richard Belcher, founding pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in West Columbia, SC (see http://www.covenantbaptistsc.org/), will address the theme: "A Layman's Guide to the Sabbath Question".
From Tuesday, May 11th, through Friday, May 14th, "Iron Sharpens Iron" will be airing a 4-day live series entitled "Saturday or Sunday: Which Day is the Christian Sabbath?: A Debate Between Baptists". The participants in this debate are Samuel Waldron, one of the pastors of the Heritage Baptist Church of Owensboro, Kentucky and the Professor of Systematic Theology at the Midwest Center for Theological Studies, and Rod Henry, a former missionary to the Philippines and the pastor of Next Step Christian Church (Seventh Day Baptist) in Thornton, Colorado.
Tonight, in order to further prepare us for this week's 4-day debate, we have invited Dr. Richard Belcher on "Iron Sharpens Iron" to give us an overview of the book he edited, A Layman's Guide to the Sabbath Question.
Believers today have varying convictions concerning a day of worship and practices related to such a day. But how many understand why they do or do not follow such practices?
The authors (Dr. Richard Belcher & Richard Belcher Jr.) of this present volume seek to aid all believers in coming to a clearer understanding of this Sabbath question. First, they present three views concerning Sabbath or Lord's Day observance. Second, they compare these three positions. Finally, suggestions are given the reader to guide him to a personal conclusion in the matter.
All who read this work will not only develop a clearer understanding of their own position, but they will also come to a sharper focus of the other viewpoints and those tenets which distinguish the three.
Richard P. Belcher was born in St. Joseph, MO on October 12, 1934. He was the second child of three of Mr. and Mrs. George Delbert Belcher. He professed faith in Christ at the age of nine years, and was baptized at the First Baptist Church of St. Joseph. At the age of thirteen, the family moved to the St. Louis area, where he spent his high school years, participating in the sports of football, basketball and track. It was during his senior year at Kirkwood High School that he sensed God’s call to the ministry.Upon graduating from high school, he went to Hannibal LaGrange Baptist College in Hannibal, MO. Immediately he began preaching in local churches in the Missouri area, and then he began to pastor a rural church outside of Troy, MO as he started his sophomore year of college. During that year he also started another church outside of Wentzville, MO. After his sophomore year he married Mary Anne Casner of Troy, and they moved to Wheaton, IL so he could attend Wheaton College. While at Wheaton he started another church at Dekalb, IL and spent three and a half years pastoring there as he also finished college in 1956.
From Dekalb he moved his family (a wife, a son, Richard, Jr. and a daughter Anne Jeannette) back to Troy, MO, as he then spent the next two years in full time evangelistic work, traveling from church to church in itinerant ministry. He left this ministry in the Spring of 1961 to pastor the First Baptist Church of Washington Park, in East St. Louis, IL. He spent the next fifteen years pastoring this church, while at the same time he finished a Bachelor of Divinity degree, a Master of Arts degree, and a Master of Theology degree, all from Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis. He also finished all the class work for a Doctor of Theology degree, before moving to Columbia, SC in the summer of 1976 to join the faculty of Columbia Bible College (now Columbia International University). He went to CIU to teach Bible and theology, but now is Director of the Pastoral Ministries Program, and teaches Bible, Greek, Church History, Pastoral Ministries, Preaching, etc.
From this base in the following years he finished the Doctor of Theology degree from Concordia Theological Seminary in St. Louis in 1981, began Richbarry Press and the writing of many books about 1981 also, traveled extensively in ministry all over the states, participated in ministry in India. In the mid-nineties he began the ministry Evangelizing India for Christ. He and several other families also began Covenant Baptist Church in the Columbia area in the mid-nineties. He still remains active n all of these ministries.
His family now includes five grandchildren, two boys and three girls, plus five great-grandchildren. His son, Richard, is on the faculty of Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte, where he teaches in the Old Testament department, and his daughter Angie Gottman lives in Springfield, MO with her family.
His greatest joy is preaching and teaching the Word of God, or to lose himself in writing one of the journey books, as he watches the Lord spin the plot of the story around the strong theology he wishes to teach.
MP3 Available Here
Richard Belcher, founding pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in West Columbia, SC (see http://www.covenantbaptistsc.org/), will address the theme: "A Layman's Guide to the Sabbath Question".From Tuesday, May 11th, through Friday, May 14th, "Iron Sharpens Iron" will be airing a 4-day live series entitled "Saturday or Sunday: Which Day is the Christian Sabbath?: A Debate Between Baptists". The participants in this debate are Samuel Waldron, one of the pastors of the Heritage Baptist Church of Owensboro, Kentucky and the Professor of Systematic Theology at the Midwest Center for Theological Studies, and Rod Henry, a former missionary to the Philippines and the pastor of Next Step Christian Church (Seventh Day Baptist) in Thornton, Colorado.
Tonight, in order to further prepare us for this week's 4-day debate, we have invited Dr. Richard Belcher on "Iron Sharpens Iron" to give us an overview of the book he edited, A Layman's Guide to the Sabbath Question.
Believers today have varying convictions concerning a day of worship and practices related to such a day. But how many understand why they do or do not follow such practices?
The authors (Dr. Richard Belcher & Richard Belcher Jr.) of this present volume seek to aid all believers in coming to a clearer understanding of this Sabbath question. First, they present three views concerning Sabbath or Lord's Day observance. Second, they compare these three positions. Finally, suggestions are given the reader to guide him to a personal conclusion in the matter.
All who read this work will not only develop a clearer understanding of their own position, but they will also come to a sharper focus of the other viewpoints and those tenets which distinguish the three.
Richard P. Belcher was born in St. Joseph, MO on October 12, 1934. He was the second child of three of Mr. and Mrs. George Delbert Belcher. He professed faith in Christ at the age of nine years, and was baptized at the First Baptist Church of St. Joseph. At the age of thirteen, the family moved to the St. Louis area, where he spent his high school years, participating in the sports of football, basketball and track. It was during his senior year at Kirkwood High School that he sensed God’s call to the ministry.Upon graduating from high school, he went to Hannibal LaGrange Baptist College in Hannibal, MO. Immediately he began preaching in local churches in the Missouri area, and then he began to pastor a rural church outside of Troy, MO as he started his sophomore year of college. During that year he also started another church outside of Wentzville, MO. After his sophomore year he married Mary Anne Casner of Troy, and they moved to Wheaton, IL so he could attend Wheaton College. While at Wheaton he started another church at Dekalb, IL and spent three and a half years pastoring there as he also finished college in 1956.
From Dekalb he moved his family (a wife, a son, Richard, Jr. and a daughter Anne Jeannette) back to Troy, MO, as he then spent the next two years in full time evangelistic work, traveling from church to church in itinerant ministry. He left this ministry in the Spring of 1961 to pastor the First Baptist Church of Washington Park, in East St. Louis, IL. He spent the next fifteen years pastoring this church, while at the same time he finished a Bachelor of Divinity degree, a Master of Arts degree, and a Master of Theology degree, all from Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis. He also finished all the class work for a Doctor of Theology degree, before moving to Columbia, SC in the summer of 1976 to join the faculty of Columbia Bible College (now Columbia International University). He went to CIU to teach Bible and theology, but now is Director of the Pastoral Ministries Program, and teaches Bible, Greek, Church History, Pastoral Ministries, Preaching, etc.
From this base in the following years he finished the Doctor of Theology degree from Concordia Theological Seminary in St. Louis in 1981, began Richbarry Press and the writing of many books about 1981 also, traveled extensively in ministry all over the states, participated in ministry in India. In the mid-nineties he began the ministry Evangelizing India for Christ. He and several other families also began Covenant Baptist Church in the Columbia area in the mid-nineties. He still remains active n all of these ministries.
His family now includes five grandchildren, two boys and three girls, plus five great-grandchildren. His son, Richard, is on the faculty of Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte, where he teaches in the Old Testament department, and his daughter Angie Gottman lives in Springfield, MO with her family.
His greatest joy is preaching and teaching the Word of God, or to lose himself in writing one of the journey books, as he watches the Lord spin the plot of the story around the strong theology he wishes to teach.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Bruce A. Little: Francis Schaeffer: A Mind & Heart for God
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MP3 Available Here
Bruce A. Little, Professor of Philosophy & Director of the L. Rush Bush Center for Faith & Culture at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC (www.sebts.edu), will address the theme: "Francis Schaeffer: A Mind & Heart for God".
May marks the month that Francis A. Schaeffer, world renowned American Evangelical theologian, philosopher & pastor, went home to be with Christ for eternity in Glory (May 15, 1984). As Udo Middleman, President of the Francis A. Schaeffer Foundation, describes him:
"The unique contribution of Dr. Francis Schaeffer on a whole generation was the ability to communicate the truth of historic Biblical Christianity in a way that combined intellectual integrity with practical, loving care. This grew out of his extensive understanding of the Bible from a deep commitment to Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior and a critical study of the world of man. These two pillars supported his inquisitive and analytical mind on the solid reality of the truth of God's creation and of his revelation. He understood the roots of modern thinking in its rejection of reality and rationality and pointed out the logical conclusions in a wide range of disciplines and in society...
"The central thrust of Dr. Schaeffer's teaching is that Biblical Christianity is the truth about the real world. The only reason to be a Christian is an acknowledgment of what is objectively true about human beings, the real world and the basic human predicaments. The Bible is true in all that it affirms. This emphasis is not so much the summary of academic instructions or doctrinal positions. It is the result of a searching mind, of being exposed to human history, the European culture and art, and of in-depth discussions with knowledgeable people for a lifetime of study, observation and work..."
Tonight's theme, "Francis Schaeffer: A Mind & Heart for God", is also the title of a new book edited by our guest, Bruce A. Little. The book features the written addresses originally given on November 7 & 8, 2008, at the first ever conference about Schaeffer's significance in engaging culture, by those who knew him (see http://www.sebts.edu/faithandculture/events/francis-schaeffer-conference.aspx). These addresses are:
1. Francis A. Schaeffer: The Man (Udo Middelmann, President of the Francis A. Schaeffer Foundation)
2. Francis Schaeffer: His Apologetics (Jerram Barrs, Resident Scholar of the Francis A. Schaeffer Institute, Covenant Theological Seminary)
3. Francis Schaeffer in the Twenty-First Century (Ranald Macaulay, Founder of Christian Heritage, Cambridge)
4. Francis Schaeffer: His Legacy and His Influence on Evangelicalism (Jerram Barrs, Resident Scholar of the Francis A. Schaeffer Institute)
5. Sentimentality: Significance for Apologetics (Dick Keyes, Director of L’Abri Fellowship of Massachusetts)
As the publishers so aptly put it, "Schaeffer's contribution to interacting with people where they are is as relevant today, maybe more so, as in his lifetime."
MP3 Available Here
Bruce A. Little, Professor of Philosophy & Director of the L. Rush Bush Center for Faith & Culture at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC (www.sebts.edu), will address the theme: "Francis Schaeffer: A Mind & Heart for God".May marks the month that Francis A. Schaeffer, world renowned American Evangelical theologian, philosopher & pastor, went home to be with Christ for eternity in Glory (May 15, 1984). As Udo Middleman, President of the Francis A. Schaeffer Foundation, describes him:
"The unique contribution of Dr. Francis Schaeffer on a whole generation was the ability to communicate the truth of historic Biblical Christianity in a way that combined intellectual integrity with practical, loving care. This grew out of his extensive understanding of the Bible from a deep commitment to Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior and a critical study of the world of man. These two pillars supported his inquisitive and analytical mind on the solid reality of the truth of God's creation and of his revelation. He understood the roots of modern thinking in its rejection of reality and rationality and pointed out the logical conclusions in a wide range of disciplines and in society...
"The central thrust of Dr. Schaeffer's teaching is that Biblical Christianity is the truth about the real world. The only reason to be a Christian is an acknowledgment of what is objectively true about human beings, the real world and the basic human predicaments. The Bible is true in all that it affirms. This emphasis is not so much the summary of academic instructions or doctrinal positions. It is the result of a searching mind, of being exposed to human history, the European culture and art, and of in-depth discussions with knowledgeable people for a lifetime of study, observation and work..."
Tonight's theme, "Francis Schaeffer: A Mind & Heart for God", is also the title of a new book edited by our guest, Bruce A. Little. The book features the written addresses originally given on November 7 & 8, 2008, at the first ever conference about Schaeffer's significance in engaging culture, by those who knew him (see http://www.sebts.edu/faithandculture/events/francis-schaeffer-conference.aspx). These addresses are:
1. Francis A. Schaeffer: The Man (Udo Middelmann, President of the Francis A. Schaeffer Foundation)
2. Francis Schaeffer: His Apologetics (Jerram Barrs, Resident Scholar of the Francis A. Schaeffer Institute, Covenant Theological Seminary)
3. Francis Schaeffer in the Twenty-First Century (Ranald Macaulay, Founder of Christian Heritage, Cambridge)
4. Francis Schaeffer: His Legacy and His Influence on Evangelicalism (Jerram Barrs, Resident Scholar of the Francis A. Schaeffer Institute)
5. Sentimentality: Significance for Apologetics (Dick Keyes, Director of L’Abri Fellowship of Massachusetts)
As the publishers so aptly put it, "Schaeffer's contribution to interacting with people where they are is as relevant today, maybe more so, as in his lifetime."
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Tom Ascol: The Great Commission Resurgence Task Force: An Overview of this Effort & the Controversy Surrounding It
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MP3 Available Here
Tom Ascol, pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Cape Coral, Florida, the Executive Director of Founders Ministries and Editor of the Founders Journal , will address the theme: "The Great Commission Resurgence Task Force: An Overview of this Effort & the Controversy Surrounding It".
Back on March 12, our guest Tom Ascol posted on his blog:
Providence and a desire to be as thoughtful as I can have kept me from posting my thoughts on the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force (GCRTF) report presented by Chairman Ronnie Floyd to the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) on February 22, 2010. The report has received much attention, as you would expect and as it rightly should. Some of the assessments are very helpful and some are absurd, again, as expected. A helpful compilation of nearly everything on the web about the report can be found here.
From the outset I have been hopeful about and supportive of the GCRTF and their work. I encouraged our local association to express support for this effort. I was interviewed by the Missouri Baptist Pathway two weeks ago and answered some questions about the GCRTF report. The story accurate reflects my thoughts. Rather than repeating what I said then, I simply refer you to the link.
Overall, I am encouraged with the work of the GCRTF. I believe that the team that Johnny Hunt assembled has done a great job of assessing our current SBC structures in light of what ought to be our fundamental purpose for existing (as the report puts it, "to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every person in the world and to make disciples of all the nations"). The report consists of 6 "components" including 8 "core values." It is worth reading, or watching the video presentation of it, on the GCRTF website.
The task force has also been very open with Southern Baptists about their work and have sincerely solicited input. The job they undertook (and are still undertaking--this is an "interim" report; the final one will be released May 3, 2010) is monumental. Their recommendations, if approved and implemented by the SBC, will have implications for years to come. If nothing else, the GCRTF report should serve as a call for every Southern Baptist church to pay careful attention to the next 3 months and to send informed messengers to Orlando to vote on the recommendations with discernment.
Following are some of my thoughts on the report.
1. The call for repentance is refreshing to hear, coming as it does from respected pastors and denominational servants. It is a call that every Southern Baptist needs to heed. Joined to it is a call to stop the divisive "rhetoric" that has marred our fellowship and witness. Who can not be grateful for the following words from Ronnie Floyd?
I believe with all my heart that God is calling us to return to Him now in deep repentance of our sin, in brokenness over our sin, denying our pride and selfishness and returning to God with complete humility. The boasting, ego, and pride that goes on in our lives, our churches, and our denomination is unacceptable to God. The disunity in our churches and in our denomination is so wrong and sinful. We need to repent and return to God.
2. I am grateful for the demographic realities that are highlighted in the report. Our too-Western, too-American, too-Southern perspectives on the gospel, church and lostness need huge doses of reality that such demographics can provide. We ought to be embarrassed that we keep so many of our resources--personal and financial--so close to home when, 2000 years after our Lord's commission to make disciples of the nations, there are (in the words of the report) "5,845 people groups who have no access to the gospel of Jesus Christ."
3. I appreciate the emphasis on the local church. This needs to be asserted and reasserted all across the SBC. The report states,
We must return to the primacy and centrality of the local church in our denomination. Jesus loved His church and gave His blood for us. The headquarters of our denomination is not in Nashville, Louisville, Dallas-Fort Worth, Richmond, or any other location of one of our national Baptist entities. The headquarters of our denomination is in each one of the 50,000 local churches and congregations in our convention.
I wish that this emphasis had been spelled out more clearly and directly connected to the call to repentance. How Southern Baptists typically practice church life needs to be reexamined in the light of Scripture. Such an exercise will provide enough reason for repentance to keep us on our knees for a long time.
4. I wish the 8 core values that the report spells out were more gospel-centered. Christ-likeness, truth, unity, relationships, trust, future, local church and kingdom. Under truth the "faith once for all delivered to the saints" is celebrated and under unity it is stated that our working together in love is "for the sake of the Gospel." The gospel is also mentioned under the local church and kingdom values. My concern is that we are living in a day when the gospel has largely been lost because it is too often assumed by evangelicals, including Southern Baptists. Greater emphasis on the person and work of Christ as a core value would be helpful.
5. I wish more radical recommendations were made about the North American Mission Board (NAMB). In fact, my recommendation was that it be shut down and the Disaster Relief Department be fully funded to continue doing what they do better than any other relief organization that I know. The restructuring that has been proposed is significant and perhaps even visionary. I appreciate the move toward decentralization of the work of church planting and of calling on less bureaucratic money-shifting between NAMB and the state conventions. Ronnie Floyd described the current system this way:
"While our state conventions keep an average of 63.45% of the dollars within their respective states, the North American Mission Board then sends back to the state conventions an additional $50.6 million due to these cooperative agreements and budgets. This process complicates the work at times, resulting in a lack of productivity and accountability.
The task force's proposal addresses this inefficient system.
6. I am most encouraged by recommendations related to the International Mission Board (IMB). The recommendation that Cooperative Program (CP) allocations going to the International Mission Board be increased by 1% is a start, but in my mind, it is too small of a start. I wish a more radical increase had been proposed.
What is more significant to my mind is the addressing of the irrational policy that has too long existed that restricts our IMB workers, while on stateside assignments, from directly ministering to immigrants from their target people groups who reside in America. When I first learned a few years ago that our IMB workers were "not allowed" to engage immigrants from their people group while in the USA (what used to be called "furlough" but now is "stateside assignment") because such was regarded as encroaching on the domain of NAMB, I found it hard to believe. I knew that if Southern Baptists were made aware of such a policy, whether formal or informal, they would blow a gasket. So I rejoice at component #3 of the report that encourages Southern Baptists to "entrust to the International Mission Board the ministry to reach the unreached and under-served people groups without regard to any geographic limitations."
7. I think the suggestion that 'Great Commission Giving' by a church be recognized while reaffirming our commitment to the CP is healthy (component #5). The CP is ingenuous but when it is used as a stick with which to beat churches who sacrificially give to the work of missions in other ways as well, its effectiveness is greatly hindered by the very people who think they are promoting it.
All-in-all, I believe this is a good report and I could recommend that we adopt it as is. My hope is that it will be strengthened before it is released in its final form. Did everything that I suggested to the committee get addressed? No. Some things did not even get addressed. I am sure that is true for hundreds if not thousands of Southern Baptists who, like me, took the committee up on their invitation to offer input. This is how Baptists work together. I am greatly encouraged by the direction to which this report points us as a convention and I intend to continue to pray for Ronnie Floyd and his task force until their work is complete. I encourage you to do so, also.
On Monday, April 26, the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force finished their report and adopted it unanimously. Tonight Dr. Ascol will provide an update on the GCRTF since he last posted on his blog about the issue.
Founders Ministries is a ministry of teaching and encouragement promoting both doctrine and devotion Founders Founders Ministries is a ministry of teaching and encouragement promoting both doctrine and devotion expressed in the Doctrines of Grace and their experiential application to the local church, particularly in the areas of worship and witness. Founders Ministries takes as its theological framework the first recognized confession of faith that Southern Baptists produced, The Abstract of Principles . They desire to encourage the return to and promulgation of the biblical gospel that their Southern Baptist forefathers held dear.
Tom Ascol received a BS from Texas A & M University and the MDiv and PhD degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary . He is editor of the books Reclaiming the Gospel & Reforming Churches and Dear Timothy and has contributed articles and chapters to numerous publications.
MP3 Available Here
Tom Ascol, pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Cape Coral, Florida, the Executive Director of Founders Ministries and Editor of the Founders Journal , will address the theme: "The Great Commission Resurgence Task Force: An Overview of this Effort & the Controversy Surrounding It".Back on March 12, our guest Tom Ascol posted on his blog:
Providence and a desire to be as thoughtful as I can have kept me from posting my thoughts on the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force (GCRTF) report presented by Chairman Ronnie Floyd to the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) on February 22, 2010. The report has received much attention, as you would expect and as it rightly should. Some of the assessments are very helpful and some are absurd, again, as expected. A helpful compilation of nearly everything on the web about the report can be found here.
From the outset I have been hopeful about and supportive of the GCRTF and their work. I encouraged our local association to express support for this effort. I was interviewed by the Missouri Baptist Pathway two weeks ago and answered some questions about the GCRTF report. The story accurate reflects my thoughts. Rather than repeating what I said then, I simply refer you to the link.
Overall, I am encouraged with the work of the GCRTF. I believe that the team that Johnny Hunt assembled has done a great job of assessing our current SBC structures in light of what ought to be our fundamental purpose for existing (as the report puts it, "to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every person in the world and to make disciples of all the nations"). The report consists of 6 "components" including 8 "core values." It is worth reading, or watching the video presentation of it, on the GCRTF website.
The task force has also been very open with Southern Baptists about their work and have sincerely solicited input. The job they undertook (and are still undertaking--this is an "interim" report; the final one will be released May 3, 2010) is monumental. Their recommendations, if approved and implemented by the SBC, will have implications for years to come. If nothing else, the GCRTF report should serve as a call for every Southern Baptist church to pay careful attention to the next 3 months and to send informed messengers to Orlando to vote on the recommendations with discernment.
Following are some of my thoughts on the report.
1. The call for repentance is refreshing to hear, coming as it does from respected pastors and denominational servants. It is a call that every Southern Baptist needs to heed. Joined to it is a call to stop the divisive "rhetoric" that has marred our fellowship and witness. Who can not be grateful for the following words from Ronnie Floyd?
I believe with all my heart that God is calling us to return to Him now in deep repentance of our sin, in brokenness over our sin, denying our pride and selfishness and returning to God with complete humility. The boasting, ego, and pride that goes on in our lives, our churches, and our denomination is unacceptable to God. The disunity in our churches and in our denomination is so wrong and sinful. We need to repent and return to God.
2. I am grateful for the demographic realities that are highlighted in the report. Our too-Western, too-American, too-Southern perspectives on the gospel, church and lostness need huge doses of reality that such demographics can provide. We ought to be embarrassed that we keep so many of our resources--personal and financial--so close to home when, 2000 years after our Lord's commission to make disciples of the nations, there are (in the words of the report) "5,845 people groups who have no access to the gospel of Jesus Christ."
3. I appreciate the emphasis on the local church. This needs to be asserted and reasserted all across the SBC. The report states,
We must return to the primacy and centrality of the local church in our denomination. Jesus loved His church and gave His blood for us. The headquarters of our denomination is not in Nashville, Louisville, Dallas-Fort Worth, Richmond, or any other location of one of our national Baptist entities. The headquarters of our denomination is in each one of the 50,000 local churches and congregations in our convention.
I wish that this emphasis had been spelled out more clearly and directly connected to the call to repentance. How Southern Baptists typically practice church life needs to be reexamined in the light of Scripture. Such an exercise will provide enough reason for repentance to keep us on our knees for a long time.
4. I wish the 8 core values that the report spells out were more gospel-centered. Christ-likeness, truth, unity, relationships, trust, future, local church and kingdom. Under truth the "faith once for all delivered to the saints" is celebrated and under unity it is stated that our working together in love is "for the sake of the Gospel." The gospel is also mentioned under the local church and kingdom values. My concern is that we are living in a day when the gospel has largely been lost because it is too often assumed by evangelicals, including Southern Baptists. Greater emphasis on the person and work of Christ as a core value would be helpful.
5. I wish more radical recommendations were made about the North American Mission Board (NAMB). In fact, my recommendation was that it be shut down and the Disaster Relief Department be fully funded to continue doing what they do better than any other relief organization that I know. The restructuring that has been proposed is significant and perhaps even visionary. I appreciate the move toward decentralization of the work of church planting and of calling on less bureaucratic money-shifting between NAMB and the state conventions. Ronnie Floyd described the current system this way:
"While our state conventions keep an average of 63.45% of the dollars within their respective states, the North American Mission Board then sends back to the state conventions an additional $50.6 million due to these cooperative agreements and budgets. This process complicates the work at times, resulting in a lack of productivity and accountability.
The task force's proposal addresses this inefficient system.
6. I am most encouraged by recommendations related to the International Mission Board (IMB). The recommendation that Cooperative Program (CP) allocations going to the International Mission Board be increased by 1% is a start, but in my mind, it is too small of a start. I wish a more radical increase had been proposed.
What is more significant to my mind is the addressing of the irrational policy that has too long existed that restricts our IMB workers, while on stateside assignments, from directly ministering to immigrants from their target people groups who reside in America. When I first learned a few years ago that our IMB workers were "not allowed" to engage immigrants from their people group while in the USA (what used to be called "furlough" but now is "stateside assignment") because such was regarded as encroaching on the domain of NAMB, I found it hard to believe. I knew that if Southern Baptists were made aware of such a policy, whether formal or informal, they would blow a gasket. So I rejoice at component #3 of the report that encourages Southern Baptists to "entrust to the International Mission Board the ministry to reach the unreached and under-served people groups without regard to any geographic limitations."
7. I think the suggestion that 'Great Commission Giving' by a church be recognized while reaffirming our commitment to the CP is healthy (component #5). The CP is ingenuous but when it is used as a stick with which to beat churches who sacrificially give to the work of missions in other ways as well, its effectiveness is greatly hindered by the very people who think they are promoting it.
All-in-all, I believe this is a good report and I could recommend that we adopt it as is. My hope is that it will be strengthened before it is released in its final form. Did everything that I suggested to the committee get addressed? No. Some things did not even get addressed. I am sure that is true for hundreds if not thousands of Southern Baptists who, like me, took the committee up on their invitation to offer input. This is how Baptists work together. I am greatly encouraged by the direction to which this report points us as a convention and I intend to continue to pray for Ronnie Floyd and his task force until their work is complete. I encourage you to do so, also.
On Monday, April 26, the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force finished their report and adopted it unanimously. Tonight Dr. Ascol will provide an update on the GCRTF since he last posted on his blog about the issue.
Founders Ministries is a ministry of teaching and encouragement promoting both doctrine and devotion Founders Founders Ministries is a ministry of teaching and encouragement promoting both doctrine and devotion expressed in the Doctrines of Grace and their experiential application to the local church, particularly in the areas of worship and witness. Founders Ministries takes as its theological framework the first recognized confession of faith that Southern Baptists produced, The Abstract of Principles . They desire to encourage the return to and promulgation of the biblical gospel that their Southern Baptist forefathers held dear.
Tom Ascol received a BS from Texas A & M University and the MDiv and PhD degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary . He is editor of the books Reclaiming the Gospel & Reforming Churches and Dear Timothy and has contributed articles and chapters to numerous publications.
Monday, May 3, 2010
R.C. Sproul, Jr.: Believing God: 12 Biblical Promises Christians Struggle to Accept (Part 2)
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MP3 Available Here
R.C. Sproul, Jr., author, conference speaker and contributor to "TableTalk" magazine, will address the theme of his latest book: "Believing God: 12 Biblical Promises Christians Struggle to Accept" (part 2).
As the publishers describe it:
In his latest book, Believing God: 12 Biblical Promises Christians Struggle to Accept, Dr. R.C. Sproul Jr. challenges Christians to take a second glance at the promises of God in the Bible in order to see anew the grandeur of what God has committed Himself to do for His people. Sproul explores twelve of the most significant promises in Scripture, methodically unpacking each divine pledge. He shows that while Christians may express trust in God’s words, they refuse, in numerous ways, to stake their lives on what He says.
In the final analysis, the book functions as a mirror in which every reader with a teachable heart will see how he or she can more fully believe God. All Christians who appreciate careful biblical teaching and heartfelt passion for God will appreciate and benefit from this book.
"R.C. Sproul, Jr. helps us see that in Christ Jesus all of God's promises are 'Yes' and are meant to be believed and relied upon." -- Jerry Bridges, author, "The Pursuit of Holiness"
Co-hosting tonight's program is Pastor Jim Capo of the Massapequa Church of God, Massapequa, Long Island, NY.
MP3 Available Here
R.C. Sproul, Jr., author, conference speaker and contributor to "TableTalk" magazine, will address the theme of his latest book: "Believing God: 12 Biblical Promises Christians Struggle to Accept" (part 2).As the publishers describe it:
In his latest book, Believing God: 12 Biblical Promises Christians Struggle to Accept, Dr. R.C. Sproul Jr. challenges Christians to take a second glance at the promises of God in the Bible in order to see anew the grandeur of what God has committed Himself to do for His people. Sproul explores twelve of the most significant promises in Scripture, methodically unpacking each divine pledge. He shows that while Christians may express trust in God’s words, they refuse, in numerous ways, to stake their lives on what He says.
In the final analysis, the book functions as a mirror in which every reader with a teachable heart will see how he or she can more fully believe God. All Christians who appreciate careful biblical teaching and heartfelt passion for God will appreciate and benefit from this book.
"R.C. Sproul, Jr. helps us see that in Christ Jesus all of God's promises are 'Yes' and are meant to be believed and relied upon." -- Jerry Bridges, author, "The Pursuit of Holiness"
Co-hosting tonight's program is Pastor Jim Capo of the Massapequa Church of God, Massapequa, Long Island, NY.
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