Archive for the ‘Practical Theology’ Category

 

 Standard Podcast [49:00m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

In honor of John Calvin’s 500th anniversary, the General Assembly of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church held a pre-Assembly conference on the subject of John Calvin. The Rev. Dr. Richard B. Gaffin of Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, spoke on Calvin’s soteriology. The Rev. Glen J. Clary, pastor of Immanuel Orthodox Presbyterian Church, West Collingswood, New Jersey spoke on Calvin as a servant of the Word of God.

Christ the Center had the privilege of welcoming Glen to the panel to discuss his lecture topic. Join us for an interesting discussion of Calvin’s theology of preaching touching on  its authority, the presence of Christ, and worship.

Christ the Center is listener supported.  To read more about how you can help Reformed Forum cover the cost of producing this program, please visit http://reformedforum.org/support. (more…)

 

 Standard Podcast [101:17m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Our doctrine of Scripture is extremely important and drives the discussion of practically all other topics.  Since we hold Scripture to be our principium cognoscendi externum it is our rule by which we are to judge and interpret all other truth.  There are, however, many issues surrounding the role of Scripture and our understanding of it particularly as they relate to life in the church.  The panel discusses issues such as dogmatism and multi-perspectivalism as they debate and engage these issues.

This episode is brought to you in part by the Confessional Presbyterian. (more…)

 

 Standard Podcast [52:17m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Nick Batzig sat down with Jon Payne at the Twin Lakes Fellowship to talk about the subject of Reformed Worship.  Jon deals with the various aspects of this topic in his newest release, In The Splendor of Holiness: Rediscovering the Beauty of Reformed Worship for the 21st Century.

Dr. Jon D. Payne is minister of Grace Presbyterian Church in Douglasville, Ga. Dr. Payne has been serving as minister of Grace Presbyterian Church since June 2003 and is currently serving as Chair of the Northwest Georgia Presbytery’s Credentials Committee.  In addition, Dr. Payne is a Visiting Lecturer at Reformed Theological Seminary in Atlanta.  Dr. Payne is the author of John Owen on the Lord’s Supper (Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth, 2004), Systematic Expository Preaching: A Historical and Biblical Analysis Demonstrating its Benefits for Both Congregation and Pastor (Doctoral thesis, RTS Jackson, Spring 2004), and the subject of this episode, In The Splendor of Holiness: Rediscovering the Beauty of Reformed Worship for the 21st Century (White Hall, WV; Tolle Lege Press, 2008).

View the wiki entry for this episode.

(more…)

 

 Standard Podcast [56:49m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Why Can’t Johnny Preach? That is a good question.  And it is a troubling question too.  To try to get at an answer, the Christ the Center panel interviewed Rev. Dr. T. David Gordon, minister in the Presbyterian Church in America and professor of religion and Greek at Grove City College.  Dr. Gordon is former pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashua, NH and associate professor of New Testament at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, MA.  The panel discussed with Dr. Gordon the reasons why preaching has fallen on such hard times in our day and what can be done about it.  Along the way, issues of media ecology are also discussed as they bear on the challenges various media present to the task of preaching and the task of listening to preaching.  Listeners will find much food for thought in this provocative episode. (more…)

 

 Standard Podcast [48:01m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The Christ the Center panel tackled the importance of an ordinary means of grace ministry and the place of catechism within that overall approach. First, it was determined that God has ordained that the church in this age proclaim the gospel and advance in the faith through his ordained means and not some man-made program such as revivalism (to be clearly distinguished from true revival).

The biblical foundations of this was developed in the distinction between the foundation and superstructure of the church and the extraordinary and ordinary ministries in the church. The extraordinary ministry of apostleship and miracles laid the foundation with Christ as the cornerstone (Eph), but in this age of the ordinary ministry of the superstructure of the church, the stress falls on the ordinary means of grace (Acts 2:42): the Word, sacraments, and prayer. It is in this setting that the panel discussed the necessity and benefits of catechism for both children and adults. God has said he would bless these means and the church strays from them to her own peril. (more…)

 

 Standard Podcast [42:54m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Dr. Stephen Nichols, research professor of Christianity and culture at Lancaster Bible College, joins the Christ the Center panel for an interesting discussion about his new book, Getting the Blues.  Nichols discusses his interest in blues music and shows how the blues touch upon biblical themes.  This is an utterly fascinating discussion, even for those who are not otherwise drawn to blues music.  Listeners will come away wanting to crack the covers of this unusual book. (more…)

 

 Standard Podcast [38:25m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The Christ the Center panel talk with Dr. Russell Moore, senior vice president of academic administration at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, about the relationship of the kingdom of Christ and politics and culture.  Dr. Moore, has written a book, The Kingdom of Christ:  A New Evangelical Perspective, which served as the basis of the discussion.  The already/not yet nature of the kingdom was discussed as was the fact that kingdom was not be confused with any political platform.  Join us for a timely conversation. (more…)

 

 Standard Podcast [44:27m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The Christ the Center panelists interact with Dr. John Carrick, associate professor of applied and doctrinal theology at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, about his latest volume The Preaching of Jonathan Edwards published by Banner of Truth within the last few months. Dr. Carrick is also the author of another banner of Truth title, The Imperative of Preaching. Dr. Carrick discusses Edwards’ God-centered and Christ-centered preaching. Particularly noteworthy was Edwards’ ability to paint with vivid imagery so that when he pointed to Christ, he did not merely mention him but made him vivid as he sought to make an impression on his hearers at the time of the sermon delivery. Dr. Carrick also dispenses with certain caricatures of Edwards the preacher, such as the idea that all he ever preached were hellfire and damnation sermons. It is true that he did preach searching sermons that warned unbelievers of their destiny, but he also preached sermons that extolled the beauties of Christ and heaven. The CTC panel was also informed that Edwards was not a monotonous preacher who stared at the church bell rope. He was sincere, earnest, and affectionate in his preaching. At the end of the day, there are many lessons to learn from Jonathan Edwards even if he was not infallible. Edwards would be pleased if we would glorify the Triune God who created this universe in which we live.

(more…)

 

 Standard Podcast [70:08m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Greg Reynolds joins the panel on Christ the Center to speak about media ecology and preaching in the electronic age.  Dr. Reynolds is the pastor at Amoskeag Presbyterian Church in Manchester, New Hampshire.  He has also written the book The Word is Worth a Thousand Pictures: Preaching in the Electronic Age.  Join us for a fascinating topic that touches upon the very heart of gospel ministry. (more…)

 

 Standard Podcast [61:44m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The Christ the Center panelists converse with the Rev. Richard Phillips, Senior Minister at 2^nd Presbyterian Church of Greenville, SC about the importance of a Reformed approach to evangelism and mercy ministry.  The tendency can be to remain inside the four walls of the church when the church has been called to proclaim the gospel to a dying world.  Phillips points out that it is possible to be solidly Reformed and also committed to getting the message of the gospel out into the highways and byways of our various communities.  Rev. Phillips draws upon his own pastoral experience and one of his most recent publications, Jesus the Evangelist.  While believers are called upon to give a reason for the hope that is in them as they are given opportunity (1^st Pet. 3:15), the primary means of evangelism is the proclamation of the Bible from the pulpit in public worship.

The panel also discussed the rightful place of mercy ministry and cultural engagement.  It is important that the church take care of its own, but there is also a place for demonstrating mercy to those outside the church.  However, there is always the danger that demonstrating God’s love in deeds of mercy will eclipse the clear, forthright declaration of the gospel.  The church must never forget its mission or identity by compromising or conforming to the culture of this world.  The social gospel and inadequate methods of cultural engagement have confused and in some cases lost the truth of the gospel.

The Christ the Center panelists along with Rev. Phillips conclude that with evangelism and mercy ministry, all must be done to bring glory and honor to the Triune God of Scripture (1^st Cor. 10:31).  In other words, the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing! (more…)