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 for this were 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.
Panel
- Jim Cassidy
- Jeff Waddington
- Camden Bucey
Links
- Derek Thomas on Blogging Through the Institutes
- Ordinary Means podcast
- Feeding on Christ
- Calvary OPC Ringoes, NJ
- Calvary OPC Glenside, PA
Bibliography
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Derrida, Jacques. Writing and difference. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1978.
Edwards, Jonathan, and Peter Johannes Thuesen. Catalogues of books. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2008.
Gaffin, Richard B., Jr. Resurrection and Redemption: A Study in Paul’s Soteriology. 2nd ed. P & R Publishing, 1987.
Garcia, Mark A. Life in Christ : Union with Christ and Twofold Grace in Calvin’s Theology. Studies in Christian history and thought. Milton Keynes; Colorado Spring, CO: Paternoster, 2008.
Gibson, David, Daniel Strange, Henri. Blocher, and Carl R. Trueman. Engaging with Barth: Contemporary Evangelical Critiques. T&t Clark Ltd, 2009.
—. Engaging with Barth: Contemporary Evangelical Critiques. Nottingham, England: Apollos, 2008.
Hart, D. G. The lost soul of American Protestantism. American intellectual culture. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2002.
Horton, Michael. Christless Christianity : the alternative gospel of the American church. Grand Rapids, Mich.: BakerBooks, 2008.
—. Covenant and salvation : union with Christ. 1st ed. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2007.
Jeffery, S. Pierced for Our Transgressions: Rediscovering the Glory of Penal Substitution. Wheaton Ill.: Crossway Books, 2007.
Meade, Starr. Training hearts, teaching minds : family devotions based on the shorter catechism. Phillipsburg, N.J.: P & R, 2000.
Olson, Roger E. How to be evangelical without being conservative. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 2008.
Participants: Camden Bucey, Jeff Waddington, Jim Cassidy
Christ the Center focuses on Reformed Christian theology. In each episode a group of informed panelists discusses important issues in order to encourage critical thinking and a better understanding of Reformed doctrine with a view toward godly living. Browse more episodes from this program or subscribe to the podcast feed.
