Justin Peters gives his seminar called, "A Call for Discernment", a fair, comprehensive and biblical critique of the modern Word of Faith movement. Word of Faith theology (WoF) dominates most of today’s Christian satellite and cable television and is making alarming inroads into many of our churches. This seminar contains dozens of audio and video clips (primarily the latter) of various WoF leaders such as Benny Hinn, Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, Jessie Duplantis, Creflo Dollar, etc. incorporated into a PowerPoint format. This format allows people to see and hear for themselves what these individuals are actually teaching. Everything then is, in turn, balanced with Scripture. Peters make a clear distinction between WoF and clear thinking Charismatics, for he believes that WoF is not even Christian in its origin. In his seminar, he expounds these heretical views of this movement. Below is the overview of this seminar in 4 parts (total time: 35mins).
Friday, December 31, 2010
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Covenant Theology
Covenant theology is an interpretative framework for understanding the structure of divine revelation in the Bible. It is thus the hermeneutics of viewing the unfolding history of redemption in Scriptures through the theological concept of covenant. This hermeneutical grid has basically three overarching theological covenants — the covenants of redemption, of works, and of grace.
These three covenants are called theological because they are not explicitly presented as such in the Bible but are thought to be theologically implicit, describing and summarizing the wealth of Scriptural data. Within historical Reformed Christian systems of thought, covenant theology is not merely treated as a point of doctrine, neither is it treated as a central dogma. Rather, Covenant is viewed as the structure by which the biblical text organizes itself. [1]
In particular, covenant theology teaches that God has established one, eternal covenant, under different administrations.[2] Having created man in His image as a free creature with knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, God entered into a covenant of works whereby the mandate was "do this and live" (Romans 10:5, Galatians 3:12). "Like Adam, they have trespassed the covenant" (Hosea 6:7**) is the classic reference to the covenant of works; Hebrews 8:6; 9:15; 12:24 the reference that explains God's work of redemption in the Covenant of Grace.[3]
Covenant of redemption
The covenant of redemption is the eternal agreement within the Godhead in which the Father appointed the Son Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit to redeem his elect people from the guilt and power of sin. God appointed Christ to live a life of perfect obedience to the law and to die a penal, substitutionary, sacrificial death as the covenantal representative for all who trust in him.
Covenant of works
The covenant of works was made in the Garden of Eden between God and Adam who represented all mankind as a federal head. (Romans 5:12-21) It promised life for obedience and death for disobedience. Adam, and all mankind in Adam, broke the covenant, thus standing condemned. The covenant of works continues to function after the fall as the moral law.
Covenant of grace
The covenant of grace promises eternal life for all people who receive forgiveness of sin through Christ. He is the substitutionary covenantal representative fulfilling the covenant of works on their behalf, in both the positive requirements of righteousness and its negative penal consequences (commonly described as his active and passive obedience). It is the historical expression of the eternal covenant of redemption. Genesis 3:15, with the promise of a "seed" of the woman who would crush the serpent's head, is usually identified as the historical inauguration for the covenant of grace.
The covenant of grace became the basis for all future covenants that God made with mankind such as with Noah (Genesis 6, 9), with Abraham (Genesis 12, 15, 17), with Moses (Exodus 19-24), with David (2 Samuel 7), and finally in the New Covenant founded and fulfilled in Christ. These individual covenants are called the biblical covenants because they are explicitly described in the Bible. Under the covenantal overview of the Bible, submission to God's rule and living in accordance with his moral law (expressed concisely in the Ten Commandments) is a response to grace - never something which can earn God's acceptance (legalism). Even in his giving of the Ten Commandments, God introduces his law by reminding the Israelites that he is the one who brought them out of slavery in Egypt (grace). [4]
Of these Biblical covenants, the New Covenant is anticipated with the hopes of the Davidic messiah, and most explicitly predicted by the prophet Jeremiah (Jer. 31:34). At the Last Supper, Jesus alludes to this prophecy, as well as to prophecies such as Isaiah 49:8, when he says that the cup of the Passover meal is "the New Covenant in [his] blood." This use of the Old Testament typology is developed further in the Epistle to the Hebrews (see especially chs. 7-10). Jesus is the last Adam and Israel's hope and consolation: he is the fulfillment of the law and the prophets (Matthew 5:17-18). He is the prophet greater than Jonah (Matt 12:41), and the Son over the house where Moses was a servant (Hebrews 3:5-6), leading his people to the heavenly promised land. He is the high priest greater than Aaron, offering up himself as the perfect sacrifice once for all (Hebrews 9:12, 26). He is the king greater than Solomon (Matthew 12:42), ruling forever on David's throne (Luke 1:32). [5]
As a framework for biblical interpretation, covenant theology stands in contrast to Dispensationalism in regard to the relationship between the Old Covenant with national Israel and the New Covenant in Christ's blood. That such a framework exists appears to be, at least, feasible since, from the earliest time of the Church, the Jewish Bible has been known as the Old Testament (or Covenant) in contrast to the Christian addition which has been known as the New Testament (or Covenant). Regarding the theological status of modern day Jewish people, covenant theology is often referred to as "supersessionism," or "replacement theology" by its detractors, due to the perception that it teaches that God has abandoned the promises made to the Jews and has replaced the Jews with Christians as his chosen people in the earth. Covenant theologians deny that God has abandoned his promises to Israel, but see the fulfillment of the promises to Israel in the person and the work of the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, who established the church in organic continuity with Israel, not a separate replacement entity.[6]
Among Reformed Christians, based on their understanding of the sacraments (or ordinances), there are two types of Covenanters, namely Peadobaptist Covenant theologians and Credobaptist Covenant theologians. Below are two links from each such Covenanters teaching Covenant theology from their perspective.
Footnotes
---------------
[1] Covenant Theology Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
[2] Westminster Confession of Faith. vii, 5,6.
[3] M.E. Osterhaven, Covenant Theology in Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Walter Elwell, ed. 279-80.
[4] Covenant Theology Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
[5] Ibid
[6] Ibid
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Daily Disciplines
The New year would be here in a couple of days and most Christians consider it as time for taking resolutions regarding spiritual disciplines in their personal devotion to the Lord. Jay. M Nair has written a timely article on these daily disciplines with the aim of helping “Christians know and practice essential and daily disciplines involved in one’s personal communion with the Lord over His Word.” He explains briefly the need of these spiritual disciplines in our lives and then considers each of these four disciplines to be done on a daily basis. They are – prayer, reading, meditation and memorization. In each case, he offers some helpful resources and suggestions. May this article birth a sincere desire and commitment in Christians to be disciplined in our personal communion with the Lord.
The article can be read here.
Below is the outline of this article :
Daily Disciplines
------------------
Introduction
-the aim of this document
-the organization of the document
Why Spiritual Disciplines?
-The nature of authentic Christian growth
-How this growth happens
-Spiritual disciplines as means of grace
1. Prayer
- two aspects of prayer
- prayer and the word
- John Piper's I.O.U.S model
- George Mueller's testimony
- D.A Carson on praying through Scriptures
2. Bible Reading
-The necessity of a reading plan in personal communion
-Consideration of popular plans
-The ill-effects of a lack of reading on Evangelicalism
-Suggestions for the head of a family and for a pastor
3. Meditation
-The primacy of meditation among all disciplines
-The Biblical evidence for the practice of this discipline
- Martin Luther's understanding of meditation
- How Christian meditation is different from other religious meditations
- Essential elements of the Evangelical method of doing meditations
i. Reading and rereading to know the meaning of the text
ii. Asking Questions to know the implications of the text
* Joseph Hall's considerations
* Don Whitney's Philippians 4:8 questions
iii. Making personal applications of the text
* Theological applications
* Practical applications
iv. Ruminating upon the text throughout the day
4. Memorization
-The distinct yet inseparable nature of meditation and memorization
-The Biblical evidence of this relationship between meditation and memorization
-Other benefits of memorization
-Practical considerations for practicing this discipline
Conclusion
-Summary
-The primacy and centrality of the Word of God in all disciplines
-A warning to Evangelicals and the cry of the Reformers - Sola Scriptura.
Footnotes
-------------------------
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
10 Things To Take Heed In Pastoral Ministry
Particular Baptist pastor and theologian, Abraham Booth (1734-1806) gives ten things to take heed in pastoral ministry, in his 1784 sermon, preached at the ordination of a young pastor named Thomas Hopkins. This sermon was widely circulated among the Particular Baptists of his day and pastors like Andrew Fuller, William Carey, John Sutcliff, and John Ryland Jr, were very much influenced by this sermon. The sermon “Pastoral Cautions” was based on the text of 1 Timothy 4:16 “Take heed to yourself.”
The ten things that Booth cautions pastors to take heed are :
1. “Take heed to yourself, then, with regard to the reality of true godliness, and the state of religion in your own soul”
2. “Take heed to yourself, lest you mistake an increase of gifts for a growth in grace”
3. “Take heed that your pastoral office prove not a snare to your soul, lifting you up with pride and self-importance”
4. “Take heed to yourself, respecting your temper and conduct in general”
5. “I will now adopt the words of our Lord, and say, Take heed and beware of covetousness”
6. “Take heed, I will venture to ask, take heed to your Second-Self in the person of your wife”
7. “Take heed to yourself, with regard to the diligent improvement of your talents and opportunities, in the whole course of your ministry”
8. “Take heed to yourself, respecting the motives by which you are influenced in all your endeavours to obtain useful knowledge”
9. “Take heed of yourself, with regard to that success, and those discouragements, which may attend your ministry”
10. “Once more: Take heed that you pay an habitual regard to divine influence; as that without which you cannot either enjoy a holy liberty in your work, or have any reason to expect success” [1]
Whether you are someone who is aspiring to be in ministry or a seminarian or a pastor, this is a must read for you. The full sermon can be read online here.
Footnotes
-----------------
[1] Michael & Alison Haykin, eds., The Works of Abraham Booth, Volume 1: Confession of Faith & Sermons (Particular Baptist Press, 2006), pp. 57-84.
Monday, December 27, 2010
How To Ascertain The Call of God?
In the 1849 edition of The Baptist Manual published by the American Baptist Publication Society, there is a short article seeking to answer this question of how young men can ascertain the call of God on their lives. The author “firmly believe[s] that no man ought to enter into the ministry, whom God has not called to the service. But the question is, how is the call of God to be ascertained ? That a miraculous intimation of his will is to be expected, no rational man, at the present day, believes. This will must, then, be learned from the feelings which the Holy Spirit produces in the mind of the individual himself; from the gifts of heart and of intellect with which he is endowed; from the course of providence; and from other circumstances.” The article however is not addressed directly to young men but to the churches, for the “deficiency of ministers must be attributed to a neglect of duty on the part of the churches. We cannot suppose that God is inattentive to the wants of his church and of the world, and purposely withholds a competent supply of ministers.”
Here is an excerpt from this article :
Two things are necessary to prove a call to the ministry to be from God. The first is, that the individual possess a sincere desire to be thus employed. He must feel a strong concern for the glory of God, and for the salvation of men. His heart must be moved with desires to proclaim the love of Christ to dying sinners, and to persuade them to be reconciled to God. He must feel such an impulse of soul towards this point —such a concentration of his thoughts and affections —that he cannot, with a quiet mind, engage in any other employment. He must be willing to part with prospects of emolument, and to forego all worldly advantages, for the sake of his Savior and of his fellow men. These are some of the feelings which will occupy the heart of a man, whom God designs for the ministry. Of these feelings the individual himself is the only judge, because he alone can determine whether they are sincere, strong and permanent.
But another necessary thing is, that he possess suitable gifts. We mean not, that he must be qualified immediately to preach, because no man is qualified to preach with profit, until his mind has been furnished with adequate knowledge, and he has learned how to communicate that knowledge. By suitable gifts we mean a sound understanding, a capacity and a desire to learn, an aptitude to teach, a reasonable degree of ability to be useful to his fellow men as a minister, when his mind shall have been cultivated as much as circumstances may allow.
Of these points, the individual is not a competent judge. His brethren must judge for him. The church has thus a duty to perform. She ought to watch the character and conduct of her young men. An individual, whom God designs for the ministry, will usually show the bent of his disposition, by his zeal for the support of Sabbath schools, by his pertinent exhortations in the conference room, and by his prayers in social meetings. If the ministerial spirit exist within him, it will find occasion to display itself; and in most cases, a church is convinced of the call of a young man to the ministry as soon as he is himself, and sometimes sooner. In such cases as this, it is the duty of pastors, deacons, and other members of the church, to converse with such persons, to inquire concerning their feelings, and to give them all proper encouragement. If the individuals have themselves been thoughtful and anxious concerning their duty, such an affectionate and judicious conversation may remove their doubts, and confirm their decisions, by bringing in aid of their own convictions, the opinions of their brethren.
It is believed that a very different course is frequently pursued. Young men are left to struggle with their feelings without one word of advice or encouragement. The more modest they are, and therefore the more deserving of sympathy, the more reluctant they are to disclose their feelings, lest they should be attributed to pride and presumption. A sense of unfitness, the greatness of the work, doubts concerning duty, all throng upon the mind, and often produce inconceivable distress, which one word of kind sympathy and advice from a pastor or Christian friend would remove. Many young men, it cannot be doubted, are overcome by these anxieties, doubts, and fears, and relinquish the thought of the ministry, who ought to preach the gospel. It is a mistake to suppose, that if it be a man's duty to preach, he will force his way through every obstacle. A man may neglect his duty to preach, as he may neglect any other duty; and he is the more liable to neglect this duty, because the conscientious mind will consider it as a far less sin to refuse to preach, though it be a duty, than to preach when it is not. If his doubts preponderate in the smallest degree, the mind of a conscientious man will be very liable to abandon the design; and thus the very best ministers may be lost to the church.
But if a young man surmounts his doubts and discouragements, and makes his case known to his brethren, he is sometimes treated with cold suspicion, and obstacles are thrown in his way on purpose to test the strength of his zeal. If, at last, by dint of perseverance, he forces the church to give him a license, so much time may have been wasted, that it is too late to enter upon the work with advantage.
There may be cases, too, in which a young man may not have thought of the ministry, who may nevertheless furnish evidence of piety, talents and zeal, which would make him useful as a minister. It is undoubtedly the duty of pastors and Christians to converse with such a person, in a judicious manner; to inquire respecting his feelings; to ask him if it is not his duty to preach the gospel; to urge him to reflect and pray on the subject; to invite him to speak and to pray in conference and prayer meetings, and thus give his mind a direction towards the object. No reason can be given, why it is not as much our duty to use the proper means in this case, as it is to persuade a sinner to be reconciled to God; and God may, in both cases, employ us as instruments to accomplish his will. [1]
You can read the entire article here.
Footnotes
--------------
[1] The Baptist Manual, American Baptist Publication Society, 1849, Pgs 172-174
Thursday, December 23, 2010
The Hermeneutics of Luther
In his preface to the Wittenberg Edition of Luther's German Writings, Dr. Martin Luther gives a simple hermeneutics based on Psalm 119. The three rules of studying theology, according to Luther are : Oratio, Meditatio, Tentatio [Prayer, Meditation, Affliction or conflict]. Here is the excerpt from his preface where he outlines this biblical hermeneutics.
Moreover, I want to point out to you a correct way of studying theology, for I have had practice in that. If you keep to it, you will become so learned that you yourself could (if it were necessary) write books just as good as those of the fathers and councils, even as I (in God) dare to presume and boast, without arrogance and lying, that in the matter of writing books I do not stand much behind some of the fathers. Of my life I can by no means make the same boast. This is the way taught by holy King David (and doubtlessly used also by all the patriarchs and prophets) in the one hundred nineteenth Psalm. There you will find three rules, amply presented throughout the whole Psalm. They are Oratio, Meditatio, Tentatio.
Firstly, you should know that the Holy Scriptures constitute a book which turns the wisdom of all other books into foolishness, because not one teaches about eternal life except this one alone. Therefore you should straightway despair of your reason and understanding. With them you will not attain eternal life, but, on the contrary, your presumptuousness will plunge you and others with you out of heaven (as happened to Lucifer) into the abyss of hell. But kneel down in your little room [Matt. 6:6] and pray to God with real humility and earnestness, that he through his dear Son may give you his Holy Spirit, who will enlighten you, lead you, and give you understanding.
Thus you see how David keeps praying in the above-mentioned Psalm, "Teach me, Lord, instruct me, lead me, show me," and many more words like these. Although he well knew and daily heard and read the text of Moses and other books besides, still he wants to lay hold of the real teacher of the Scriptures himself, so that he may not seize upon them pell-mell with his reason and become his own teacher. For such practice gives rise to factious spirits who allow themselves to nurture the delusion that the Scriptures are subject to them and can be easily grasped with their reason, as if they were Markolf or Aesop's Fables, for which no Holy Spirit and no prayers are needed.
Secondly, you should meditate, that is, not only in your heart, but also externally, by actually repeating and comparing oral speech and literal words of the book, reading and rereading them with diligent attention and reflection, so that you may see what the Holy Spirit means by them. And take care that you do not grow weary or think that you have done enough when you have read, heard, and spoken them once or twice, and that you then have complete understanding. You will never be a particularly good theologian if you do that, for you will be like untimely fruit which falls to the ground before it is half ripe.
Thus you see in this same Psalm how David constantly boasts that he will talk, meditate, speak, sing, hear, read, by day and night always, about nothing except God's Word and commandments. For God will not give you his Spirit without the external Word; so take your cue from that. His command to write, preach, read, hear, sing, speak, etc., outwardly was not given in vain.
Thirdly, there is tentatio, Anfechtung. This is the touchstone which teaches you not only to know and understand, but also to experience how right, how true, how sweet, how lovely, how mighty, how comforting God's Word is, wisdom beyond all wisdom.
Thus you see how David, in the Psalm mentioned, complains so often about all kinds of enemies, arrogant princes or tyrants, false spirits and factions, whom he must tolerate because he meditates, that is, because he is occupied with God's Word (as has been said) in all manner of ways. For as soon as God's Word takes root and grows in you, the devil will harry you, and will make a real doctor of you, and by his assaults will teach you to see and love God's Word. I myself (if you will permit me, mere mouse-dirt, to be mingled with pepper) am deeply indebted to my papists that through the devil's raging they have beaten, oppressed, and distressed me so much. That is to say, they have made a fairly good theologian of me, which I would not have become otherwise. And I heartily grant them what they have won in return for making this of me, honor, victory, and triumph, for that's the way they wanted it. [1]
You can read the entire preface by Luther here.
Footnotes
---------------
[1] Preface to the Wittenberg Edition of Luther's German Writings, Luther's Works Vol.34
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Strategies For Killing Sin
John Piper expounds Romans 6:11-14 to give 6 strategies for killing sin. Each one of them is exegetically sound and gospel based. As always Piper is both powerful and passionate in his preaching. This sermon is highly recommended as most Christians have been bombarded with sermons on sanctification which rarely takes into account what the gospel declares. It is so characteristic of preachers to divorce the gospel from teachings on sanctification. This error is so grievous and only leads people to legalism and despair. However the Bible does not promote any false dichotomy between the gospel and the teachings on sanctification. Rather it teaches sanctification, in light of the gospel. For without the gospel, no one can count God as precious. And without counting God as precious, no one can deny the lies of sin. Piper says “yes, there is a real engagement of our will. Choose to say, No! But it is so much more. It is based on what God did in Christ, and what happened to us in Christ, and who God is for us in Christ and who we know ourselves to be in Christ. We embrace all that as our treasure. And because of that, we say, No.”
The sermon begins with Piper summarizing part 1 of his exposition of this passage. He identifies the battleground and the participants involved in it. From the text he thus points out eight things of warfare in these verses. He then notes how the enemy works his way with us. He shows how the main way sin does battle against us is to turn servants into traitors. This section is followed by his six strategies for battling against sin.
In this sermon, Piper proves how the secret to sanctification is nothing but the gospel. He shows how having our thinking and affections firmly rooted and guided by the gospel is the key to counting God alone as precious and preferring Him over sin’s fleeting pleasures.
Very highly recommended for all Christians.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
A Case For Reading Old Books
In his introduction to Athanasius' On The Incarnation, C.S Lewis makes a convincing case for the reading of old books. He wants his readers to go for firsthand knowledge over against secondhand, not only because it is worth acquiring firsthand knowledge, but “is usually much easier and more delightful to acquire.” Lewis feels it is easier to learn from great men of the old rather than their modern commentators, because "the great man, just because of his greatness, is much more intelligible than his modern commentator." However he observes the trend, that in every subject, modern books are favored much more than ancient ones. Lewis laments over the fact that this mistaken preference is nowhere more rampant than in theology. He finds this not at all helpful, especially for amateurs. Lewis feels so, because an amateur is “much less protected than the expert against the dangers of an exclusive contemporary diet. A new book is still on its trial and the amateur is not in a position to judge it. It has to be tested against the great body of Christian thought down the ages, and all its hidden implications (often unsuspected by the author himself) have to be brought to light.”
Lewis also points out how each age has got its own “characteristic blindness” and thus reading old books would expose us to our blind spots. He says “People were no cleverer then than they are now; they made as many mistakes as we. But not the same mistakes. They will not flatter us in the errors we are already committing; and their own errors, being now open and palpable, will not endanger us. Two heads are better than one, not because either is infallible, but because they are unlikely to go wrong in the same direction. To be sure, the books of the future would be just as good a corrective as the books of the past, but unfortunately we cannot get at them.” He also points out how reading old books would make one recognize the common thread of plain and central Christianity which he, quoting Baxter, fondly called ‘mere Christianity’, is “no insipid interdenominational transparency, but something positive, self-consistent, and inexhaustible.” This he says would make those who thought “’Christianity’ is a word of so many meanings that it means nothing at all” to see how “that unvarying something” is found in all these books so consistently and so unmistakably the same. This standard Christianity, he says quite autobiographically, was “an all too familiar smell” for him in all good old books. And he notes how these books, though written by those belonging to different circles of Christendom, still had that “recognisable, not to be evaded, the odour which is death to us until we allow it to become life”.
Later on in this introduction, he points out how for him, doctrinal books are more helpful than devotionals. He says “For my own part I tend to find the doctrinal books often more helpful in devotion than the devotional books, and I rather suspect that the same experience may await many others. I believe that many who find that "nothing happens" when they sit down, or kneel down, to a book of devotion, would find that the heart sings unbidden while they are working their way through a tough bit of theology with a pipe in their teeth and a pencil in their hand.”
Concerning Athanasius, his book and this translation to English, Lewis has nothing but praise. Concerning the book and this translation, his appreciation is summarized in this little sentence : “This is a good translation of a very great book.” When it comes to Athanasius, Lewis greatly appreciates both the man and his writing. Regarding his writing, Lewis says “only a master mind could, in the fourth century, have written so deeply on such a subject with such classical simplicity”, and concerning him, Lewis says “It is his glory that he did not move with the times; it is his reward that he now remains when those times, as all times do, have moved away.”
This introduction by C.S Lewis and the book On The Incarnation by Athanasius can be read here.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Theological Devotion
 |
| John Stott |
"It is important to note from Romans 1 - 11 that theology (our belief about God) and doxology (our worship of God) should never be separated. On the one hand, there can be no doxology without theology. It is not possible to worship an unknown god. All true worship is a response to the self-revelation of God in Christ and Scripture, and arises from our reflection on who he is and what he has done. It was the tremendous truths of Romans 1 - 11 which provoked Paul's outburst of praise in verses 33-36 of chapter 11. The worship of God is evoked, informed and inspired by the vision of God. Worship without theology is bound to degenerate into idolatry. Hence the indispensable place of Scripture in both public worship and private devotion. It is the Word of God which calls forth the worship of God. On the other hand, there should be no theology without doxology. There is something fundamentally flawed about a purely academic interest in God. God is not an appropriate object for cool, critical, detached, scientific observation and evaluation. No, the true knowledge of God will always lead us to worship, as it did Paul. Our place is on our faces before him in adoration. As I believe Bishop Handley Moule said at the end of the last century, we must 'beware equally of an undevotional theology and of an untheological devotion'.
--From "The Message of Romans" by John R.W.Stott (The Bible Speaks Today series: Leicester: IVP, 1994), p. 311.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Contending For Truth : Beware of Christian Mysticism
Whichever group and whatever methods they employ, whether subtle or explicit, they all fall outside the boundary of orthodox Christianity. In this week’s Contending For Truth, Theoblogy has a series of resources helpful in unmasking the dangers of these movements.
Articles on Christian Mystics and Mysticism :
What is contemplative spirituality? Read
What is contemplative prayer? Read
Who Is Henri Nouwen? Read
Henri Nouwen and Buddhism Read
Richard Foster—Celebration of Deception Read
The Subtle Body — Should Christians Practice Yoga? Read
General Articles:
Thursday, December 16, 2010
The Disappearance of Theology
David Wells, Ph.D. is the distinguished Research Professor at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Massachusetts, U.S.A. Wells has a ThM from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (1967), a PhD from the University of Manchester (1969), and post-doctoral Research Fellow from Yale Divinity School (1973-74). His penetrating reflections upon the church and the world makes his theology profound and thus for anyone who takes life and theology seriously, it is always a profitable experience to listen to him.
In the Fall 1992 Francis A. Schaeffer Lectures at Covenant Theological Seminary, Wells made a case for the disappearance of theology in the Evangelical church. In the first lecture, he tries to show this by making a study of the subjects being discussed in popular Evangelical magazines and the types of sermons preached in Evangelical pulpits. The study clearly shows a decline in doctrinal preaching and a departure from anything of serious theological character. In the second lecture, Wells offers a triangle model for Evangelical ministry, made up of confessionalism, reflection and spiritual moral wisdom. It is followed by a brief Q&A session. The fourth lecture(4A,4B) deals with the modern man’s constant obsession with the Self and how it has affected Evangelical ministry. The fifth lecture (5A) is on the professionalization of the clergy, where Wells explains how ministry has changed in its definition in our times and how this is dangerous to the practice of biblical ministry in Evangelical churches. The last two lectures(5B, 6A) briefly deal with the issue of biblical preaching. Wells makes a clarion call for having biblical priorities in our ministry and how recognizing the centrality of the preaching and teaching of the Word is absolutely crucial for any biblically faithful ministry in our churches.
Theologians, pastors and everyone who is aspiring to do biblically sound ministry would find Wells really helpful in his analyses, reflections and suggestions. May the Lord bless Evangelical ministries to be known for their biblical fidelity, doctrinal richness and theological astuteness.
The Disappearance of Theology
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