Wednesday, March 26, 2014

26 March 2014



"But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand." [Ezekiel 33:6]

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."  [Ephesians 6:12] 


Presbyterians Week Headlines

[1]
Gay Erskine Student-Athletes Come Out

[2]
Doug Phillips Threatens Lawsuit against Former Vision Forum Associates Who Had Earlier Confronted Him about His Sexual Sins

[3] Former Houston, Texas Pastor Arrested for Embezzling US$200,000 from City of Refuge Evangelical Presbyterian Church

[4]
Go and Tell Evangelism Seminar Based on Heidelberg Catechism Now Available for Free

[5] Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion Available in Afrikaans

[6]
News from the Deepest Recesses of Hell

[7]
Headlines from Christian Concern

[8]
Headlines from The Christian Institute

[9]
Articles from LifesiteNews.com

[10] Raging Heathen and Vain Imagining

[11] 
The Religion of Peace

---

[1]
Gay Erskine Student-Athletes Come Out

Erskine College is self-described as “Christian,” “evangelical,” “Reformed,” “a gospel enterprise,” and “a Christ-centered environment where learning and biblical truth are integrated to develop the whole person.” Presently, the Mission Statement of Erskine College reads in this manner: “Erskine College exists to glorify God as a Christian academic community where students are equipped to flourish as whole persons for lives of service through the pursuit of undergraduate liberal arts and graduate theological education.” So, how does a “Gospel enterprise” which is seeking “to glorify God as a Christian academic community” square with the URL below?

http://www.outsports.com/2014/3/11/5496256/drew-davis-erskine-college-gay-volleyball-juan-varona

Obviously, the student is attempting to make a statement. No doubt he contacted the Outsports website and provided the details for the story. Indeed, the student wants the publicity. And, if there is a list of private, Christian colleges which are havens for practicing homosexuals, the name of Erskine College is NOW on that sad list. I wonder: what is the student’s endgame? I wonder: how large is Erskine’s gay-lesbian community? I wonder: are the self-professed “Christian” and “evangelical” administrators and faculty members attempting to minister in Jesus’ name to Erskine’s gay-lesbian students? Are they even capable of ministering?

Here are questions the members of the Presidential Search Committee and the trustees might want to ask when they interview the finalists for president:
In a page or less, if hired to lead Erskine College towards becoming the ‘premier Christian liberal arts college of the Southeast,’ how will you deal with the homosexual issue at Erskine College?

In a page or less, what would you expect of faculty and staff members when counseling an openly gay student?

Yes or no, would you allow or support a gay student organization at Erskine?

Yes or no, in order to retain and attract top-quality faculty, would you allow Erskine College and Theological Seminary to extend benefits to the same-sex partners/spouses of employees?

Yes or no, do you believe homosexual practice to be sin?

Yes or no, do you believe the Bible clearly and consistently teaches homosexual activity is sin, and, if no, in one page or less, what do you believe the Biblical teaching to be?

Now, before someone accuses me of being homophobic, let me quote the following from Romans 1”

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. . . For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God . . . and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. . . [and] God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men . . . [and] God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. (ESV, Romans 1:18-28)”

Once again, before you call me homophobic, read what follows. Often evangelicals treat homosexual sins as though they were unpardonable or the most egregious sins on the list. Sin is sin, and all sin is equally under the just condemnation and curse of God.

The list of sins in Romans 1:18-28 (and other such vice-list passages) is both long and sobering. An individual is not under the just condemnation and curse of God because she has a covetousness orientation, but became she has a SIN ORIENTATION. An individual is not under the just condemnation and curse of God because he has a pornography-lust orientation, but because he has a SIN ORIENTATION. Consequently, an individual is not under the just condemnation and curse of God he/she has a homosexual orientation, but because he/she has a SIN ORIENTATION. Sin is the problem – the problem lying at the door of our lives. Particularly, the sin is the self-delusion of pride – the arrogance of self-idolatry. It is the sin of thinking I am the one who determines what the moral and theological compasses of life are. Therefore, I am free to do whatever feels good to ME – ME, the ME-god. This rejects both the God of the Bible who created us and the theological and moral precepts, commands, decrees, and statutes He gave us to inform us who He is and how we are to live before Him righteously.

The problem at Erskine is this: not only do most of the folks on the administration, staff, and faculty not know how to deal with the sins of homosexuality; they do not know how to Biblically address the other sexual sins on the Biblical sin-list. And, if I may be so bold, let me mention two: internet-pornography and heterosexual promiscuity. According to national statistics, these problems are rampant on the campuses of colleges calling themselves “Christian.” And, according to students who have spoken with me, Erskine is not an exception. And what do the folks in charge at Erskine do? Look the other way!?!

Other than hypocrisy, what is accomplished by a college calling itself “Christian” and not teaching and expecting Christian behavior? And therein lies the problem at Erskine. The folks at Erskine talk about Erskine being a “gospel enterprise”; however, talk is all they do. Or, as a friend of mine from Texas says, “It’s a big hat but no cattle syndrome!”

Actually, the problem is even more acute than what I have said. It is my observation that both the theological statements of faith and the Christian behavioral expectations are not the heart-actuated affirmations of most of the administrators, staff, and faculty, at Erskine. Theirs is Christianity by acquiescence. The theological statements of faith and the Christian behavioral expectations have been imposed on Erskine by the General Synod. As I said, this is Christianity by acquiescence. For many of the Erskine folks, their Christianity is not about a faith-journey to Christ but a philosophy externally imposed – and, for many professional academics needing a salary, outward conformity to a philosophy is job protection. And, if what I have described is not true, how does one explain the moral morass Erskine has been over the last forty years?

With the “outing” of two gay student-athletes on the internet, the gay and lesbian issue is now front-and-center at Erskine College. Do Acting President Brad Christie and his administrators, staff, and faculty have the Biblical convictions, understanding, and rectitude to competently and Christianly address the gay and lesbian issue at Erskine? Well, if past performance by Erskine presidents, administrators, staff, and faculty is any indication of future performance, I do not think so!

My prediction is this disaster is going to be a fine and glorious misery left for a new president to suffer! Indeed, the questions I started this article with are most relevant!


+
ARPTalk Blog, 864-882-6337, wilson6114@bellsouth.net

+
Erskine College, 2 Washington Street, Due West, South Carolina 29639, 864-379-2131, Fax: 864-379-2167,  nbc@erskine.edu

+
Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, 1 Cleveland Street Suite 110, Greenville, South Carolina, 29601, 864-232-8297, Fax: 864-271-3729


[2]
Doug Phillips Threatens Lawsuit against Former Vision Forum Associates Who Had Earlier Confronted Him about His Sexual Sins

A 21 March 2014 article by Jamie Dean in World titled “Set Adrift” reports that the attorney for Doug Phillips, former head of Vision Forum Ministries, who resigned 30 October 2013 after confessing to a “lengthy, inappropriate relationship with a woman”, on 13 March 2014 sent a letter threatening a lawsuit to three former friends and Vision Forum board members saying:

“the three of you have conspired together, and with others, in an attempt to destroy Doug Phillips, his family and Vision Forum Inc.”

The editor commends the World article to readers as a thorough account of the scandal.


+
World Magazine, 85 Tunnel Road, Suite 12, Asheville, North Carolina 28805, 828-232-5415, Fax: 828-253-1556, mailbag@worldmag.com

+
Vision Forum, 4719 Blanco Road, San Antonio, Texas 78212, 866-440-0022, 210-340-8577, Contact Page

+
Spiritual Sounding Board, SpiritualSB@gmail.com


[3] Former Houston, Texas Pastor Arrested for Embezzling US$200,000 from City of Refuge Evangelical Presbyterian Church

A 25 March 2014 Houston Chronicle article by Craig Hlavaty titled “Arrested Houston Pastor Accused In $200K Theft of Church Donations” reports that Russell Thompson Jr., former associate pastor of the City of Refuge Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Houston, Texas, was arrested the week of 17 March 2014 on charges of stealing US$200,000 in donations from the church. The thefts occurred between March 2011 and January 2013 according to court documents.


+ Houston Chronicle, Post Office Box 4260 Houston, Texas 77210, 713-362-7491, news@chron.com

+ Evangelical Presbyterian Church, 17197 North Laurel Park Drive Suite 567, Livonia, Michigan 48152, 734-742-2020, Fax: 734-742-2033, webmaster@epc.org


[4]
Go and Tell Evangelism Seminar Based on Heidelberg Catechism Now Available for Free

The Go and Tell evangelism seminar by Pastor Jim Halstead is now available for free at http://www.fortwaynecrc.com/.

Go and Tell is an easy and practical way to equip you to become a fisher of men (Matthew 4:19) based on the Heidelberg Catechism. This seminar will provide you with the tools to “be active in sharing your faith” (Philemon 6) with others. The Go and Tell free resources (video, booklet, testimonials, etc…) have helped many to become equipped to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with others.


+
Community Christian Reformed Church, 3434 Lahmeyer Road, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46835, 260-493-2398, Contact Page

+
Christian Reformed Church in North America, 2850 Kalamazoo Avenue Southeast, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49560, 616-241-1691, Fax: 616-224-0803 crcna@crcna.org


[5]
Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion Available in Afrikaans

An Afrikaans translation of Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion is available for free here:

http://www.cjbf.co.za/pdfboeke/1559.html

The translation was made by Professor H.W. Simpson with the help of Professor L.F. Schultze and Dr. C.M.M. Brink.


+
Calvin Jubileum Book Fund


[6]
News from the Deepest Recesses of Hell

- U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor Compared Abortions to Vaccinations, Blood Transfusions in Hobby Lobby Case

- Shocking Report Shows 15,000 Aborted Babies Incinerated to Heat British Hospitals

- Abortion Activist Says It’s Okay to Use an Aborted Baby’s Ovaries to Create New Children

- Abortion Clinic Found Storing Remains of Aborted Baby in Fridge With Medications

- Poland: Midwife Ordered to Pay PLN50,000 after Opposing Abortions at Her Hospital

- Planned Parenthood Does One Abortion Every Ninety-Five Seconds


+ LifeNews.com, Post Office Box 270841, Fort Collins, Colorado 80527, news@lifenews.com


[7]
Headlines from Christian Concern

Headlines of the past week from
Christian Concern:

- U.K. Supreme Court Judge in Striking Admission of Problems for Christians under Equalities Law

- Guinness Drops Sponsorship of U.S. St. Patrick’s Day March after Threat by Stonewall Inn


+
Christian Concern, 70 Wimpole Street, London W1G 8AX, England, 020 7935 1488, Contact Page


[8]
Headlines from The Christian Institute

Headlines of the past week from
The Christian Institute:

- U.K. MP: Strip Christian Weddings of Legal Status

- Joni Eareckson Tada Slams Belgium’s Child Euthanasia


+
The Christian Institute, Wilberforce House, 4 Park Road, Gosforth Business Park, Newcastle upon Tyne NE12 8DG, England, 44-0-191-281-5664, Fax: 44-0-191-281-4272, info@christian.org.uk


[9]
Articles from LifesiteNews.com

Articles from the past week from
LifesiteNews.com:

- Reinstate Lesbian Teachers Caught Having Sex in Classroom, Manhattan Appeals Court Orders School

- Abortion Zealot: Babies Are ‘Time-Sucking Monsters,’ I Will ‘Totally’ Abort if Birth Control Fails


+
LifeSiteNews.com, Incorporated, 4 Family Life Lane, Front Royal, Virginia 22630, 888-678-6008, Contact Page


[10] 
Raging Heathen and Vain Imagining

Articles from the past week regarding kings and rulers setting themselves against the LORD and against his anointed:

- Mother Tries to Help Sick Child at School, Gets Arrested

- Report: Americans Commit an Average of Three Felonies a Day

- Nabisco Ad: Homosexuality 'Wholesome' "For Every Wholesome Family."

- Christian Converts in Laos Told to Leave Faith or Face Expulsion

- Bill Maher Calls God a "Psychotic Mass Murderer"


+ Ben Swann, Contact Page


+ Examiner.com, 555 17th Street, Suite 700, Denver, Colorado 80202, contactus@examiner.com

+ American Vision, Post Office Box 220, Powder Springs, Georgia 30127, 770-222-7266, Fax: 770-222-7269, mail@AmericanVision.org

+ Assist USA, Post Office Box 609, Lake Forest, California 92609, 949-380-1558, danjuma1@aol.com

+ Godfather Politics, 457 Nathan Dean Boulevard, Dallas, Georgia 30132


[11] The Religion of Peace

Articles from the past week about the religion of peace:

- British Doctor Charged with Performing Female Genital Mutilation Procedure

- New York: Bangladesh Consul General Kept Man as a Slave

- Jihadists Crucify Man in Syria

- Hillsong United Leader Brian Houston Now Promoting Chrislam

- '10,000 Schoolgirls' Victims of U.K. Sex Gangs

- Turkey Releases Men Accused of Torturing, Slitting Throats of Three Christians

- Gunmen Open Fire on Church in Mombasa, Kenya: At Least Seven Dead in Attack by Suspected Islamic Extremists

- Attacks in Nigeria Claim over 150 Lives

- Islamic Law is Adopted by British Legal Chiefs

- Australia: Charges Dropped Against Muslim Registered Sex Offender Because of “Cultural Differences”

- Nigeria: Islamic Jihadists Murder Seventeen in Market Attack

- Islamic Extremists in Somalia Behead Two Christians

- Head Shot: Dutch Muslim Who Lived on Welfare For Ten Years Poses with Five Heads

- Jihad Magazine: Strike New York City, Washington DC with Car Bombs

- Islamic Jihadists Storm “Kabul [Afghanistan]’S Safest Hotel,” Murder Nine People

- Kenya Legalizes Polygamy without Wife’s Consent

- Pakistan’s Blasphemy Law Used to “Kill Innocent Christians without Giving Them a Chance to Prove Their Innocence”

- Iraq Child Marriage Bill Sparks Outrage among Human Rights Groups

- Nigeria: Southern Kaduna Christians Organize Prayer Session over Mass Killings

- Islamic Scholar Who Sexually Abused Girl, Eleven, As He Taught Her the Koran Spared Jail Because His Wife Doesn’t Speak English


+ Assyrian International News Agency (Nineveh Software Corporation, 2317 West Farwell, Chicago, Illinois 60645, 773-575-5863, Fax: 773-761-8534)

+ Atlas Shrugs, writeatlas@aol.com

+ Now the End Begins, Contact Page

+ WND, 2020 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, #351, Washington DC 20006, Contact Page

+ Assist USA, Post Office Box 609, Lake Forest, California 92609, 949-380-1558, danjuma1@aol.com

+ Right Side News

+ Jihad Watch and Dhimmi Watch






Wednesday, March 19, 2014

19 March 2014



Presbyterians Week Headlines


​I like this seal and motto. I particularly like the motto: “For Christ and His Church.”
Its ring strikes a chord with my heart. It declares Erskine Theological Seminary is “a gospel enterprise.” How I wish Erskine Seminary were “For Christ and His Church” – especially, the ARP Church which gave the seminary life, financially supports the seminary, and supposedly owns the seminary. If only Erskine Seminary were the reality Dr. Mark Ross projects in his Erskine video appearance: “a gospel enterprise.” Indeed, “gospel enterprise” rings rich in gospel faithfulness and gospel longing for converted and transformed lives for Christ.

​As reported in
ARPTalk(92), once again, Erskine Seminary administrators have matriculated non-Christian clerics in the DMin program for Army chaplains. In the past, this has also occurred in the regular DMin program. This time, we have a Buddhist and a Mormon student at Erskine Seminary. Previously, we have seen Jewish, Mormon, Muslim, and Unitarian clerics enrolled. Never mind that Erskine is self-described as Christian! Never mind that Erskine is self-described as evangelical! Never mind that Erskine is self-described as Reformed. Never mind that Erskine is self-described as “a gospel enterprise.” Never mind that Erskine is self-described as “the seminary of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church.” And never mind that, at the 2012 meeting of General Synod, the Rev. Ray Cameron, then Chairman of the board’s Seminary Committee, apologized for this offense and promised it would not happen again at Erskine Seminary. He said it was a fluke, an oversight. Well, it has happened again, and it only took two years for the seminary administrators to forget the sting of the embarrassment. However, this time it is not a fluke or oversight. It was done on purpose for the sake of ministering to fifteen (15) Baptist chaplains.

​At the Spring meeting of the ARP Church’s Second Presbytery, the Dean of Erskine Seminary, Dr. Jim Meek, made a number of interesting statements. He repeatedly contended that Erskine Seminary is “your seminary,” and “the seminary of the ARP Church.” He also stated he made the decision to enroll non-Christian clerics. He insisted he did so for ministry reasons rather than for the Army’s $300,000 a year in tuition money – he wanted to minister to the fifteen Baptist and the other Christian chaplains in the program.

As Meek explained it, the presence of non-Christian clerics enrolled in the Erskine DMin program is the fault of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and the Army – not decisions by administrators at Erskine Seminary. First, ATS has modified regulations for enrollment. Formerly, Erskine Seminary’s regulations (as determined by ATS’ regulations) excluded individuals from the DMin program who did not have the MDiv or its equivalent – thereby excluding most non-Christian clerics for they would not have an MDiv degree. Since the changes by ATS, it seems special deference is now given to non-Christian clergy, and non-Christian clerics are now allowed into DMin programs if they have a master’s degree of some kind. Second, since the implementation of the new ATS regulations, the Army can now require Erskine Seminary to accept all chaplains the Army sends. And, according to Dr. Meek, if Erskine is to minister to the Christian chaplains the Army sends, he must matriculate the non-Christians as well. I suppose this is done in order to accomplish the mission of Erskine as “a gospel enterprise.” But I wonder what the explanation would be if the numbers were reversed – far more non-Christian than Christian chaplains!?!

Meek argued the training of non-Christian chaplains at Erskine Seminary equips them to better serve Christian soldiers. And perhaps hoping the assembled presbyters would not notice the suspension of logic, he also said, “We are training men and women first and foremost for the church . . . our primary focus is on the ARP Church.” Indeed, the logic does not work, does it? This does not embrace the imperial and exclusive claims of the witness of Jesus in
John 14:6 or the apostolic witness of Acts 4:12. Nor does this embrace the stated witness of the ARP Church which declares Jesus is the only Savior of sinners. And Dr. Meek claims to represent the ARP Church!?!

​To put the matter baldly, the fact is the tithes and offerings of faithful ARPs are now being used to train non-Christian religious professionals to advance their careers, to increase their salaries in the Army, and to equip them to undermine the cause of “Christ and His church.” How is this “a gospel enterprise?” Frankly, I find Meek’s asserting he did not do it for the money to be disingenuous. We now know the seminary is running a $650,000 deficit for this year. That is, if I correctly understand what Meek and others are saying, from the draw on the endowment at budget planning and to the draw on the endowment in order to cover the deficit, the total draw on the endowment for this year exceeds ten percent (10%). If the seminary did not have the contract with the Army, add another $300,000 draw from the endowment and then the draw drifts north of fifteen percent (15%). But Dr. Meek can easily prove the Editor of ARPTalk wrong. Since it is “not about the money,” Dr. Meek should be able to reverse his decision immediately. Or is it really “about the money,” after all?

​By the way, there was something forgotten in the discussion on requirements for the DMin program. Is not Erskine Seminary allowed to establish its own academic standards and requirements? According to the catalog, the MDiv or the equivalent is required for the Erskine DMin program. Like Obama suspending the requirements for Obamacare, it seems the seminary’s requirements are not the requirements for all.

​Dr. Meek also declared to Second Presbytery that Erskine Seminary is “committed to the inerrancy of Scripture in the original autographs.” Has Dr. Meek forgotten about the presence of Dr. Richard Burnett, Professor of Systematic Theology at ETS? Apparently not, because the latest issue of Inside Erskine contains a notice of the recent publication of the Westminster Handbook to Karl Barth, which is edited and partially authored by Burnett (
http://www.wjkbooks.com/Products/0664225306/the-westminster-handbook-to-karl-barth.aspx). Meek knows Burnett is not only a Barth scholar but also a passionate proponent of Barth’s heretical view on Scripture. Not only does Burnett reject the ARP Church’s view of inerrancy in the original autographs, he has PUBLICLY MOCKED what we believe (http://www.arptalk.org/2010/04/25/extra-inerrancy-the-interminably-long-vs-the-concise/). So how, the Editor asks, is Erskine Seminary “committed to the inerrancy of Scripture in the original autographs” when a FULL professor of Theology openly ridicules that very doctrine?

​But congratulations are due to Dr. Burnett. His new book takes only 272 pages to introduce the world to Karl Barth, whose Church Dogmatics is only about 10,000 pages. Mr. Cliff Smith, the publicity guru at Erskine, must be very proud of Dr. Burnett’s accomplishment. (I would not have publicly acknowledged the publication.) But at Erskine, never mind that Burnett’s theological understanding rejects inerrancy. Never mind that Burnett’s presence at Erskine Seminary compromises the seminary’s claim to be evangelical. (And the seminary of the ARP Church must now be the laughingstock of the evangelical and Reformed world of seminaries!) Never mind that John Carson, Randy Ruble, Neely Gaston, and David Norman’s shenanigans, in hiring Burnett, in granting tenure to him, and in keeping him the past ten years, have created a conflagration in the ARP Church which is still burning.

​At this point, let us not embrace wishful thinking, the reification of things as we might wish them to be; rather, let us embrace reality. The ARP Church affirms the inerrancy of the Scriptures. Karl Barth denied the inerrancy of the Scriptures. One of the three Systematic Theology professors at Erskine Seminary is a confirmed Barthian. He is publicly opposed to the theological position of the ARP Church on the doctrine of the Bible. No presbytery in the ARP Church will receive him as a minister. In a rational world, how is it possible the seminary of the ARP Church has a theology professor opposing its theological standards in the classroom? No wonder evangelicals who are planning careers in ministry choose seminaries other than Erskine Seminary for their theological education. I would choose a seminary other than Erskine!

​In Hosea, the sinful and apostate people of God are described as sliding “back as a backsliding heifer” and “as an heifer that is taught, and loveth to tread out the corn” (
Hosea 4:16 and 10:11). Well, the flavor of what Erskine Seminary has become is certainly caught by Hosea’s words.

​And do not forget this: Erskine Seminary which is self-described as a Christian seminary opens its doors to train non-Christian clerics in its DMin program, and thereby they advance their careers and salaries as chaplains in the US Army. That is, in the name of Jesus, the professors at Erskine Seminary are equipping professional non-Christian clerics to do their jobs better in undermining the cause of the seal and motto of Erskine Seminary, “For Christ and His Church.” And let us just admit this is because of the $300,000 a year the Army pays in tuition. No wonder the classrooms at the seminary are empty and the seminary is running a $650,000 deficit this year. Could it be the judgment of God has fallen on Erskine Seminary?

​Well, I think it is time for a new seal and motto for Erskine Theological Seminary. May I suggest the one below for consideration by the seminary’s administration and the board’s Seminary Committee? I think it appropriately reflects the appalling thing Erskine Seminary has become.

 

ERSKINE

Theological Seminary

For Christ and the Anti-Christs too




+ ARPTalk Blog, 864-882-6337, wilson6114@bellsouth.net

+
Erskine Theological Seminary, Post Office Box 668, Due West, South Carolina 29639, 800-770-6936

+
Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, 1 Cleveland Street Suite 110, Greenville, South Carolina, 29601, 864-232-8297, Fax: 864-271-3729


[2]
Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) Announces New Moderator-Designate


The Moderator-designate for the 2014 General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) is the Rev. Allan Murray, until recently the minister of the Free Church Continuing congregation of Brora, Scotland.

Mr Murray was born in the village of Shawbost in the Isle of Lewis in 1938. He was educated in Shawbost, Stornoway, and Glasgow University, where he graduated in Dentistry.

He worked for a short time in Bathgate, West Lothian, where he attended Bathgate Baptist Church where the Gospel was preached in simple, plain terms, and with much urgency. There, Mr. Murray came under strong convictions under the influence of the Spirit of God, and was enabled to close in with Christ. This meant massive changes in lifestyle, and world view, and he is thankful to God, for bringing him from such darkness to the light of the gospel. After moving to Glasgow he met his wife, Maureen. They have five of a family, now mostly spread around the world.

Having spent twenty-three enjoyable years in general dental practice, Mr. Murray felt called to study for the ministry. He sold his practice and studied at the Free Church College, Edinburgh, for three years, and accepted a call to the charge of Rogart and Scourie in 1988.

When the division took place in the Free Church in January 2000, Mr. Murray adhered to the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) and ministered to a small group meeting in Brora, and, until 2008, to two other small groups meeting in Scourie and Lochinver.

Mr. Murray retired from the charge of Brora in November 2013, but continues to live in Brora, and still worships with the Brora congregation.


+
Free Church of Scotland (Continuing), Rev. John MacLeod, Free Church Manse, Portmahomack, Ross-shire, Scotland, principalclerk@fccontinuing.org


[3]
Video Webinar “Husbands, Love Your Wives” Scheduled April-May 2014

The National Center for Family-Integrated Churches has scheduled a six part online webinar series April-May 2014 that is based on William Gouge’s classic work, Domestical Duties, using the edited and modernized version by Scott Brown and Joel Beeke. This series is designed to help husbands love their wives like Christ loved the church.

The six sessions run 9 - 10 p.m. eastern time:

Tuesday, April 22 - Authority, pp. 180-195 - Joel Beeke

Tuesday, April 29 - Gentleness, pp. 196-214 - Joel Beeke

Tuesday, May 6 - Correcting, pp. 215-224 - Jeff Pollard

Thursday, May 15 - Kindness, pp. 225-236 - Sam Waldron

Tuesday, May 20 - Provision, pp. 237-256 - Derek Thomas

Tuesday, May 27 - Love, pp. 257-273 - Jeff Pollard

The cost of the webinar is US$15 for individuals and US$75 for groups of five or more.

Further information is available at:

https://ncfic.org/events/view/husbands-love-your-wives?tab=schedule


+
The National Center for Family-Integrated Churches, 220 South White Street, Wake Forest, North Carolina 27587, 919-556-6511, Contact Page

+
Joel Beeke – Doctrine for Life


[4] Summer Studies at Yale Divinity School Offering “Jonathan Edwards and Missions” 9-13 July 2014

Summer Studies at Yale Divinity School is offering “Jonathan Edwards and Missions” 9:00 – 11:30 a.m., 9-13 June 2014.

Using primary and secondary readings, multimedia presentations, and student discussions, this course will focus on Jonathan Edwards as missionary, examining his work at the mission post of Stockbridge, Massachusetts, during the 1750s, where he ministered to Mohawks, Mahicans, and Tuscaroras. Edwards composed sermons specifically for the natives, wrote copious correspondence to provincial and imperial officials on their behalf, and dealt with native spirituality and social life. To help understand Edwards’ role and methods, we will place his work in the context of New World comparative missions by the Portuguese, Spanish, French, and British, with particular emphasis on the evolution of British missions in New England, the founding of the Stockbridge mission, and competition from other agencies such as those of the SPG and the Moravians. Included in the readings will be selections from one of Edwards’ most important works, and a key text in the history of American and English missions, The Life of David Brainerd.

No text is required, as online sources will be utilized.

Instructors: Dr. Kenneth P. Minkema is the Executive Editor of The Works of Jonathan Edwards and of the Jonathan Edwards Center & Online Archive at Yale University, with appointments as Research Faculty at Yale Divinity School and as Research Associate at the University of the Free State, South Africa. He offers seminars in early American and early modern religious history, as well as reading courses in colonial American and early modern European religious history. From 2004 through 2009, he served as the Executive Secretary of the American Society of Church History. Besides publishing numerous articles on Jonathan Edwards and topics in early American religious history, Dr. Minkema has also edited and co-edited several volumes on Jonathan Edwards and related topics.

Adriaan C. Neele is editor of The Works of Jonathan Edwards and Director of the Jonathan Edwards Center. He is the author of two books, The Art of Living to God (Pretoria University Press, 2005), and Petrus van Mastricht (1630-1706) Reformed Orthodoxy: Method and Piety (Leiden, Boston: Brill, 2009) and various articles, including: "Trans-Atlantic Exchanges: Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) in New England."

Tuition is US$350.


+
Yale Divinity School, 409 Prospect Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, 203-432-5303, joseph.britton@yale.edu


[5] Western Reformed Seminary Offering Seminary Modular Course in “Church Planting” 8-10 April 2014

Western Reformed Seminary of Takoma, Washington is offering a seminary modular course in “Church Planting” 8-10 April 2014.

The course will trace the biblical and historical origins of Presbyterian church government, starting new churches within the Presbyterian system, steps and procedures for establishing a mission and developing it into an organized church, and practical methods and techniques used in church planting.

The course will be taught by Leonard W. Pine, North American Field Director for the Presbyterian Missionary Union.

Seminary credit may be earned for this course, and interested church officers are encouraged to audit the class at no charge.

For more information, please see:

http://www.wrs.edu/academics/department-of-church-ministry/church-planting/#sthash.KXDv1hr8.dpuf

Or contact the seminary at 253-272-0417 or registrar@wrs.edu.


+ Western Reformed Seminary, 5 South G Street, Tacoma, Washington 98405, 253-272-0417, Fax: 253-627-4882, registrar@wrs.edu

+ Presbyterian Missionary Union, 1650 Love Road, Grand Island, New York 14072, 716-775-0442, office@presbyterianmissions.org

+ Bible Presbyterian Church, statedclerk@bpc.org




Wednesday, March 12, 2014

12 March 2014

The editor is busy with secular employment responsibilities. D.V., Presbyterians Week will return on 19 March 2014.

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

5 March 2014



Presbyterians Week Headlines


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New Christian Observer articles for February 2014 include:

-- How Did Harvard College Respond to the Great Awakening? – By the Rev. Dr. George J. Gatgounis, Esq. – Part one of a two part essay;

-- The God Who Keeps Faith: “Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?” Romans 3:3 Geneva Bible – Part 23 in a continuing series of articles by Christian Observer Contributing Editor David Brand – examining the effects upon the church of the change in meaning of the Greek word pistis from faith to faithfulness by the English Revised Version Committee that began meeting in February 1870;

-- The Common Core – Mediocrity Replacing Educational Excellence - By Christian Observer Contributing Editor Dr. Joe Renfro – the educational fiasco that is Common Core educational “standards”;

Plus, regular features including weekly Sabbath School Lessons, and Daily Devotionals by T.M. Moore, dean of the Centurions Program of the Wilberforce Forum and principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe.