Ryan Burge, who is Professor of Practice at the John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics at Washington University in St. Louis, and who co-authored “The Great De-churching” with Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando grads Jim Davis and Michael Graham, has released an article called “What’s Happening with America’s Seminaries?” on his Substack that has gotten a lot of attention on X. I love to read Ryan’s work. His article has tons of helpful and accurate information and analysis. What he has done is take the ATS ADT (The Association of…A Word about Stats for the Growth and Size of…
Ryan Burge, who is Professor of Practice at the John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics at Washington University in St. Louis, and who co-authored “The Great De-churching” with Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando grads Jim Davis and Michael Graham, has released an article called “What’s Happening with America’s Seminaries?” on his Substack that has gotten a lot of attention on X. I love to read Ryan’s work. His article has tons of helpful and accurate information and analysis. What he has done is take the ATS ADT (The Association of…
This next installment of “What our Gathered Worship Should Look Like” has been helped by the internet storm caused by Victoria Osteen (wife of Joel Osteen of “Your Best Life Now” and prosperity gospel fame) because of comments she made in a recent service at Lakewood Church in Houston, TX. In exhorting the audience to participate, she laid out a case for why they ought to be motivated to do so. In sum, she said, affirmatively: “You’re not doing it for God, you are doing it for yourself, really.” Here is…
I want to make a case for you (especially pastors) to approach your planning of public worship, with a view to being “historic.” Let me explain. Using a word like historic in connection with worship can immediately raise defenses and lead to misunderstandings. When some folks hear “historic” they think: “Oh no, you want a boring formal service with no new songs” or “you are trying to impose extra-biblical standards on our public worship.” Indeed, a word like “historic” may have (and…
As Jesus, when He sat in the judgment hall of Annas offering Himself as a victim for the saving of the world, yet had time to turn a significant glance upon Peter as he stood denying Him before the courtyard fire, and thus saved His poor repentant follower in the saving of the world; so God in his use of Elijah for the teaching of Israel also found time to train the heart of the prophet himself.” B.B. Warfield, “The Cause of God” in Faith and Life (Banner of Truth) 1 Kings 19 “The Underestimated God”
On August 29, 2005, nine years ago today, Hurricane Katrina crashed ashore, and changed New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast forever. Here is the article that I wrote for the First Presbyterian Church newsletter, The First Epistle, that…
Every Christian ought to want to know more of the Father’s great love for us and our Savior’s dying work for us in the atonement. The cross is at the heart of the Gospel, the heart of the Christian faith and the heart of the Christian life. The…
My heart has been deeply grieved over the whole complex of events and aftermath of the situation in Ferguson, Missouri. Particularly painful has been hearing esteemed and beloved African-American Christian friends who have been disturbed, angered and…
Yesterday was a special day at Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson. We celebrated a new (and large) incoming class of students and installed our newest chaired professor during Convocation. This was the 49th Convocation of RTS in Jackson, and…
A year ago yesterday (August 18, 2013), I announced to the congregation of First Presbyterian Church, Jackson, MS my intention to accept the call of Reformed Theological Seminary to become the 5th chancellor of the institution (thanks for the kind…
There is good news for RTS out of Orlando today! The Reformed Theological Seminary Board of Trustees announced the appointment of Dr. R. Michael Allen to the faculty of the Orlando campus. Dr. Allen will serve as the associate professor of…