Introducing: “A Survey of the Reformation”

At my church this week, I started a 10 part Adult Sunday School series called “A Survey of the Reformation: Its History and Doctrine.” Here is the schedule of the lessons, and the slides and audio from lesson 1. You can also view the SS page at our church website for this information as well.

    HISTORY

  1. Introduction & An Overview of Church History – Download the Audio, View the Slides.
  2. Forerunners of the Reformation
  3. The Protestant Reformation
  4. Puritanism & The Legacy of the Reformers
  5. DOCTRINE

  6. Reformation Doctrine: The Big Picture
  7. Total Depravity & Irresistable Grace
  8. Unconditional Election & Particular Redemption
  9. Perseverance of the Saints & Answering Objections
  10. The Other “Points” of Calvinism
  11. Why the Reformation Matters Today

Sermon Download: Raised for Our Sake

I was blessed to be able to fill in for our pastor again this Sunday. I realized later that trying to preach on the NT theme of “Resurrection Life” was probably too much to try to accomplish in one message. But then again, my opportunities to preach are limited and I pack as much in as I can, when given the chance!

I won’t spell out the sermon here, but you can peek at my notes or download the audio (mp3) of my message. I hope it is a blessing to everyone. I know it was a blessing to me. I should also note that I am indebted to G.K. Beale’s A New Testament Biblical Theology for many of the lines of thought that I trace out in this message.

Place: Beacon of Hope Church, St. Paul
Date: July 22, 2012
Title: Raised for Our Sake
Text: 2 Cor. 4:16-5:17
Notes: Download PDF
Audio Link: Listen online or download (right click the link and save it to your computer)

“The Chiveis Trilogy” – Free Audio Download

This month’s free audiobook download from ChristianAudio.com is The Sword (Chiveis Trilogy, book 1) by Bryan Litfin. I have previously reviewed book 2 of the Chiveis Trilogy, and just received book 3 from Crossway.

The premise of the series is a post-nuclear war holocaust Earth, where Christianity has been almost forgotten, and the Bible’s message is mysterious and hard to come by. An unlikely pair of heroes recover the Old and New Testaments and battle the enemies of Christ in a medieval setting. While the books have an overtly Christian message, and explore characters coming to grips with what it means to serve Jesus Christ, the world of Chiveis is both memorable and enthralling. Bryan Litfin seeks to tell a masterful story but at the same time teach a moral lesson — not easy to do, but very rewarding if done well. I can’t wait to read the conclusion to the series – but I might have to listen to book 1 first.

For more about the Chiveis Trilogy, visit Chiveis.com.

Christian Audio Special:
♦  Free Audio Download of The Sword (Book 1)

Purchase Links:
♦  The Sword (Book 1): Amazon, Christianbook.com, Crossway
♦  The Gift (Book 2): Amazon, Christianbook.com, Crossway
♦  The Kingdom (Book 3): Amazon, Christianbook.com, Crossway

Deal on all 3 books:
♦  Amazon, Christianbook.com, Crossway

(HT: BibleGeekGoneWild.com)

Free eBook: Christ-Centered Bible Study from Armchair-Theology.net

Check out the promotional video for what looks to be an incredibly helpful little book designed for anyone who wants to read the Bible more effectively. The booklet, Christ-Centered Bible Study, is written by Dave Moser of Armchair-Theology.net and freely available as a .pdf download.

Learn more about the book, and download your free copy here.

Dr. Bruce Ware on Fundamentalism

I recently came across an interview of Dr. Bruce Ware, one of the professors at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville. And 25 minutes of the interview was devoted to his thoughts on Fundamentalism and the differences between Fundamentalism and Evangelicalism. [HT: Andy Naselli]

I appreciated his explanation of Evangelicalism and generally agree with his characterization of the differing mindsets of the two movements. You’ll find the clip of this portion of the interview below, but there’s a lot more to the interview. I’m interested in your thoughts on this clip. I find myself basically in agreement with most of what Ware says.