Rev. Joe Holland has made it to Culpeper, Va (with his family now as well) to begin the work which God has called him to do for this season. A minister of the Gospel to Culpeper. The church plant has now have an official website launched and can be accessed at http://www.christcov.com/. The website is very simple and classy while all the yet affording the viewer a thorough look into the heart of this ministry. Joe can be followed on Twitter, and Facebook as well as through his blog.
If you remember, he provided a glimpse into the work and ministry of Twin Lakes by giving credit to his fellowship opportunities at TLF and how that has allowed God to place in his heart a heart to plant churches.
Showing posts with label Church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Church. Show all posts
“Biblical, Historical, and Theological Case for Reformed Worship” – Terry Johns
(I will update throughout the talk)
“Biblical, Historical, and Theological Case for Reformed Worship”
Terry Johnson
Dr. Johnson is the Senior Minister of Independent Presbyterian Church of Savannah Georgia. He has been there since 1987. His call to the ministry led him to Trinity College in Bristol, England, time at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, Coral Gables Florida and then on to Savannah Georgia. He is the compiler/author of the Trinity Psalter and Leading in Worship, and author or several noted writings which can be found on the church’s website.
Books recommend by Carl Robbins of Dr. Johnsons:
The Pastor’s Ministry
The Parables of Jesus
Seminary #4 – “Biblical, Historical, and Theological Case for Reformed Worship” – Terry Johnson
“Biblical, Historical, and Theological Case for Reformed Worship”
Terry Johnson
Personal taste does not apply to consideration of Reformed Worship. Churches have adopted the outlook of we’ll tailor our service to what we like. Reformed Theology cannot be grafted into how you want to tailor your service of worship. Historical Reformed Worship never considered what man wanted. Hughes Oliphant Old is said to be the grandfather of Reformed Worship and his writings should be sought when desiring to learn or read on Reformed Worship.
The men of the day were considered Renaissance Humanists, going to the sources (sources of Christian church) and built a case for Biblical, historical and theological case for Reformed Worship. They could say that Acts 2:42 was the basis for this.
The Exegetical and Theological Case
1. Election Continuo reading and preaching of the Scripture (1 Timothy 3:14). The author of 1 Timothy notes in this passage “the reading”. There was a time given to in the worship service to the reading of Scripture. Acts 13:15, Acts 15:21
2. A full diet of prayer. A variety of prayers (confession of sin, intercession, thanksgiving, petitions, etc.)
a. Six Basic Prayers can be
i. Praise
ii. Sin
iii. Confession
iv. Intercession
v. ?
vi. Benediction (it is a prayer)
3. Singing of Psalms and Biblical Hymnody. Biblical hymnody was “refound” by historical reformers. Acts 4. The church fathers were very in favor of Psalm singing and could not be held back from wanting to sing them. They are revolutionaries but actually restorationists (who take into account the witness and account of the patristic church).
4. Administration of the Sacraments. The bread is bread and the cup is a cup. Went back to Augustine’s definition and restored the Lord’s Supper.
Biblical Studies
In 16th century Biblical reform was taking place and implications of doctrines was taking a while to “settle in”.
Implications on worship:
1. Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone) – Scripture must be our authority when we view our understanding of how Worship is be ordered. B/c of this several elements needed to be reformed in the 16th century.
2. Solus Christus (Christ Alone Saves) – if Christ’s atonement was final and complete and does not need supplemented then we do not need a mass when we observe the eucharist, we have a supper, we have a meal, not a sacrifice. The job description changes of the minister, he is not a priest. The furniture is not an altar but a table.
3. Sola Fide (Justified by Faith Alone) – you must trust in Christ. Latin is out, vernacular services are in. The focus is now on the Word of God. The Word needs to be present at Worship Services. We read the Word, We pray the Word, Everything in Worship is based on the WORD. This is Biblical Christianity.
4. Sola Gratia (Saved by the Grace of God Alone) – do we believe we are saved by the grace of God alone? Yes. Then in our congregational worship we will express this. We will pray to God that the HS would illuminate God’s word and our dependence on it.
5.
Protestant Reformers brought about the most radical reform of the church.
Elements of the Order
1. Invocation (CTW) – calling
2. Prayers (chief part of God’s worship lies in the office of prayer – Calvin)
3. Reading
4. Singing of Psalms (it is b/c of Calvin’s perseverance
5. Administration of Sacraments
6. Liturgical use of 10 Commandments
Removed from Order in 16th century
1. Responses
Liturgical Ethos or Tone
1. Ethos is one of reverence (reading, listening, singing were all seen as being done in reverence). Reverance (For Calvin) is the first rule in Worship!
2. Ritual Simplicity (simple service so people of God would give their entirety to the means of grace)
3. A balance of form and freedom.
5 Strengths of Reformed Worship (see points above)
1. God Centered
2. Gospel Structured (the Service itself presents the gospel each Lord’s Day/each Lord’s Day service)
3. It is Word filled (no Bible, no Word then no ministry)
4. Spirit dependent
5. Honors catholicity and the communion of the saints
Reformed Worship is timeless which provides the opportunity to UNITE. Don’t segment your marketing on who your devise your worship around.
Books recommend by Carl Robbins of Dr. Johnsons:
The Pastor’s Ministry
The Parables of Jesus
Seminary #4 – “Biblical, Historical, and Theological Case for Reformed Worship” – Terry Johnson
“Biblical, Historical, and Theological Case for Reformed Worship”
Terry Johnson
Personal taste does not apply to consideration of Reformed Worship. Churches have adopted the outlook of we’ll tailor our service to what we like. Reformed Theology cannot be grafted into how you want to tailor your service of worship. Historical Reformed Worship never considered what man wanted. Hughes Oliphant Old is said to be the grandfather of Reformed Worship and his writings should be sought when desiring to learn or read on Reformed Worship.
The men of the day were considered Renaissance Humanists, going to the sources (sources of Christian church) and built a case for Biblical, historical and theological case for Reformed Worship. They could say that Acts 2:42 was the basis for this.
The Exegetical and Theological Case
1. Election Continuo reading and preaching of the Scripture (1 Timothy 3:14). The author of 1 Timothy notes in this passage “the reading”. There was a time given to in the worship service to the reading of Scripture. Acts 13:15, Acts 15:21
2. A full diet of prayer. A variety of prayers (confession of sin, intercession, thanksgiving, petitions, etc.)
a. Six Basic Prayers can be
i. Praise
ii. Sin
iii. Confession
iv. Intercession
v. ?
vi. Benediction (it is a prayer)
3. Singing of Psalms and Biblical Hymnody. Biblical hymnody was “refound” by historical reformers. Acts 4. The church fathers were very in favor of Psalm singing and could not be held back from wanting to sing them. They are revolutionaries but actually restorationists (who take into account the witness and account of the patristic church).
4. Administration of the Sacraments. The bread is bread and the cup is a cup. Went back to Augustine’s definition and restored the Lord’s Supper.
Biblical Studies
In 16th century Biblical reform was taking place and implications of doctrines was taking a while to “settle in”.
Implications on worship:
1. Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone) – Scripture must be our authority when we view our understanding of how Worship is be ordered. B/c of this several elements needed to be reformed in the 16th century.
2. Solus Christus (Christ Alone Saves) – if Christ’s atonement was final and complete and does not need supplemented then we do not need a mass when we observe the eucharist, we have a supper, we have a meal, not a sacrifice. The job description changes of the minister, he is not a priest. The furniture is not an altar but a table.
3. Sola Fide (Justified by Faith Alone) – you must trust in Christ. Latin is out, vernacular services are in. The focus is now on the Word of God. The Word needs to be present at Worship Services. We read the Word, We pray the Word, Everything in Worship is based on the WORD. This is Biblical Christianity.
4. Sola Gratia (Saved by the Grace of God Alone) – do we believe we are saved by the grace of God alone? Yes. Then in our congregational worship we will express this. We will pray to God that the HS would illuminate God’s word and our dependence on it.
5.
Protestant Reformers brought about the most radical reform of the church.
Elements of the Order
1. Invocation (CTW) – calling
2. Prayers (chief part of God’s worship lies in the office of prayer – Calvin)
3. Reading
4. Singing of Psalms (it is b/c of Calvin’s perseverance
5. Administration of Sacraments
6. Liturgical use of 10 Commandments
Removed from Order in 16th century
1. Responses
Liturgical Ethos or Tone
1. Ethos is one of reverence (reading, listening, singing were all seen as being done in reverence). Reverance (For Calvin) is the first rule in Worship!
2. Ritual Simplicity (simple service so people of God would give their entirety to the means of grace)
3. A balance of form and freedom.
5 Strengths of Reformed Worship (see points above)
1. God Centered
2. Gospel Structured (the Service itself presents the gospel each Lord’s Day/each Lord’s Day service)
3. It is Word filled (no Bible, no Word then no ministry)
4. Spirit dependent
5. Honors catholicity and the communion of the saints
Reformed Worship is timeless which provides the opportunity to UNITE. Don’t segment your marketing on who your devise your worship around.
An audio preached at Christ Church in 2008 on Reformed Worship can be accessed here, http://tr.im/refwor
Sermons on Worship from IPC Sav on worship, http://tr.im/worshipipc
Seminar #3 – Emergent Calvinism “Does lightening strike twice?” – David Robertson
(I'll be updating this seminar throughout the talk)
Emergent Calvinism “Does lightening strike twice?”
David Robertson
David Robertson (site) of St. Peters Free Church in Dundee Scotland presented on the topic above. He was born in 1962 in the Highlands of Scotland where his father was a farm worker. After attending the Univ. of Edinburgh and then the Free Church College he was ordained and inducted as Free Church minister to the Highland charge of Brora and then moved to engage in Church revitalization and inner city ministry in Dundee in the Church of Robert Murray McCheyne.
Acts 17 – We are about “turning the world upside down” The day you have to wear a Calvin t-shirt, the day you are done. The Young, Restless and Reformed by Hansen. The Calvinistic way is to go under the radar. Calvinism should be considered Biblical Theology and is what our world needs. Delighted to see influence but should mainstream media, esp. Christian media be recognizing this.
7 Positive Suggestions in the Emerging Church
1. Community
2. Social Justice
3. Holistic Worship
4. Missional
5. Inclusive and Tolerance
6. Theology (most emergents are speaking of being post-systematic theology)
7. Creative (Artistic)
In Theory:
Culture and these 7 things in our “confused” culture.
1. Community – people long for community; they want to belong to something
2. Social Justice –
3. Holistic Worship – our society is very interested as see the culture often replacing the local church worship with another form of worship (sports, concerts, etc.);
4. Missional – our society is very interested in mission work (foreign aide, military)
5. Inclusiveness and Tolerance – there is nothing so intolerant as a liberal arguing for tolerance; the basis of tolerance in any society is the Bible. You take away the Bible you will always end up with what we have in our society
6. Theological – “human beings are getting better all the time” (today’s theology);
7. Creative/Artistic – if you can read “Modern Art and the Death of the Culture” (book, book), reveals how theology influences our society (art)
We are a confused society. Modern society cheapens.
Positive Presbyterianism is what we need. What wrong with the emerging movement? It’s not enough. It’s old hat. Return to Positive Presbyterianism will
1. Community – the church. We need ecclesiology. The church is vital and important. Huge sections of the Institutes are tied up in “church”. The enemy can be within with independent churches. The essence of the church is the Word of Christ. The essence of the church is NOT the culture wars! The probably with the Church of Scotland is that it allows people to preach who do not believe in the Word of God and preach the Word. Believe in the church.
2. Social Justice – it is just political liberalism; it is not Biblical Christianity. It is not the gospel, it is moralism. We need to be defending the Lord’s Day EVEN in our Presbyterianism circles
3. Holistic Worship – belief that corporate worship is NOT needed. I don’t need a special time to worship, we just do it whenever. We need CORPORATE WORSHIP. Without C.W. there is no church! There is a need for 2-way communication while preaching but not what some are moving towards today. You need to make the Word relevant, the WORD preached will be relevant
4. Missional – the gospel of Christ; if you’re communicating the WORD of God, the gospel of Christ you are “church planting”, you are growing the church body
5. Inclusive and Tolerance – you have to be tolerant and patient and this is learned in our Theology
6. Theology – (See Pastor Duncan’s talk)
7. Creative and Artistic – the WORD brings life
In Practice:
St. Peters will be used as the example.
1. Community – Center on the Word; the Biblical view of church is liberating and counter-cultural; Focus on the Word and give people the freedom to fail. Don’t develop programs when someone wants to do something but give them the responsibility and ownership to do this on their own; a community that is focused on the word of Christ is a
2. Social Justice – prison work, outreach,
3. Holistic Worship – be flexible but keep the Word centered;
4. Missional – how can you not hear the gospel and not want to communicate to people the joy
5. Inclusive and Tolerant – we are all sinners
6. Theological – if you cannot link the Institutes to the junkie, the homeless, you do not know your theology
7. Creative -
The emerging church detracts from the glory of Jesus Christ. Preach the gospel, where ever they are. They need to know the Gospel. If you preach the Gospel, they will take the Gospel and not be able to NOT preach the Gospel.
Luther when asked what did you do… answered: “Nothing. God did it all!”
He preached with eternity stamped upon his brow - McCheyne
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