I just figured out that if you are savvy enough to be “following” this blog, you will think nothing is happening because you only get alerts when we write “posts,” and it turns out to be more convenient for the interface if we write “pages.” But stuff is happening here (Hebrews) and here (Leadership)…
So come talk about it.
(11/5/12)
Session Five: History of Faith Reformed Presbyterian Church
Session Five will be held on 10/31/12, taught by Len Brown.
Assigned Reading
1. Tim Keller, “Leadership and Church Size Dynamics — How Strategy Changes With Growth”
2. Ken Sande, Accountability: The Mark of a Wise and Protected Leader
Session Five Study Questions
You are not required to turn in the answers to the questions for Session Five. However, to enable a better discussion, you should make sure you have access to your written responses (whether electronically or on paper) during the first class meeting.
Scripture Memorization: You are invited to continue to memorize one or more of these verses related to leadership in the church. We will try to take some time during our classes to practice these with each other. (Feel free to use a different version if you don’t want to memorize these in NIV!)
This video gives a one minute explanation on approachability as a leadership quality. http://www.actioninsight.com/index.php/blog–video-blog/89-steve Was Jesus approachable as defined by the Action Insight video? Would other people say you are approachable?
Which translation(s) of the Bible do you presently use? What do you like about your choice(s)?
Session Nine: Sacraments; Callings & Ministries
Session Nine will be held on 12/5/12, taught by Jim Bates.
Assigned Reading
1. The Westminster Confession of Faith (Original), Chapters 27-29 (WCF in Modern English)
2. Bryan Chapell, “A Pastor’s Case for Infant Baptism”
3. Os Guinness, Lecture on Calling
(This lecture is based on Guinness’ book The Call, and is concerned with the concept of calling in the Christian life. If you are able to listen to it, there is a corresponding note-taking sheet at the end of this week’s study questions. The entire recording is 80 minutes long and includes a Q&A session. If you would like a shorter listen, concentrate on minutes 17-51. We will also discuss Guinness’ ideas during our class meeting.)
Session Nine Study Questions
You are not required to turn in the answers to the questions for Session Eight. However, to enable a better discussion, you should make sure you have access to your written responses (whether electronically or on paper) during the first class meeting.
Scripture Memorization: You are invited to continue to memorize one or more of these verses related to leadership in the church. We will try to take some time during our classes to practice these with each other. (Feel free to use a different version if you don’t want to memorize these in NIV!)
Session Eight: Reformed Doctrine III — The Law, The Church, Last Things, & Church in Culture
Session Eight will be held on 11/28/12, taught by Pastor Jim Bates.
Assigned Reading
1. The Westminster Confession of Faith (Original), Chapters 19-26, 32, 33 (WCF in Modern English)
2. Robert Kruschwitz, “Faithful Criticism of Popular Media Technologies” (Short study)
An explanation of the relationship between “Last Things” and “Church in Culture” can be found in this week’s Study Question materials.
Session Eight Study Questions
You are not required to turn in the answers to the questions for Session Eight. However, to enable a better discussion, you should make sure you have access to your written responses (whether electronically or on paper) during the first class meeting.
Scripture Memorization: You are invited to continue to memorize one or more of these verses related to leadership in the church. We will try to take some time during our classes to practice these with each other. (Feel free to use a different version if you don’t want to memorize these in NIV!)
Session Seven: Reformed Doctrine II — The Doctrines of Grace
Session Seven will be held on 12/3/14, teacher TBA.
Assigned Reading
1. The Westminster Confession of Faith (Original), Chapters 8-18 (WCF in Modern English)
2. The Westminster Larger Catechism, Q43-45
3. John Piper, “Summary of the Five Points of Calvinism” (Short article)
4. Jonathan Barlow, “The Five Points of Calvinism” (Short summary)
5. Five Points of Calvinism / Five Articles of Remonstrance (Arminianism) Comparison Chart
6. (optional) Steele and Thomas, The Five Points of Calvinism
Session Seven Study Questions
You are not required to turn in the answers to the questions for Session Seven. However, to enable a better discussion, you should make sure you have access to your written responses (whether electronically or on paper) during the first class meeting.
Scripture Memorization: You are invited to continue to memorize one or more of these verses related to leadership in the church. We will try to take some time during our classes to practice these with each other. (Feel free to use a different version if you don’t want to memorize these in NIV!)
Session Six: Reformed Doctrine I — Scriptures, God, Creation
Session Six will be held on 11/19/14, taught by Pastor Sam Andreades.
Assigned Reading
1. The Westminster Confession of Faith (Original) , Chapters 1-7 (WCF in Modern English)
2. The Chicago Statement of Biblical Inerrancy, Translated (by Paige Britton). (The entire document can be accessed here, but it is not necessary to read it for our class. Paige’s “translation” focuses on the series of affirmations and denials that form the core of the document. The original version also includes several pages of discussion, and it is written in a scholarly style that might be hard to follow if you aren’t familiar with some of the debate on inerrancy over the last two centuries. This paraphrase just makes the main ideas more accessible.)
3. PCA Creation Study Committee Report to the 2010 General Assembly, Introduction and Recommendations. (The entire document can be accessed here, but it is not necessary to read it for our class. It contains an excellent summary of the various historical positions held on the length of the creation days, plus some helpful appendices that provide definitions of terms used in this debate as well as a discussion of General Revelation and science. For this session of our course, we intended just to concentrate on the reality of a diversity of views within the denomination, and the necessity of both tolerance and boundaries regarding the theology of creation taught in our churches.)
Session Six Study Questions
You are not required to turn in the answers to the questions for Session Six. However, to enable a better discussion, you should make sure you have access to your written responses (whether electronically or on paper) during the first class meeting.
Scripture Memorization: You are invited to continue to memorize one or more of these verses related to leadership in the church. We will try to take some time during our classes to practice these with each other. (Feel free to use a different version if you don’t want to memorize these in NIV!)
Session Four: Presbyterian History
Session Four will be held on 11/5/14, taught by Len Brown.
Assigned Reading
1. Tim Keller, “What’s So Great About the PCA?”
2. Ken Keyes, “A Brief History of the PCA”
Session Four Study Questions
You are not required to turn in the answers to the questions for Session Four. However, to enable a better discussion, you should make sure you have access to your written responses (whether electronically or on paper) during the first class meeting.
Scripture Memorization: You are invited to continue to memorize one or more of these verses related to leadership in the church. We will try to take some time during our classes to practice these with each other. (Feel free to use a different version if you don’t want to memorize these in NIV!)
Session Three: The Spiritual Life of Leaders
Session Three will be held on 10/29/14, teacher TBA.
Assigned Reading
1. Review 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1 (ESV links)
2. Read Ephesians 1-2 (ESV link)
3. John Piper, “Ten Effects of Believing in the Five Points of Calvinism”
4. Steele & Thomas, The Five Points of Calvinism, Appendix E: “The Practical Applications of Calvinism” (p.187-198)
5. Ken Sande, “Approachability”
Session Three Study Questions
Please bring to Session Three a copy of your testimony.
You are not required to turn in the answers to the questions for Session Three. However, to enable a better discussion, you should make sure you have access to your written responses (whether electronically or on paper) during class.
Scripture Memorization: You are invited to continue to memorize one or more of these verses related to leadership in the church. We will try to take some time during our classes to practice these with each other. (Feel free to use a different version if you don’t want to memorize these in NIV!)
Quarryville Academy Online 