The Importance of Teaching Doctrine to Children
Posted by: Keren on: May 29, 2009
- In: Catechism| Children| Family| Ministries
- 3 Comments
Those of us who care about passing on the baton of historic Christian truth must awaken to the importance of faithfully imparting its doctrines to our children… Children need a grid through which to sift all that they see and hear. We must provide this for our children while they are still young. Doctrine cannot wait until children are teens, because adolescents are making major life decisions. The theological framework on which to base those decisions, the biblical worldview, must already be in place.
–Starr Meade, Training Hearts, Teaching Minds: Family Devotions Based on the Shorter Catechism
Covenant Children and the Gospel
Posted by: Keren on: April 24, 2009
Church growth books and manuals flood the market. Surprisingly few address internal growth through the Holy Spirit sovereignly blessing the raising of children in covenantal truth. Yet, historically, Reformed Christians have acknowledged that their most solid, genuine church growth has been through the conversion of youth reared in the church. Charles Spurgeon wrote to Edward Payson Hammond, author of The Conversion of Children, “My conviction is that our converts from among children are among the very best we have. I should judge them to have been more numerously genuine than any other class, more constant, and in the long run more solid.”
Andrew Bonar concurred. He also wrote to Hammond, saying, “In awakenings that have been given us, the cases of young people have been as entirely satisfactory as any cases we have had. If conversion be God’s work, in which the Holy Spirit reveals Christ to the soul, surely His work can take place in children as really as in the old.”
Children raised in the church need to hear the gospel, that is, the evangel, every bit as much as adults. They too need to be born again. They too need to be evangelized.
–Joel Beeke, Bringing the Gospel to Covenant Children, 3.
Manila Conference on Theology 2009 for FREE
Posted by: Keren on: April 21, 2009
- In: Journal
- 2 Comments
There are those who would like to attend the conference, but because they don’t have enough money they could not attend. The Lord has provided!
We have good news. I just talked this afternoon with Dr. Joel Beeke about the upcoming conference in Manila. He said to me that someone graciously donated money for the conference to make it FREE for whoever wants to attend. Hence, no conference fee; food is free; books are free; everything is free. What a blessing! We really praise the Lord for that!
Please forward this good news to our fellow laborers there in the Philippines. Elders, deacons, office bearers, men involved in the ministry, evangelists, missionaries, are all invited to come.
WHAT: Manila Conference on Theology 2009
WHEN: May 4-5, 2009. Registration starts at 8:00 a.m.
WHERE: Faith Baptist Church, #4 Bulletin St. Corner West Ave. West Triangle, Quezon City
SPEAKER: Dr. Joel R. BeekeFor more information about the conference, visit: http://www.reformingman.org/
HT: Brian of A Sinner Saved by God’s Grace
Success? According to Whom?
Posted by: Keren on: March 21, 2009
The real proof of the revival of interest in Reformed theology and its impact within the churches will not be the emergence of charismatic leaders; surely it will be that, over time, these charismatic leaders will fade in comparison to the Spirit-called and constituted church herself and above all to the Lord Jesus Christ who is the One to whom the Spirit witnesses.
A revival of Reformed theology which simply terminates on big shots, on ministries named after individuals, on ministers who are bigger than their congregations and denominations, on personalities and conferences and media dog-and-pony shows, will have terminated on something less than the Spirit-given object of devotion to which the path of biblical, Reformed theology leads: the Lord Jesus Christ himself, the one author and finisher of our salvation.
Thabiti Anyabwile also listed seven reasons Why the Time Magazine Trumpeting of New Calvinism Is a Bad Thing.
Manila Conference on Theology 2009
Posted by: Keren on: March 20, 2009
- In: Journal
- 2 Comments
WHEN: May 4-5, 2009
WHERE: Faith Baptist Church, #4 Bulletin St. Corner West Ave. West Triangle, Quezon City
May 4 Monday (9AM – 5PM)
1st session: What Does It Mean to Be Reformed?
2nd session: Reforming the Head (Theology)
3rd session: Reforming the Heart (Piety)
4th session: Reforming the Hand (Application)May 5 Tuesday (9AM – 5PM)
5th session: Biblical Preaching
6th session: Biblical Evangelism
7th session: Biblical Prayer
8th session: Biblical CounselingEach session is followed by a question and answer portion
CONFERENCE SPEAKER: Dr. Joel R. Beeke, President and Professor of Systematic Theology, Church History, and Homiletics at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, Michigan. He has been in the ministry since 1978 and has served as a pastor of his current church since 1986. He is also editor of the Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth, editorial director of Reformation Heritage Books, president of Inheritance Publishers, and vice-president of the Dutch Reformed Translation Society. He has written, co-authored, or edited fifty books and contributed over fifteen hundred articles to Reformed books, journals, periodicals, and encyclopedias. His Ph.D. (1988) from Westminster Theological Seminary is in Reformation and Post-Reformation Theology. He is frequently called upon to lecture at Reformed seminaries and to speak at conferences around the world. He and his wife, Mary, have three children: Calvin, Esther, and Lydia.
CONFERENCE FEE: P500 which includes the food. There will be books to be given away also. Students get P100 discount.
PRE-REGISTRATION DEADLINE: April 15, 2009
For more information, contact Rev. Neil Mina at 542-6013 or 09193685047 or neil_gie@yahoo.com or visit reformingman.org
REGISTRATION starts at 8 am.
In my absence, I am willing to sponsor two (2) people who do not have the means to attend this conference. Please leave a comment or e-mail me at kerentan (at) yahoo (dot) come if you are interested.
HT: Doctrine Unites!
UPDATE (04/21): Attend the conference for FREE! See this post.
Going Micro-blog
Posted by: Keren on: January 6, 2009
- In: Journal
- 7 Comments
Hello Reader (if you really are there),
2009 marks my 8th anniversary as a blogger. But after 8 years, I realized that I have nothing much to say so I’ll be turning to Twitter. Micro-blogging works better for me.
I’ll still update this blog from time to time though.
Happy 2009 one and all!
What if Satan took control of a city?
Posted by: Keren on: November 13, 2008
- In: Books
- Leave a Comment
Christless Christianity: The Alternative Gospel of the American Church
by Michael Horton
What would things look like if Satan really took control of a city? Over a half century ago, Presbyterian minister Donald Grey Barnhouse offered his own scenario in his weekly sermon that was also broadcast nationwide on CBS radio. Barnhouse speculated that if Satan took over Philadelphia, all of the bars would be closed, pornography banished, and pristine streets would be filled with tidy pedestrians who smiled at each other. There would be no swearing. The children would say, “Yes, sir” and “No, ma’am,” and the churches would be full every Sunday . . . where Christ is not preached.
–Michael Horton, Christless Christianity: The Alternative Gospel of the American Church (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2008), 15.
Download the first chapter of Christless Christianity (PDF, 260 kb) here!
Sing the ‘Reformation Polka’!
Posted by: Keren on: November 11, 2008
Still can’t get enough of Luther and his ‘Nine-Five Theses’? Sing the ‘Reformation Polka’ to the tune of “Supercalifragilisticexpialadocious”!
The Reformation Polka
by Robert GebelWhen I was ein younger man I studied canon law;
though Erfurt was a challenge it was just to please my pa.
Then came the storm, the lightning struck; I called upon Saint Anne:
I shaved my head, I took my vows – an Augustinian.Refrain:
Papal bulls, indulgences and transubstantiation:
speak your mind against them and face excommunication.
Nail your theses to the door, let’s start a reformation,
papal bulls, indulgences and transubstantiation.When Tetzel came near Wittenberg, St Peter’s profits soared,
so I wrote a little message for the All Saints’ bulletin board;
‘you cannot purchase merit for we’re justified by grace;
here’s ninety-five more reasons, Brother Tetzel, in your face!Refrain
They loved my tracts, adored my wit; all were ex empleror;
the pope, however, hauled me up before the emperor.
‘Are these your books? Will you recant?” King Charles did demand;
“I will not change my diet sir, God help me, here I stand.’Refrain
Duke Frederick took the wise approach, responding to my words
by knighting George a hostage in the kingdom of the birds.
‘Use Brother Martin’s model as the languages you seek,
stay locked inside the castle with your Hebrew and your Greek.’Refrain
Now let’s raise our steins and concord books together in this place
and spread the word that ‘catholic’ is spelled with lower-case;
the word remains unfettered when the Spirit gets a chance,
so come on, Katie, drop your lute and join us in our dance.Refrain
Read the line-by-line explanation of the lyrics here.
This gives me an idea what to do next year! 
The Meaning of ‘KOSMOS’ in John 3:16
Posted by: Keren on: November 5, 2008
- In: Articles| Theology
- 4 Comments
by Arthur W. Pink
It may appear to some of our readers that the exposition we have given of John 3:16 in the chapter on ‘Difficulties and Objections’ is a forced and unnatural one, inasmuch as our definition of the term ‘world’ seems to be out of harmony with the meaning and scope of this word in other passages, where, to supply the world of believers (God’s elect) as a definition of ‘world’ would make no sense. Many have said to us, ‘Surely, ‘world’ means world, that is, you, me, and everybody.’ In reply we would say: We know from experience how difficult it is to set aside the ‘traditions of men’ and come to a passage which we have heard explained in a certain way scores of times, and study it carefully for ourselves without bias Nevertheless, this is essential if we would learn the mind of God. Read the rest of this entry »
Happy 491st Reformation Day!
Posted by: Keren on: October 31, 2008
- In: Journal
- 6 Comments
When the calendar hit October 1st, I knew I had to prepare for Reformation Day. Sure enough, last Saturday and Sunday, I made sure the kids knew what it was all about. So I made the Ninety-five theses (Disputation of Martin Luther on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences), some indulgences and even a golden coffer!
After everything, I gave away some gummy worms for them to eat just to let them remember the Diet of Worms. Now October 31st is no longer Halloween, but Reformation Day.
Ecclesia reformata semper reformanda est secundu Verbum Dei
- Nathan W. Bingham: @Keren: My oldest is almost 3, then my youngest just turned 1, and we have another due in a few weeks. We can hardly wait! :-)
- Keren: Yeah, I'd love to have my own copy when I start my own family... How old are your girls Nathan? :)
- Nathan W. Bingham: Looks great. I might have to pick our family up a copy.
