R.C. Sproul's Blog, page 548

2012 National Conference Preview — R.C. Sproul

Dr. R.C. Sproul is founder and chairman of Ligonier Ministries and is known for helping Christians to understand what they believe, why they believe, and how they can defend both. Dr. Sproul says:

What God reveals is intelligible; we can understand it with our intellect. He doesn’t ask us to throw away our minds in order to become Christians. There are people who think that to become a Christian, one must leave one’s brain somewhere in the parking lot. The only leap that the New Testament calls us to make is not into the darkness but out of the darkness into the light, into that which we can indeed understand. That is not to say that everything the Christian faith speaks of is manifestly clear with respect to rational categories. I can’t understand, for example, how a person can have a divine nature and a human nature at the same time, which is what we believe about Jesus. That’s a mystery—but mysterious is not the same as irrational.

It is this commitment to helping Christians develop their minds that fuelled Dr. Sproul's two messages for our 2012 National Conference.

Here's a preview of what to expect from Dr. Sproul in Orlando this March.

Have You Lost Your Mind? by R.C. Sproul

Christians today often do not think. Logic is considered worldly while contradiction is prized as a hallmark of true faith. In this message, R.C. Sproul will provide an overview and introduction to the sad state of the Christian mind today, providing real world illustrations and examples of some of the problems we must overcome.

Love the Lord Your God with All Your Mind by R.C. Sproul

Ours is an age that emphasizes emotionalism and experience. Emotions and experiences are not necessarily bad things, but they should not be set up in opposition to the mind, to reason. In this message, R.C. Sproul exhorts us to remember that Jesus called us to love God with all of our hearts, with all of our souls, and with all of our minds.

The Christian Mind: 2012 National Conference

Registration | Speakers | Schedule | Trailer (Video)

On March 15-17, 2012, we invite you to come and hear R.C. Sproul at our 2012 National Conference, "The Christian Mind." It will be an edifying time of fellowship and teaching together, helping prepare you to think like a Christian in an anti-Christian culture.

Register today

Simple Steps for Family Worship — Part 3

Today, we conclude a three part series on family worship. It is our hope that this series serves as a practical example that encourages you to continue—or begin—what should be a joyous daily privilege for all Christian families.

In part 1, R.C. Sproul Jr. shared how his family addressed timing, being with guests and being away from home, and catechism memory work. In part 2, he explored the topics of Scripture memory, Scripture reading, and prayer. In this final post, he describes how his family sings together and then answers two common objections to family worship.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Singing

Then we move into singing. Again, the children are invited to participate by choosing what we are going to sing. We sing the service music from our church's liturgy. We sing the Gloria Patri. We sing the Doxology. We sing the Apostles' Creed or the Nicene Creed. We sing the Song of Simeon, which is how our church closes its service.

Let me tell you about something that is even more practical. When visitors to Saint Peter Church try to find the nursery, we tell them we do have a nursery, but we hope they won't mind serving in the nursery on that particular day. We assure them that if they'll look after their children, we'll be fine. You see, we worship together—parents and children. Visitors are afraid and puzzled about this. They think, "What kind of weird thing is this?" Then, when we in the congregation stand to confess our faith together and little two- and three-year-olds ardently recite the Apostles' Creed, suddenly our visitors see the beauty of it.

We let our children pick the songs they want to sing. We do have one rule—only one child's song a night. Reilly always wants to sing "Hallelu." I'll ask, "What do you want to sing tonight, Reilly?" and he'll say, "Hallelu." It's a very simple song: "Hallelu, hallelu, hallelu, hallelujah, praise ye the Lord!" We divide the family in half, and half of them are the "hallelus" and half of them are the "praise ye the Lords," then after the first verse we switch and do it faster. But we sing only one of these a night.

That's it. It's not complicated. It's not time-consuming. It's not a duty. It's a joy, a delight.

What If I Haven't Been Doing Family Worship?

At this point, you fathers might be thinking, "OK, R. C., I see this. I see that I ought to do this. I see how to do it. But what do I do about the fact that I haven't been doing this?" Here's what you do: Gather your family together, sit them down, and then tell them that you are sorry for failing them in this way. Show them what repentance looks like. Then tell them that Jesus Christ came to suffer the wrath of God the Father for failures such as this. Give thanks for that provision. Pray in thanksgiving for that forgiveness. Then sing in thanksgiving for that forgiveness. That is day one. If you have done this in the past and have fallen out of the habit, simply follow the same instructions.

But I'm Too Busy for Family Worship

But if you are too busy, here is what I want you to do: stop being too busy! What could possibly be more important? The God of heaven and earth, the self-existent, transcendent, holy God, is inviting you to walk with Him in the cool of the evening. Will you say to Him, "Thanks for the invitation, Lord, but I've got my bowling league tonight." Would you tell Him, "I'd love to meet with You tonight, but I have a meeting with someone important." No one is too busy to draw near to the living God. No one is too busy to give up the less important, the less rewarding, and the less joyful for the source of all joy.

The glory of the gospel is that the high, transcendent, exultant God, because of the work of Christ, has drawn near to us and to our children, and will continue to do so. Therefore, don't do this in order to be holy. Do it to be happy. In the end, it's the same thing. Our austere pursuit of personal holiness doesn't impress God one bit. But God delights when we delight in Him. Bring the children; suffer the children to come unto Him (Matt. 19:14). Do this so that you might glorify and enjoy Him now, for this is what we will be doing forever.

This series has been adapted from material in R.C. Sproul Jr.'s contribution to Holy, Holy, Holy: Proclaiming the Perfections of God.

If you'd like more resources to assist you in the area of family worship, please consider:

Family Worship (Paperback) by Joel Beeke
God's Alphabet for Life: Devotions for Young Children (Paperback) by Joel Beeke
Tabletalk Magazine
The Case for Family Worship (Hardcover) by George Hamond
Train Up Your Children (Video) by R.C. Sproul Jr.
The Heidelberg Catechism (Paperback)
The Reformation Study Bible
The Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms (Hardcover)
Trinity Hymnal (Hardcover)

Twitter Highlights (1/22/12)

Here are some Twitter highlights from last Friday's Theology Night with Sinclair Ferguson and R.C. Sproul.

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. — R.C. Sproul #AskLigonier

— Ligonier Ministries (@Ligonier) January 21, 2012

Jesus' atoning death covered every sin of His people, including the sin of unbelief. —R.C. Sproul #AskLigonier

— Ligonier Ministries (@Ligonier) January 21, 2012

If Christ died for many whose salvation He didn't secure, that doesn't give me assurance. —Sinclair Ferguson #AskLigonier

— Ligonier Ministries (@Ligonier) January 21, 2012

"Why aren't you a dispensationalist?" R.C. Sproul replied, "Because I think that dispensational theology is goofy." #AskLigonier

— Ligonier Ministries (@Ligonier) January 21, 2012

If He's not saving you, then He's not your Savior. —Sinclair Ferguson #AskLigonier

— Ligonier Ministries (@Ligonier) January 21, 2012

Nothing divides like truth. Nothing divides like Jesus. —R.C. Sproul #AskLigonier

— Ligonier Ministries (@Ligonier) January 21, 2012

Sinclair Ferguson's advice to the YR&R movement: "Find rest in Christ and explore more of what it means to rest in Christ." #AskLigonier

— Ligonier Ministries (@Ligonier) January 21, 2012

 

If you couldn't make it to Theology Night or you simply want to watch it again, we'll be posting the video on our Webcast Archive page soon.

You can also find our various ministries on Facebook:

Ligonier Ministries | Ligonier Academy | Ligonier Connect
Reformation Bible College | Reformation Trust | Tabletalk Magazine

Honoring the Living

There is, in all honesty, a constant tension when dealing with a terminal illness between giving up and facing facts. As I have noted earlier, during my beloved's nine month battle with leukemia her most frequent question to me was "I can get better, can't I?" Giving up hope is giving up, and neither of us wanted that. We do indeed serve a God who gave Hezekiah a new lease, who can make dry bones live and so from one perspective it isn't over until it's over. That doesn't mean, however, that we can't at least begin to discern what is more likely than not by reading test results.

This question became frighteningly practical to the two of us a few months before Denise passed away. We had yet to embark on a clinical trial that held out some hope for us. But still two of Denise's dearest and oldest friends determined to come and visit. On the one hand this was a great blessing and an encouragement to Denise. She, though still cooped up in a hospital room, spent hours laughing and reminiscing with these dear ladies. They recounted shared childhood memories, and compared notes on the shared experience of growing up. On the other hand the visit spiked Denise's fears. Was she facing, she wondered, a farewell tour? What did it say about her prognosis that these ladies were laboring so hard to come and see her?

A few months later we were left with only one choice- hospice. Yes we still believed God could heal. But in our more honest moments we in turn understood that He probably wouldn't. This, in turn, prompted more visits. A flock of ladies from our beloved church in Virginia came down for one last visit. Family members made special trips Beall Phillips also came to see Denise. By this point Denise was fading fast. She asked insightful questions of her friends, but fell asleep in the midst of the answers. I found myself in the unenviable position of having to ration her time.

Within a matter of days Denise's visitor list multiplied by a factor of ten. The only difference was that she was gone. Scores of old friends said goodbye to a casket. I highlight this with the hope of not making anyone feel bad. We all have responsibilities and limitations. I can assure her friends that she never once asked, "Why hasn't this one come to see me?" Instead I write to encourage you to choose the right hand. Go, and visit. Your loved one may fear more deeply that there is little hope. But that will be utterly trumped by the joy of seeing you. "I must be dying or they wouldn't have dropped everything to come and see me" is ultimately nothing compared to the joy of seeing you. And if God should bless, what a wonderful memory it would be if ten or twenty years later you could hear, "Remember that time you came to see me because you thought I was dying?"

The truth is, by God's grace, that I have no regrets about anything. Everyone, childhood friends, relatives, pew neighbors, ministry associates, everyone has done wonderfully by us. We are so overwhelmed with the grace of others that our biggest burden is how to adequately say, "Thank you." In the end we know we can't, because the very source of all the kindness we have received is the same grace by which we are redeemed. You don't repay that. You simply weep in thanksgiving.

So I ask two things. First, if you ever find yourself wondering, "Should I go?" The answer is "Yes, of course." Second, receive not just my thanks, and the thanks of my children. But also receive the thanks of my dear wife. She is still grateful, on high. There is, among believers, no such thing as a "farewell tour." There is instead only a "Until we meet again tour."

10 Distinguishing Marks of John Calvin's Preaching

Published in celebration of the five hundredth anniversary of John Calvin's birth (2009), John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine, and Doxology corrects the many caricatures of John Calvin, as each chapter progressively paints a portrait of a man who truly had, as the title suggests, a heart for devotion, doctrine, and doxology.

Steven Lawson contributed a chapter on John Calvin as "The Preacher of God's Word." Here is a summary of that chapter, outlining what Steven Lawson suggests are the ten distinguishing marks of Calvin's preaching.

1.    John Calvin's preaching was biblical in its substance.

"The Reformer stood firmly on the chief cornerstone of the Reformation—sola Scriptura ("Scripture alone"). ... The preacher, Calvin believed, has nothing to say apart from Scripture."

2.    John Calvin's preaching was sequential in its pattern.

"For the duration of his ministry, Calvin's approach was to preach systematically through entire books of the Bible. ... Calvin preached from the New Testament on Sunday mornings, from the New Testament or the Psalms on Sunday afternoons, and from the Old Testament every morning of the week, every other week. In this consecutive fashion, Calvin preached through most of the books of the Scriptures."

3.    John Calvin's preaching was direct in its message.

"When expounding Scripture, Calvin was remarkably straightforward and to the point. He did not launch his message with a captivating story, a compelling quote, or a personal anecdote. Instead, Calvin immediately drew his listeners into the biblical text. The focus of the message was always Scripture, and he spoke what needed to be said with an economy of words. There were no wasted statements."

4.    John Calvin's preaching was extemporaneous in its delivery.

"When Calvin stepped into his pulpit, he did not bring with him a written manuscript or any sermon notes. The Reformer made a conscious choice to preach extempore, that is, spontaneously. He wanted his sermons to have a natural and passionate delivery that was energetic and engaging, and he believed spontaneous preaching was best suited to achieve those ends."

5.    John Calvin's preaching was exegetical in its approach.

"Calvin insisted that the words of Scripture must be interpreted in their particular historical backgrounds, original languages, grammatical structures, and biblical contexts. ... [He] insisted on the sensus literalis, the literal sense of the biblical text."

6.    John Calvin's preaching was accessible in its simplicity.

"As a preacher, Calvin’s primary aim was not to communicate to other theologians, but to reach the common person in the pew. ... Occasionally, Calvin would explain the meaning of a word more carefully, but without ever giving the Hebrew or Greek original. Yet Calvin did not hesitate to use the language of the Bible."

7.    John Calvin's preaching was pastoral in its tone.

"The Genevan Reformer never lost sight of the fact that he was a pastor. Thus, he warmly applied Scripture with loving exhortation to shepherd his flock. He preached with the intent of prompting and encouraging his sheep to follow the Word."

8.    John Calvin's preaching was polemic in its defense of the truth.

"For Calvin, preaching necessitated an apologetic defense of the faith. He believed that preachers must guard the truth, so systematic exposition required confronting the Devil’s lies in all their deceptive forms."

9.    John Calvin's preaching was passionate in its outreach.

There is a sad misconception today that because Calvin believed in predestination, he was not evangelistic. The persistent myth is that he did not have a passion to reach lost souls for Christ. Nothing could be further from the truth. Calvin possessed a great passion to reach lost souls. For that reason, he preached the gospel with heart-stirring persuasion, passionately pleading with errant sinners to cast themselves on God’s mercy.

10. John Calvin's preaching was doxological in its conclusion.

"All of Calvin’s sermons were God-centered throughout, but his closing appeals were especially heartfelt and passionate. He simply could not step down from his pulpit without lifting up the Lord and urging his listeners to yield to His absolute supremacy. ... As he concluded, Calvin regularly exhorted his congregation: 'Let us fall before the majesty of our great God.' Whatever his text, these fervent words called for the unconditional submission of his listeners."

Adapted from John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine, and Doxology.

Available from ReformationTrust.com

$5 Friday: Theology, Scripture, & Music

It's $5 Friday again! Topics this week include theology, Scripture, music, God's holiness, a Christian worldview, masculinity, and John Calvin.

Sale runs from 8 a.m. Friday through 8 a.m. Saturday EST.

View today's $5 Friday sale items.

Five New Bonus Sessions Added to our 2012 National Conference

The Ligonier Ministries' 2012 National Conference, March 15-17, is already set to be an edifying time with R.C. Sproul, joined by Sinclair Ferguson, Robert Godfrey, Michael Horton, Steven J. Lawson, Albert Mohler, Stephen Meyer, R.C. Sproul Jr., and Del Tackett addressing a variety of topics under the conference theme of, "The Christian Mind."

However, we are pleased to announce the addition of five optional bonus sessions to further encourage you, as you seek to think like a Christian in all areas of life.

Joel Beeke | Parenting by God's Promises

Michael Card | Christ and Creativity

Alex Chediak | Thriving at College

Michael Horton | White Horse Inn Q&A

Steven Lawson | The Gospel Focus of Charles Spurgeon

Register by tomorrow to secure the early bird rate and save $50.

We look forward to seeing you in Orlando this March.

Eyes to See

It was my habit — my sophomoric habit — to proudly argue from my ignorance that we ought always to consider last things last. That is, recognizing the great difficulty in grasping the meaning of the end times and the final book of God’s Word, I thought discretion the better part of valor, and I suggested formerly that we can wait to figure out what the end means until after we have mastered all the other important stuff, like the stuff I was interested in and with which I felt reasonably competent.

Jesus is revealed in the book of Revelation... And that is something we are called to see... —@RCSproulJr

I was awakened from my eschatological slumbers, however, not by finally finding a crystal clear exposition of the issues but by simply seeing the title of the book. If God revealed truths about Jesus to John, and John, by the power of the Spirit, is revealing those same truths to the church, it is not humility but arrogance that suggests, "Let's set this aside for another time." Jesus is revealed in the book of Revelation. His kingdom is revealed in the book of Revelation. And that is something we are called to see, even as we are called to seek.

Continue reading Eyes to See, R.C. Sproul Jr.'s contribution to the January issue of Tabletalk.

Theology Night With Sinclair Ferguson and R.C. Sproul

You are invited to a relaxed, informative evening with two notable theologians and pastors. Join the conversation this Friday night as Sinclair Ferguson and R.C. Sproul discuss theological topics and address your questions.

When: This Friday, January 20th
Time: 7:30 p.m. EST
Where: Saint Andrew's in Sanford, FL (Map)
Cost: FREE
RSVP: No RSVP is required.

Join The Conversation Online

Can't make it to Sanford, Florida?

We will be streaming Theology Night live on Ligonier.org and taking your questions for Sinclair Ferguson and R.C. Sproul. Beginning today, you can leave a question on our Facebook page, or through Twitter and Google+ using the #AskLigonier hashtag.

We hope you can join us online or in-person on Friday night.

Announcing a New Undergraduate Degree in Sacred Music at Reformation Bible College

When Dr. R.C. Sproul established our new college to equip young men and women with a robust academic foundation in biblical and theological studies, music was also a significant component. Dr. Sproul's vision was clear:

"When Martin Luther led the Reformation, he made the observation that to understand the content of the Word of God is the single most important thing in our Christian development. Yet he went on to say, 'In second place is music.'"

Now, following the successful launch of our inaugural academic year, Reformation Bible College (RBC) announces a four-year undergraduate degree program in sacred music. Classes begin August 2012. Click here to learn more about this degree program.

Our young people truly need a biblical worldview to inform all aspects of their vocations, and this includes the field of music. The sacred music program will complement RBC's well-established Bible and theology curriculum. By combining instrumental and vocal training, academic preparation, and ministry and spiritual formation, we will provide the next generation with outstanding leaders, teachers, and pastors who understand and promote the good, the true, and the beautiful in the church's music.

Randall Van Meggelen is adjunct professor at RBC and the chief musician at Saint Andrew's, a Reformed congregation in Sanford, Fla., where Dr. Sproul serves as senior minister. Randall had the following to say about the musical training of church leaders:

"One of the first things Luther did was require that ministers be trained in music, and he also required that the music directors be trained in theology. That's exactly what Reformation Bible College seeks to do."

More specifically, sacred music courses will include private vocal and instrumental lessons; academic courses such as music theory, hymnody, and administration; and on-site ensemble experience at nearby Saint Andrew's Conservatory of Music.

Students will receive thorough training in excellent facilities. Utilizing the unique space at the Saint Andrew's Conservatory of Music, all sacred music students will have access to three grand pianos, a growing music library, a digital practice organ, a fifty-seven-stop pipe organ, an Italian-style harpsichord, hand bells, and a wide range of Orff and percussion instruments. To put it simply, we want our graduates not only to be focused spiritually; we also want them to be competitive as musicians professionally.

Our faculty will engage students at a foundational level, instructing them in the importance for and reasons behind the place of music in Christian worship and life. Faculty members and instructors in the degree program have extensive college teaching experience, hold advanced degrees, maintain private studios, and are active performers.

RBC emphasizes an intimate learning environment by maintaining small class sizes and a low student-to-faculty ratio. Therefore, space is limited. The regular application deadline for this fall is March 15, and the late application deadline is May 1.

If you are interested in learning more about the sacred music program, call 888-RBC-1517 or email admissions@ligonier.org to set up an appointment to meet with one of our faculty members and tour the facilities. For more information, visit us at ReformationBibleCollege.org.

You can also connect with Reformation Bible College on Facebook and Twitter.