Session 6 – Phil Johnson

This is an admonition from Paul to Titus, his son in the faith. I chose this text because of the tendency of pastors lately to use filthy jokes, erotic language and the like in preaching today. The “pornification” of the pulpit. The idea is that this is the “tool of contextualization.” But Paul said otherwise. […]

Nathan Busenitz – A New Kind of Fool

WHAT IS THE NEW ATHEISM? Term coined by Ronald Aronson — Wayne State Prof. Key books — Dawkins, Harris, etc. Mohler’s book, Atheism Remix very helpful The New Atheists are evangelistic in intent — see atheism as the only plausible world view for our times Simon Hooper, CNN — religion should not simply be tolerated, […]

Session 5 — Al Mohler

Preaching is central to the church and the gospel. Preaching is the means by which God calls people into His kingdom and into the character of His Son. By the preaching of God’s Word we are preparing people for eternity. Churches are measured by preaching. Where there is no preaching, there is no church. He […]

Session 4 — Rick Holland

Queen Mary — “I fear his [John Knox’s] prayers more than all the armies of Europe.” Knox’s bravery is a distant echo of apostle Paul — the bravest man who ever lived. Note the description of him in Acts 17 — where is the one who has upset the world? Also 1 Cor. 11:23-28. When […]

Shepherds’ Conference audio being posted

Not only has the vault to John MacArthur’s sermons been opened at Grace to You, but all the audio for the Shepherds’ Conferences since 2001 have also been made available for free. In fact, this year’s audio is already being uploaded. Wednesday’s audio is available now and I was told that Thursday’s sessions would be […]

Session 3 — John MacArthur

FOUNDATIONAL TRUTHS FOR JOHN MacARTHUR’S 40 YEARS OF MINISTRY I just wanted to understand the Bible – I wanted a place where I would have to be disciplined to study it every week. I wanted to understand the New Testament – it’s never been about preaching, but to know about Scripture – what does it […]

Phil Johnson — What is an Evangelical?

[NOTE: This is a very rough set of notes; Johnson went very rapidly and I know there are holes in the notes. I am hopeful that his transcript will be made available through the Shepherds Fellowship.] This session is a bookend to his topic on fundamentalism a couple years ago. There are many various definitions […]

Session 2 — Tom Pennington

1 Corinthians 3:9-17 In 2005 George Barna wrote the book Revolution — one of the worst books I’ve ever read. He pronounced the death of the church — people can fulfill the ideal of the life of Christ despite the fact that they rarely attend church. Is Barna right? Is this a time for a […]

Session 1 – John MacArthur

Rough notes from John MacArthur’s plenary session this morning — Two years ago started Shepherd’s Conference with “Why Every Self-Respecting Calvinist needs to be a dispensationalist.” This year, “Why every self-respecting Calvinist, evangelical, Christian must be a 6-day Creationist” — the theology of creation. It used to be that whatever the Bible taught trumped all […]

Shepherds Conference begins today

We made it to California yesterday, had an In-N-Out burger for Keith, and then went to Archive’s Book Store — a treasure trove of books! That was followed by a very fine Mexican meal. An early wake up this morning — a family visit by phone, some time with a John MacArthur mp3 sermon while […]

Today’s Quote – Spiritual Growth (Calvin)

John Calvin, Golden Booklet of the True Christian Life: Let us not cease to do the utmost, that we may incessantly go forward in the way of the Lord; and let us not despair because of the smallness of our accomplishment.

Today’s Quote – Spiritual Growth (Tozer)

A. W. Tozer, Jesus, Author of Our Faith: It has become popular to preach a painless Christianity and automatic saintliness. It has become part of our “instant” culture. “Just pour a little water on it, stir mildly, pick up a gospel tract, and you are on your Christian way.”

Spiritual Disciplines – a free audio book!

Several months ago a friend asked me what book I liked on the spiritual disciplines. I recommended a book I have suggested numerous times, Donald Whitney’s Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. After looking over my copy for a few days, he went ahead and ordered his own. It took him a few weeks to […]

Today’s Quote – Prayer (Hiebert)

D. Edmond Hiebert, Working with God through Prayer: The Holy Spirit is seeking to make the desperate world conditions an insistent call on our hearts for prayer. Prayer is the primary need. In the efforts of the churches today to respond to these vast needs, the most urgent need is not money, important as it […]

Book Review: The Unwavering Resolve of Jonathan Edwards

Several years ago, I attended a conference marking the 300th anniversary of the birth of Jonathan Edwards. Since that time I have acquired several helpful volumes on Edwards’ life and thought, as well as several volumes of his sermons and writings. This book, The Unwavering Resolve of Jonathan Edwards, is my latest foray into Edwards. […]