A few years ago, one of my professors at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary encouraged us to pick a theologian of the past and get to know him very well. So, believing it to be wise counsel, the pursuit of who to choose started. I landed on Calvin because I already knew something about him and had read enough to know that I would benefit significantly from consuming as much material from him and about him throughout my ministerial life.
The Institutes of the Christian Religion is the magnum opus work of Calvin. Yet, few in the modern church have read it. I suspect several reasons why that is the case. One of them being its length (over 1500 pages). Another may be its level of difficulty. It is not the most straightforward reading, mainly because of the depth contained in the material as well as the language. The English editions of the Institutes are translated from Latin (one publication is a translation of the French edition). The writing is wonderfully done but difficult for modern readers to follow. The material is profound, and Calvin does not hesitate to look under every stone and rock to uncover the deep truths of God’s Word. For these reasons, I suspect many either start and give up or never bother.
Therefore, I have developed a reading plan that, if followed, will take you through the entire Institutes in 18 weeks (reading five days per week). Combined with the reading are three secondary volumes carefully paralleled with the section of the Institutes assigned. Those secondary sources will help the reader of the Institutes understand the bulk of Calvin’s thoughts.
Here are the items and resources of interest for January 27, 2020:
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I started using the new Microsoft Edge browser the other day. It has been redesigned and is built on the chromium platform. This article from ZDNET is useful.
Bannerman: The Church of Christ — an article that was first delivered at the Free Presbyterian Theological Conference. Author: A.W., MacColl. In addition to this article, you will want to read these other articles related to this book:
From the website: “The New Testament places the church at the centre of its practical vision of the Christian life and at the heart of the Great Commission. A church-less Christianity is no real Christianity at all.
As we head into a world very similar to Paul’s own context, in which pluralism dominates and Christianity is regarded with intellectual and moral suspicion, it is vital that Christians have a clear understanding of what the church actually is.
James Bannerman’s The Church of Christ is one of the key historic texts of the doctrine of the church. Few will agree with everything the author has to say, but as Carl Trueman states in his foreword, ‘the great thing about the book is that it will stimulate the reader to reflect on the nature of the church in a profoundly biblical and historically sensitive way’.
After dealing with basic principles and distinctions, such as the contrast between the visible and invisible church, and between the local and universal church, Bannerman takes up the important and far-reaching question of the relation between church and state. But the body of the work is really a treatise on church power—the nature, limits and exercise of Christ’s power in the church in its connexional and local aspects. In what does the ordained ministry consist? Should the church micro-manage the lives of her members? To what extent should the church campaign for wider political or social causes? Is the church to be an agent for the transformation of society as a whole? What tools does the church have for making disciples and, if necessary, disciplining them? Answers to these questions can only come from a correct understanding of the nature of the church’s power.
Although Presbyterian in conviction, the author has undertaken a ‘comparative’ study of the various classic positions on each issue under consideration as these are expressed in the confessional symbols and standard authors. It is this method which makes the book so useful for all serious-minded readers. The appendix also contains valuable bibliographical material.
This is classic Scottish theology at its best, and those who take the time to digest it will be richly rewarded.”
Technology:
For those of you who have a Samsung phone, a nice little app called SideSync is very helpful. It mirrors your phone on your laptop/desktop computer. In order to use it you need the SideSync app on your phone.If your Samsung phone is fairly new it is probably installed already. Check and then go to the SideSync website and download the program for each computer you want to us with your phone.
** The Daily Roundup is published Monday-Friday at 9 AM ET. See you next week! **
This spring, I spoke to a group of large-church pastors, staff members, and elders. During a Q&A, an elder asked, “What is the single greatest problem facing pastors today?” I replied, “The greatest problem is internal opposition from subversive co-leaders and self-appointed critics within the church.” The pastors released a collective groan of recognition and assent.
I will briefly mention five causes of criticism and focus on the fifth.
First, a pastor may face full-blown antagonists who will lie, deceive, and manipulate to destroy him and control the church.
Valentines Day is over, but this article on the subject of love is not tied to any specific day. The issue is one of great importance and wrought with great misunderstanding. Written by the late Dr. R.C. Sproul.
How should a pastor receive members from another church? — Listen to this podcast [19:08] as the hosts [Brian Croft and Jim Savastio] discuss this very issue. It is one that I have given some thought to, and it is an essential issue in a society where there are churches of every stripe on nearly every corner.
“Some Pastors and Teachers is a volume for every minister’s study and indeed for the bookshelves and bedside tables of everyone who has a concern for the ministry of the gospel and the well-being of the church in the twenty-first century. In many ways, it reflects the biblical vision of what every minister is called to be: pastor, teacher, counselor, and example—but also a man who is growing spiritually, both in understanding and in character, before the eyes of his congregation.” (From the Banner of Truth website).
Technology:
Do you use Apple Music? You will want to read thisCNET article.
Do you use the Edge browser? If so, you will want to read this article that talks about saving passwords. I do not recommend keeping passwords in your browser. Instead, you should be using a password manager. My personal favorite and one that I use daily is LastPass. With this password manager, I have no idea what my passwords are except for the LastPass password. For instance, My Facebook password is OVER 20 characters long (I will not tell you how many, but it is long!) and I could not tell you from memory what it is. The best password is the one you do not remember.
** The Daily Roundup is published Monday-Friday at 9 AM ET. **
BOOK RECOMMENDATION
