This looks like fun… Anyone want to do it with me?

The Certificate program of Ligonier Academy of Biblical and Theological Studies is a non-degree distance education curriculum designed for laypeople, ministers, and educators who desire a structured way to study biblical and theological subjects at their own pace, at their own level of interest, and in their own home. Ligonier Academy offers three levels of study in the Certificate program: Introductory, Intermediate, and Advanced.

via Introducing the Certificate Program at Ligonier Academy | Ligonier Ministries.

Thabiti Anyabwile shares his reflections following the conference:

So, now that I’m down from the conference mountain top, I’m trying to prayerfully sift through some of the things the Lord showed me and hopefully taught me while there. Here are a few random reflections.

via Pure Church: Random Reflections and Hopes Following the Gospel Coalition.

My friends and regular readers of this blog know of my tremendous respect for the expository preaching ministry of John MacArthur. Indeed, his writings were instrumental in my own conversion to saving faith in Jesus Christ, and for that, I shall be (literally) eternally grateful.

I have also had a schizophrenic view of the ministry and writings of Mark Driscoll – at the same time appreciative of his ministry and his commitment to the truth of God’s word, and yet concerned about his language, humor, and approach.

Recently, these two pastors have come into a bit of conflict, stemming from a series of articles that MacArthur has written rebuking Driscoll on a number of fronts, and even going so far as to state that Pastor Driscoll has disqualified himself from the ministry.

Driscoll has not yet responded specifically to MacArthur, so this is most likely not the end of this controversy.

In the meantime, though, I must say that despite my respect for Dr. MacArthur, I am troubled by his approach in this matter. To call for the removal from the pulpit of a pastor, even implicitly, is a very serious call to make and should not be made quickly or easily.

There is much that could be said about this situation, and indeed much has been said, particularly on blogs and in churches which are closely aligned with Dr. MacArthur’s ministry. I do not have much more to say at this point, though I reserve the right to comment later. In the meantime, however, I wanted to share two items of interest, both of which I think are well-stated comments on the situation. The first, a comment on a blog posting summarizing MacArthur’s series, is I think a very well thought out response. The second is an article John Piper wrote which has nothing to do directly with this situation, but, as it deals with pastoral differences, is, in my humble opinion, still very much applicable:

• Comment from “Adam” on John MacArthur and Mark Driscoll
• John Piper on “What I Said to the Pastoral Staff About Unity Amid Differences”

The majority of American Christians do not believe that Satan is a real being or that the Holy Spirit is a living entity, the latest Barna survey found.

Wow.

via Most U.S. Christians Don’t Believe Satan, Holy Spirit Exist| Christianpost.com.

This ‘I think” or I “believe,” terminology with which doctrine is prefaced rather than strengthening the point the preacher is making (which, presumably is why he makes it in the first place), actually weakens it.

Institute for Nouthetic Studies Blog » Blog Archive » Believe me . . ..

No one comes to the Bible without presuppositions and a basic intellectual disposition.  That is true for Bart Ehrman, and it is no less true for the evangelical believer.  In both cases, the presuppositions assign the way each will read the Bible.  Krattenmaker simplistically cites Ehrman as his authority for suggesting that Jesus spoke of himself as God in John’s gospel but not in Matthew.  But this facile assertion, offered without any supporting argument, does not take in to account that throughout the Gospel of Matthew Jesus speaks and acts as God.  When Jesus delivers the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew, He cites Scripture with the formula, “you have heard it said.”  When Jesus then continues by saying, “but I say unto you,” He speaks as God in a way that any first-century Jewish person would have readily understood.  Nature obeys his command, and he performs miracles (even bringing the dead back to life) that show his providential control over the created order.

Fighting Words about the Bible?.