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2011 |
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Context and Content
In the last few weeks a variety of ministry opportunities have reminded me of the value of the education we received at Westminster. First, there was the bible study with business people in the city where one of the participants asked me for a private conversation on a question of suffering. Sitting together in a context which spoke of success and strength we opened Romans 8 and discussed the reality of union with Christ and the already not yet structure of redemption. Then my friend, a committed and mature Christian, expressed how eye opening and helpful these truths were in addressing this profound problem. Next there was the dramatically different context of a lunchtime message at a rescue mission in another section of the city. After preaching Christ the good shepherd from Psalm 23 a gentlemen involved in the mission’s recovery program asked some deep questions about Jesus and the Trinity. As we stood in the midst of men and women lining up for a hot meal he engaged intently and appreciatively as we discussed the distinction between the Creator and us his creatures and exercising our reason in dependence upon God’s revelation. Finally, came the latest Full Confidence Conference. We were in the context of a different city, in a different country, where Westminster professors taught and answered questions in concepts and language that are common to us who have been shaped by the Westminster experience. People from a variety of churches were enthusiastic in their expressions of gratitude for truth presented in a substantive yet accessible manner which clarified, solidified, and strengthened their confidence in God and his Word. Experiencing the impact of Westminster content in these three distinct ministry contexts made me (once again) deeply grateful for the education we alumni have received from our seminary. The skills of biblical interpretation, and structures of biblical, theological, apologetic, and pastoral thought taught to us in our Westminster years are practically deployable and deeply helpful for the pastoral needs of people in the various ministry contexts God will appoint for us. I pray God will encourage you, and give you wisdom and power, as you continue to proclaim his eternal Word to our ever-changing world. Partnering with you for kingdom purposes,  Rev. John Currie, MAR, director of student development and alumni relations
P.S. Sign-up and login for access to all our rich, historic audio archives. The Media Center is easily accessible for your ongoing equipping. At www.wts.edu, go to popular links on the lower right hand corner of the page. Free E-book Drawing!
Westminster, in cooperation with Moody Publishers and the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, is offering you a chance to win Rev. Dr. Carl Trueman’s first E-Book The Real Scandal of the Evangelical Mind - the drawing is on April 15, 2011. Moody Publishing will give away 500 E-books in this drawing. Fifteen years ago in The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind, historian Mark Noll warned that evangelical Christians had abandoned the intellectual aspects of their faith...Today Trueman argues,...although known as gospel people, evangelicals no longer share any consensus on the gospel’s meaning. Click here to enter the drawing!
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Accreditation SurveyWestminster Theological Seminary is in the process of an institutional Self-Study, the decennial affirmation of accreditation for the Association of Theological Schools, the national accreditation agency for theological schools in the United States and Canada. The purpose of the Self-Study is to advance Westminster’s self-understanding and self-improvement. This process is used to deepen our understanding of how well our programs and services accomplish our mission and goals and meet the accreditation standards. In preparation for the visiting committee and in response to the ATS Policy Manual, Westminster is inviting comment in writing concerning Westminster’s qualifications for accreditation. These comments will be made available to the visiting committee. To fill out the survey, or for more information click here. CCEF Recitation Instructors
Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation’s (CCEF) distance education program gives students from around the world the opportunity to experience the same robust biblical counseling training offered on Westminster’s campus. Currently, CCEF is looking for qualified individuals to serve as Recitation Instructors (RIs) in their distance education program. A RI is a person who leads and guides the students through the class material through feedback on assignments, interaction over the content, and facilitation of online discussion boards. Applicants must have completed their Master’s degrees, and taken some counseling courses. If you would like more information, or are interested in applying, please contact Jennifer Carty at jcarty@ccef.org .
Ministry to the Military: A Student's Perspective
Jonathan Stoddard, M.Div. Student, recently spoke on "Urban Missions in the Military." He has served in the Marines, and was stationed in Iraq for two tours. There is a great need for the Gospel in the military, and here, Jon gives some practical ways that we in the Westminster community can serve those in the Military. "The needs of those in the military are numerous. Above all, they need to know the saving power of Jesus Christ.... Christians need to be near our members of the military so that we can show them how true identity lies in Jesus Christ." FULL STORYPoythress on Science and Faith
Rev. Dr. Vern Poythress, professor of New Testament interpretation, talks about Westminster's confessional position, specifically as it relates to issues of science and faith. On April 8-9, 2011, Westminster Theological Seminary and Discovery Institute are co-sponsoring a conference on science and faith, with the theme "God and Materialism." What is the position of Westminster Theological Seminary on issues of science and faith? The Affirmations and Denials (2008) have a section that addresses issues related to creation and Genesis (section IV.D)…Among these affirmations and denials are an explicit statement on creation and a statement about Adam and Eve. "Adam and Eve were real flesh-and-blood individual human beings and ... their fall into sin was subsequent to their creation as the first human beings." The statement about Adam and Eve excludes certain kinds of "theistic evolution" positions, namely any position that does not include a once-for-all and definitive introduction of sin through a historical fall of two individuals, who were the first two human beings. These Last Days
A Christian View of History NEW BOOK edited by Doctoral student Rev. Gabe Fluhrer and alumnus Rev. Richard Phillips, featuring Westminster professor Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Jue. "For many Christians, the expression "these last days" refers to the time right before the second coming of Christ - but according to the apostles, the last days started with the first coming of Christ and continue even today." Visit the Westminster Bookstore for your copy
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