Faith by Hearing
Sanctifying the MP3 RevolutionArchive for Systematic Theology
Grudem’s Christian Essentials on iTunes
Wayne Grudem’s entire Christian Essentials class is now on iTunes. This is five years of lectures going through his excellent Systematic Theology book.
I’ve recommended this book more than any other book. It truly is a helpful work that is accessible, easy to read, and thorough.
God’s Mighty Acts in the Old Testament
Christ the Center interview Richard Gamble about the first volume of his systematic theology The Whole Counsel of God vol 1: God’s Mighty Acts in the Old Testament. Gamble and the CTC team talk about the differences between systematic and biblical theologies, and provide helpful insights by comparing numerous works that fall into these categories. Gamble stresses the importance of having a healthy systematic theology for the life of the church.
God’s Mighty Acts in the OT >>>
Bruce Ware: Big Truth for Young Hearts
Al Mohler invites Bruce Ware onto his radio program. Ware has written a book that encourages and guides parents in teaching their children systematic theology, called Big Truth for Young Hearts. Mohler and Ware have a very enlightening conversation about Ware’s conviction and practice of teaching children systematic theology. Al observes this is one of those books that is unusual in the market, and when you see it you can’t believe there aren’t more like it. Mohler and Ware talk about the need for adults to give more credit to the ability of children to learn challenging theological concepts rather than watering them down to moralities.
Eschatology: Wayne Grudems Systematic Theology Lectures
As Wayne wraps up his 5 year long series of lectures going through his excellent Systematic Theology, he looks at the varying views of the millennium, final judgment, hell, and the new heavens and new earth.
Wayne spends little time on the Post-millennial view because it’s based on very few and very weak proof-texts. Amillennalism takes more time since this is a very popular view in many reformed circles. There is also a helpful discussion on Preterism and Dispensationalism. Wayne spends on entire message looking at premillennialism, which is the view he holds.
Final judgement and eternal punishment take up another lecture, followed by a look at the New Heavens and the New Earth.
The Purity and Unity of the Church: Grudem Systematic Theology series
Somehow I’ve missed this post in the chronology of Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology series. This message on the purity of the church looks at church discipline, which is not an unloving act, nor a promotion of disunity. Church discipline seeks the churches purity, not only of the church itself, but the purifying chastening of God in the life of the unrepentant.
Tongues, Healing & Prophecy: Grudem Sys Theo
Wayne Grudem tackles the gamut of spiritual giftedness, taking specific classes to focus on the gift of tongues, healing, and prophecy (sometimes inaccurately called a word of knowledge).
Wayne does a gracious job of providing a balance of perspectives. He is not a cessationist, but he does have some helpful controlling ideas that should be true of these gifts and their use. I found this to be a very helpful series of addresses in understanding some of the difficult aspects that these issues tend to carry.
Grudem has almost changed my mind about prophecy and it’s place today. He carefully explains what it’s not, which paves the way for understanding what it is. He did his doctorate on this subject of prophecy, and his efforts in this area should not be quickly dismissed.
There are 3 messages on Chapter 53 of his systematic theology.
Spiritual Gifts: Grudem Sys Theo
Wayne Grudem takes 3 sessions to look carefully at the gifts of the Holy Spirit for the believer in general. This does not include a specific look at the ecstatic, charismatic gifts.
I think two of the most helpful things to come out of these 3 sessions, which is not talked about so much, is, one, that these lists of gifts that Paul talks about are not meant to be exhaustive. There are very common and needed gifts for the proper functioning of the church body, such as pastors, teachers, etc. But the Spirit can gift a believer with a giftedness for some very specific work of God, or gifts that are needed in different ages.
And two, giftedness sometimes changes as the needs around believers change. We are not given wooden gifts that never change. Giftedness changes according to God’s work among a people.
Grudems Christian Essentials Class has a new website
If you’ve been enjoying Wayne Grudem’s class based on his excellent systematic theology, you’ll be happy to know that the audio and PDF outlines are all available on a new website.
The Church: Its Nature, Its Marks, Its Purposes: Grudem Sys Theo
Grudem considers the church in his highly popular Systematic theology lectures.
The Church: Its Nature, Its Marks, Its Purposes part 1 mp3 >>>
The Church: Its Nature, Its Marks, Its Purposes part 2 mp3 >>>
The Power of the Church and Church Discipline
Waynes 3 classes on the Power of the church considers the Power of the church in spiritual warfare, the powerful promotion of the Gospel, and the power entrusted to it regarding church discipline.
The class on church discipline is particularly noteworthy. Grudem provides very considered anecdotal evidence that God not only has his hand in disciplining those believers who are harming the church, but also that God honors a churches decision to discipline a member, often supporting the church when the sinning member tries to run to another church who may not know about the discipline. Fascinating food for thought.
The Power of the Church mp3 pt. 1 >>>
