Faith by Hearing
Sanctifying the MP3 RevolutionArchive for R. C. Sproul
2012 Ligonier National Conference
Ligonier has just posted the audio and video from it’s national conference, free to view by streaming, but there is a cost to purchase for download. This year’s conference subject is The Christian Mind, and the is helmed by an august group of speakers: Al Mohler, Michael Horton, Steve Lawson, Sinclair Ferguson, Michael Godfrey, R C Sproul Senior and Junior, plus too many more to list.
Have You Lost Your Mind? [Thursday Theology Video]
Ligonier has made it’s 2012 National Conference available for free streaming. This year’s subject is The Christian Mind. For Thursday Theology I’ve selected R C Sproul’s opening message, “Have You Lost Your Mind?”
Theology Night with Ferguson & Sproul (video)
R. C. Sproul and Sinclair Ferguson answered a wide variety of questions at a Theology Night held at Saint Andrews a few weeks ago. They answered questions on topics such as dispensationalism, Tim Tebow, doctrines of Grace, when to leave a church, impeccability and others.
Together for the Gospel 2010
This years T4G (or T4TG as R. C. Sproul suggests it should be renamed) was a great conference. Powerful and thought provoking messages from almost all the speakers.
Dever’s message on the church putting the Gospel on display was quintessential Dever.
Sproul was phenomenal (even though C.J. didn’t understand it). He looked at how philosophy and the German higher critics deviated from the Gospel, and demonstrated how their mistakes are being embraced today. This was one of the best lectures I’ve ever heard about theological liberalism.
Mohler, as in the last T4G, looks at how our current Christian cultures evangelical zeal often undermines the Gospel itself.
In the same vein, Thabiti unmasks the problem clearly about how the contemporary evangelical fixation with cultural engagement is a disastrous derailment of the Gospel.
MacArthur’s theology of sleep is a theology of the Gospel, because ultimately the salvation of the unbeliever is a work of God, not a work of man, and that allows him to sleep at night. The Arminian gospel so prevalent today, if taken to it’s logical conclusion, should drive us insane because it makes salvation dependent upon us.
Piper, well, what can you say about Piper?
Ligon Duncan makes a great case for why we need to be reading the original sources of the early church fathers, and helps us to navigate the criticisms brought upon them. Quite an eye-opener.
Matt Chandler talks briefly and movingly about how his efforts to prepare his people for suffering was God’s way of preparing him for his brain cancer. Matt, as always, has very amusing ways of getting across solid theology.
C.J., well, is C.J. talking about his favorite subject, ordinary pastors.
5 Things Every Christian Needs to Grow, R. C. Sproul
R. C. Sproul’s book 5 Things Every Christian Needs to Grow is being rereleased and expanded, and he talks about it at Ligonier Ministries. It’s a simple guide for new Christians to discover the tools God provides as a means for believers to grow spiritually.
R.C. Sproul and James White discussion
R.C. Sproul joined James White on his webcast The Dividing Line on August 7. They discuss the subject of God’s sovereignty and man’s free will, which is Sprouls subject for the upcoming Ligonier Conference.
They also discuss briefly how Christian’s are bombarded today with all kinds of worldly ideas and concepts that are on a crash course with Biblical thinking, and we need to be proactive in developing the mind of Christ so that we can guard against this onslaught. One of the casualties of this worldly onslaught is the gospel itself.
White comments on the reality that 16,000 pastors leave the ministry every year is partially due to the fact that they are trying to lead a flock of unregenerate people who are not true believers, but are false professors of faith. The pressure on pastors to ‘perform’ and gain converts is very strong, but the numbers standard isn’t the standard that pastors should strive for. Rather the standard is what he brings before the throne of God.
Sproul suggests that many pastors are conflicted because they are forced by churches to be CEO’s and guidance counselors rather than shepherds of the Word, which is what Scripture calls them to.
This is a lively and timely discussion that covers some very important information for the church today.
Renewing Your Mind with R. C. Sproul on XM & Sirius
Ligonier just announced that Renewing Your Mind is now on XM and Sirius. Read the announcement on their blog here.
Panel Discussions: Together for the Gospel 08
If you haven’t listened to the panel discussions from this years Together for the Gospel conference, they are online now. As I mentioned in my post on T4G 08, some of the panels provide necessary context and background for some of the messages, particularly regarding the messages by Thabiti and Dever (at least as far as my comprehension goes).
Also, the other panels provide incredible discussion and instruction, wisdom, along with a great deal of CJ humor and humility (which helps us identify with these great men). You will want to listen to these over and over.
R.C. Sproul interviews Ben Stein
Ben Stein’s forthcoming movie ‘Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed’ is a documentary look at how scientists and teachers are being persecuted for questioning Darwinism — and that in a country that upholds freedom of speech.
Sproul and Stein engage in a fascinating and enlightening look at the inconsistencies of the educational system and current scientific philosophy — which Stein calls the ‘Church of Darwin.’
The interview is on video only (until Ligonier converts it to mp3), so you may have to watch it online. Not sure if it can be downloaded. A copy can be purchased through Ligonier.
Sovereign Grace Leadership Conference 2007
Sovereign Grace Ministries is somewhat of an anomaly in the church today, and I mean that in a good sense. We live in a day where we are seeing denominations shrink, but Sovereign Grace Ministries is planting healthy, growing churches based on solid reformed teaching. They are also heavily involved in writing new, theologically sound, worship music. God is doing amazing work through this organization. So, when they put on a leadership conference, I want to know about it. All three general session speakers, Sproul, Powlison, and Mahaney, delivered messages you will want to hear.
R. C. Sproul opened the general sessions. C. J. Mahaney was correct when he said nobody can preach about the holiness of God like R. C. Sproul. If you’ve never heard Sproul preach on the holiness of God, you’re in for a treat.
David Powlison brought a message that has been deeply embedded in his mind of late. He confronted the unfortunate tendency within the church to follow the culture in it’s unhealthy habit of introspection. Powlison argues that our introspection should be short lived and our focus on God and Scripture should be more weighty. The message he brought was like a lightning bolt to our age. If you only buy one MP3 from this conference it must be Powlison’s message.
C. J. Mahaney’s message title ‘Trinitarian Pastoral Ministry’ might be somewhat misleading, but his lecture was timely and needed. I won’t go over the spine of his message, but will cover two important points he raised. First, he brought much needed clarity to the ‘charismatic’ issue, and offering a clarifying term for his position which he calls ‘continuationism’ (as opposed to cessationism). He also called for the church to stop trying to redefine itself to be ‘relevant’ to the culture. He calls for churches to recover lost ground in the face of post-modern church thinking.
When you order the conference, order the whole conference, general sessions and seminars. The full package is only $4.oo more and there are some excellent seminars. Powlison returns of a seminar. Other seminar speakers include Mark Dever, Joshua Harris, and Mike Bullmore. For the ladies, Carolyn Mahaney brings a message titled ‘Watch your Man’ and then is part of a panel discussion.
The conference consists of 4 General Sessions and 16 Seminars.
General Sessions MP3 download ($8) >>>
