Where Are They Now? @RTSCharlotte Alumnus Michael Knight
One of the things that makes the RTS Charlotte campus distinctive is the number of missionaries we have sent out over the years. For whatever providential reasons, God has allowed the Charlotte campus to be a fruitful training ground for folks headed to the mission field.
This missions “vibe” in Charlotte simply reflects the overall ethos we are shooting for here. We not only want our seminary to be theologically solid, but also outwardly focused and passionate about fulfilling the Great Commission.
Right now, Charlotte alums serve in countries such as Peru, Mexico, Panama, Colombia, France, England, Ireland, Spain, Germany, Czech Republic, China, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Morocco, Ghana, South Africa, … Continue reading...
My New “Go To” Commentary on the Pastoral Epistles
When it comes to finding good commentaries, one of the challenges is that most commentaries are limited by the the niche they are designed to fill.
Some commentaries are devotional. Some are exegetical. Some are practical/pastoral. And others are highly academic.
Rare is the commentary that can, at least at some level, address all of these important needs. While no commentary can do this perfectly (especially under 1000 pages!), some come closer than others.
One of those rare and exceptional volumes is the new commentary on the Pastoral Epistles–1 & 2 Timothy and Titus–by my friend Andreas Köstenberger. Andreas is the senior research professor of New Testament at Southeastern Baptist … Continue reading...
Remembering the Rural: Do Modern Church Plants Focus too Much on the City?
One of the wonderful developments in Reformed denominations in the last generation is a renewed emphasis on church planting. It is a burgeoning movement in my denomination (PCA), and one of the reasons that RTS Charlotte launched the Center for Church Planting last Fall.
One of the notable features of this new church planting movement is the near exclusive focus on planting churches in cities. Most church planters, it seems, want to go urban and not rural.
And let me say that there are many positives about this focus on cities. Certainly, and most obviously, cities are filled with lots of people and for that reason alone make a good … Continue reading...
A Word of Encouragement to Weary Pastors: God Does Not View Your Labors as “Filthy Rags”
When it comes to our justification–our legal standing before God–our own good works are in no way the grounds of God’s declaration that we are “righteous.” Indeed, that is the very thing that makes the gospel good news. We are saved not by what we have done, but by what Christ has done. We are accepted by God not because of our works, but in spite of them.
But what does God think of our good works after we are saved? Here is where, unfortunately, Christians often receive mixed messages. Somewhere along the way we have begun to believe that our pride is best held in check, and God’s grace … Continue reading...
How to Struggle with Grief: A Conversation with David and Nancy Guthrie (@saysNancyGuth3)
Over the years, I have noticed that the Reformed folks have a robust doctrine of sin, but (in my opinion) a fairly thin doctrine of suffering. And this is true in the broader evangelical world as well.
We tend to think of sin as simply impacting behavior or ethical choices. And we sometimes forget that sin also impacts every aspect of creation. We live in a fallen, broken world. So, we should not be surprised when our lives are affected by that fallen, broken world.
As a result of this blind spot, most people simply don’t know how to suffer or grieve biblically. Even more, most people don’t know how … Continue reading...