Where Are They Now? RTS Charlotte Alumnus Mantle Nance
Over the last year or so, we have been working our way through a number of RTS Charlotte alumni in the Where Are They Now? series. For the complete series, see here.
Not only is it a joy to watch seminary students graduate and head out into ministry, it is also a joy when they return to do ministry in the city of Charlotte. On such occasions, we are able to witness their ministries firsthand as they labor in our very own city.
Such is the case with Mantle Nance (class of 2010). This past year, Mantle has returned to Charlotte to take the pastorate of Ballantyne Presbyterian Church… Continue reading...
Where Are They Now? RTS Charlotte Alumnus Alex Mark
Over the last year or so, we have been working our way through a number of RTS Charlotte alumni in the Where Are They Now? series. For the complete series, see here.
In this installment, we interview Alex Mark (class of 2013). Alex embodies many values of RTS Charlotte, but we particularly appreciate his work in the area of church planting. Here at RTS Charlotte we believe that the church, the bride of Christ, is the best way to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth.
Even more than this, Alex places a special emphasis on the preaching of the Word. If a church is going to … Continue reading...
Were Early Churches Ruled by Elders or a Single Bishop?
There is a (seemingly) never-ending debate amongst theologians and pastors about the proper form of government for the church. For generations, Christians have disagreed about what leadership structure the church ought to use. From the bishop-led Anglicans to the informal Brethren churches, there is great diversity.
And one of the fundamental flash points in this debate is the practice of the early church. What form of government did the earliest Christians have? Of course, early Christian polity is a vast and complex subject with many different issues in play. But, I want to focus in upon a narrow one: Were the earliest churches ruled by a plurality of elders or … Continue reading...
Should You be a Pastor or a Professor? Thinking Through the Options
Since I am a professor at a seminary, it is not unusual (indeed, it is very common) for students to come to me for advice about whether they should enter the pastorate or seek to be a professor. While many of these students may have entered seminary with the intention of entering pastoral ministry, they have found themselves falling in love with a deep study of theology and the Bible. And so, they think, perhaps the academic world is right for them.
I confess that I am often torn when students come to me with this question. On the one hand, I want to discourage students from pursuing the Ph.D./professor … Continue reading...
Spurgeon: Ministers, You are the Public Clock of Our World
Every couple of years, I try to re-read two books that have been very formative for my thinking on life in the ministry. One is Richard Baxters’ The Reformed Pastor, perhaps the most convicting book ever written (other than the Bible). Each year, after reading it, I am tempted to draw up my resignation, drop out of the ministry, and go sell carpet or something.
The other book, is Spurgeon’s Lectures to My Students, a veritable goldmine of advice and instruction for those of us in ministry (or heading there). Spurgeon covers a wide range of issue from the call to the ministry all the way to pulpit … Continue reading...