Crossway.blog

Many Crossway authors and staff members are attending the ETS meeting mentioned in the previous post. We always look forward to this annual opportunity to gather with and learn from evangelicalism’s best scholars, and we can’t help but thank God for the contributions that Crossway authors are making in this forum. Here’s a sampling of the authors and titles that we are blessed to offer to ETS members:
The Erosion of Inerrancy in Evangelicalism: Responding to New Challenges to Biblical Authority

G. K. Beale

Greg Beale’s sturdy, convincing, and courageous defense of the accuracy and inerrancy of Scripture bolsters our assurance that God’s Word is true. Praise God for this scholarly and spirited defense of the truth of Scripture.”
Thomas R. Schreiner, James Buchanan Professor of New Testament Interpretation, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

“At last, a leading biblical scholar has produced a full-blown defense of biblical inerrancy in a user-friendly style. This is just what is needed in the current debate, and Beale has provided it magnificently.”
Gerald Bray, Research Professor, Beeson Divinity School

Jesus and the Feminists: Who Do They Say That He Is?

Margaret Elizabeth Köstenberger

“Dr. Köstenberger gives us a here a solid, sad, scrupulously fair case study of ideology deflecting exegesis over an entire generation. She shows conclusively that the attempts of a long series of scholars to find Jesus affirming women’s leadership in some way have entirely failed. Surely this is an important cautionary tale for our times.”
J. I. Packer, Professor of Theology, Regent College

“Margaret Köstenberger succeeds at bringing historical perspective to bear on feminist understanding of Scripture and Christ. Her analyses of radical, reformist, and evangelical wings of this movement are methodical, clear, thorough, and mature. Her findings are highly significant. They force the question: Is Jesus Lord over Western culture’s ideologies or their servant? Today a new generation stands poised to replace the aging leaders who ushered feminism into our churches. Köstenberger points the way to honor their concerns while avoiding their unjustified concessions.”
Robert W. Yarbrough, Associate Professor of New Testament and New Testament Department Chair, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Is Rome the True Church? A Consideration of the Roman Catholic Claim

Norman L. Geisler and Joshua M. Betancourt

“While not declaring the Roman Catholic Church apostate, Norman Geisler and Joshua Betancourt address the doctrines that evangelicals find problematic in Catholicism. The work is irenic in tone, meticulous in examination, and extensive in sourcing and foot noting. Highly recommended.”
Ralph E. MacKenzie, co-author, Roman Catholics and Evangelicals: Agreements and Differences; Director, San Diego Christian Forum

Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics (3rd Edition)

William Lane Craig

“It is hard to overstate the impact that William Lane Craig has had for the cause of Christ. He is simply the finest Christian apologist of the last half century and his academic work justifies ranking him among the top 1 percent of practicing philosophers in the Western world. Besides that, he is a winsome ambassador for Christ, an exceptional debater, and a man with the heart of an evangelist. I know him well and can say that he lives a life of integrity and lives out what he believes. I do not know of a single thinker who has done more to raise the bar of Christian scholarship in our generation than Craig. He is one of a kind and I thank God for his life and work.”
J. P. Moreland, Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, Talbot School of Theology

“Craig’s work is philosophically and theologically first rate, though accessible to the educated layman. All Christians—Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox—can gain so much from reading and mastering Craig’s 3rd edition of Reasonable Faith.”
Francis J. Beckwith, Professor of Philosophy & Church-State Studies, Baylor University; Mary Ann Remick Senior Visiting Fellow (2008-2009), University of Notre Dame

Suffering and the Goodness of God

Christopher W. Morgan and Robert A. Peterson, editors

“The skeptic chides: ‘If God is good, he is not God; if God is God, he is not good.’ With Scripture to answer the pain of real life questions, and with real life pain to question Scripture, these theologians address the hardest questions with honesty, tenderness, and deep truth.”
Bryan Chapell, President, Covenant Seminary

“Those who read this book will thank the gifted team of authors for their careful biblical, theological, philosophical, and ethical engagement with the problem of suffering and evil. This timely book addresses these crucial and challenging issues with clarity, conviction, and pastoral sensitivity. Readers will be strengthened, edified, and encouraged. I highly recommend this most important book.”
David S. Dockery, President, Union University

For more information on these titles, visit Crossway’s booth at ETS or www.crossway.org.

If you missed Together for the Gospel (T4G) this year—or if you’d just like to experience it all again—be sure to tune in to Ligonier’s website in the coming weeks.

Starting today, Ligonier will be broadcasting the eight messages and six panel discussions on their website. Broadcasts will run through December 5.

If you aren’t familiar with the event, Karisa at Ligonier explains:

Despite varied denominational and theological backgrounds, this conference brings pastors and church leaders together to reaffirm the central doctrine of the Christian faith—the gospel of Jesus Christ—and to encourage local churches to do the same. Mark Dever, Ligon Duncan, C.J. Mahaney, and Albert Mohler were joined by Thabiti Anyabwile, John MacArthur, John Piper, and R.C. Sproul for three days of incredible teaching.

You can also visit www.t4g.org to learn more or to register for T4G10.

The 60th Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS) will be held this week at the Rhode Island Convention Center. ETS is a professional society of Biblical scholars, teachers, pastors, and others involved in evangelical scholarship in order to serve Christ and his church.

This year’s featured speaker at the Crossway Annual Lecture will be Dr. Greg Beale, who will be giving a lecture entitled, “Can the Bible Be Completely Inspired and Yet Still Contain Errors? A Response to Some Recent ‘Evangelical’ Proposals.”

If you are attending ETS, you can hear the lecture on Wednesday, November 19 from 6:10 - 7:10 pm in the Rhode Island Convention Center Ballroom.

If you can’t attend, Dr. Beale’s book is now available: The Erosion of Inerrancy in Evangelicalism: Responding to New Challenges to Biblical  Authority.

We have recently learned of two exciting developments in Christian higher education.

Bethlehem College and Seminary

John Piper recently shared the biblical foundations and vision for the new Bethlehem College and Seminary.  Dr. Piper began with a sober reminder of the risks of academic pride and the realities of poverty.  Here’s an excerpt:

Beyond these shores are millions of people who live with no clean water, insufficient food, no medical care, and could only dream of such an education. This vast discrepancy gives us a sense of uneasiness in the affluent halls of learning.

But then we ask, Is the answer to the miseries of the world a generation of young people who do not know how observe accurately, or think carefully, or know history, or understand culture, or comprehend the Bible, or plan strategically? So again we take the risk, and pray that Bethlehem College and Seminary will not be part of the problem of poverty but part of the solution because students have developed habits of mind and heart move toward need creatively, not toward comfort fearfully.

Listen, watch, or read the full message, The Earth Is the Lord’s: The Supremacy of Christ in Christian Learning.

Ligonier Academy

Ligonier Ministries has just made an exciting announcement. Their website reports:

When Ligonier Ministries first began, it was a place. A destination. A refuge for devoted learners and passionate followers of Christ. Ligonier quickly grew to become an organization with international scope, but its origin was as a place of study and fellowship centered on the teaching of Dr. R.C. Sproul. Ligonier Academy of Biblical & Theological Studies will once again provide a destination for study, fellowship, and collegial interaction essential to our goal to further equip Christians to know what they believe, why they believe it, how to live it, and how to share it. A long time ago, Dr. Sproul saw the need to offer an accessible, practical bridge of learning for the growing Christian, and Ligonier Ministries was born.

Ligonier Academy will begin to offer post-graduate study for ministers and continuing education for laymen in July 2009.

Read the full announcement here.

This week, pastor Mark Driscoll will be a featured speaker at the annual Christian Counseling and Education Foundation (CCEF) conference in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. This year’s conference is focusing on “The Addict in Us All,” and the title of Mark’s session is “Death by Love. Addiction and Atonement.”

As a preview to Mark’s discussion, here’s an excerpt from his new book, Death by Love:

The Bible says that Jesus died for all, including dying my death for me personally. We’ve already seen substitution in 1 Corinthians 15:3–4, where “Christ died for our sins” has to mean that he died because of our sins. Similarly, we saw that Jesus took our curse in our place in Galatians
3:13. These are not isolated passages.

For example, 2 Corinthians 5:14–15 says, “For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” Paul’s phrase “one has died for all” includes the fact that Jesus died for our benefit. But that does not exhaust the meaning of this text. It also says that Jesus’ death is our death, even though we weren’t even born yet. The only way Jesus’ death can be my death is if he took the penalty of my sin to himself, and in his death he took my place and suffered the death I deserve.

John gives us another clear teaching about substitution. The Jewish leaders were worried that Jesus was going to bring trouble on the people of Israel by claiming to be the Messiah. John 11:48–51 says:

“If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation.

Caiaphas wanted Jesus dead so that the people of Israel would not have to die. John’s point is that this substitution is actually an unwitting prophecy of the substitution of Jesus taking our penalty in our place.

Also consider Hebrews 9:26–10:12, which makes the same point. There, the author says that Christ has appeared once for all to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. He was offered once to bear the sins of many. We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. After Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.

Jesus’ death is not a tragedy perpetuated by oppressive Roman soldiers but a self-initiated sacrifice, an offering he came to make. In that offering, he, though sinless, bore or carried our sins. Through his sacrifice, guilty sinners are sanctified or cleansed of sin, defilement, and shame.

God says through his divinely inspired Scriptures that somehow Jesus’ death was my death and your death. We were helpless, spiritually dead, and separated from God. Yet, when Jesus died on the cross, his death was somehow ours so that we don’t have to be separated from God anymore. We no longer have to be lost in a maze of self-centeredness, living for ourselves. Because Jesus’ death was our death, we can live like, with, and for Jesus, spiritually alive and connected to the living God.”

Paul Tripp

Blogforbooks.com recently interviewed Paul Tripp about his new book, Whiter Than Snow. Here’s a short snippet from the blogforbooks.com site:

A few days ago I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Dr. Paul Tripp concerning his first book published by Crossway Publishers. Whiter Than Snow was one of the best books that I have ever read on the subject of God’s tremendous grace and mercy. I think that if you’ve ever struggled with shame, disappointment, fear, and the reality of how dark your sin is - then you really will be ministered by this wonderful book, because it is an intimate look at David’s Psalm 51.

Click here to listen to the podcast.

C.J. Mahaney posts on how busyness and laziness can coexist.

Chris Brauns

Author Chris Brauns recently joined Kevin Boling of Knowing the Truth in an on-air discussion of his new book, Unpacking Forgiveness. The book examines God’s Word to form a sound theology of forgiveness, helping readers move beyond the wounds and baggage of bitterness, disagreements, and broken relationships. Engaging and accessible, Unpacking Forgiveness is a helpful resource for pastors, Christian counselors, and anyone who struggles to extend forgiveness.

Click here to listen to the interview.

Chris Brauns is senior pastor at the Congregational Christian Church of Stillman Valley, Illinois. He earned his MBA from Northern Iowa University, MDiv from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary, and DMin from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He has studied and spoken extensively on the topic of forgiveness.

Knowing The Truth with Pastor Kevin Boling is a live, call-in radio program and an outreach ministry of Mountain Bridge Bible Fellowship in the Greenville, South Carolina area.

In recent years, Crossway author Mark Dever has become a go-to guy for questions about church health. He is senior pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington DC and has written on the subject in Nine Marks of a Healthy Church and The Deliberate Church. 9Marks, a ministry organization which exists to help local churches establish biblical priorities, is further evidence of Mark’s heart to serve pastors and church leaders in this area.

In his latest book, Twelve Challenges Churches Face, Mark tackles twelve major challenges presented by Paul to the Corinthian church- challenges the church still faces today. In a recent interview with Chad Bresson, host of Front Page on CDR Radio Network, Mark zeroes in on the 2^nd of the 12 challenges: division.

Mark points out how counter-intuitive Paul’s handling of division in the church really is. When he address the subject, the apostle begins by speaking about the unity of God. Mark comments:

Paul sees that in these very practical issues of church life, theology is at stake-our knowledge of God, our knowledge of what it means to be a Christian. So he connects the unity of God with the witness we as Christians are supposed to have in our churches. Our unity is significant because it reflects the unity of God.

Visit the CDR website to listen to the rest of the interview. Go to the bottom right hand section of the page where Front Page is archived and select “Listen.”

Graduating college. Landing that first job. Considering a job change—or even a career change. When we find ourselves at such crossroads, it’s important to stop and reflect before taking the next step.

In Crossroads, author and teacher Colin Creel gives help for navigating the murky waters of career and calling by looking at the biblical view of calling and offers practical guidelines on seizing career opportunities.

Crossway recently interviewed Colin about callings, career, and his most recent book:

What inspired you to write Crossroads? How does it relate to your first book, Perspectives?

Colin Creel: One of the sections in my first book, Perspectives, focused on career and many readers asked if I would elaborate on that section. In addition, like most young people in their thirties, I was re-thinking aspects of my career.

The words “calling” and “career” are sometimes used interchangeably. Can you help the audience to distinguish between the two?

Colin Creel: Each person has two callings. Our primary calling is as a child of God and our secondary callings (teacher, mom, coach, business person) only have meaning because we belong to God. There is no division between the secular and the sacred.

In the first part of the book, you boldly state that “work is a gift.” Many people might balk at this statement. Care to explain what you mean?

Colin Creel: Work is not a curse; rather it’s a gift from God in order for us, his children, to join Him in serving as stewards of His land. The fall tainted this wonderful gift. God placed Adam in the Garden to work it and take care of it (Gen 2:15). His first “work” was to name all of God’s creatures. Nowhere in Scripture does God curse work; rather He cursed the ground (Gen 17). It’s a small distinction, but a very important one. Work gives us meaning and helps us to restore the world the way God envisioned it.

Throughout Crossroads, you explicitly and implicitly assert that there are no accidental occupations. Share how you arrive at this conclusion.

Colin Creel: I have many friends who devalue their work because they believe the lie that if they are not in “full-time” ministry then they are not truly serving God. This is simply not true. God created each of us with a reason and a purpose. There are many roles to play, and each one must play his role in order for the body to function effectively.  Full-time ministry is much like marriage…if you can envision yourself doing anything else or marrying anyone else then you should probably not go down that road.

You emphasize the importance of mentoring. Some readers are not currently exploring their calling and career; they have found both! Can you explain to them a little bit about the importance of mentoring? How does one start?

Colin Creel: It’s hard to travel wherever you haven’t been. A mentor serves as a guide and a sounding board. Mentors have a vision for you. In my life there have been many people who believed in me. It’s amazing what we can do when someone says, “I know you can do it.” In order to choose a mentor, I would look for the following:
•    A natural rapport with the person
•    Someone who models well those characteristics you admire
•    A person who is willing to help
•    Someone who will provide opportunities and have benchmarks of success for you

You include bits of what you call “seasoned advice” throughout the book. Explain what these sections are. Is there a particular bit of advice that was most interesting or helpful to you, personally?

Seasoned advice is wisdom from discerning men and women who can look back on their lives honestly and share morsels of truth. The wisdom comes from a wide array of people, like Shaunti Feldhan, Josh McDowell, Max Lucado, and singer Tammy Trent. Each person’s story is unique and will hit people differently, but my wife’s favorite comes from Laurie Smith, the energetic red head from Trading Spaces. I appreciate the wonderful story of a friend of mine who decided to change his career in his 30s. He was a lawyer who decided to go back to medical school. In order to apply he needed to take some additional classes. One night he was sitting at his kitchen table trying to study for a test as well as take care of his two kids. His wife was at a church retreat and he hit the wall. He was exhausted and basically cried out to God, “God, if this is what you want me to do, I need a clear sign from you.” Biblically, he knew he shouldn’t ask for signs from God, but he was at his wits’ end. Moments later the phone rang. A voice said, “Bill, we’ve been praying about it and we believe you are going to make a fantastic doctor. We would like to give you $125,000 to pay for your medical school.”

We all know about the economic obstacles that face job seekers. What types of spiritual temptations may they also encounter?

Colin Creel: The obvious temptations are the desire for money, power, and influence, but the subtle ones are stewardship and maintaining your character and your integrity. Many people live in the gray, so it’s difficult at times to discern right from wrong. The Bible is our standard, not our peers.

What is one piece of advice you could offer this generation?

Colin Creel: Think soberly about how you define success. How we define success serves as a critical question in our journey. It drives many into careers they loathe while others meet life where it meets them…that place where their giftedness matches their vocation.

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Colin Creel serves as dean of junior boys at Wesleyan School in Norcross, Georgia, where he also teaches Bible and coaches swimming. Previously he worked as assistant director of admissions at Wake Forest University, where he earned his Master’s degree in communications and worked extensively with various college ministries. Crossroads is a sequel to his book Perspectives: A Spiritual Life Guide for Twentysomethings.