College Park Church

Well, it is that time again.  I am going to Southern Seminary in Louisville next week for a full, intensive week of study.  The topic is church history.  I have had to read and write a lot in preparation—actually I am still reading and will be until Monday morning—you know how that goes.  My professor wrote a book on Richard Baxter who was a British Puritan in the seventeenth century.  The book focuses on his argument for the need for conversion in the life of a true believer.  Authentic Christians do not just say prayers, they are changed, “new creatures" in Christ.  The book shows Baxter as a counter-cultural figure who believed (rightly) that faith will be associated with repentance and all of that because of a conversion done by the Holy Spirit.

We also had to read other books.  I read a book called Heresies and the author, Harold O.J. Brown, traced the many heresies in the history of the church.  That may sound weird, but heresies were important to the church as it caused the leaders to refine their beliefs as taken from the Scripture.  I am always glad when a person from College Park has a knock on their door and encounters a person who does not think Jesus is God.   Get into the Word to affirm what you believe.

I also wrote a paper on John Knox.  He was the man credited with the Reformation in Scotland.  He was doggedly committed to the Scripture. His personality left much to be desired, but his diligence in spreading the Word is commendable.  I chose him because Cathy and I went to Scotland a couple of years ago and loved the land and the history.  It was fun to study him.

Another book I read was one that dealt with the early religious movements in the USA.  The author spoke of Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, and the Wesley brothers.  It was interesting and reminded me that our THINK|12 conference will be dealing with those guys.  It was good preparation.

SOOOOO—I plan to blog some next week.  I will put some notes on comments of this blog for anyone interested.  I am looking forward to the class and plan to use the material for the edifying of the body of Christ.  Off to school with me!!!