Posted on 09/23/2010 4:38:13 PM PDT by Gamecock
The pulpit of Saint Andrew's Chapel isn't off to one side in deference to the altar, as it is in a Catholic church. It isn't a lectern wheeled onto the stage after the Christian rock band sits down, as it is in many nondenominational megachurches.
The pulpit that conservative evangelist R.C. Sproul ascends every Sunday is a large, imposing wooden centerpiece in a church designed to embody his throwback theology. Opened a year ago, Saint Andrew's Chapel is modeled after the Gothic cathedrals of Europe, just as Sproul's preaching is a return to the days of John Calvin and Martin Luther.
At 71, Sproul is one of the old guard in what's known as the "New Calvinism" movement, which Time magazine identified in 2009 as one of the "10 Ideas Changing the World Right Now."
Sproul's Reformed theology is a return to Scripture-based worship.
He is...dismissive of ministers who preach the "prosperity gospel" and churches that have "traditional" services for older members and "contemporary" services for younger people.
(Excerpt) Read more at articles.orlandosentinel.com ...
He is the best. I could listen to him for hours and not move except to take notes. Always learned something new.
I listen to him on the radio sometimes.
I’ve had the blessing of sitting under his teaching. One of America’s last real theologians.
BTTT
I know the man. Great guy.
I enjoy his teachings. Right now I am reading The Consquences of Ideas.
"Church is not supposed to be a pep rally. It's meant to be a worship service," said Chris Larson, vice president of Sproul's Ligonier Ministries. "What you are seeing in the American church today is an entertainment mind-set driven by the cultural revolutions of the past 40 years that take church practice more from popular culture than from Scripture."
Sproul has no tolerance for the liberal tilt of a secular society, religion influenced by culture or a government that tries to take religion out of the schools. He is equally dismissive of ministers who preach the "prosperity gospel" and churches that have "traditional" services for older members and "contemporary" services for younger people.
Well, Amen to that! "Prosperity" gospel is no better than "social justice" gospel.
God Bless him. Enough of the milk and honey, let's get to the meat and potato's!
PCA bump, with a Traditional smile...
What is that?
I’m in my 30’s and I have quite a few friends in my generation that are sick of the contemporary services. I’d like to have some hymns. Oh, and a church with windows would be nice. Hardly any churches I’ve visited have windows. What’s the deal? Oh, and I don’t care to get financial advice, marital advice, etc during sermons. Some theology would be nice.
Bookmark.
Pretty tough to avoid those topics if preaching from the bible.
I met him last year. You’re right...great guy.
Some people would like to hear about things ever harder to avoid, like Christ.
I don’t think it’s the church’s primary responsibility to make my life better. I think it’s their responsibilty to teach me how to know God better. If they want to have marriage conferences or studies on the side, fine.
Christ often talked about money because money often becomes an idol that we put ahead of God. Jesus used parables and other teachings about money in order to demonstrate that we are hopelessly lost without a savior.
Money also represents our stewardship over the gifts God has given us that we are expected to use to glorify Christ.
Christ also talked about good marriage because marriage symbolizes Jesus’s connection with the Church and in order to understand that connection we need to understand marriage.
Yes, like I said. It is very hard to avoid money and marriage when preaching from the bible. Most parables are about money, Jesus’s first miracle was at a wedding, etc etc.
I believe in a loving God and everything about God's revelations will make your life better but that is not the purpose. The purpose of God's revelation is to glorify His Son. Every sheep that knows Christ and hears His voice and follows Him glorifies the Son. The Good Shepherd knows your needs (there is a good chance those needs are not wealth or even health) and will provide you with those needs.
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