What has been go'n on with us?
In short: a lot. I have been meaning to post for a while. At least once a day, usually as I have begin to get in bed, I think, "I should've blogged about ____."
Well what has been going on then?
GEORGE TOWN
We have once relocated services in George Town to a big in an air field. The building was nice and had good seating. The air field is owned by a family that comes almost with out fail to the out reach services. The regulars from George Town found their way to the air field and we had a good time worshiping the Lord together. March 7 we are unable to use the george Town Hall, where we normally hold our out reach service, so we hope to meet in the air field again.
TERRY'S CHANGE
I have changed my mind about an important, and very visible, theological question. I no longer believe the baptism of the Roman Catholic church is valid. This change is significant on several levels.
First, it means that I have departed with the majority of my Reformed and Presbyterian brothers. In some ways this is not such a big deal. One example is that I am a strong Supralapsarian, and that is by far a minority position. However on some levels it is a big deal. One example would be the care one should taken when disagreeing with the majority of men you believe have a proper understanding of God's Word and its teachings for past 500 years or so. However one must follow God's Word no matter what other men may say regardless of who they be or how many.
Second, it means that I believe some one that was baptized in a Roman Catholic church should be re-baptized.
Third, it brings to completion an ongoing search and prayer commitment I had with another friend. A good friend and brother from seminary and I had a discussions about baptism. I was attempting to convince him of Paedo Baptism (Infant Baptism) and he was trying to convince me of the invalidity of Rome's Baptism. He became a Paedo Baptists months ago, or longer- and most likely not because of our discussions, but had continued to think and pray about Rome's baptism. Now, after getting some help from a new friend, I have come deny the validity of Rome's baptism. It appears the Lord has blessed those initial discussions and the prayers my brother and I have made for one another. Lord willing we'll continue to pray for one another and find something new to discuss.
Fourth, I have made a new theological friend, perhaps even a theological best friend.
The man who convinced that Rome's baptism was invalid was James Henley Thornwell. James was a pastor, theologian, and professor, from South Carolina. He was born in 1812 and dies in 1862. A friend from church late me borrow Thornwell's works. I read through his The Validity of the Baptism of the Church of Rome attempting to argue with him and found all my points answered and overwhelmed by arguments I had no answers for.
I then read selectively through his works and found his style clear, concise, and convincing. He also had many interesting insights into various theological questions. I offered to buy the works of Thornwell from my friend. He would not sell them but he very generously gave them to me.
Since them I have read The Life and Letters of James Henley Thornwell by B.M. Palmer. I have found it helpful personally and spiritually, as well enlightening about the man, and the Civil War. Having gotten good sense of who Thornwell was I now intend to read through his works.
Not since reading through substantial amounts of Herman Hoeksema have I felt so compelled, challenged, and blessed.
Lord willing I'll share some things from Thornwell's life and letters in future posts.
HERE COME THE KLAVERS
We hope to be heading back to the US for April. Lord willing we will arrive in Grand Rapids March 29. While in Grand Rapids we hope to visit with friends and family as well as attend a friends wedding. I hope to address the Heritage Reformed Congregations on behalf of the Southern Presbyterian Churches at their Synod in New Jersey April 16. Martha and Julia will come to New Jersey on April 19. Martha's sister Joanna will be getting married April 24 and we will be flying back to Tasmania on April 29.
JULIA
Julia continues to grow. Just in the past couple of days she has begun to sing a little bit.
About 3 weeks ago we transitioned her out of her crib/cot into her "big girl bed." She is now sleeping on a single mattress on the floor.
She surprised us earlier this week by counting to 10. She can continues to do it on her own from time to time but she does it more regularly if you do it with her. I'll take odds and she'll do evens or I'll do the first few and she'll go from from 4 up to 10.
CHURCH
We continue to go through Exodus in our morning service and Isaiah in our afternoon service. At our Tuesday night Bible study we are going through the life of Christ and our now considering the Sermon on the Mount.
We had a missionary from Tanzania with us as well. His name is John Rowse and he has a burden for "Evangelizing the Evangelists." He travels through Tanzania and parts of Zambia teaching and preaching. His focus is on making sure those preachers and ministers in East Africa truly understand the gospel of salvation by grace alone through faith alone. It is a very important ministry. Many of the church leaders and preachers he speaks with still have great problems with syncratism and animism. He helps them understand the forgiveness of sin (past, present, and future), how the substitutionary sacrifice turns away the wrath of God, and how we are sinless before the Lord for Christ's sake but are still sinful in ourselves. He attempts to challenge their anti-grace and cultural filters (as he calls them) by asking questions and expository preaching (in English and Swahili) and teaching expository preaching. As you can imagine his ministry has a large impact by bringing the true peace of the gospel to people who have never understood the gospel and by teaching preachers and teachers so they can teach others.
John's website has not been updated latley but gives you an insight tot he type of work he does:
http://www.genesis.net.au/~rowse/uhakika/
THAT IS ALL FOR NOW- PICTURES NEXT TIME
Well what has been going on then?
GEORGE TOWN
We have once relocated services in George Town to a big in an air field. The building was nice and had good seating. The air field is owned by a family that comes almost with out fail to the out reach services. The regulars from George Town found their way to the air field and we had a good time worshiping the Lord together. March 7 we are unable to use the george Town Hall, where we normally hold our out reach service, so we hope to meet in the air field again.
TERRY'S CHANGE
I have changed my mind about an important, and very visible, theological question. I no longer believe the baptism of the Roman Catholic church is valid. This change is significant on several levels.
First, it means that I have departed with the majority of my Reformed and Presbyterian brothers. In some ways this is not such a big deal. One example is that I am a strong Supralapsarian, and that is by far a minority position. However on some levels it is a big deal. One example would be the care one should taken when disagreeing with the majority of men you believe have a proper understanding of God's Word and its teachings for past 500 years or so. However one must follow God's Word no matter what other men may say regardless of who they be or how many.
Second, it means that I believe some one that was baptized in a Roman Catholic church should be re-baptized.
Third, it brings to completion an ongoing search and prayer commitment I had with another friend. A good friend and brother from seminary and I had a discussions about baptism. I was attempting to convince him of Paedo Baptism (Infant Baptism) and he was trying to convince me of the invalidity of Rome's Baptism. He became a Paedo Baptists months ago, or longer- and most likely not because of our discussions, but had continued to think and pray about Rome's baptism. Now, after getting some help from a new friend, I have come deny the validity of Rome's baptism. It appears the Lord has blessed those initial discussions and the prayers my brother and I have made for one another. Lord willing we'll continue to pray for one another and find something new to discuss.
Fourth, I have made a new theological friend, perhaps even a theological best friend.
The man who convinced that Rome's baptism was invalid was James Henley Thornwell. James was a pastor, theologian, and professor, from South Carolina. He was born in 1812 and dies in 1862. A friend from church late me borrow Thornwell's works. I read through his The Validity of the Baptism of the Church of Rome attempting to argue with him and found all my points answered and overwhelmed by arguments I had no answers for.
I then read selectively through his works and found his style clear, concise, and convincing. He also had many interesting insights into various theological questions. I offered to buy the works of Thornwell from my friend. He would not sell them but he very generously gave them to me.
Since them I have read The Life and Letters of James Henley Thornwell by B.M. Palmer. I have found it helpful personally and spiritually, as well enlightening about the man, and the Civil War. Having gotten good sense of who Thornwell was I now intend to read through his works.
Not since reading through substantial amounts of Herman Hoeksema have I felt so compelled, challenged, and blessed.
Lord willing I'll share some things from Thornwell's life and letters in future posts.
HERE COME THE KLAVERS
We hope to be heading back to the US for April. Lord willing we will arrive in Grand Rapids March 29. While in Grand Rapids we hope to visit with friends and family as well as attend a friends wedding. I hope to address the Heritage Reformed Congregations on behalf of the Southern Presbyterian Churches at their Synod in New Jersey April 16. Martha and Julia will come to New Jersey on April 19. Martha's sister Joanna will be getting married April 24 and we will be flying back to Tasmania on April 29.
JULIA
Julia continues to grow. Just in the past couple of days she has begun to sing a little bit.
About 3 weeks ago we transitioned her out of her crib/cot into her "big girl bed." She is now sleeping on a single mattress on the floor.
She surprised us earlier this week by counting to 10. She can continues to do it on her own from time to time but she does it more regularly if you do it with her. I'll take odds and she'll do evens or I'll do the first few and she'll go from from 4 up to 10.
CHURCH
We continue to go through Exodus in our morning service and Isaiah in our afternoon service. At our Tuesday night Bible study we are going through the life of Christ and our now considering the Sermon on the Mount.
We had a missionary from Tanzania with us as well. His name is John Rowse and he has a burden for "Evangelizing the Evangelists." He travels through Tanzania and parts of Zambia teaching and preaching. His focus is on making sure those preachers and ministers in East Africa truly understand the gospel of salvation by grace alone through faith alone. It is a very important ministry. Many of the church leaders and preachers he speaks with still have great problems with syncratism and animism. He helps them understand the forgiveness of sin (past, present, and future), how the substitutionary sacrifice turns away the wrath of God, and how we are sinless before the Lord for Christ's sake but are still sinful in ourselves. He attempts to challenge their anti-grace and cultural filters (as he calls them) by asking questions and expository preaching (in English and Swahili) and teaching expository preaching. As you can imagine his ministry has a large impact by bringing the true peace of the gospel to people who have never understood the gospel and by teaching preachers and teachers so they can teach others.
John's website has not been updated latley but gives you an insight tot he type of work he does:
http://www.genesis.net.au/~rowse/uhakika/
THAT IS ALL FOR NOW- PICTURES NEXT TIME
1 comment:
thank you ! that was really funny :))))
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